GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
Denver is the Capitol of Colorado, and at 5,280 feet above sea level (a mile), Denver has been nicknamed the “Mile High City,” contrary to popular belief, it is not located in the Rocky Mountains. In a 20-minute drive, you are in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
One of the best-kept secrets about Denver is the weather! Most people would assume it is a snowy city, but surprisingly, it is sunny and mild. Denver has more days of sunshine than San Diego or Miami. During winter, the average temperature in Denver is 45 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the favorite sayings from native Denver residents is, “Don’t like the weather? Wait a couple of hours – it will change.” And they are usually right.
This will include the suburbs of Denver – up to a 30-minute drive from Denver – so keep that in mind when looking at your options shared below.
If you love watching people, shopping, and eating, you must visit the 16th Street Mall in Denver!
The 16th Street Mall was built in 1982 and is a tree-lined pedestrian street (only buses allowed on the streets) area that is known for shopping and restaurants.
The pedestrian walkway is made of red, white, and gray granite in a repeating pattern that, when viewed from above, resembles the skin of a diamondback rattlesnake.
There are 42 outdoor cafes along the mall, so there is something for everyone.
If you don’t feel like walking, free shuttle buses travel up and down the 16th Street Mall so that you can hop on and off at your leisure.
If you can visit in the evening after dusk, we highly recommend it! After dark, horse-drawn carriages and pedicabs carry people up and down the mall as they enjoy the almost one million lights that twinkle above in the more than 200 trees. It is truly a beautiful sight!
Boulder is about 43 minutes from downtown Denver and is becoming more popular due to CU football and Coach Prime. It’s a beautiful and easy drive, so I suggest you check out the city of Boulder.
Pearl Street is an adorable, pedestrian-friendly Bolder area with shopping, food, and drinks!
You can often find street musicians or artists lining the streets for enjoyment. We enjoyed a beautiful fall day on Pearl Street and highly suggested visiting if you are looking for local boutiques.
In the late 1800s, Denver started on Larimer Street between 14th and 15th Street. It is named after the pioneering General William Larimer. Larimer Street was the city of Denver’s first block, its first commercial district, home to its first residence, and even the first city hall. It was the city’s first designated historic district.
Larimer Square is an urban shopping district with unique stores and restaurants. As you can see from the picture, there is outdoor restaurant seating and outdoor bars. You can walk with alcohol within this designated block, but you are not to leave the area with alcohol in hand.
A few years ago, you could still drive and park on Larimer Square, but recently, that option was removed, and it has since become a pedestrian-friendly street.
If you are lucky, you will hear live music being played when visiting this area.
Again, this is a great area to visit at night as they have strings of lights over the entire street. We stayed right before the Christmas holiday, so we enjoyed seeing the beautifully decorated and lit Christmas tree. Talk about a BOUJEE-looking tree! WOW!
So grab a drink, sit down, and enjoy the ambiance of Larimer Square. You will love it!
Nestled in the heart of Denver, Colorado, a portal to another dimension awaits those daring enough to step into the surreal and fantastical realm of Meow Wolf. This immersive art collective has taken the Mile High City by storm, transforming a nondescript building into a mind-bending journey through a kaleidoscope of creativity and imagination.
Born in 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Meow Wolf started as a group of artists with a shared passion for pushing the boundaries of conventional art. Over the years, this collective evolved into a powerhouse of immersive experiences, gaining recognition for its unique blend of interactive art, storytelling, and technology.
In 2021, Meow Wolf set its sights on the vibrant city of Denver, bringing its signature brand of magic to a new audience. The Denver location, known as Convergence Station, opened its doors to the public, signaling the beginning of an era where art and exploration converge in a mesmerizing display of creativity.
The facade of Convergence Station might appear unassuming, but behind those doors lies a portal to an alternate reality. Visitors step inside and are transported into a fantastical world filled with otherworldly landscapes, mysterious corridors, and mind-bending installations. The sprawling 90,000-square-foot space is a canvas for over 110 Colorado-based artists who have come together to create an awe-inspiring experience.
Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station is divided into multiple zones, each with its theme and narrative. From futuristic spaceships to enchanted forests, visitors wander through a multiverse of wonders, each more captivating than the last. The interactive nature of the exhibits encourages guests to touch, explore, and even become a part of the art.
Meow Wolf in Denver, Colorado, has redefined the traditional art gallery experience, offering a portal to a world where imagination knows no bounds….but here at BEING BOUJEE, we always give you our truth based on our experiences. With that said, we don’t understand Meow Wolf. You walk around aimlessly, looking at random stuff, touching everything, seeing if a secret door opens. It’s interesting to look at, and there are random things for kids to climb in and touch, But don’t expect to explain it to them. ha ha
Tickets are sold by a specific entrance time. You can spend a few more dollars and purchase a ticket to enter at any time on a specific day. TIP: If you are a Colorado resident and show your ID, you get a discount of $10 off per ticket, and to us, that is worth it!
Union Station is a historic landmark over 100 years old in the heart of downtown Denver.
In 1881, the original Denver Union Depot opened. At the time, it was the largest building in the West. In 2014, Union Station Transit Center was completed, which brought multiple elements of transit under one roof in downtown Denver – Amtrak, Free MetroRide, RTD Free Mall Ride, and RTD Light Rail,
Union Station is home to the beautiful Crawford Hotel, restaurants, and shops. We are having a cocktail at Terminal Bar.
If you stay at the Crawford Hotel, a few amenities of Union Station are included with your room, for example, a free scoop of ice cream each night you stay at the hotel. Ummmm…free….ice cream…. YES! YES! In addition to the ice cream, there are other discounts at the restaurants and stores in Union Station.
Union Station is worth a visit if you love architecture. The building is gorgeous!
The Wild Animal Sanctuary is 43 minutes from Denver and worth the drive! It is truly unique!
The Wild Animal Sanctuary is the largest carnivore sanctuary in the world. The educational facility near Keenesburg, CO, is built on 794 acres of land and hosts over 550 Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves, and other rescued animals.
What makes The Wild Animal Sanctuary genuinely unique is the elevated walkway. Why is an elevated walkway important? Well, animals feel territorial, and when a stranger approaches, they react with fight or flight behaviors. This usually means they attack or run away. Animals in captivity have neither option as they have strangers on one side and a closed den door on the other, which stresses the animal, and they begin to pace back and forth or display other unnatural behavior, which most people view as stereotypical behavior but isn’t.
At The Wild Animal Sanctuary, they learned that large carnivores (and most other animals) do not consider the air or sky to be territory, so if people are on elevated platforms or walkways, they will not be considered a threat. Hence, the reason for the elevated walkways at The Wild Animal Sanctuary.
TIP: The best time to visit The Wild Animal Sanctuary is early morning or sunset. The animals often sleep during the hottest part of the day, so we highly suggest visiting at sunset. The weather is usually perfect in Colorado around sunset, and you will have the best chance of seeing a lot of animals.
Also, look for the volunteers sporting their volunteer shirts while on the elevated walkway. They have some fantastic stories and will help you spot the animals, as many hide in shaded areas.
Dairy Block is located in downtown Denver’s LoDo (Lower Downtown) neighborhood, once home to Windsor Dairy. Today, Dairy Block has 15 shops, 19 restaurants, seven bars, a co-working space, and a 172-room boutique hotel.
While ample seating is inside Dairy Block, our favorite place to sit is in the ally. At each table (inside and outside), there is a unique QR code for the table that allows you to order from any restaurant within Dairy Block and have it delivered to your table. That is what makes this place unique! You can all order whatever it is you are craving, as there are many different cuisines available at Dairy Block.
This is one of our favorite places to have a casual lunch or dinner in Denver! Coors Field is just down the street in one direction from Dairy Block, and Union Station is in the other direction.
If you are craving Italian food, this is THE PLACE to dine. The food and ambiance are excellent. Granted, we visited during the Halloween season, so it was decorated for the holiday, but it was still very cool! I can’t wait to return for Christmas, as it is decorated beautifully!
Gaetano’s is located in a neighborhood, so that that parking can be challenging. Your first option for parking should be directly across the street from the restaurant, which is the actual restaurant parking lot.
We visited for dinner, and the menu had plenty of options. I went with the lasagna, and the waitress said it was one of their most popular items….and I can see why! It was THE BEST lasagna I have ever tasted. It had a little kick to it, which made it so good. I can’t wait to return here because it was so good!
InVINtions is a creative winery located in the Denver Tech Center area (south of downtown Denver).
Here at BEING BOUJEE, we are not big wine drinkers, but we appreciated the opportunity to try a flight of wines to understand better the type of wines we prefer.
At InVINtions, you can experience a tasting, flights, glasses, bottles, and batches of wine. Reservations are recommended, especially if you want to do a wine tasting. Call to schedule a reservation: 303.799.9463
Of course, the best ice cream place in Denver is ALWAYS busy…and when I say busy, I mean busy! You can usually find a line of people wrapping around the corner, waiting for this tasty treat. Is the wait worth it? Definitely! Little Man Ice Cream has multiple locations across the city, so check their website for their other spots.
I could be more adventurous regarding ice cream (or food in general), so I went with the salted Oreo ice cream…and it was salted! I went with the kid-size, the perfect size for a bit of dessert.
Slater’s 50/50 in Denver is THE SPOT for a burger and milkshakes. And these aren’t just any milkshake; Slater’s 50/50 take milkshakes to a whole new level!
Slater’s 50/50 is known for its half-ground beef patty and ground bacon patty. And, of course, there is a unique spin to burgers. For example, I went with the PB & Jellousy burger, which was delicious! The burger is an Angus beef patty with thick-cut bacon, peanut butter, and strawberry jelly on a honey wheat bun. Oh my! It was soooo good!
Check out their menu for all their delish, unique options, and then come with an appetite because you will need it! Reservations are encouraged but not required. You can also add your name to the waitlist if you are on your way to the restaurant.
Stanley Beer Hall is a unique spot to shop and eat! On this visit, we checked out the Stanley Beer Hall for the first time, and if you are a beer drinker, we HIGHLY recommend it. There are 51 self-pour beer, wine, and cocktail taps.
When you enter the beer hall, you will proceed to a check-in counter to register your credit card and receive a card for your drinks and food. TIP: When you check in, they will ask you if you want to sign for the charges now; I highly suggest you do it at this time so you don’t have to stand in line again when you leave. Then, when you go, you drop the temporary card they gave you in the fishbowl by the check-in counter.
When you want to do a self-pour, you scan your card and prepare for the pour. A server will take your order to your table if you want food. I am a grill cheese coinsurer and highly suggest the adult grill cheese! YUMMY!
If you think it is only a summer spot, you are wrong. There are heaters for the outdoor area, and they drop the panels to enclose the outdoor area. Plus, there are regular indoor seating options, too.
Woody’s has been a staple in Golden, CO, since 1993, and it is so worth the drive!
There is limited parking on the side of the building but ample street parking around the downtown area.
This place is so popular that there is usually a wait for a table. Stop by the big chair outside the restaurant to add your name to the list.
A salad bar is available, which is relatively rare now. I went for my favorite pizza – pepperoni and green olive – try it if you haven’t tried it before. It’s delicious!
LeAnn is a mentor and the ultimate BOUJEE glamour gal. When she left daily drudgery behind in favor of following her own personal path to joy, she made a promise to herself that she would help others do the same. All she’s ever wanted is to do is stay healthy, live her best life and give back to others by introducing them to their inner BOUJEE.
