Denver Travel Guide: my favorite spots in the Mile High City

Spring is just around the corner and with it marks my one year anniversary of living in Denver. Moving here after calling NYC home for six years has been quite the transition. As with all major changes in life, there have been many highs and lows as I’ve acclimated to life in a smaller city. However, one of the major perks of moving somewhere completely unfamiliar to me has been the ability to explore and discover new things at every turn.

While writing this guide I had to take a moment to pause and simply feel gratitude for all that I’ve experienced within what truthfully is such a short time here. And now that Bay and I bought a house (!!), I know I’ll have many more years of exploration in the Mile High City.

Whether you just moved to Denver, are planning to visit, or are just curious as to what this city offers, I hope you find this guide useful! I can attest that I’ve been to every single spot listed and think you’ll enjoy them as much as I did.

Denver Sights to See

Denver Botanic Gardens: 23 acre public botanical garden in Cheesman Park that contains a conservatory, variety of theme gardens and a sunken amphitheater

Coors Field: Home of the Colorado Rockies MLB team and located in the heart of Downtown, Denver. It’s a fun stadium with great views and traditional ball park fare

16th St. Mall: Mile long pedestrian friendly “mall” downtown with shops, restaurants, cafes, breweries and free shuttle buses

Larimer Square: Historic block with a variety of restaurants and nightlife in a very walkable area of Downtown

Union Station: A beaux arts-style transport hub with cool places to eat and drink, plus summer events that include concerts and a weekly farmers’ market

Washington Park: 155 acre park with two lakes, a pavilion, flower gardens and shopping/dining on South Gaylord Street

Red Rocks Amphitheater: An incredible open-air amphitheater and concert venue located in Morrison (just about 20 min outside of Denver)

Tattered Cover Bookstore: The largest independent bookstore in Colorado with a multi-leveled, beautiful location downtown filled wall to wall with books

Cherry Creek Bike Trail: 20 mile bike path that starts at Cherry Creek State Park and ends in LoHi. It’s a fun summer activity to do with a friend during the day

Brown Palace Hotel & Spa: Gorgeous, historic building in downtown offering traditional high tea with handmade pastries, scones and tea sandwiches

Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit: A multi-sensory art show set to music in a dynamic space. Highly recommend attending one of their yoga classes. They also offer an immersive Frida Kahlo experience in the same venue

The Dairy Block: Stylish urban complex with a range of buzzy bars & restaurants, plus upscale boutiques & a hotel

Date Night Dinners

Rioja: Intimate restaurant on Larimer Square that features locally sourced, imaginative Mediterranean dishes & wine

Olivia: Elegant Italian restaurant located in Wash Park with playful cocktails and handmade pasta

Nocturne: Bi-level lounge & eatery in RiNo serving up eclectic plates & cocktails amid live jazz music.

Cholon: Beautiful downtown restaurant with a menu featuring inspired interpretations of traditional dishes found across Southeast Asia (get the french onion soup dumplings!)

Barcelona Wine Bar: warm and welcoming tapas bar in RiNo with delicious paella and an ever-changing menu focused on clean flavors, seasonal ingredients

Matsuhisa: Upscale restaurant in Cherry Creek featuring an intimate sushi bar and Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature new-style Japanese cuisine

Root Down: A converted filling station turned artful venue in RiNo serving farm-to-table creative American small plates

Bistro Vendome: Traditional Parisian style cafe with a garden on Larimer Square serving classic french bistro fare

Cru Wine Bar: Relaxed Napa-style wine-bar serving stone-fired pizzas & cheese plates

Sushi Ronin: Japanese eatery in Congress Park featuring unique and delicious sushi, sashimi and ramen

Adrift Tiki Bar: Tropical-themed tiki bar offering rum-centric, island-style drinks plus Polynesian-inspired bites

Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge: Upscale Pan-Latin Restaurant crafted by Chef Richard Sandoval in Cherry Creek, celebrating the vibrant flavors of Central and South America

Fun for Groups

Happy Camper: Cool, outdoorsy pizza spot in LoHi with cocktails & brunch in a super colorful patio with disco balls and a fire pit

Culinary Dropout: British-style gastropub with quirky decor, live music, and cornhole, serving fun cocktails & comfort food

Kachina Cantina: Frybread, agave margs & other Southwestern fare star on the menu of this colorful eatery at the Dairy Block in LoDo

My Neighbor Felix: Casual pan-Mexican kitchen in LoHi with a fun bar, great brunch, shareable cocktails and outdoor firepit seating

Mr. Oso: Funky space in RiNO with a vine-draped patio serving creative tacos & South American-inspired fare

Bartaco: Upscale street tacos, specialty cocktails & beer in a coastal & relaxed restaurant in LoHi

Anise: Laid-back Vietnamese restaurant with pho, bahn mi, and weekend brunch

Punchbowl Social: American gastro-pub with multiple bars, brunch and fun entertainment like bowling, billiards, giant jenga, darts and more

Woods Restaurant: Rooftop restaurant and beer garden at the Source with gorgeous views and New Belgium Brewing craft beers

Postino: Indoor-outdoor space with fun artwork, over 30 wines, brunch and happy hour

Babes Tea Room: Instagrammable English cafe serving high tea, pastries, and bubbly brunches

Matcha, Coffee & Tea

Kaffe Landksap: Scandinavian coffee shop near Larimer Square featuring fresh juices, healthy fare, and responsibly sourced coffee

Dandy Lion Coffee: Charming plant and coffee shop in Park Hill serving lattes, matcha and Vietnamese iced coffee

Aviano: Trendy cafe in Cherry Creek with an open, modern design and patio offering gourmet espresso drinks and pastries

Hudson Hill: Intimate plant filled cafe in Cap Hill serving coffee during the day and cocktails in the evening

Amethyst Coffee: Coffee, lattes & teas served in an airy, modern cafe with a patio & fire pit

Blue Sparrow Coffee: Pretty neighborhood coffee shop serving Nitro Cold Brew, Kombuchas, matcha and artisan coffees

Huckleberry Roasters: Tasty coffee and happy people in a cute space located in the Dairy Block

Milk Tea People: Specialty tea and pretty matcha drinks in a minimalistic downtown cafe

Healthy Fare

Whole Sol: Vibrant, colorful cafes serving up fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls and other healthy bites

Flower Child: Fresh, fast casual style restaurant with an airy space in Cherry Creek serving vegan, vegetarian and paleo friendly options

Modern Market: Fast-casual eatery with multiple locations throughout Denver serving fresh and sustainable breakfasts, salads, bowls, pizzas and more

True Food Kitchen: Relaxed, eco-chic chain serving health-conscious fare, including vegan options, plus cocktails

Wellness Sushi: Denver’s first 100% plant-based sushi and Japanese eatery using simple, healthy ingredients

Green Collective Eatery: Fast-casual breakfast and lunch eatery in LoHi serving smoothies, toasts, fresh juices and more

The Corner Beet: Cap Hill cafe in an artsy, plant filled space serving cold-pressed juices & light vegetarian fare

Nurture: Wellness marketplace with over 60 holistic vendors and a beautiful cafe serving fresh juice, smoothies, bowls and other nourishing fare

Just BE Kitchen: Gluten, grain, & refined sugar free fast-casual eatery serving wholesome comfort food

Sweet Gold Juice Co: Woman owned juice shop in Stanley Marketplace offering organic, cold-pressed juice, juice cleanses, smoothies and gluten-free, vegan snacks

Happy Hour

Death & Co: Offshoot of the NYC cocktail bar offering a sophisticated and beautiful space for specialty cocktails

Welton Room: Intimate, modern craft cocktail bar with whimsical drinks served in a trendy space downtown

54 Thirty:  Denver’s highest open-air, rooftop bar on top of Le Méridien Downtown with gorgeous panoramic views, delicious cocktails, and fire pit seating

Lady Jane: Trendy neighborhood cocktail bar in LoHi serving light bites and curated, craft cocktails

Ghost Donkey: Lively and vibrant mezcal and tequila bar located in a colorful, moody lounge downtown

Forget Me Not: Beautiful cocktail bar and lounge in Cherry Creek with lots of natural light, chic seating and fun cocktails

Bigsby’s Folly: Winery in RiNo with an industrial-artsy vibe & a menu of small plates and award winning frose

The Broken Cage: Plant-filled cocktail bar serving up eclectic drinks in an intimate setting

EDGE Bar: A classy bar located in the Four Seasons in downtown Denver, serving up handcrafted cocktails (and mocktails) and a delightful new menu! Highly recommend the tots and caviar appetizer and Urban Campfire dessert

Best for Brunch

Perdida: A coastal oasis in Wash Park serving Baja style brunch, prickly pear margaritas and small plates

Three Saints Revival: Mediterranean style brunch spot with eclectic decor, delicious drinks and a super whimsical environment

Safta: Light and airy brunch spot in the Source Hotel serving modern Middle Eastern brunch

Snooze: A local favorite, this breakfast centric restaurant serves up brunch classics and creative

Lucile’s Creole Cafe: Cajun and creole-focused restaurant serving up delicious beignets and southern brunch

Linger: Former mortuary turned lively restaurant with a rooftop lounge & global small plates in LoHi

Mimosas: Colorful, retro (and v instagrammable) restaurant serving innovative brunch & comfort fare, plus mimosa flights in Five Points

Desserts

D Bar: The perfect restaurant for sweet lovers in the mood for award winning desserts, pastries & cakes, plus some savory American bites

Little Man Ice Cream: Milk-jug shaped shop scooping unique flavors of homemade ice cream in the heart of LoHi

Crumbl Cookies: Fresh baked, gourmet doughy cookies with lots of specialty flavors and combinations to choose from

French for Sugar: Super cute, pink bakery with gourmet cupcakes, cakes, macarons and a small event space for high tea

Voodoo Donuts: A doughnut lovers dream with kooky flavors, fun designs and rotating menu

Wonderland on Larimer: Alice in Wonderland themed dessert shop in Larimer Square serving up cute and whimsical macarons

Hidden Gems: Funky ice cream parlor in Larimer Square with soft serve ice cream flavors that include unique and fun mix-ins

Bonnie Brae Ice Cream: An old-fashioned looking popular ice cream shop in Wash Park that serves really fun homemade ice cream flavors

Part Two Guide Coming Soon

After sharing all of the above I realized that I may be needing to offer a part two of this guide that features some nearby hikes and hidden gems. Let me know if you’d be interested in seeing that!

I hope you found this guide helpful as you explore the Mile High City. If you think this would be a good resource for someone here in Denver, it would be mean the world if you shared this on Instagram Stories or Pinterest to help spread the word.

Happy adventuring!