Photo by Scott Dressel Martin courtesy Visit Denver
My Uber driver minced no words as he threaded his way through downtown Denver: “Don’t tell people how good it is out here,” he pleaded. “We don’t want more people to come.”
Sorry, buddy — too late. According to the U.S. Census, Denver added more than 100,000 residents in the decade between 2010 and 2020, swelling its population to roughly 715,000. While longtime residents might grumble, the energy — and buying power — of come-heres has led to a city resurgence, making it a great destination for a long weekend getaway.
Getting Around
Denver is easily accessed by air, thanks to Denver International Airport, which is ranked the third busiest in the world by Axios. The airport is a hub for United and Frontier Airlines, and Southwest has a strong presence, too. If you fly from Richmond, United offers two direct flights daily; Southwest offers direct flights to DIA on a seasonal basis. Even if you’re only in Denver for a layover, be sure to visit the outdoor deck at the end of Concourse B. There, you can relax by a fire pit, enjoy a view of the mountains (with planes in the foreground), or even let Fido relieve himself on the fake turf. (Yes, scooping is required.)
Denver also has good public transportation. When I visited in November, I downloaded the Regional Transportation District’s mobile tickets app, making it simple to buy a pass for my train ride from the airport to Union Station and the daily bus passes I used later.
For movement through the center of downtown, jump on the Free MallRide, a bus line that stretches from Union Station to the Civic Center, just across the street from the state capitol. The busy corridor has shops and restaurants and is a good jumping-off point for destinations accessible via other bus routes.
Linger’s rooftop view (Photo by Steve Mohlenkamp courtesy Visit Denver)
Exploring the Neighborhoods
Just like Richmond, Denver has cleverly named neighborhoods with distinct characteristics — and nicknames. Lower Downtown (aka LoDo) is home to Union Station, Coors Field (where baseball’s Colorado Rockies play) and multiple food halls. I ate at Denver Milk Market. (Thumbs up to Lou’s hot chicken.) You can also stop by Wynkoop Brewing Co. for Rocky Mountain oysters (don’t ask) and pool upstairs. Be like locals and pronounce the breweries name as “WIN-koop”; the street nearby, however, is pronounced “WINE-koop.”
Just north of the South Platte River lies the Highlands, with its own Lower Highlands (LoHi) section. I enjoyed exploring the Savory Spice Shop on Platte Street, which has a bevy of creative and useful spice blends. In LoHi, you can belly up to the bar at My Brother’s Bar, Denver’s oldest watering hole. Owners and names have changed, but there’s been a bar of some sorts on this site since the 1870s.
Up the hill — Highlands, remember? — take in the view from either El Five or Linger, sister eateries from Denver’s prominent restaurant group Edible Beats. El Five’s paella came in a massive, steaming iron pot, which distracted me, for a few minutes, from the panoramic view of downtown.
Rocky Mountain National Park (Photo courtesy Rocky Mountain National Park via Visit Denver)
There’s More
With limited time, I didn’t bother to investigate kayaking on the South Platte or Cherry Creek, both of which run through Denver. I also didn’t jump on the Bustang bus route for a day trip to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. These are on my list for my next visit, as is a mental reminder to drink plenty of water before I again travel to the Mile High City, to help with the adjustment to a whole different altitude.
Fun Note
Soundwalk, on the 1500 block of Curtis Street, is a public art installation where motion sensors trigger sounds from ventilation grates on the street. Visitors are startled by sounds from below of a subway (there isn’t one), chickens and even a woman yodeling.
