Denver twoways: One classic day, and one at the city’s cutting edge
With the Rocky Mountain views luring us daily, Denverites are surrounded by somuch beauty it’s sometimes easy to forget just how much our fair city has to offer in its own right. There’s no better way to be reminded than a summer staycation right here in the city. So whether you want to show off to out-of-town guests or just relax without a road trip, here are two days that showcase the best of home.
DAY 1:
Put on some comfortable shoes and explore the heart of the city. The grandly remodeled Union Station reopened three years ago, and the Great Hall has fulfilled its promise to be the city’s unofficial living room. The vaulted Beaux Arts hall streams with light and is filled with tourists, travelers and residents all enjoying the ambiance. One of the city’s most popular brunch spots, Snooze, is just off the Great Hall, but reservations aren’t accepted and there will be a wait. If you must have sweet potato pancakes and incredible Eggs Benedict, put your name on the list and browse the nearby Tattered Cover Bookstore.
Sustained, head south for a quick wander through Larimer Square. Just steps from where gold was first found on the South Platte River, this block of Victorian buildings housed the city’s first ... well, everything: bank, post office, bookstore and theater, along with brothels and bars. Now it’s one of our most charming blocks. Admire the architecture while rifling through chic boutiques such as Eve.
Walk a fewblockswest on 15th Street over the river, where REI’S megastore tempts with all things outdoors. It’s too early to stop into My Brother’s Bar, Denver’s oldest saloon, whereneal Cassady (of Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road”) still has an unpaid bar tab. On second thought, it’s not too early. Have a quick one— Kerouac would havewanted it thatway.
Continue this blast from the past with a stop at the History Colorado Center. From dinosaurs to the Dust Bowl, visitors of all ages will come away with a greater appreciation of the Centennial State’s storied past.
For lunch, the Brown Palace is waiting. When the wagon trains crossed the plains, it must truly have been a sight for sore eyes, a