I wish I would’ve explored the different Denver neighborhoods a little more when I was a student at CU-Boulder. In the past 10 to 15 years, Denver has blossomed into an incredibly vibrant and eclectic center where Hispanic flavors, Southwestern nostalgia and a new generation of renegade artsy folks blend beautifully.
Of course, Downtown Denver is always a must. You can easily get around and visit lots of great stores, restaurants and museums by taking advantage of the free 16th Street Mall Shuttle. You can also visit the newly renovated Denver Union Station in Larimer Square and all the great coffee chops and brewpubs in historic Lower Downtown (LoDo.) My favorite is always to visit the Tattered Cover Book Store, one of the largest independent bookstores in the United States. Nabol and I can spend hours there.
That’s basically what we did on day 6 of our Colorado Road Trippn'. Knowing we couldn’t see it all, we strolled around downtown to take in the sights and sounds. We spent some time at the Tattered Cover Book Store, Larimer Square and the Denver Museum of Art area. Then, we headed to the newly-opened Stanley Marketplace in Aurora.
What used to be an old hangar of the former Denver airport, built in 1954, has now been transformed by a group of neighbors into a fun food-centric, community-inspired market with over 50 independent local businesses. It has a beer hall, a variety of great restaurants, fitness centers and stores, including one of our favorites Miette et Chocolat.
After Stanley, we drove North Denver to try fry bread for the first time, a staple food in over 500 Indian nations in the US. Tocabe is an American Indian eatery giving its place to this humble bread made of flour, milk and natural fat. Tocabe uses native grown ingredients and serves the fry bread as delicious Navajo Tacos, stuffed bread or dessert. Their menu also includes nutritious grain bowls, bison ribs and refreshing natural sodas.
After such a filling lunch and a hectic morning, we went back to the hotel to rest for a bit. The plan for the night was to hit Rio Grande to enjoy the famous Rio Margs, deliciously frozen and blended with mangos and/or strawberries. We used to come here more than I like to admit. And the margaritas are so strong, there’s a 3 refill limit per person. Yikes!...
Dinner was a no brainer. We went to Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake Bar, one of our favorite restaurants on Pearl Street. Nabol and I like to sit at the bar and randomly choose the sushi that seems good, although ordering the Multiple Orgasm roll is a must! This cream cheese and smoked salmon roll is tempura friend and covered in a succulent Japanese aioili. Then, it’s broiled and finished with sweet soy. So so good!
Depending on your personality and what you want to see, you can basically find a neighborhood for what you’re looking for. If you love art galleries, the Santa Fe and River North districts are the place to go. If you love to eat, you can’t go wrong with Five Points, City Park or South Federal.
Of course, Downtown Denver is always a must. You can easily get around and visit lots of great stores, restaurants and museums by taking advantage of the free 16th Street Mall Shuttle. You can also visit the newly renovated Denver Union Station in Larimer Square and all the great coffee chops and brewpubs in historic Lower Downtown (LoDo.) My favorite is always to visit the Tattered Cover Book Store, one of the largest independent bookstores in the United States. Nabol and I can spend hours there.
That’s basically what we did on day 6 of our Colorado Road Trippn'. Knowing we couldn’t see it all, we strolled around downtown to take in the sights and sounds. We spent some time at the Tattered Cover Book Store, Larimer Square and the Denver Museum of Art area. Then, we headed to the newly-opened Stanley Marketplace in Aurora.
What used to be an old hangar of the former Denver airport, built in 1954, has now been transformed by a group of neighbors into a fun food-centric, community-inspired market with over 50 independent local businesses. It has a beer hall, a variety of great restaurants, fitness centers and stores, including one of our favorites Miette et Chocolat.
It also holds a variety of community events. If you’re looking for a taste of the city, this is a great place to visit.
After Stanley, we drove North Denver to try fry bread for the first time, a staple food in over 500 Indian nations in the US. Tocabe is an American Indian eatery giving its place to this humble bread made of flour, milk and natural fat. Tocabe uses native grown ingredients and serves the fry bread as delicious Navajo Tacos, stuffed bread or dessert. Their menu also includes nutritious grain bowls, bison ribs and refreshing natural sodas.
After such a filling lunch and a hectic morning, we went back to the hotel to rest for a bit. The plan for the night was to hit Rio Grande to enjoy the famous Rio Margs, deliciously frozen and blended with mangos and/or strawberries. We used to come here more than I like to admit. And the margaritas are so strong, there’s a 3 refill limit per person. Yikes!...
Dinner was a no brainer. We went to Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake Bar, one of our favorite restaurants on Pearl Street. Nabol and I like to sit at the bar and randomly choose the sushi that seems good, although ordering the Multiple Orgasm roll is a must! This cream cheese and smoked salmon roll is tempura friend and covered in a succulent Japanese aioili. Then, it’s broiled and finished with sweet soy. So so good!
nice
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