Welcome to the Mile High City!
As a student in the great state of Colorado, I'm very excited to host our profession for Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) 2020.
I know I'm a little biased, but Colorado has some of the best climbing and bouldering, outdoor adventures, and breweries.
Here's a list of just some of the things that you can do in Denver and the surrounding areas during your time at CSM.
Denver
- Climbing gyms ‒ the true Denver experience. Movement RiNo gym in the River North Art District is the bigger version for bouldering enthusiasts near downtown. RiNo only has bouldering climbing. There is also a location in Baker just south of downtown.
- Avalanche NHL hockey games are a blast. They will be home for games at the Pepsi Center downtown on Feb. 11, 13, 15, and 17.
- Run around Denver City Park or along the Cherry Creek trail in downtown.
- Walk around beautiful Larimer Square in the heart of downtown.
- Denver Zoo in City Park.
- Catch a show at the Denver center for performing arts or a comedy show at the Comedy Spot.
- Denver Art Museum.
- Visit the Denver downtown REI ‒ it's massive.
- Go to Union Station and have a drink. It has a bar and is a nice place to people watch.
- Whatever you do, visit breweries!
Boulder
- Climbing gyms. Movement gym is the main one my friends use when in Boulder. It has has both rope and boulder climbing.
- Explore Pearl Street Mall for shopping.
- Hiking and trail running. Hike the Flatirons. Flatirons Vista trailhead is less popular, but still cool. Mount Sanitas trailhead is a very popular hike with a view. Great for sunsets or sunrises, and not too long.
Surrounding areas
- Hiking and trail running. Table Mountain in Golden is a lovely place for a trail run or hike, with a view perfect for a sunset or sunrise if you're feeling it.
- Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is a famous concert venue in Morrison, about 30 minutes from downtown. Although there isn't much going on in winter this place is a must see, and if the weather is good, it makes a great spot for a stair workout. There are also nice trails nearby for hiking, walking, and running.
- Rocky Mountain National Park.
- Climbing (bouldering) outside – it may be pretty cold, so I say stick with climbing gyms. Mount Sanitas area. Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder. Carter Lake.
Ski/snowboard resorts
- Echo Mountain, Eldora, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, Copper Mountain
- Rent snowshoes in downtown at REI or other shops, and take them to any nearby hiking trail where there is snow.
Eats
- Voodoo Doughnut: A must, it's known for being in Portland, Oregon, but I've been to both and I think they taste better here.
- Uncle Ramen in Lower Highlands.
- Little Man Ice Cream is a classic place to visit in Lower Highlands and Denver. It's amazing even in winter.
- Linger in LoHi.
- AshKara in LoHi, amazing happy hour.
- Avanti Food and Beverage in LoHi: This is an open market setting that has great food options for all. My favorite is the Venezuelan Arepas joint. Major rec!
- The Source in RiNo: Another market style but in RiNo.
- Snooze AM is all around Denver and Colorado. Although it's a franchise chain with other spots in the U.S., it started here and is really very good.
- Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey.
- Denver Biscuit Company for brunch.
- Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder: The coolest spot in Boulder, it's a gorgeous, old Tibetan teahouse with lovely food and tea.
Vegetarian and vegan
- Watercourse Foods.
- City O' City.
- Make Believe Bakery.
- Blue Sushi and Sake Grill in Lower Downtown.
- Root Down in LoHi.
Drinks
There are so many breweries all around town (it's what Denver is known for!), so you can't go wrong with a quick search. Here are some of favorites of mine and my classmates:
- Visit Coors Brewing Company not too far away in Golden for a free tour.
- 10 Barrel Brewing.
- Stem Ciders.
- Epic Brewing.
- Ratio Beerworks.
- O'Dell Brewery.
- Improper City: Huge recommendation; it has drinks with a large outdoor area with games and food trucks.
- Little Machine Beer.
- Great Divide Brewing Company.
- Cerebral Brewing.
- Acreage by Stem Ciders in Lafayette. They have drinks and food, and I swear, one of the best views in Denver for a sunset and a drink.
How to get around
- Light Rail. I use the light rail a lot to avoid parking downtown, since it's tough, and you have to pay anyway.
- Bus. Catch the bus at 16th Street Mall Ride. This area is in the heart of downtown near the convention center as well. It's a long street, so sometimes it's nice to take the bus. Its free, and you can just hop on and off.
- If you're downtown, walking isn't bad at all. Much of downtown is very flat and accessible.
Neighborhood descriptions
- RiNo (River North). Artsy area that is very trendy lately, with all the breweries that you could need in one spot.
- LoDo (Lower Downtown). Downtown area in general with spots like Union Station and Coors Field.
- Capitol Hill. Upscale area that is pretty to walk around.
- Cherry Creek. Has a lot of shopping.
- Wash Park. Home to ‒ you guessed it ‒ Washington Park! A great place to walk or run around if you stay south of Denver.
- LoHi (Lower Highlands). The trendiest spot just a walk across a pedestrian bridge from downtown. Amazing restaurants.
- Highlands. Just north of LoHi and a cute area to stay and walk around with restaurants, but more residential than LoHi.
Things to know about Denver
- Check the weather immediately before traveling to Denver. The weather truly changes day to day here. One day it might snow, another day it's warm and sunny, and that could all be in the same trip!
- Don't forget that you're in high altitude! Stay hydrated and pace yourself. If you're going out for a hike or a run, be mindful to ease into your exercise at this high altitude. Learn more about how to navigate the high altitude during your travel.
Join us February 12-15, 2020 in Denver, CO for APTA's Combined Sections Meeting. Learn more and register.
Haley Anderson, SPT, is a student at Regis University and is the Core Ambassador for Colorado.