How to spend three days in Denver?

It is unique to have mountains as high as backdrop to your city. The Rockies being first skyscrapers, remind us that there is no necessity of having to choose between city and adventure in Denver. Although the city welcomes the future with its delicious cusine, brash arts and renowned craft brewing, it is still Colorado, where nature is in charge, flannel is new formal and graffiti is glorified. In case it sounds like place you would like to visit, here are main recommendations of things to do, places to eat and stay on three-day trip to the Mile High City.

Day 1

Visit Denver downtown culture and art

City meets country in downtown Denver. With alleyways overflowing with local art to historic, post-prohibition bars, these streets are swarmed with things to see all day. However, you need to reserve best hotel before you get on the road with United Hotels.

Things to do and see

Union Station

Union Station is undisputed Centre of downtown Denver. The historic station was first opened up in 1881 and has since been widely renovated. The Great Hall (ground floor) is not just a waiting place for the train. It is a beautiful office to work, eat, shop and enjoy the allusions to the rich history of Denver, including Pullman car style-booths and portraits of Cowboy Poets that deck the walls. Allow the day to slip easily away as you unwind with a cup of coffee at Pigtrain Coffee and grab a glass of wine at Terminal Bar and visit some of the unique stores such as the indie bookstore Tattered Cover.

The Denver Art Museum

DAM is a simple destination to visit throughout the day and has a large campus comprising four buildings that contain more than 70,000 pieces of art (including outdoors installation). It is culture capital, where old and new coexist next to one another. Specifically, the Indigenous Arts of North America collection is also impressive, displaying both historical objects and contemporary ones. There are also special exhibitions that take place in museum on regular basis. Make use of guided tours and interactive kiosks in which you can choose your favorite art pieces in collection.

The Squares

The oldest quadrant in Denver is the Larimer Square, although its age does not mislead. In this case, there will always be something that the entire family will look forward to, whether it is pop-up holiday markets in the winter or thrilling festivals during the summer, all lighted up with string lights. One of the places that should not be overlooked in the neighborhood is the Garage Sale Vintage which is resale store, top bar and possibly the best taqueria in Denver. Brag about huge piles of retro clothes and salsa shops. The nightlife is also worth spending time on after shopping and there are number of bars, clubs and shows to attend, such as comedy show at Comedy Works.

In Lower Downtown (LoDo), there is McGregor Square with big outdoor space and stadium-size screen of LED lights. The place is constantly busy with activities such as live music and outdoor yoga, community movie nights and Colorado Rockies games. During winter, there is outdoor ice-skating rink that is good to use with family and friends. Then, take drink and bite at the Milepost Zero Food Hall where you will find all varieties of food.

The Dairy Block

The Dairy Block is legend and home to a number of outstanding bars, boutique and art collections in the micro-district, located in Denver. Here are the top spots:

• The Alley at the Dairy Block: Denver, home to the heart of the arts with more than 700 local artwork, such as life-size murals, interactive wall art and glowing lamps. The walkway too has steps paved with gold that have inspirational quotes such as: Never eat more than you can lift.
• The Blue Ruby Boutique: This shop stocks clothes and travel products, as well as ‘blind-date’ books (cutely wrapped in wrapping paper, so you have no idea what the title is until you make a purchase).
• Meow Wolf in Convergence Station Denver: There is a story to be unraveled amidst the mindbending art and futuristic exhibits. Therefore, it is not bad place to be in case you are an adventure-seeking tour enthusiast, mystery and escape room fan.

Brewery Crawl with eTuk Ride

Denver has a reputation for breweries. It is impossible to recommend one of them because all 150 are good, so no single recommendation can be made. A local guide can escort you and a small group of up to five people in an eTuk (three-wheeled electric vehicle) to see the main sites of the city and tasty brew in each of them.

Where to eat and drink

Denver is not lacking in drinking and eating establishments, yet it is hard to spot the following ones:

• Onefold: Seeking homey place to have your breakfast or lunch? Onefold is the spot for you. Eat home-cooked meals inspired by family and cozy farmhouse kitchen atmosphere (without the farm).
• The Cruise Room: This is well-known bar in Oxford Hotel, but it has speakeasy style that is difficult to skip. Once it reaches four in afternoon, come in to drink in glamorous atmosphere of 1920s and listen to the jukebox music, savoring your alcohol. Fun fact: It became first bar to be opened in Denver following prohibition.
• Denver Milk Market: The renowned food hall of Dairy Block is filled with delicious products. Have chicken sandwich at Frito Chickent or spaghetti at Fuso Pizza & Pasta. Once you digest, go to the game room, play skeeball and air hockey.
• Deviation Distilling: Located directly across from the Denver Milk Market, this is cocktail lounge and patio that taps their own distilled gin, as well as other specialty spirits, out of an old firehouse. Visit here to have nice mixed drinks adjacent to open bricks and comfortable, bottle lighting.
• Snooze: Snooze has the most entertaining atmosphere of places to have brunch or breakfast with booze and creative spin on traditional cuisine, making it best location in terms of fun and tasty breakfast.

Day 2

Discover the historic Five Point neighborhood

Five Points, so-called Harlem of the West, is vibrant with rich history of jazz, active art and sporting heritage. Explore the neighborhoods in all their micro-districts.

Things to do and see

Nocturne Jazz Club

Nocturne is adamant to make jazz alive and its immediate successor. You can listen to live jazz music and pick three-course dinner with choices that are customizable and change with the time of year. Every meal is accompanied by beverage or you can have whatever suits your taste. Within, the bar is lit with low lights and is well illuminated with nice tables circling the small stage as a portrait of Billie Holiday takes center stage.

Denver Graffiti Tour

Graffiti was accepted in one of the first cities in U.S. Denver was one of them. This two-hour walk-through of RiNo art area presents the history behind artists and their paintings. It is not an art tour, rather history, political and social background of what has contributed to acceptance of street art in Denver and its effect on the community.

Puttshack

Puttshack is the ideal, casual weekend event to have as couple, family and friends. The mini golf course is technologically inclined mini course, which consists of unusual obstacles (trivia questions are able to earn you an additional point). They are very serious with their music choice as well here particularly on Wayback Wednesdays. You may be in the course and your second dose of Italian flatbread or sipping strong cocktail in the bar and before end of the night, you will find yourself singing and dancing.

Touring Coors Field

Obviously, it is just a must to have the Colorado Rockies play on their home field, provided that you are in Denver during the time of baseball season. However, it is still an astonishing landmark to visit even during the off-season. It offers behind-the-scene tour to understand the historical design of the ball park and visit restricted places such as dugout. The disabled guests are welcome on all tours and some of profits made are donated to Colorado Rockies Foundation which uses funds for programs to help the community.

The Black American West Museum

Learn the history of African American pioneers that is so easy to skip over including cowboys and settlers in this small yet curious museum. Located in legacy of the former residence of the first Black female physician of Denver, the museum features several exhibitions that showcase experiences and legacies of African Americans in the West.

Where to eat and drink

Five Points area serves variety of tastes, including soul food and Native American-style tacos. Here are favorite one:

• Safta: This is modernized version of Israeli food in form of Mediterranean restaurant found in the Source food hall. Relax in communal dining area and savor choice of fresh meats, seafood and wood-fired bread.
• Tocabe: Food Should Tell a Story - that is slogan of sole American Indian-owned and operated restaurant in Denver metro area. A Native and Indigenous food restaurant, it serves Posu bowls and Indian Tacos which are nutritious and tasty.
• Welton Street Café: Feeling the need to have soul food? Then visit this family-owned and Black-owned cafe to get some homestyle favorites such as greens, yams, catfish and fried chicken. It also has large burger menu (veggie burgers also offered), seafood and jerk chicken.
• La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas: La Calle is best place to get pure Mexican food and it is found in South Broadway only 20 minutes away in Five Points. You know, if you can, come here on a Taco Tuesday and order some delicious tacos at only two dollars apiece.

Day 3

Go on day trip outside the city

Denver is a vibrant urban center and there is another wilder kind of beauty outside the city boundary. Take a day off to have close look with beautiful natural scenery that immediately borders metropolitan comforts of Denver.

Things to do and see

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides

When you want to visit some of most beautiful natural scenery in Colorado, then these are do-it-yourself tours, such as backcountry skiing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting or photographic sightseeing tour. It is nature lovers who make sure that everybody enjoys themselves and remains safe. Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre

A theater of the elements created out of nature- Red Rock stage is surrounded by unusual formations of rust and amber rocks. It is also reputed to have an excellent acoustic and memorable concerts, and anybody who has been there will attest. In addition to the concerts, the park area has hiking paths, picnic areas and fossil hunting. There is also Yoga on the Rocks that locals attend.

Coors Brewery Tour in Golden

An outdoor theater created by nature - rust and amber rock formations are striking in the Red Rock stage. It is also associated with the great acoustics and memorable concerts that no one who visited it will forget. The park that surrounds the concerts is also home to hiking trails, picnic spots and fossil hunting. There is also locals who visit here to participate in Yoga on the Rocks.

Where to eat and drink

The city is not the only one that has amazing food. Finish your visit at some of finest restaurants just outside of Denver:

• Westbound and Down: This restaurant serves classic American food and it is good place to go when you feel like great comfort food in Idaho Springs, Westbound. Take your food with one of their award-winning beers, such as Spirit of West IPA.
• Hungry Goat Scratch Kitchen and Wine Bar: Hungry Goat is located near Red Rocks amphitheater and serves with outstanding service and wine list. It is also worth mentioning that they have gluten-free and vegan options, which makes it the ideal destination regardless of dietary preferences.
• The Golden Mill: This food hall is located directly outside Coors Brewery, which is known for its tap wall -a self-pour wall of beer, wine, cider, etc. Take your drink and snack to one of the five food vendors to eat sitting around the firepits or outside.
• Corrida: To treat yourself slightly nicer, go to Corrida in downtown Boulder to enjoy Spanish dishes inspiration, wood-fired Wagyu steak and classic cocktails with roaming gin and tonic cart.

What is the best month to visit Denver?

When to visit Denver depends upon what matters to you but best seasons such as September (fall colors, fewer crowds, good hiking), May/June (blooming flowers, less summer heat, access to mountains without big crowds) are usually recommended as best months and provide good weather and fewer tourists than peak summer (June-August) or winter (ski season). Summer (July-August) is warm and good time to have festivals and mountain activities; it is also high season and highest prices and people; but winter (Nov-Feb) is great to go skiing and deals with low prices.

Which is the cheapest month to visit Denver?

Lowest fares are found during peak seasons in city of Denver, April-May (spring mud season) and October-November (late fall) which are lower priced and less crowded than summer or peak ski season and January is also good time to get cheap fares. You will be able to get low-cost accommodation and events and activities within these low seasons.

Conclusion

Denver is stunning place to have 3 Day weekend getaway. One is not short of attractions, sightseeing spots or places to have dinner. You have an abundance of choices, so you can not go wrong with this weekend guide and create your dream 3-day itinerary. Going sightseeing in the mountains or comforts of downtown, this city is an experience that will be remembered.

when you are running short on time, interchange and combine this guide to come up with the perfect 2-day itinerary in Denver. The Mile High City is an excellent place to spend wonderful time regardless of what path you are going to take. Unwind, enjoy and experience the breathtaking scenery of the Rocky Mountains.