Travel Guides

Favorite U.S. Cities: Denver

Welcome back to our tour of my favorite U.S. cities!  Did y’all enjoy San Diego, Nashville, and Chicago as much as I did?!?  This week we are heading west and towards the mountains with a stop in Denver!  I “met” Lauren through blogging and social media and even though we’ve never met in real life I just absolutely adore and her blog!

Denver, Colorado | Girl on the Move Blog Howdy, Girl on The Move readers!

I’m Lauren, author of Climbing Grier Mountain (CGM). For those of you that I haven’t met, I write a food and lifestyle blog in Denver, Colorado.

I am stoked to be guest posting for Julie today. Even though Julie and I have never met in “real” life, I like to think of her as a friend. She’s sweet as the day is long, and her “cupcakes across America” series has me wanting to satisfy my sugar craving at every stop.  Plus, her bucket list is so inspirational!!

Today, I want to inspire you to think about adding Denver to your “must do/see” bucket list. Or, if you have been to Denver, I want to give you an updated guide to the Mile High City that is growing and bursting at the seams with culture and flavor.

First up – what to do and see in the city. Did you know that Denver has the most farmers’ markets per capita than any other city? Talk about fresh produce! Two of my favorite markets are located on Pearl Street and Lo-Hi. Both are filled with amazing vendors and a smorgasbord of food trucks.

Denver Farmers Market | Girl on the Move A theme you will see reoccurring in this post, is everything in Denver is geared toward playing outdoors. Denver gets over 300 + sunshine days a year. That’s more than Florida. But…let’s just keep that between you and me. So, with the fantastic weather and (almost) zero humidity, parks are  the go to. Washington or Wash Park as the locales call it is filled with people barbecuing or playing volleyball every weekend. Also, in City Park, there are Jazz concerts every Sunday.

Washington Park |Girl on the Move If you want to cover more ground, you can rent one of the city bikes and ride around town. My favorite place to ride is around Confluence Park to watch the kayaks on the river and check out any good deals at REI.

Bikes in Denver | Girl on the Move Blog Also, I would check out (if you like the giggle juice) the Denver Microbrew Tour. Colorado is the world leader in micro beer. A Rockies game is must especially with their new rooftop expansion viewing area. And the boutique shopping on Larimer Square is fabulous.

Rockies at Coors Field | Girl on the Move Blog Okay, I’ve given you the best of the best do in the city. But if you have time, you should definitely make a pit stop at Red Rocks for hiking, or the city of Morrison for some eats. The top of Dinosaur Ridge is breath taking and only a twenty-minute car ride from downtown. Try and catch a show at Red Rocks or watch one of their summer movies, it’s a life changing experience!

Red Rocks Trails | Girl on the Move Now, the piece de resistance, food! As a food blogger, it’s hard to know where to begin because Denver has so much to offer. I think the best way to sort this tasty experience is by neighborhood. Here are few areas that I frequent.

Let’s start with Downtown/ Lodo (Lower Downtown) the pulse of The Mile High City.

The Kitchen

The Green Russell

Tamayo —> best guacamole!

Osteria Marco

Rioja

Squeaky Bean —> fantastic brunch!

Wazee Supper Club

Cuba Cuba

ChoLon Bistro

Downtown Osteria | Girl on the Move Blog RiNo (River North) is the new up and coming neighborhood west of the Rockies stadium. It’s unique charm and true urban vibe is quickly becoming one of my favorite neighborhoods.

The Populist

Acorn

Fuel Cafe

The Source –> a collection of restaurants, bakeries, and butcher shops!

Comida

The Infinite Monkey Theorem Wine Brewery —> champagne in a can!

Denver Uptown | Girl on the Move Blog Uptown is tucked between City Park and downtown. In this neighborhood, you’ll find casual comfort with a unique twist.

Ace –> play table tennis while you sip a beer!

Park Burger

Steuben’s —> great atmosphere!

Hamburger Mary’s

Parallel 17

Beast and Bottle

Gumbo’s

Pearl Street | Girl on the Move Blog Pearl Street is a classic. This neighborhood is always bustling with families and just a stone throw away from Wash Park.

Izakaya Den

Sushi Den

The Black Pearl –great brunch spot!

Hanson’s

Farmer’s Market on Sundays

LoHi | Girl on the Move Blog And finally, my neck of the woods! LoHi (Lower Highlands) is very popular, and teeming with hipsters and foodies of all kinds.

Lola’s is my favorite restaurant in Denver. Best chips and salsa.

Vita -à fantastic happy hour.

Linger

Uber Eats

Ale House

Root Down

Duo

Jezebel’s

Central Bistro —> fabulous brunch!

Highland Tap Bar

LoHi Steak Bar

William and Graham

Little Man Ice Cream —insane.

Farmer’s Market on Saturdays

I hope this post leaves you curious and hungry for more of Denver. Thanks, Julie for letting me guest post. Hopefully, next time I see you, it will be at Mile High!

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