Round Trip: Denver

Travedu Staff

Meta - To put it simply: Denver is rad. It has a bustling downtown, innovative businesses, beautiful trails and parks, and, as if you needed more, a ton of solid micro-breweries. Plus I’m down for pretty much any city that combines a big-city environment with the option to hop on a train and have your butt on a chairlift in an hour.

Denver is also home to some pretty exceptional venues, ranging widely in capacity and style. The Bluebird Theatre was named one of Rolling Stone’s “Best Clubs in America” in 2013 and features both local and nationally touring acts. The Marquis and Summit Music Hall both host punk and hardcore shows while electronic music enthusiasts can get their groove and game on at 1up-Colfax, a live music venue/arcade.

Possibly the most iconic venue in which to celebrate the merging of culture and nature that has come to define the Denver spirit is Red Rocks Amphitheater, located just 10 miles west of the city. James Brisben Walker, the first person to see the potential the formation had as a performance space, produced concerts and events in the location starting as early as 1906. The site was purchased from Walker by the city of Denver in 1927 and construction of the venue was completed in 1941.

Rock royalty, including The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and more, have performed in the beautiful, beloved venue, and it has been a notable host to dozens of live recordings. This summer boasts a pretty exceptional lineup; you can catch Cage the Elephant, Portugal. The Man, Belle & Sebastian, Umphrey’s McGee, Pretty Lights, Hall & Oates, Griz, and many more. If you make it out to Denver and don’t find yourself jamming along to an awesome band in arguably the most beautiful amphitheater in the nation, you’re doing it wrong, so go west and go dance!

Dan - Microbreweries have recently witnessed a renaissance of sorts, and Denver is the best city in America to experience it. With the famous Coors Brewing factory based nearby, beer culture in Denver is thriving, as evidenced by the city’s annual Great American Beer Festival being named the largest such event in the world. Plus, what could be more refreshing after a day on the slopes?

The city offers several guided tours through its most popular microbreweries, and the aptly named “Denver Microbrew Tour” leads the pack with glowing reviews. For $29 — or $33 if you want a pint glass to take home — a guide will take you through historic areas of the city and fill you in on everything you need to know about beer culture in Denver while supplying you with a steady stream of samples.

For those more interested in just kicking back and downing a glass, or seven, the Breckenridge Brewery and Great Divide Brewing Company are two of the most popular in town. The biggest crowd-pleasers of the former are the Vanilla Porter and Avalanche Ale, while the latter sells strong (10% ABV) stouts dubbed “Yeti Imperial” that are highly recommended. So whether you’re interested in checking out a beer festival, touring the breweries, or simply sampling a new craft beer, Denver is the place to do it.

Katie - Colorado Amendment 64 was passed in November 2012, and with that, the state legalized the use and regulation of marijuana.  The first stores opened in January 2014, and marijuana tourism officially became a state attraction.  According to the state’s Department of Revenue, that year, Colorado brought in $386 million in medical marijuana revenue, and $313 million in recreational marijuana revenue.  Business is booming, and if you’re traveling to Denver, you’ll have ample opportunity to check it out for yourself.

There are numerous cannabis tours around the city, and can range from a reserved party bus to an inclusive trip that picks you up at the airport, drives you to a retail marijuana store, and sets you up at a marijuana-friendly hotel.  If you need a break from other activities on your trip, you can stop at a marijuana social lounge.  Most clubs are members-only, but usually just require a fee and proof of age.  Guest membership to Club 64 on 420 Dank Street is $20 and includes a list of other marijuana-friendly establishments and events and activities that month.  Club Ned in nearby Nederland claims to be the first legal cannabis café in Colorado, and charges $14.20 for a month of membership.

Finally, there are always events and activities available for any marijuana enthusiast traveling to the area.  Such events range from hemp farmers markets to cannabis business conventions.  You can also learn how the growing process works at growing schools, take a marijuana cooking class, or sign up for a Puff, Pass & Paint session.

Benji - To tell you the truth, I have never been to Denver.  The last time I even went to Colorado, I was six and I got lost skiing and ended up getting caught in a blizzard.  Since then, I have skied just once and had no urge to return to the so-called Centennial State.  That being said, I do have a dream to visit all of the baseball stadiums in the United States and that would mean stopping in Denver to visit Coors Field

Home to the Colorado Rockies, Coors Field is considered one of the top places to enjoy a baseball game.  Blue Moon Beer was actually invented here. While you’re there, you should enjoy the recently renovated party deck, but keep an eye on the game.  While the Rockies aren’t necessarily a good team, the park is known as a home run park, so bring a glove and pay attention to what’s going on below you.  For the foodies who know that stadium food has the potential to be the best food, Coors Field offers a huge variety of eats from the standard hotdog stands to Rocky Mountain Oysters.  For baseball fans and tourists alike, this stadium is a must see.

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