My Colorado Travel Guide
The Denver airport holds a special place in my heart. It also holds both joyous and sad moments. I loved landing in Denver, butterflies in my stomach, texting my boyfriend that I landed, with the excitement to see him. I waited anxiously as he pulled the car up and we would drive back to his apartment, enjoying being together again and talking of all the fun places we were going to go while I was in Colorado.
A few days or a week later the airport was a place of dread. The drive to the airport wasn’t as fun as the drive from the airport. I would stuff fast food napkins that I was using as tissues to wipe my tears in my pockets, trying so hard to stop crying. I hated leaving and saying goodbye.
Me and my now husband’s entire dating relationship was long distance. He lived in Denver, Colorado and I lived in Pennsylvania where I lived most of my life. We would fly out to see each other every 4-6 weeks or so. I loved Denver, mostly because it was the place where we fell in love, had some of our hardest and best conversations, figured out life, and planned our wedding together. It was my home away from home for some time. And now that we are married it is my home. My husband is spontaneous and loves adventure and I love that about him. He is always planning surprises, fun dates, and new places to go. In our short time we have had here we have been to a lot of amazing places in Denver, and many places outside of Denver as well. Here are a few of our favorites!
City Park: This is me and my husband’s favorite park. We like to take our dog for walks there, I go there to have all my phone calls with friends while I walk, and we’ll take picnic dinners and sit on the lawn and watch the sunset. It is Denver’s largest (and in our opinion) most beautiful park, with a large lake with a fountain, the view of the skyline and mountains, and lots of flower gardens. It is also located next to the Denver Zoo and Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Coors Field: Coors Field, home to the Colorado Rockies, is a must-see for sports fans. The stadium was built in 1995 but has an old-fashioned feel. The Blue Moon Brewery at The Sandlot is a brewery in the stadium where the Blue Moon beer was built. If you are in the area when they do the Home Run 5K we highly recommend participating. It’s a family-friendly run where the last part of the run is on the field!
State Capitol: With daily free tours the Denver Capitol holds a lot of beauty and history. At the end of the tour you go to the top of the building where you have a beautiful view of the city and the mountains.
Coors Brewery: The Coors Brewery is a popular tourist attraction in the Denver area. Located in Golden, the brewery hosts daily 1.5 hour tours of the malting, brewing, and packaging processes. You also get 3 samples of their beers.
Cherry Creek State Park: This is perfect for a day with your pup! The state park has a creek for dogs that is a short walk from the parking lot. Our dog loved spending hours running through the creek chasing frisbees and meeting new friends!
Denver Biscuit Company: Brunch is by far my favorite meal so we have found several good brunch places around town. This has quickly become me and my husband’s favorite. They have several locations around Denver, but our favorite is the one located in the Stanley Marketplace. We love walking around the stores while waiting!
My Husband’s Order: biscuits & gravy (the classic)
My Order: the Ellsworth sandwich (fried chicken, honey, and pickles on a biscuit)
Hashtag: Hashtag is a close second favorite for brunch. The food is amazing and it has one of my favorite espresso martinis!
My Husband’s Order: biscuits & gravy and pineapple mimosa
My Order: veggie Benedict and espresso martini
Huckleberry Coffee: I have become a local here, visiting at least twice a week to work. The environment is bright and cozy, the baristas are kind and friendly, and the coffee is by far my favorite! (Special thanks to my best friend for recommending this place to me when we first moved here. It quickly became my first place that felt like home)
My Husband’s Order: mocha iced latte
My Order: iced vanilla oat milk latte
Odyssey Italian Restaurant: This restaurant is located in a Victorian style home and has some of the best Italian food! It’s great for a fancy meal or date night. We’ve gone here for our birthdays the past two years.
My Husband’s Order: spaghetti and meatballs and root beer float cocktail
My Order: penne rustica and moscato
Little Man’s Ice Cream: Little Man serves homemade ice cream and other treats. I personally love it because it offers vegan/dairy free options! :)
My Husband’s Order/Flavor: buttermilk cupcake
My Order/Flavor: vegan coffee chip
La Fillette Bakery: The cutest bakery located east of downtown Denver, they offer homemade treats and a full breakfast and lunch menu! They are known for their croissants, which were me and my husband’s favorite!
My Husband’s Order: ham and cheese croissant and mocha iced latte
My Order: almond croissant and oat milk vanilla iced latte
Our Favorite Day Trips from Denver
Rocky Mountain National Park / Estes Park: This is our favorite day trip to take as we have been there several times in just the last year. At the entrance of the park is Estes Park, a cute town with lots of shops and restaurants. There are many things to do, such as mini golf, rafting, biking, etc. After spending some time in Estes Park, you can drive up into Rocky Mountain National Park. It has 415 square miles of mountains, lakes, hiking trails, and wildlife.
Lake Isabelle: A few miles of hiking is well worth the trip to see the beautiful views at Lake Isabelle. We highly recommend getting there right around sunset!
Garden of the Gods: Located in Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods is free to the public and one of our favorite places to visit! After your time walking through Garden of the Gods we recommend our favorite restaurant about 10-15 minutes away, Wines of Colorado. It offers good food and wine and a beautiful view if you sit outside along the stream.
Dillon: Dillon is a small mountain town with breathtaking views all around. It is known for its many outdoor activities, such as boating on the lake, disc golf, hiking, and camping. We love sitting by the lake with our dog and seeing the beautiful mountains in the background!
Royal Gorge: Royal Gorge is home to America’s highest suspension bridge. In addition to walking across the bridge suspended 956 feet over the river, you can also zip line, take the gondola over the river, watch a film about the history of the bridge, and ride the sky coaster. About 15 minutes from here in Canon City is the Whitewater Bar & Grill, with great food, lots of outdoor seating, volleyball nets, axe throwing, a playground, and many other outdoor activities. This is one of our favorite restaurants!
Glenwood Springs Adventure Park: An adventure park sitting at an altitude of 7,100 feet on a mountain above Glenwood Springs. There are 2 caves to tour in the park and several rides with beautiful and breathtaking views.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs: Located along the Colorado River, Iron Mountain Hot Springs offers more than 25 pools of natural hot springs. Perfect for a relaxing afternoon or evening!
Tubing in Golden: Tubing in Clear Creek is not a lazy river tube experience (which my husband and I naively expected). Depending on the weather the water can be pretty rough and it is very easy to fall off your tube. However, it was a really fun experience! We rented tubes from Golden River Sports, which is about $25 per person. You can also bring your own tubes! After a fun day of tubing I would recommend walking around the town, which has many shops and restaurants!
Great Sand Dunes National Park: The Sand Dunes contain the tallest sand dunes in North America, up to 750 feet tall and cover about 30 square miles. You can hike throughout the dunes, which is difficult, but so worth it. You can also rent sand boards and sand sleds to sled down the dunes.
