One word to describe Denver, Colorado is ADVENTUROUS! Colorado is 5,280 feet above sea level and known as the “Mile High City”. The air is dryer and thinner in Colorado, so make sure to drink plenty of water when visiting! I still enjoyed my time in Denver, despite the high elevation. These were my favorite places to go and things to do in and outside of Denver, Colorado…
Now let’s tRavel iN style!
1. Denver Biscuit Company
It is said that the Denver Biscuit Company has award winning biscuit sandwiches, and I concur! My favorite was The Lola, which was made up of butter-milk fried chicken and bacon with house made honey and maple syrup. I substituted the biscuits with fluffy french toast, which made the sandwich more perfect! The cocktails were very delicious, as well.
2. Denver Zoo
Although it was not free to enter, it was quite fun to visit the zoo, especially before the cold weather hit. The Denver Zoo has over 3k animals. I really love elephants and amazingly, they were having an elephant show on the day that I visited the zoo, which featured Asian elephants.
3. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, CO is about 35 minutes away from Denver. There were beautiful scenic views of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. In downtown Boulder, it was exciting to walk along the four blocks of Pearl Street Mall, which included several boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.
4. Royal Gorge Route
The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is located in Cañon City, Colorado, which is about two hours outside of Denver. It was an extravagant 1.5 to 2 hour train ride from the Santa Fe Deport through the Royal Gorge canyon, with spectacular views. My family and I visited on my birthday as a celebratory get-away. We booked the Vista Dome train ride with the lunch upgrade. The food and drinks were delish!
5. Trading Post Trailhead at Red Rocks
Just 25 minutes away from downtown Denver, this short 1.4 mile loop hiking trail whopped my behind! I had never been so out-of-breath after walking a short distance! And I took multiple breaks, lol. The elevation levels in Colorado were no joke! However, the beautiful views made it all worth it. I had never hiked before in my life, unless you count hiking up the highest hills on FAMU’s college campus (I’m sure my fellow FAMU Rattlers would understand my pain). There was also an amphitheater where concerts and even yoga classes were held.
6. The Post Chicken & Beer
I only visited the Post because one of the Respiratory Therapist (RT) raved over their collard greens. I was hesitant at first because Denver was so far from the south and I really did not expect true southern cuisine. The RT who recommended this restaurant was from Columbia, Georgia; therefore, I believed her and she was right! The chicken was fried to a perfect crisp! If you want southern food in the west, this is a great place to visit.
7. Union Station
The Union Station is the main railway station and central transportation. I did not go inside the station, but I walked along the street, which was full of trendy storefront shops and restaurants. My favorite restaurant was the JINYA Ramen Bar, which served Korean cuisine. I enjoyed the Tonkotsu Black Ramen with a small plate of the Spicy Creamy Shrimp Tempura for an appetizer. These two menu items were a perfect combination. Oh, and did I mention the cocktails were superb?!
8. Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
You thought I was exhausted from the hike at the Trading Post Trailhead? I felt like I was going to die during the 3.5 mile hike to Emerald Lake! As you see in the picture below (far right), I was not prepared at all for the hike, lol. The snow got thicker and the cold wind turned to freezing wind. The views along the hike were extremely beautiful. The views were to die for, literally lol. I will say, it was definitely worth the hike; for that day and that day only.
9. Cheba Hut
The Cheba Hut is a cannabis-themed restaurant. This was a toasted-sub sandwich joint, in which the sandwiches were delicious and fulfilling. I enjoyed the delicious White Widow sandwich that included grilled chicken breast, bacon, ranch, shrooms, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and their Shake & House dressing.
10. 16th Street Mall
The 16th Street Mall is located in downtown Denver. The 16th Street Mall included trendy shops like the Loft, TJ Maxx, and dining such as Magliano’s Little Italy. Make sure you stop by the Denver Pavilions shopping mall that consists of popular department stores, such as H&M, and a movie theater.
11. Larimer Square
This historic block is full of Victorian styled buildings that includes urban specialty shops, chef- owned restaurants, and lots of entertainment. My favorite place to visit was the Van Leeuwen ice cream shop, in which I fell in love with the black cherry chip flavor! I was so happy when I discovered that the Whole Foods back home in Florida sold this brand of ice cream.
12. Iron Mountain Hot Springs
The Iron Mountain Hot Springs located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Make sure to bring a bathing suit, flip flops, change of clothes, and robe when visiting. Each guest was provided one towel; however, there was a towel rental fee for any additional towels.
I had never felt so relaxed in my life! Even though it was freezing cold where the heated mineral pools were located, the heat and steam made me forget that I was outside in 30 degree weather…in a bathing suit! It was an incredible experience relaxing in the hot springs, gazing out at the snowcapped mountains.
13. Vail, Colorado
Vail, Colorado was approximately an hour and forty-five minute drive from Denver, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. It honesty looked like we were in a Hallmark movie. An awesome place to stay when visiting Vail is at the Tivoli Lodge. It had a welcoming, cozy-cottage feel to it. The views from the room were absolutely gorgeous. The fireplaces in the rooms were an unexpected bonus! I thought that our views were the best ever; however, we met the owner of the lounge, who personally showed us her penthouse suite, with panoramic views looking out onto the mountains!
Make sure that you head over to the Vail Village and Lionshead Village. My visitation was outside of ski-season; therefore, there were not a lot of people roaming the streets, which was a good thing in my opinion! We had the freedom to browse around without a big crowd. Also, I stopped by Häagen-Dazs and got a delicious Affogato.
I wished that the ice cream had oxygen sprinkles on it because that elevation was no joke! However, while window shopping, I discovered that oxygen could be purchased by the can. I never felt so winded from just going up one flight of stairs. But again, the views were breathtaking… literally, lol. I would definitely go back to Vail during ski-season.
Have you visited Colorado? What did you do for fun?! Comment below 😃🏔️.
