About Denver
Transportation
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Denver International Airport is the 20th-busiest airport in the world and fifth-busiest airport in the United States.
Light Rate Service (RTD)
The RTD rail system operates 365 days a year. Nine rail lines service 53 stations along the Denver's North, East, Southeast, Southwest, and West rail corridors. It takes approximately 1 hour to get from Denver International Airport to the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel where the symposium is being held. [View RTD Trip Planner]
COVID-19 Precautions
Denver's Clean & Safe Resource Guide
Photo courtesy of Denver.org
Things to See and Do
Downtown
Blue Bear at the Convention Center - If you do go, walk in the convention center and look at it staring in.16th Street Mall -- An outdoor ‘mall’ with no cars, just a free shuttle bus stretching along 16th Street in downtown. The shuttle starts near Civic Center Park (by the Capitol Building) and goes all the way to Union Station.
Union Station - 1701 Wynkoop St, Denver 80202- It’s old and beautiful, and one of the landmarks of Denver. You can play shuffleboard while drinking a cocktail in the station.
Capitol Hill Area
The Mint - 320 West Colfax Avenue Denver 80204 - Free tours Monday – Thursday. The ticket window opens at 7am and offers same-day tickets only. The ticket window is only open until all the tickets for that day are distributed, so you may have to get there early.The Capitol Building - 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80203 - Free tours Monday – Friday from 10:00am-3:00pm, leaving hourly.
The Denver Art Museum - 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, CO 80204 – Great art museum, but they are currently doing construction in one building so it might be offering less than usual. Not sure when that will be done.
City Park
Museum of Nature and Science – 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205 Overlooks City Park, wonderful dinosaur and gemology exhibits with a rotating exhibit every few months. Has an iMax theater.Denver Zoo - 2300 Steele St, Denver, CO 80205 – Also located in City Park with a long history of being a conservation leader.
City Park itself - Walk to the bandstand and around the lake. Once you get to the top of the lake enjoy the view of the city with the mountains behind. -- it’s my favorite view in the city. Great for a short bike ride as well!
Denver Botanic Garden - 1007 York St, Denver, CO 80206- One of my favorite places in the city, with expansive gardens, local and exotic plants, and a large arboretum.
Miscellaneous
South Broadway and Santa Fe have lots of local art exhibits, which have shows on the First Friday of most months.
Larimer Street in RiNo has lots of street art and murals, with plenty of small boutiques and restaurants to enjoy.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge – 6550 Gateway Rd, Commerce City, CO 80022 - If you have access to a car, a drive around the arsenal is worth it. They have lots of wildlife (including a bison herd) and a small visitors center, all on the grounds of a former weapons arsenal.
Red Rocks Amphitheater – 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465 - Also a great trip if you have access to a car. The amphitheater itself is a marvel, and houses the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. There are also plenty of hikes to do in the area immediately around the amphitheater.
Coors Field – 2001 Blake St, Denver, CO 80205 - If the Rockies are playing, a visit to Coors Field is a must. Fun fact: the purple row of seats in the upper level is exactly a mile high. Also, the mascot is a dinosaur because while they were digging the foundation for the stadium, they found a few fossils!
Places to Eat
Snooze - multiple locations around the city. Fabulous brunch. Beware - it gets packed on weekends and there’s usually a wait. It’s best if you can get there early.
Rosenberg’s Bagels - 725 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205 – The only place I’ve been able to find NY Bagels in Denver. The lox is excellent.
Biker Jim’s - 2148 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205 Five Points / Ballpark - Crazy sausages -- rattlesnake, antelope, reindeer, you name it.
Opehlia’s Electric Soapbox - 1215 20th St, Denver, CO 80202 - Huge, multilevel restaurant with live music & offering eclectic American food. - check out which bands are playing before you go. before you go. Chicken and waffles are great! Good food with cool atmosphere. Try to sit along the edge of the top floor.
Vine Street Pub - 1700 Vine St, Denver, CO 80206 -It’s a classic brewpub in the city with a cozy feel and is a Denver staple. Walkable from City Park, cash/check only.
My Brother’s Bar – 2376 15th St, Denver, CO 80202- No frills, classic Burger-and-beer joint and a favorite for many years. Walkable from Downtown and very close to the REI flagship store.
Illegal Pete’s – Multiple locations around the city. Mexican/burrito place, has a record label.
Little Man Ice Cream – 2620 16th St, Denver, CO 80211 Just over the river from downtown in the Highlands. Lots of choices and usually pretty crowded. Very close to Linger.
Voodoo Doughnuts – two locations in the city, one on Colfax and one on S. Broadway. Open 24/7 . Cash only
Linger- 2030 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80211- Just across the river from downtown, and used to be an old mortuary. Very eclectic menu, but the food and cocktails have always been great.
Denver Central Market - 2669 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205 – Food hall with lots of options (Sandwiches, pizza, salad, coffee, ice cream, bar, etc.) right in the heart of RiNo
Milk Market - 1800 Wazee St #100, Denver, CO 80202 – Another food hall with more options than Central Market, with choices for everyone. Right in the middle of downtown and a few blocks from Union Station.
City O’ City- 206 E 13th Ave, Denver, CO 80203- Vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Capitol Hill. Very tasty food and cocktails.
Breweries/Watering Holes
Black Shirt Brewery - 3719 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205 Great local brewery in the River North (RiNo) Arts District. Serves pizza, salad and beer. Sometimes has live music.
Great Divide - There are two locations in Denver, a barrel room and the brewery. The barrel room is close to The Source, another food hall, and the brewery is right near Coors Field.
Our Mutual Friend – 2810 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205 - My personal favorite in RiNo, it’s fairly small but has a great selection and unique atmosphere.
14er / Ratio / Epic/ O’Dell’s - are 4 breweries relatively close to each other along Larimer St. in RiNo. Ratio and O’Dell’s have nice outdoor spaces.
Jagged Mountain - 1139 20th St, Denver, CO 80202- Simple brewery with great beer near Coors Field
Wynkoop Brewery - 1634 18th St, Denver, CO 80202 – Colorado’s first brewpub, has a wide selection of beer and food. Near union station and the 16th street mall .
10 barrel brewing - 2620 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205 – Full brewpub with lots of choices, also in RiNo.
Denver Beer Co - 1695 Platte St, Denver, CO 80202 – Nice beer selection with outdoor seating. I believe they only have food trucks.
Union Lodge No. 1 - 1543 Champa St, Denver, CO 80202 - A pre-prohibition cocktail bar, right off the 16th St. Mall. The bar is small fairly small so seating during prime time might be difficult.