A GUIDE TO Denver, Colorado
Denver Botanic Gardens
Victor Gold Mines
Garden of the Gods Park
Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colorado
I first visited Denver in 2018 and immediately fell in love with the city. I’ll be honest, the city itself isn’t that pretty – but it’s the people and the mountains that make this place special. After a few more visits, I decided to move here in 2021 and have loved every second of it. On this page, you’ll find some of my favorite spots around the Denver itself and the state of Colorado. I highly, highly recommend renting a car when you visit in order to explore the best that Colorado has to offer.
MY FAVORITE colorado SPOTS
THE PAINT MINES
RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER
GLEN ERYIE CASTLE
COFFEE + EATS + ADULT BEVS
LoHi neighborhood:
Little Man Ice Cream – some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had!!
Forest Room 5 – hip bar with outdoor fire pits and a creek.
Recess Beer Garden – popular bar with a great outdoor patio.
Highland Tavern – dive bar with a fabulous whiskey selection & great burgers.
Acova – make a reservation to eat here & get the gluten free fried chicken!
Root Down – one of the best restaurants in Denver.
RiNo neighborhood:
Improper City – coworking during the day and popular beer garden by night.
Lustre Pearl – casual bar with great music.
LoDo neighborhood:
Dairy Block – Trendy market with indoor and outdoor bar, restaurants, and shops.
Snooze – A notorious pancake spot in Colorado.
Capitol Hill neighborhood:
Hudson Hill – Cool coffee & cocktail bar.
Jelly Cafe – Super popular breakfast spot with GF donut holes.
Odyssey – Go on Mondays for $9 pasta + salad!
Don’s Club Tavern – One of my fav dive bars with pool tables + games.
The Flat Irons via Skunk Canyon Trail // Boulder, CO
GF donuts make me go nuts!!!! // JELLY
HIKES + HOTSPOTS
Less than an hour from Denver:
Denver Botanic Gardens – One of my favorite spots in Denver any time of year!
Skunk Canyon and Kohler Mesa Loop – moderate hike in Boulder, CO with a great view of the Flatirons.
Rattlesnake Gulch Trail – Moderate hike Eldorado Canyon State Park with great mountain views!
Less than 2 hours from Denver:
The Paint Mines – Super cool and easy hike to see the colorful clay rocks.
Vindicator Valley Trail – Easy hike that takes your though some of the old gold mines in Victor, Colorado.
Lily Pad Lake Trail – Easy hike in Silverthorne, CO with a beautiful mountain view.
Garden of the Gods – Popular spot with easy trails to see some cool rocks. Hit up Westside Cantina for lunch in the Springs.
2+ hours from Denver:
Rocky Mountain National Park – A must do for any Colorado trip.
Great Sand Dunes National Park – Go sandboard during the day and see the stars at night!
Colorado National Monument – Such a freakin’ cool park!! Stop at Pablo’s Pizza or Restoration Winery while you’re out there too.
