Welcome to Denver—where great sweeping plains get rudely interrupted by the majestic Rocky Mountains. Where the idea of settling down and enjoying life wrestles with pioneer-like aspiration and constant reinvention. It’s a sports town that enjoys live theatre and art museums. Lifestyle trumps all here and on a nice day, people just want to be outside.
If the battery runs out on your mobile device and you forget your GPS back home, navigation is easy; just remember that the mountains are always west.
Assuming your starting point will be the Convention Center (site of the HOW Design Conference, June 6-9; You can also find the Creative Freelancer Conference, June 5-6, and In-HOWse Designer Conference, June 6-8, 2010, in Denver as well), this guide offers a few suggestions of things to see and do from a designer’s point of view. While a lot of cool, local stuff isn’t within easy walking distance, you could always cab it, rent a bike (use the bike paths—there are many), or use the public transportation bus or light rail lines (RTD). However, a lot of ground can be covered with a good pair of walking shoes.
Heading out of the Convention Center, you’ll see one of Denver’s many public art sculptures. “I See What You Mean” by artist Lawrence Argent is a big blue bear that peers into the Convention Center, begging conventioneers to come out and play after sessions break.
Left, image is copyright of the artist, Lawrence Argent and courtesy of the City and County of Denver, photographer, Rudi Cerri.
If you want to explore via Light Rail, here are a few suggestions:
Take the H, E, or F lines to 10th and Osage to grab a beer and burger at Buckhorn Exchange. This 100-year-old restaurant is about as Western as it gets with a menu of game meats, including deer, elk and even rattlesnake.
A few blocks north is Domo, a restaurant featuring Japanese country cuisine. Along with an authentic zen garden, the restaurant also has a museum and a martial arts studio.
Denver is made up of fun, hip neighborhoods and walking the shops of Old South Pearl is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Heading away from the city center, stop at the Louisiana-Pearl station and walk three blocks to South Pearl. Check out Izakaya Den for sushi, Stella’s for coffee, Pajamas Baking Company for breakfast, and 5 Green Boxes for quirky gifts.
Take a Walk
A few blocks away from the Convention Center is the Denver Center for the Performing Arts where you can see a variety of Broadway traveling shows or local plays and concerts. Want to unwind? Grab a cup of coffee at Backstage Coffee or get a bite to eat at The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar. It’s swanky, modern interior and wink-and-nod office theme serves up tasty comfort food with a global twist. The bar is always fun on the weekends and serves top-shelf martinis and fantastic desserts till 2 am.
Need to catch some zzz’s in a uber-cool place? Each floor at The Curtis Hotel (next door to The Corner Office) features pop culture motifs, such as the Sci-Fi floor or Motown floor. And yes, they even have a 13th floor that pays homage to Hollywood horror films.
If you want more sophisticated digs, head north to the Hotel Teatro. There you will find some of Denver’s most sophisticated rooms plus two great restaurants, Prima and its pricier brother, Restaurant Kevin Taylor.
Or, head north on Arapahoe where you can discover the affordably delicious Waffle Brothers stand where you can savor artery-busting goodness, like The Down Lo (waffle, syrup, nuts, banana and whipped cream) or the adventurous Not The Aussie (waffle, marshmallow, cream cheese, kiwi, whipped cream).
Hop on the Free 16th Mall Shuttle
It runs up and down the middle of Denver’s downtown. Ride it south to the Civic Center Station. Walk across Civic Center Park to the cultural district and take time to see the Denver Art Museum, including the new Daniel Libeskind-designed Hamilton wing and the Michael Graves-designed Denver Public Library. If a smaller museum is more your style, The Vance Kirkland Museum is a treasure trove of decorative design from 1880-1980.
Get back on the shuttle and exit Wazee Street to see Rockmount Ranchwear, an iconic Western shirt store that created the pearl button snap shirt. Since you’re in Denver’s Lower Downtown, or (LoDo) district, get a drink at the Cruise Room in The Oxford Hotel—an art deco bar that opened the day after prohibition was repealed. On Wynkoop Street is the venerable local favorite Tattered Cover Book Store, which offers an amazing book and magazine selection as well as lots of nooks and crannies for reading. And since you’re in LoDo, consider taking in a Colorado Rockies game in the dirt-cheap rockpile seats.
Off of 15th and Delgany Street, stop to see the contemporary art museum (MCA Denver) designed by London architect David Adjaye. A block away are several parks: Confluence and Commons. Denver’s flagship REI store can give you tips on good hiking and biking trails. Take the pedestrian bridge across the freeway to reward yourself with a scoop of ice cream from Little Man, an ice cream shop shaped like a giant creamery can. In the mood for Mexican food with a twist? Check out Lola, a restaurant specializing in coastal mex and margaritas. Another cool restaurant spot is Root Down offering amazing city views from its outdoor patio.
Left, experience a litte vintage feel at Little Man Ice Cream, where they use local ingredients. Above, take in a view overlooking Commons Park.
On your way back to the Convention Center, take a peek at the shops and restaurants on 15th and Platte. Make a stop at Writer Square and keep walking to Larimer Square, Denver’s most historic block. It includes some of Denver’s best dining options like Osteria Marco, Bistro Vendome or Rioja as well as eclectic, local shops.
And, Don’t Forget The Many Other Offerings
Denver has many other cool haunts like the Baker neighborhood on South Broadway. There are many other places to visit, like Fancy Tiger (craftstore boutique), Decade, Indyink (silk screen emporium) and Beatrice & Woodsley’s eclectic menu and magical indoor aspen forest. All stops will beckon your inner hipster. You will have to take the RTD, but it’s well worth the trouble and bus fare. Also worth the effort are the restaurants and shops along 17th Avenue in Uptown and Colfax. Designer toy gallery Plastic Chapel and The Shoppe Cupcakes being my favorites.
This is just a hint of what the city of Denver has to offer. Of course, there’s always the mountains. Take the highway out of town and get away from it all and hike, bike or just soak up a Rocky Mountain high.
Charles Carpenter is president of AIGA Colorado and senior designer at EBD, a Denver marketing, strategy and design firm. Specializing in branding using both print and online digital mediums, he’s lived in Denver for 12 years. Carpenter loves the outdoors, good coffee and an occasional snowball fight.
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