Howdy, my people!! After the craziness of last weekend and having to cut my trip to Denver short, I decided not to do a blog post. Then I thought that even though the trip wasn’t what I expected, I still should share all the fun stuff I got to do while I was there! This will show that not every trip is picture-perfect but you can still make the best of it ☺️
I normally travel in the early morning so I can sleep on the plane and am ready to GO when I arrive. For this trip, we decided to fly out in the afternoon so that way I could work a half day that morning. When we arrived we headed out for a quick bite to eat and some cocktails! We went to Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF 😉) in Downtown Denver’s Union Station North area. A hit was the buffalo cauliflower and then the seared tuna tacos. I’m not kidding when I say these tacos were some of the best little wonton tacos I’ve ever had. For drinks, their menu was certainly not lacking, especially in the whiskey department as you probably could’ve guessed by the name. I went with a dirty martini for the first round and then the bartender creation, the Blood Orange Paloma. So yummy!
The next morning we geared up to go to Boulder. About a 35-minute drive from Downtown Denver, this Chainsmokers referenced college town has the cutest little pedestrian mall on Pearl Street. There was art, restaurants, and bars all over. We stopped at OZO Coffee for an early morning kick start! I ordered the decaf vanilla latte with almond milk and sat outside their garage doors and enjoyed it in the sunny weather.
Next up we stopped at the Flatiron Mountains for a hike. Unfortunately, the hiking trail was closed but we were still able to catch some beautiful views and snap some pictures! There are several different hikes if you’re interested as well as multi-pitch rock climbing routes. If you’re not in for an adventure but still looking to take in the views, head to Chautauqua Park for a picnic on the lawn.
After snapping some pics, we headed to change and catch brunch at The Lobby. Despite the obvious mountains, the Downtown Denver area is fairly flat which makes for perfect scootering weather. The Bird and Lime scooters can be found all over downtown and are a great way to get around. The Lobby is located near the Five Points neighborhood. We had bottomless mimosas and I decided on the Tastes Like Chicken Sammy with buffalo and mayo on the side.
Our plans for the afternoon and evening were a bar crawl throughout RiNo. First up was Finn’s Manor, a craft cocktail bar with super unique drink options. I ordered the Zoroastrian Sunrise which was Banhez Mezcal, Apologue Saffron Liqueur, Grapefruit, Smoked Grapefruit Bitters, and Lemon Twist. It was so fun and unique! We sat outside and enjoyed the sun.
The next stop was Lustre Pearl. Definitely make a reservation if you’re looking to go here. The happy hour vibes were elite. So much natural light flooded in through the open garage doors. I ordered a classic tequila sour while enjoying the beautiful weather from a table inside.
The third stop was The Refinery for infused shots! This was located in the LoDo neighborhood. We got the pepperoncini, pickleback, and their signature shot the buzz button. This last shot was WILD. The buzz button is a shot with cherry vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice but you prep the shot with a schezwan button flower which gives your tongue a numbing feeling. If you’re visiting Denver this is a must-do shot. The infused pepperoncini and pickleback shots were AMAZING as well. By far the best I’ve ever had.
At this point, we decided to head to dinner at the Rio Grande. I ordered a marg and the grilled veggie quesadilla, YUM. We circled back at the end of the night to Whiskey Tango Foxtrot for the final stop of the night.
The next morning I decided to depart from Denver so I headed to the airport to catch a late afternoon flight. Although I didn’t get to do any hikes or visit the hot springs in Glenwood, I still had a nice time getting to see the mountains and enjoying some fun spots around the city. If you get to go to Denver just be sure to plan plan plan for your hikes and be aware that the air is thinner in Denver!
The 412 Franimal 