C ONCIERGE
My Favorite Weekend
3 Days
in Denver
Recent transplant Jen Murphy
discovers that summer may be
Denver’s most delightful season
I
I grew up in a small coastal town in New Jersey, so summers have always been synonymous with the beach.
When I moved to Colorado last year I worried how I’d
handle being landlocked. The mountains were an epic
winter playground, but I wasn’t so sure they could compete with surf and sand come June and July. Denver,
it turns out, is the perfect summer place to combine
urban and outdoor fun. The Mile High City (nicknamed
for its elevation above sea level) delivers sunshine 300
days a year, has one of the biggest urban park systems
in America and is just a daytrip away from the Rocky
Mountains. Plus, its emerging neighborhoods — such
as LoDo, LoHi and RiNo — constantly surprise me
with new craft beer bars, artisanal food trucks, boutique
clothing stores and galleries. Here’s my game plan for
a weekend of active adventures and urban indulgence.
F R I DAY A F T E R N O O N
From top: Extreme
angles at the Denver
Art Museum; a trio
of artisinal brews at
the Great Divide.
S AT U R DAY
Brunch with an Edge
In my opinion, Sarto’s (2900 W. 25th Ave.)
offers the most exciting brunch in town. I’m
always torn between sweet and savory, but
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F R OM T O P : E F R A I N M . PA D R O / I M AG E B R I E F ; M AT T NAG E R
A RTS A N D CR A F TS
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
In Denver, pre-gaming before a Rockies
game is a legitimate excuse for leaving work
early on a Friday. Head to the patio at Falling Rock Tap House (1919 Blake St.), located steps from Coors Field, and choose from
the 80-plus handles that stretch the length
of the bar. When game time arrives, head to
the new 38,000-foot upper concourse — the
largest roof deck and bar in any U.S. sports
stadium — and order the Helton Burger
with onion rings at the Helton Burger Shack.
Then enjoy the game.
C ONCIERGE
My Favorite Weekend
At the Great
Divide Brewing
Co., the bartenders
can suggest
pairings to go
with whichever
food trucks are
parked out front.
Brews & Bikes
Denver brews more craft beer per capita than any other
city in the U.S. There are plenty of urban breweries to visit, but who wants to spend a summer day sitting on a bar
stool? The best way to get a taste of Denver’s diverse beer
scene is by bike. B-cycle, the city’s bike share program,
has stations throughout town, and the downtown bike
paths make it easy to brewery hop. My go-to beer crawl
includes Baere Brewing Co. (320 Broadway St.) for their
refreshing saisons, Crooked Stave (3350 Brighton Blvd.),
for a lip-puckering sour beer, and Great Divide Brewing
Co. (2201 Arapahoe St.), where the bartender can suggest
pairings to go with whichever food trucks are parked out
front. On Saturdays, don’t miss a Thai chili chicken pie
from the four-wheel kitchen, Basic Kneads Pizza.
MOV ING PIC T U R ES
everything on the Italian-inspired menu is tasty. Favorites include Italian toast (pan-fried olive oil bread with
whipped mascarpone and berries) and the Amerigo, two
eggs with perfectly tender pork belly, potato hash and
grilled bread. A new event — Saber Saturdays — at this
Jefferson Park spot adds a thrill to your mimosa order. Every bottle of bubbly comes with a personalized sabering
lesson during which you’ll learn how to open the bottle
with a sword. Talk about the ultimate party trick.
Culture Fix
Denver used to be called a cow town, but even this exNew Yorker has been able to get her culture fix. The
Denver Art Museum (100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway) has
one of the most extensive Native American art collections in the country. For a more intimate experience, I
like the Clyfford Still Museum (1250 Bannock St.). The
Still is largely credited with laying the groundwork for the
abstract expressionist movement in the years following
World War II, and the museum showcases nearly all of his
work, including his photo albums, sketchbooks and letters.
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Explore Denver’s Coolest New Neighborhood
Lower Highlands, nicknamed LoHi, has emerged as
Denver’s little slice of Brooklyn. This cool neighborhood is full of funky boutiques and third-wave coffee
shops. Stop at Black Eye Coffee (3408 Navajo St.) for
a single origin java jolt then head to the Navajo Street
Art District. The little area is jampacked with galleries,
but essential stops include Edge (3658 Navajo St.), a
contemporary co-op, nonprofit gallery, and Pirate (3655
Navajo St.), a pioneer in the city’s alternative arts scene.
No summer day is complete without ice cream. The
Little Ice Cream Man (2620 16th St.) is impossible to
miss. Housed in a three-story-tall milk can, the Denver
favorite serves small batch flavors like salted Oreo, strawberry balsamic and even vegan rocky road.
Dinner and a Show
The city’s jazz scene got a shot of energy last year with
the opening of Nocturne (1330 27th St.) in the hip RiNo
district. Influenced by the supper clubs of the ‘40s and
‘50s, the space pairs food and cocktails with performances
from some of the country’s top jazz artists, such as two-
C L O C K W I SE F R OM T O P : R E B E C C A ST UM P F / I M AG E B R I E F ( 2 ) ; K Y L E R D E U T M EY E R
Clockwise from above:
Patroling the town
via B-Cycle; abstract
contemplation at the
Clyfford Still Museum;
road-worthy snacks
and superb coffee
at The Source.
C ONCIERGE
My Favorite Weekend
Day Trips
from Denver
Katie Boswell, concierge at
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver,
recommends some of her
favorite quick getaways.
COLORADO SPRINGS
time Grammy winner Eddie Gomez.
Go casual at the bar with a creative
cocktail such as the Summer in Siberia (vodka, grapefruit, elderflower) matched with boardwalk fries, or
indulge with a five-course tasting
menu inspired by iconic jazz albums.
S U N DAY M O R N I N G
Post-Hike Pampering
Hiking boots can leave even the most seasoned trekker
with achy feet. Recover from an afternoon on the trails
at the newly renovated spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Denver
(1881 Curtis St.). Treat your feet to the Hops n’ Honey
pedicure; if your skin is feeling parched from the altitude,
try the Mile High Hydration Facial.
ROCK Y MOMEN TS
From top: Emerald
Lake, in Rocky Mountain
National Park; the
setting sun over Coors
Field; a giant cone at
Little Man Ice Cream.
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Alfresco Arena
A show at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (18300
W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison) is on a lot of bucket
lists, whether or not the list-maker is seriously into
music. Thirty minutes from downtown Denver, this
acoustically perfect concert venue has been carved
out of 70 million-year-old sandstone rocks. On summer evenings there’s no better place for star viewing
— in the sky and on stage. The 2016 summer lineup
includes acts like the Lumineers, the Flaming Lips
and My Morning Jacket. ♦
ESTES PARK
The adjacent Rocky Mountain
National Park is worth a trip
in itself, with wildflower hikes
and sightings of bighorn sheep
and elk. In town, the Stanley
Hotel, dating back to 1909, is
the place for lunch. Along the
way, stop in Boulder to visit the
Upslope Brewing Co., watch
the street performers on Pearl
Street Mall or sample some of
Colorado’s best restaurants. My
favorite return route is the Peak
to Peak Scenic Byway, which
will take you through the rock
canyons and the old mining
town of Black Hawk where 18
casinos have set up shop.
SUMMIT COUNTY
The drive itself, through
spectacular mountains, is worth
the visit. Stop in historical
Georgetown and take the loop
railroad or drive the aspen-lined
Guanella Pass. In Frisco, have
brunch at the Butterhorn Bakery
on Main Street and visit the
marina; in summer you can go
sailing on the Dillon Reservoir
at over 9,000 feet. Continue to
Breckenridge and ride the Peak
8 gondola for an amazing view,
then finish the day on the patio
at the Dillon Dam Brewery.
F R OM T O P : E D B R OW N / I M AG E B R I E F ; B L A I N E HA R R I N G T O N I I I / A L A M Y; M O R G A N R AC H E L L EV Y
Mountains
The Rockies beckon in the background so heed their call. Rocky
Mountain National Park is just 70
miles from Denver, perfect for a daytrip. Grab a morning latte and stock
up on artisanal snacks at the Source (3350 Brighton Blvd.)
so you’ll be ready to tackle the park’s 355 miles of trails. I
bring out-of-town friends on the 3.6-mile round-trip hike
from Emerald Lake to Bear Lake. It’s great for people still
acclimating to Colorado’s elevation and comes with plenty
of Instagram-worthy views.
The scenery shifts as you head
south, encountering ranchlands,
rural towns and mountains. If you
have time, drive up Pikes Peak,
the highest summit of the southern
front range of the Rockies, for
truly once-in-a-lifetime views of
towering peaks and glacier lakes.
Cowboy fans can head to the
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame; medalwinner-wannabes would enjoy
the US Olympic Training Center;
hikers will love the 15 miles of trails
among the red-rock formations
of the Garden of the Gods.