Denver Travel Guide: My Top Picks

Everybody knows that Denver is the Mile High City but did you also know that golf balls typically fly 10% further in Denver because of the thinner air? Cue all the golfers booking their travel to Denver.

No, this isn’t a “did you know” blog post about Denver, this is my travel guide to Denver from a craft beer tourist’s perspective. Although, I may pepper in a few interesting facts here and there about the city where Led Zeppelin played their first American concert.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to get too longwinded with my intro. I hate those too, but I will preface my top picks by saying, I’m not the type of tourist who visits traditional attractions like museums and amusement parks. I like free or cheap attractions (well, expect when it comes to craft beer and coffee) and I like exploring a city and it’s surroundings by foot or bike with my camera in hand. If you’re in to traditional touristy attractions, Denver’s official website and TripAdvisor are great resources for you in addition to some of the gems you’ll find on my list.

So without furth ado, here are my Denver Top Picks.

Places To Go, Things To See

I should start by saying Denver is not the most walker-friendly city. Everything is fairly spread out so if you’re planning on hoofing it around, you’ll likely need to pick one area and stick around there to explore. Luckily, Denver has a copious amount of ride share electric scooters and bikes operated by companies like Lyft and Lime.

• Coors Field / Rockies Game
  • Admittedly, I’m not a baseball fan and I had never been to MLB game prior but when I went to a Rockies game at Coors Field last year I was in awe. It was a beautiful night with the sun setting outside of the beautiful outdoor stadium. It was honestly one of the most impressive sporting experiences I’ve ever had and the tickets were only around $15! Well worth the price if you get to go on a nice night. Which is entirely possible considering Denver averages over “300 sunny days per year”. <– That’s actually a common myth but Denver does get around 245 days of sun per year, so the odds are still good.
• Stanley Marketplace
  • You’ll see me list Stanley Marketplace in here a few times as it has a lot to offer. It’s not in the downtown core though so you’d need to Uber or drive here but it’s worth it. They boast over 50 locally owned and operated restaurants, ice cream shops, artists, local clothing & jewelry makers, and much more. It’s a great spot to spend a few hours eating, shopping and reading about the history of the building where the ejection seat was invented.
• River North Art District
  • Located in a former industrial hub of Denver, RiNo is now a hot spot for street art, artisan markets, restaurants, bars and breweries. This is definitely my favorite area of Denver to go for a walk on a nice day and even better on a nice night when the streets are alive with music, lights and people.
• MeowWolf Denver
  • With a few locations across the US, MeowWolf isn’t exclusive to Denver but I’ve only ever been to this location and prior to going in (for a work event) I had never heard of it before. What a trip! They call themselves an “interactive art venue” but I’d say it’s more like an acid trip, minus the acid. While you can’t buy drugs in here, you can buy craft beer and walk around the interactive venue while taking some sips.
• Putt Shack
  • Putt Shack isn’t a new concept by any means but it was the first time I had been to an indoor mini golf course where I could have a drink on an interactive course while listening to live music. Really fun if you’re with a few friends. Maybe a little depressing if you’re by yourself.
• Lookout Mountain
  • This one requires a car or a semi-expensive Uber ride and a patient driver who’ll wait for you, but if you want some great photos of the mountain range that borders Denver without having to hike, then this is the spot for you. It’s technically in Golden, CO. but, whatever, close enough.
• Surrounding Areas
  • If you have a car, there a ton of things to do in the surrounding areas of Denver as well. Here are a few that i’ve done over the years:
    • Skiing/snowboarding on the 12 hills that are relatively close.
    • Snowshoeing or hiking in-and-around Frisco. I snowshoed North Ten Mile Creek (make sure to visit Outer Range Brewing)
    • Hiking the Royal Arch Trail in Boulder or 1 of the other 175 trails in Boulder (visit Weldwerks Brewing for a post hike reward beer)

Shopping

I tend not to shop too much when I travel as I typically pack light and don’t have a lot of room to bring things back but there are a few spots in Denver that I really like, even just for the atmosphere and nostalgia.

• Topo Designs
  • It’s a Denver based outdoor brand that has a few stores throughout the city and in the Denver airport but their new Basecamp store is my fav. They make some really cool bags and travel accessories along with some killer apparel. Get the “Dirt Pants”, you won’t regret it.
• Feral Denver
  • I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything from Feral but I love going in here to nerd out on all the used and vintage outdoor gear. You can buy new merchandise as well but the used/vintage section is where you’ll find some gems.
• Stanley Marketplace
  • I mentioned Stanley Marketplace above as a great place to visit and one of the many reason is because of the great, local retailers they have spread throughout the old airplane hangar. I’ve found a lot of cool gifts here to bring home for loved ones. My fav is Trunk Nouveau as they have cool small gift options that’ll fit in your suitcase. Hot tip; don’t come home from a work trip empty handed if you have kids or a significant other at home. They also have a Mr. B’s Bottleshop for the beer lover in your family.

Food (and Coffee)

I should mention that most of my travelling is done solo, which is to say, I’m not sitting down for nice meals at a fancy restaurant… alone. Typically I’m eating on the run or in between meetings. So these picks are just a few places that fit my criteria or have a great experiential value.

• Cheba Hut
  • When I used to attend the Outdoor Retailer conference at the Convention Centre, Cheba Hut, which was a block away, was my go-to for lunch. The sandwiches named after strains of weed and sizes ranges from “Nug” to “Blunt” are a great novelty but the food is actually really good! Honestly, they probably make some of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Plus, they have a great craft beer menu featuring breweries from all over the US.
• Steuben’s
  • If you want classic American comfort food and really great quality then Steuben’s is your spot. I’ve been a couple times and always enjoyed myself. Plus, they make a tasty Moscow Mule!
• Stanley Marketplace
  • “Stanley Marketplace again?!” Yep! It’s hard not to put it on the “food” section of my list considering they have over 20 options for a bite to eat. I’ve dined at Rosenberg’s Bagels, Maria Empanada, Denver Biscuit Co., Stanley Beer Hall and Sweet Cow Ice Cream and I haven’t been disappointed. Although I will say that Denver Biscuit Co. and Maria Empanada were probably my favorite. Oh, and Sweet Cow for dessert of course!
• Voodoo Doughnuts
  • Yea, yea. I know. Locals never recommend Voodoo Doughnuts because they all have their own fav doughnut shop in their respective cities, but if you’ve never been to Voodoo, then you need to go at least once. The pink building, the eclectic decor, the doughnut names…they even do wedding ceremonies (I have a friend who got married at Voodoo in Portland. True story). Are there better quality doughnut shops? Definitely. Do they offer the experience that Voodoo does? Definitely not! Hot tip; they also have a location at the Denver airport so you can bring some home for all the enjoy.
• Huckleberry Roasters
  • I usually make a point to stop at Huckleberry when I’m in Denver not just because I love their coffee but their Pecos st. location is also a quick detour before getting on the highway to head to Denver airport. I also love their minimalist cafe space in an old suburban neighborhood with the old school “coffee shop” sign out front.
• Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters
  • This was one of the first good coffee shops I visited in Denver when I started travelling there for work about 5 years ago and is still one of my favorites. Their award winning roaster, Andy Sprenger, is a master of his craft.
• Queen City Coffee Collective
  • Recommended to me by a friend in Denver on one of my more recent trips, I’ve only been to Queen City once. The coffee I had was good enough to justify buying a bag of beans to bring home though and they have some great doughnut and food options.

Beer

Gotta save the best for last, right?

Denver is arguably America’s capital city of beer. They boast over 200 brew pubs and breweries, they’re the host of the Great American Beer Festival and because you’re a mile above sea level, the ABV hits you harder than other cities! <– that last one’s a joke but maybe it is actually true?

It’s hard to narrow down my favorite breweries and this list will likely change but, for now, here are my top brewery picks in Denver.

• Burns Family Artisan Ales
  • I first visited Burns about 5 years ago after using Untappd to find the best rated breweries in Denver. The unassuming spot in the middle of an industrial warehouse complex was adorned with mismatching furniture and wooden barrels scattered throughout. But that’s what I loved about it! Plus, the beer was some of the best I’d ever had. Fast forward to 2024 and they have a 2nd location that’s a little more commercially friendly but they’re still producing top notch brews. Burns is my number 1 recommendation to anyone visiting Denver.
• Cerebral Brewing
  • Literally every time I go to Denver I make a point to visit Cerebral. I’ve probably drank beer here more times that a lot of breweries in my home city of Vancouver. Not only do they produce consistently fantastic beer, they also have an awesome tasting room (with a 2nd one opening this Summer), great merchandise, great staff (shout out to Aaron aka; @crushquest) and they’re on the way(ish) to-and-from the Denver airport.
• Bierstadt Lagerhaus
  • A staple in Denver, Bierstadt Lagerhaus is a must visit especially if you’re in the RiNo area. Don’t expect to find a variety of beer styles here though, this place is for lager lovers only. Make sure to order a traditional slow pour pilsner. The bar is on the second floor but on the first floor they have a massive open space where they host live music, wrestling, comedy shows and much more.
• River North Brewing
  • This is a new one to my list. I visited River North Brewing in October 2023, the last time I was in Denver. They have a nice tasting room, nothing overly special about it, but the beer was fantastic. Especially if you’re a fan of high ABV barrel aged stouts and ales. River North Brewing is killing the game on that front.
• Reverence Brewing
  • Another new addition to my list from my last visit to Denver, Reverence Brewing, is a small space on a slower street a couple blocks away from Colfax ave. It’s easy to miss but you should definitely make the effort to find it. I chatted with Nate McAlpine, co-owner, as a sat up at the bar and he told me a bit of his history and how he found himself in Denver. He has a ton of beer knowledge and experience and it shows in his product. Every beer I tried at Reverence was outstanding.
• TRVE Brewing
  • If you’re in to metal, then this should be your first stop in Denver. Self proclaimed as “Denver’s true metal bar”, TRVE has dark, gothic vibes in their tasting room as death metal music blares in the background. Even if the music and vibe isn’t your thing, you need to visit them for a pint because they also make some of the best beer in Denver. Also, their merchandise is some of the best I’ve ever seen from a brewery.
• Crooked Stave
  • Most people that consider themselves a “beer nerd” have heard of Crooked Stave. They love to experiment with styles and flavors and you’ll always find something interesting from them. They used to have a very nice tasting room in RiNo but now they’re back to their single, intimate location near the 70 highway. A perfect location to grab some beer on your way to the airport to stuff in your checked bag.
• Stanley Beer Hall
  • I promise this is my last mention of Stanley Marketplace but how could I not write about the Stanley Beer Hall? For someone coming from Vancouver that has pretty tight liquor laws, the self pour beer system at Stanley is such an awesome novelty. 51 different taps that you can pour as much or as little as you want? Yes, please! Of course, there is a premium to pay for this novelty but if you’ve never done it before, I highly recommend trying it.
• Honorable Mentions
  • Speaking of self pour systems, First Draft in the RiNo area has one as well.
  • RiNo is also full of other great beer options, specifically Our Mutual Friend, Cohesion, Ratio and Woods Boss.
  • Westbound & Down‘s location in Free Market is a really cool little spot in an alleyway, very instagrammable.
  • If you’re looking for a beer before a flight really close to the Denver airport then check out Danico Brewing.
  • If you have a car and want to drive you can also visit some renowned breweries like Outer Range, Weldwerks, 4 Noses and Avery Brewing in the surrounding(ish) area of Denver.

And there we have it, a beer tourist’s top travel picks for the Mile High City.

Denver is one of my favorite places to visit from a beer standpoint and a I personally believe it is the beer capital of the US. I always find new amazing spots every time I visit which means I’ll keep updating and adding to this list. So keep checking back and enjoy Denver if you decide to go!