A Little Trip to Denver

A LITTLE TRIP TO DENVER

July 24, 2019

It’s been almost fourteen years since I visited this little big city. When I was last here at the beginning of the century, Denver was leading the way in Downtown revitalization. Downtown Denver was experiencing enormous residential growth and investment was high. With the Regional Transportation District (RTD) transit system expanding, this beautiful, sunny city placed perfectly at the bottom of the mountains was poised for greatness.

A work trip turned into an opportunity to enjoy a long weekend in this special place and see the results of what was underway the last time I was here. My heart craves all that a city offers and I leave more inspired than ever to create beautiful spaces that are rich in culture and experience. If you are looking for a chic city getaway, you will love Denver.  An arts and cultural mecca; a place to find inspiration. Here are a few of our favorite destinations and experiences from our weekend away. Enjoy!

Union Station: This 100 year old treasure located in Lower Downtown (LoDo) was renovated five years ago and fits perfectly into modern life. They nailed it because despite it’s grandiose size, it makes you want to stay and linger. The great hall is filled with comforts of home; think cozy couches and chairs for reading and tables that are equipped for mobile working and communication. Sit down here and you are surrounded by architectural beauty and all the conveniences you need; coffee, books, amazing food and more.

Be sure to visit Mercantile Dining and Provision by James Beard award winning chef, Alex Seidel. Modeled after a European market, the restaurant fits beautifully alongside it. A  must experience destination for lunch, dinner or provisions. Try the truffled kettle chips and don’t leave without the dill pickles and a few pastries!

Photos by Mercantile Dining and Provision

Another charming Union Station destination is Tattered Cover book store. This curated little book store is a good place to get lost for a while. We loved spending some time there after lunch. Also a great place to find some souvenirs if you have littles.

Outside Union Station you will find yourself at the Transit Center, where you can be connected to multiple elements of transit all under one roof. We took the Light Rail from the airport to reach LoDo. It was super easy and only took about 30 minutes. I am envious of Denver’s impressive mass transit system. It is such an important part of a true modern city.

Red Rocks: This was on our bucket list and wow, just WOW! It doesn’t matter what your jam is, experiencing a concert here is a spiritual and emotional experience. A quick uber ride to Red Rocks Amphitheater from Downtown is recommended for a stress free night. We were lucky enough to catch The Head and the Heart on one of their two sold out nights.

Some other great Downtown destinations included Hearth and Dram for an amazing Happy Hour, and our stay at the sophisticated Indigo Hotel. While in LoDo, be sure to take in the historic charm of Larimer Square for incredible boutique shopping and fun nightlife!

Craft Beer: Did you know Denver is often referred to as “the Napa Valley of craft beer”? Offering over 35 breweries on the “Beer Trail”,  It’s a fun way to explore the local beer culture. Two of our favorite brews from the weekend were Buffalo Gold Golden Ale from the Boulder Beer Co. and the Agave Wheat from the Breckenridge Brewery. Give them a try!

Cherry Creek: We ventured out of LoDo for the rest of our trip for a little R & R still close to the city in the Cherry Creek Neighborhood. Our stay at the Halcyon Hotel was everything we had expected and more. This stylish and art filled boutique hotel tends to every need and the staff was incredible. It’s so nice to encounter people that make you feel welcome and clearly enjoy their jobs. Their “kitchen counter concept”, complimentary bikes and the use of other outdoor recreation equipment is brilliant.

Did I mention that they have record players in every room? How well did they know us to have Johnny Cash’s Fulsom Prison and Prince’s Purple Rain waiting for us. Last but not least, their rooftop pool and bar offering mountain and Downtown skyline views makes it easy to stay, relax and be inspired.

This little neighborhood is filled with local restaurants, art galleries and boutique shopping. You must stop into Grind, for eclectic southern fare with a twist and order the fried chicken sandwich. Another one to try is Machete, what’s not to love about powerful hand crafted margaritas and street tacos?

We rode bikes all morning and were quick to realize why people make Denver their permanent home. The fresh mountain air and big blue sky are pretty irresistible in the summer.

Check out Cheesman Park by bike. A perfect place for a picnic, reading a book or taking a nap! We also biked along Cherry Creek and through the historic Country Club Neighborhood designed in the early 1900’s taking in the stunning architecture.

Finally, we parked our bikes and ended our morning at the local award winning Cherry Creek Fresh Market. Offered every Saturday from May until the end of October, the outdoor market offers both high quality local growers, gourmet food vendors and live music. We sampled our way through the market and if I didn’t have to get on an airplane, I would have purchased some of the beautiful purple Agrostemma.

What a weekend we had! I left feeling inspired and reenergized by all we had done in this city that does it right; Good design, food and culture are a powerful mix! Hope you can experience some time in this cool city!