ByBrian Thacker
Published February 18, 2024
• 8 min read
From dense forests and desert plains to dramatic canyons and snow-capped mountains — the west-central US state of Colorado is a wellspring of wild and wonderful landscapes. The eighth largest of the states when it comes to square mileage, Colorado’s vastly varied topography has seen it become a magnet for travellers seeking the best of the great outdoors. And as a base for adventure, it doesn’t get much better than the state’s sunny capital, Denver, a destination that seems made for nature-lovers and active travellers. Here you can join the locals out cycling the city’s trails, jogging across its plentiful green spaces or even kayaking down the rapids that run right through the centre of the city. But Denver is not just a jumping off point for outdoor adventure. Head deep into its streets and you’ll discover an urban destination that’s a hub of ever-evolving cuisine, arts and entertainment.
Start your visit by joining local Denverites cheering on one of the city’s five major professional sports teams — there are options to watch baseball, basketball, American football, soccer and lacrosse — or settling in for a coffee in Denver’s ‘lounge room’. This is the affectionate local label for the magnificently renovated beaux-arts Denver Union Station, which is now home to patio-set restaurants, bars, boutiques and, a family favourite, the Milkbox Ice Creamery. In fact, you could plan a whole stay at Denver Union, as upstairs you’ll find the Crawford Hotel. The stylish, high-ceilinged guest rooms, once offices for the bustling train service, now offer a luxurious base from which to explore the city.
Step outside the station and it’s a short walk to some of the best restaurants in town. But before taking a table, be sure to stop by Rockmount Ranch Wear on your way. This characterful clothing store is the home of the first snap button cowboy shirt, a style that’s been worn by plenty of stars so famous you know them by their first names: Elvis, Elton, Chuck, Willie and even John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Around the corner, you’ll find culinary delights aplenty in historic Larimer Square, a destination easily identified by the sparkling lights hung across the pedestrianised area year-round. Here, a series of picturesque Victorian buildings have been transformed into boutique shops, cosy wine bars and creative chef-owned restaurants. Start at Bao Brewhouse for a tea-based cocktail — such as the Sakura sunrise with Ku Cha Sakura cherry tea, Campari, rum and pineapple accompanied by delicate dim sum sharing plates. Then wander over to nearby Osteria Marco for its famously creamy homemade burrata and extensive menu of Italian classics. Weekend visitors should also head here on a Sunday for the fabulous drag bingo brunch.
A food-focused exploration of Denver doesn’t end here, though. Every corner of this vibrant city is abuzz with culinary expression, from the cool streets of Lower Downtown to the charming avenues of Capitol Hill. For a classic taste of Colorado, make for the Buckhorn Exchange, a must-visit for meat-eaters. This quirky steakhouse, complete with checked tablecloths and wood-panelled dining rooms, has been serving up specialities including elk and alligator since 1893 and claims to be Denver’s oldest restaurant.
Fancy something more surprising? Venture to the city’s north for the chance to dine in a former mortuary. The team at Linger have created a vibrant, 100% employee-owned institution that doesn’t shirk away from its unique history. Water is served in formaldehyde-like bottles and the tempting cocktail list includes specialities such as the mortuary margarita and the frozen painkiller. The menu offers Asian-inspired street bites and food truck tacos in the main dining room as well as small plates, bao buns and skewers on the roof terrace.
To experience the city in a different way, combine exercise and art on a walking tour or on two wheels with Denver Public Art Downtown Bicycle Tours. There’s plenty to see, as Denver is home to eight different neighbourhood art districts. The most celebrated is RiNo (River North), an industrial area of revamped warehouses and factories that’s been transformed into a stylish arts precinct, where almost every available patch of brick or concrete has become a canvas for spectacular street art. Or head inside at the Denver Art Museum, where more than 70,000 works are on display. Current exhibitions include ‘All Stars: American Artists from The Phillips Collection’ and ‘The Skeletal World of José Guadalupe Posada’.
However, those looking for a more immersive, otherworldly encounter should instead make for Meow Wolf: Convergence Station. At this unique art installation, which brands itself a ‘multiversal transit station’, kaleidoscopic works span four floors and promise a surreal, interdimensional experience. Visitors can book just the exhibition itself or choose from a packed calendar of events taking place at the Convergence Station’s performance venue, from DJ sets to comedy nights.
To round off your visit, no trip to Denver is complete without sampling the city’s craft beers. Dubbed the ‘Napa Valley of beer’, the area is home to approximately 150 brewpubs, taprooms and breweries, and with such stiff competition, brewers have had to get creative in order to stand out. Wynkoop Brewery, which kicked off the craft scene in Denver, serves up beers as creative in name as in taste. Try a Next Wednesday, Writing in Cursive or a Fuzzy Little Headbutts, or go sample a beer made with gummy bears or Rocky Mountain oysters (a local delicacy made of bull testicles).
If you like your beer heavy, head to TRVE Brewing, where the music and drinks offer a heavy metal hit, with options including Demonteller, Temporal Anchor and Scorn. With so many ales to choose from, the best option is to taste a few by ordering a ‘beer flight’ (containing between four and eight beers) from most breweries. You can even continue the ‘flights’ in the morning and head back to Union Station for a delicious ‘pancake flight’ at Snooze — widely considered the best breakfast in town.
Plan your trip
Fly nonstop to Denver from Heathrow (average flight time 10h). From here, the airport rail to Denver Union takes just under 40 minutes. To get around the city, the light rail network covers 113 miles across 12 rail lines and 78 stations. For more information, go to visittheusa.co.uk
This paid content article was created for Visit the USA. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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