16th Street Mall, downtown Denver

With its arts community, outdoor fun and food scene,
there’s plenty to love about the Mile High City.

If you’ve ever reveled in the beauty of Denver – its soaring pine trees, blankets of blue vervain and colossal, snow-capped peaks that pierce the sky at a lung-crushing 5,280 feet – it may be hard to imagine its bleak past, when shacks, shanty towns and ramshackle saloons dotted the mostly deserted area. If it weren’t for the gold-seeking, whiskey-swilling settlers who first struck it rich in 1858 and subsequently developed the area, we wouldn’t have one of the most scenic, vibrant Western cities in America today.

More than 150 years later, Denver still honors its liquor-laden history: The Great American Beer Festival held here each September is the largest beer competition in the world, and Colorado boasts more breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S.  Heck, Denver’s first permanent building was a saloon. But if you need more than a frosty mug to get you moving, there’s plenty more than booze to celebrate in the Mile High City, including a vibrant arts community, bustling shopping districts and a flourishing foodie scene.

Fall is the perfect time to experience it all, as clear, crisp, colorful days devolve into frosty, moonlit, snuggle-up nights. Include these 10 ideas on your Denver itinerary.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th St., 303-893-4100

Pedal power: Average daily temperatures in November hover around a chilly 54 degrees, but Denver’s 300 days of sunshine still promote outdoor activity, and one of the best ways to see the city and burn some serious kcals is by taking advantage of its bike rental stations and its 850 miles of (mostly) effortless bike routes. A $5 pass (purchased with a credit card at several bike rental stations throughout the city) buys you 24-hour access to your own bike, after which you can deposit it at the next closest station. Rides of 30 minutes or less are free, and rides up to an hour are only a buck. How’s that for economical sightseeing?

Info: bikedenver.org

City Park

Park it: With Colorado’s postcard-worthy panoramas, it should be no surprise that Denver boasts an excellent parks system. With more than 200 city and mountain parks, these lush little oases beckon visitors no matter what time of year. Spend some idle time at City Park – the Central Park of Denver. With more than 300 acres of rolling hills, tranquil lakes, a kaleidoscope of flower gardens and views of the city skyline, there’s plenty of beauty to fill an afternoon. The Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, and the Martin Luther King Memorial also call this park home.

Info: denvergov.org/parks

Get spent: Is it us, or is it simply more fun swiping your credit card in another city? Denver provides plenty of reasons to shun shopper’s remorse (at least until you get home). Case in point: 16th Street Mall features more than 300 shops (both independents and chains) and more than 50 restaurants along a popular stretch of downtown Denver that spans the length of 22 football fields. This pedestrian-friendly shopping mecca is closed off to cars, which means your only obstacles will be other shopaholics and a gaggle of street performers, who add to the area’s lively atmosphere.

For a more laidback shopping experience, head to Larimer Square, the most historic block in Denver. Filled with trendy, independent shops and restaurants (don’t miss the new bakery Wednesday’s Pie), this quaint yet urban block is a happy merger of past and present. For an insider’s guide to the area, download the Larimer Square walking tour before heading out.

Info: denver.com/16th-street-mall, larimersquare.com

Denver Art Museum 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy. 720-865-5000

Get art smart: In addition to Denver Arts Week – a weeklong celebration of arts-related events, concerts and street parties, which takes place November 5-13 this year – the city is brimming with opportunities for the arts aficionado. Start with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the largest performing arts complex under one roof. Within four blocks and 12 acres, you’ll have year-round access to a Tony Award-winning repertory theatre company, ballet, dance, symphonies, opera, Broadway touring shows (Mamma Mia! November 2-7 at The Buell Theatre) and more.

If you’re more into Monet than musicals, hole up in the Denver Art Museum, where African, American Indian, Asian, contemporary, Western American and Renaissance art comprise just a part of the vast array of collections. The museum’s newest exhibit, Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, offers a rare glimpse of objects from King Tut’s tomb (through January 9).

Info: denvercenter.org, denverartmuseum.org

Restaurant Kevin Taylor, 1106 14th St., 303-820-2600

Chow down: Thanks in part to an altitude that can make food difficult to work with, Denver has always struggled with its food persona, banking instead on its bevy of top-notch bars and breweries. Several quality independent restaurants that have popped up throughout the city in the past several years are changing the game, however. The New York Times even saluted the city’s chefs in an August travel article, giving them props for adding more farm-fresh meals to their repertoires.

For the ultimate fine-dining experience, roll up to Restaurant Kevin Taylor, housed at Hotel Teatro, Denver’s first luxury boutique hotel. With a focus on seasonal fare, the upscale spot serves up savory starters such as butternut squash gnocchi ($12), decadent main dishes like butter-poached lobster ($36), and a selection of 900 wines that has garnered recognition from Wine Spectator.

For something more casual but just as memorable, slide into a curved booth at Vesta Dipping Grill in Denver’s trendy Lower Downtown (LoDo). This spruced-up warehouse is known just as much for its unique, urban architecture (think abstract steel sculptures, concrete bar, burnt-orange blown-glass lighting fixtures) as it is for its innovative cuisine, which gives star power to the nearly 40 dipping sauces on the menu, ranging from sweet (dried berry chutney) to savory (cilantro pesto) to spicy (tamarind chipotle).

Info:  ktrg.net/rkt, vestagrill.com

Hotel Teatro, 1100 14th St., 303-228-1100

Sleep it off:  When you’ve had your fill at Restaurant Kevin Taylor, settle in to one of Hotel Teatro’s 110 upscale guest rooms, which boast breathtaking views of Downtown Denver. Take advantage of the hotel’s can-do concierge team, which will arrange just about anything, from a simple in-room massage to the seemingly impossible private jet excursion. Several themed package deals tailored to romance, business, the arts, dining, etc., add fun little extras to your stay, like rose-petal turndowns, carriage rides, aromatherapy…. Even your pooch can get pampered with the Bone Voyage package, which includes treats for your pet upon arrival.

For another splurge-worthy option, book the lavish, 1,250-square-foot Eisenhower Suite at downtown’s historically elite Brown Palace Hotel & Spa. Named after the hotel’s most prominent presidential guest, the apartment-size suite includes all the regal amenities of the hotel’s other suites, plus an in-room couple’s massage, chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne and flowers (upon request).

Even if you don’t stay here, pop in for a spot of afternoon tea, sweetened with honey from the hotel’s colony of rooftop bees.

Info: hotelteatro.com, brownpalace.com


For more information about Denver and its attractions, visit denver.org.