Skiing

A great number of people come through the Denver airport on their way up to the ski areas of Summit and Eagle counties, these areas include: Loveland Basin, Arapahoe Basin, and Breckenridge, Winter Park; further a field are both Steamboat, and Aspen.

Visitors arriving by plane (at DIA) can reach the Winter Park Ski area without driving. Take the RTD bus Route AF [42] to Market Street Station. Walk 3 blocks or take a taxi to Union Station and take the Ski Train [43]. If you have time to kill, there are numerous restaurants, brewpubs and coffeehouses in this part of town, referred to as [LoDo] (lower downtown). The Ski Train delivers you to the foot of the mountain (literally) within steps of the ski rental hut. The dining car (read "bar car") on the return trip after a day of skiing is one of the best rolling parties in America. Just a note about the Ski Train, however. It shares a line with freight trains that get priority, and as such it is common for extended delays in sidings to occur that allow for these trains to pass, not the mention the venting of the last tunnel that is required after each train passes through. The Ski Train is not the best option for those looking for first runs, but the comfort and scenery can not be surpassed and there is nothing like relaxing on the train with a beer after a hard day of skiing.

Parks and outdoors activity

• Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 Westminster Blvd, [44].

• Denver LoDo Self-Guided Audio Tour, [45]. Want to explore downtown Denver on your own time and at your own pace? Download one of these cool hip tours onto your iPod or other personal player, and off you go! Don't have a MP3 player? No problem, you can call up and listen to the tours on your mobile phone. Explore LoDo with Bessy LaBovine, Pedro the goat and Soapy Smith.
• Six Flags Elitch Gardens, [46]. Elitch Gardens, Six Flags, Amusement Park.
• Washington Park. Beautiful and lush Denver park, with lakes, flower gardens, a recreation center, soccer fields, tennis courts.... Over 160 acres of natural beauty, surrounded by turn of the 19th Century homes.
• Waterworld, [47]. One of the largest family water parks in the U.S. Open last weekend in May through Labor Day.

Sports

• Colorado Avalanche, Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle, +1 303 405-1100, [48]. National Hockey League.
• Colorado Rockies, Coors Field, 2001 Blake Street, +1 303 762-5437, [49]. Major League Baseball.
• Denver Broncos, Invesco Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant Street, +1 720 258-3333, [50]. National Football League.
• Denver Nuggets, Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle, +1 303 405-1100, [51]. National Basketball Association.

Festivals & Events

• January National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, Martin Luther King Parade, Indian Market
• February Colorado Garden and Home Show, Denver Restaurant Week, Buffalo Bill's Birthday Party
• March St. Patrick's Day Parade, Denver March Powwow, Starz Global Lens Film Festival
• April Doors Open Denver, Colorado Rockies Home Opener, KBCO Kinetics
• May Cinco de Mayo, Tesoro Indian Market and Powwow, Downtown Denver Festival of the Arts, Colorado Colfax Marathon also includes Denver's Navy Week.
• June Colorado Renaissance Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival, Comcast La Piazza dell’Arte, Do At The Zoo, PrideFest, The People's Fair, Highland Street Fair
• July Cherry Creek Arts Festival, The INTERNATIONAL at Castle Pines, Colorado Irish Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Evergreen Jazz Festival
• August Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival
• September A Taste of Colorado, Brew At The Zoo, Annual Oktoberfest, Festival Italiano
• October Fright Fest, Great American Beer Festival, Denver Mariachi Festival, Denver Marathon
• November Starz International Film Festival, Denver International Wine Festival, Downtown Denver, Grand Illumination
• December Mile High Holidays, Blossoms of Light, Zoo Lights, 9News Parade of Lights

• Black American West Museum & Heritage Center, 3091 California Street, +1 303 482-2242, [25]. September-May: Tu-Sa 10AM-2PM, June-August: Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children.
• Byers-Evans House Museum, 1310 Bannock Street, +1 303 620-4933, [26]. Tu-Su 11AM-3PM (guided tours at 11AM, 12:30PM and 2PM). $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children (children under 6 free).
• City Park, between Colorado Boulevard, York Street, 26th Avenue and 17th Avenue. A large urban park located east of downtown, with two lakes, numerous fields, playgrounds, and a golf course.
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, +1 303 322-7009, [27]. Open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Includes exhibitions, planetarium and IMAX.
  • Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St, +1 303 376-4800, [28]. Open every day of the year, hours vary by season.
• Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 East Warren Avenue, +1 303 871-5172, [29]. Built in 1890, this working observatory is a historic landmark and a pride of the University of Denver. Star Parties and other events are open to the public.
• Children's Museum of Denver, 2121 Children's Museum Drive, +1 303 433-7444 (fax: +1 303 433-9520), [30].
• Colorado Historical Society, 1300 Broadway, +1 303 866-3682, [31]. Home of the Colorado History Museum and the Stephen H. Hart Library. Exhibits, museums and historical sites throughout Colorado. Check website for details.
• Colorado State Capitol, 200 East Colfax Avenue, +1 303 866-2604, [32].
• Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, +1 720 865-5000, [33]. Closed M and holidays. A huge museum with art from all over the world - you'll want to give yourself several hours to properly explore the place.
• Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York St, +1 720 865-3500, [34]. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Denver Firefighters Museum, 1326 Tremont Place, +1 303 892-1436, [35]. M-Sa 10AM-4PM. $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children.
• Denver Mint, 320 West Colfax Avenue, [36]. Registration is required for all tours.
• Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, 1880 Gaylord Street, +1 303 322-1053, [37]. W-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 1PM-4PM. $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children (children under age 5 free).
• Forney Transportation Museum, 4303 Brighton Boulevard, +1 303 297-1113, [38]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. $7 adults, $6 seniors, children $4.50.
• Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., +1 303 832-4092, [39].
• Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe Drive, +1 303 571-4401, [40]. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 12PM-5PM. $4 adults, $3 students/seniors, children under age 13 free.
• Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany Street, +1 303 298-7554, [41]. Tu–Th 10AM–6PM, F 10AM–10PM, Sa-Su 10AM–6PM. $10 adults, $5 students/seniors, children under 6 free.

By plane

Denver International Airport [3], (IATA: DEN, ICAO: KDEN). Commonly referred to as DIA. It is located about 20 miles to the east of downtown. Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all maintain hubs at the airport in Concourses A, B, and C respectively. Most other major domestic carriers also have service here.

• Frontier Airlines [4]. Discount carrier with its hub at DIA's Concourse A and service to and from over 60 cities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America.
• United Airlines [5]. The largest carrier at the airport, with service across the nation and the world from Concourse B.
• Southwest Airlines [6]. The quintessential discount airline maintains its fastest-growing hub in Concourse C.

The airport is located amidst rolling plains, far from any conceivable local destination. Public transportation skyRide [7] offers 5 bus routes from the airport with several stops each, delivering you to many "Park and Ride" locations in the metro area for $6-$10 one way. Purchase tickets at the RTD desk in the main terminal. The airport can be crowded due to its post-9/11 security redesign creating a single central screening station, followed by a train that passengers must take for access to concourses B and C. Forget the fifteen year old rumors about the baggage system, it is no worse than any other airport's, in fact it is perhaps even better than most. It can take up to an hour to get from the ticket line to the gate, so travelers should get to the airport at least 1.5 hours before the scheduled departure time. There are a number of Airport Shuttle [8] companies that will deliver you to the city & points beyond.

Private pilots will prefer Centennial Airport (ICAO: KAPA) south of town. Be aware that on warm days the density altitude may make takeoffs difficult; Centennial has long runways for this reason, and to accommodate a large volume of private jet traffic. Flight visibility in the Denver area is often in excess of 100 miles; weather fronts tend to travel quickly N-S along the front range. For small planes, any direction but west is a good choice.

By car

• I-25 (north and south), I-70 (east and west), and I-76 (northeast) are the major interstates leading in and out of the city. I-225 and I-270 cross the Denver area.
• U.S. Highway 40 connects Denver to Salt Lake City, to the west.
• Interstate 70 connects Denver to Summit county, the location of many major ski areas, to the west.
• Interstate 25 connects Denver to Colorado Springs in the south and Cheyenne Wyoming in the North.
• U.S. Highway 36 connects to the North western suburbs and eventually to Boulder.
• E-470 [9] A toll road, connects the airport to the southeast, east, northeast, northwest suburbs, C-470 at its souther terminus, the Northwest Parkway at its northern terminus, which leads to Boulder.
• C-470 Connects to the southern end of E-470 (also accessible from I-25) leading to the south, southwest, and western suburbs.
• Northwest Parkway [10] A toll road, connects to the north end of E-470 leading to north, northeast and northwest suburbs, and Boulder. Also accessible from I-25.
  • E-470 and Northwest Parkway are toll roads. Toll booths are $1.75 each, are attended by humans 24/7, and will accept up to $20 bills. Depending on distance traveled, you could spend $14. The upside is that you can skirt serious rush hour traffic on I-70 and I-25.

By train

• Amtrak [11] serves Denver at Union Station (DEN). The California Zephyr [12] stops once a day, continuing east to Chicago and west to Emeryville, California.

Please note, however, that Union Station is currently under renovation, and when it is complete, Union Station will become the central terminal for bus, light rail and Denver commuter rail, as well as Amtrak national railway service.

By bus

• Greyhound, 1055 19th Street. The bus station is located in downtown a few blocks away from Coors Field and other central attractions. However, its good location is about the only positive thing about this bus station. It is serviced by Greyhound and Skyride buses. The station also has storage lockers, which can be rented hourly.

• Numbered streets run east-west in the north half of the metro area, including suburbs. Ellsworth Avenue is the "equatorial" street. Numbered streets increase as you travel north and are generally called avenues. Avenues south of Ellsworth are named.
• Named streets run north-south. Broadway is the "meridian" street. Ordered alphabetically going up as you travel east or west away from city center. Adresses on named streets correspond to intersecting numbered streets. i.e. "1701 Broadway" is at 17th and Broadway. North-south streets are generally called streets.
• Downtown Streets: The diagonal layout of the downtown area can be difficult to understand, especially for first-time visitors. North of Colfax and west of Broadway, the streets are canted 45 degrees from all other streets in the city. The transition between the two systems is confusing even for local residents. Southeast-northwest streets are numbered while southwest-northeast streets are named. As this was the original grid system of Denver, some vestiges of this system exist outside of Downtown, creating diagonal cuts in certain parts of the city. Some of those streets include Park Avenue, Speer Boulevard and Morrison Road.

By car

Car rentals are the most convenient for of transportation for visitors, with local companies offering better prices but national chains offering more convenience vis-a-vis return policies and times.

Car Rental Companies includes:

• Alamo Rent A Car, Toll free: 1-800-462-5266, [14].
• Avis Rent A Car, Toll free: 1-800-331-1212, [15].
• Budget Rent A Car, Toll free: 1-800-527-0700, [16].
• Dollar Rent A Car, Toll free: 1-800-800-3665, [17].
• E-Z Rent-A-Car, Toll free: 1-800-277-5171, [18].
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Toll free: 1-800-261-7331, [19].
• Hertz Car Rental, Toll free: 1-800-654-3131, [20]].
• Thrifty, Toll free: 1-800-847-4389, [21].

Parking Downtown: Meters are free on Sunday, and run till 10:00 p.m. on weekdays. In the downtown area near Coors Field, The Pepsi Center, and Lodo, there is virtually no free parking on weekdays. In some areas a few blocks from city center there are places without parking meters within reasonable walking distance of downtown. Just because you don't see a meter does not mean parking is free. Denver is increasingly deploying "european style" meters, where you purchase a paper ticket from a machine somewhere on the block and place it on your dashboard.

By public transit

The RTD (Regional Transportation District) [22] operates public transit throughout the Denver area, including buses and light rail.

In 2004 voters approved FasTracks [23], a plan to significantly expand Denver's public transportation system. However, this plan will not be completed until around 2016, so public transportation is still somewhat underdeveloped outside of the downtown area.

Denver's existing light rail [24] system, though limited, can efficiently get you from downtown to some south central and southeast suburbs. One light rail line travels parallel to I-25 from its intersection with Broadway to Lincoln Avenue in the southern part of the Denver metro area past the Tech Center, with a small spur on I-225. Another light rail line connects downtown Denver to Englewood and Littleton. Nearly all light rail lines get to downtown Denver either through the central part of downtown via the Convention Center or to Union Station past INVESCO Field and the Pepsi Center. Light rail tickets must be purchased (cash or Visa/MC) from vending machines at the stations before entering the trains and cost between $1.75-$4 depending on how far you travel.

There are also many RTD buses you can take for additional travel throughout the city. Buses are $1.75 a trip with a free transfer to another line within two hours. RTD offers a free shuttle bus along the 16th Street pedestrian mall, which has a length of 1.25 mile and takes you close to most places downtown. Information about RTD can be found at the Market Street and Civic Center bus stations at either end of 16th street in downtown.

Districts

There are a number of shopping areas in Denver. The two most prominent are the 16th Street Mall, and the Cherry Creek Shopping District.

• The 16th Street Mall runs the near entire length of 16th St. in downtown Denver. It is home to a number of chain stores, as well as novelty shops. It is dominated by the Denver Pavilions, an "urban mall," on the southeast end of the street.

• The Cherry Creek Shopping District sits southeast of downtown Denver, and hosts some of the most expensive stores in the metropolitan area. The Cherry Creek Shopping Mall is the epicenter of this district.

• Larimer Square offers some of the best shopping districts in the city and was one of the first urban shopping concept, dating back to the 1960's. Check the area between 14th Street and 16th.

Specific Retailers

• The Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Avenue, +1 303 322-7727, (and other locations), [60]. The area's largest and best-known bookstore, selling new books. The bookstore hosts author readings and other educational programs.

Mexican food is abundant and satisfying and takes a local Denver flavor. Green Chili is the order of the day: a brown, chunky and spicy sauce made from pork and Pueblo or Hatch green chilies that works well on everything from chorizo and eggs to tamales. Denver is also known for "western" food using ingredients such as angus beef, buffalo, rattlesnake, cutthroat trout and Rocky Mountain oysters. Denver has most types of cuisine as other large cities and has several restaurants recently noted in top food publications. A recently passed bill had outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants statewide. However, some places with outdoor patios still allow smoking there.

The restaurant section of the weekly independent newspaper Westword [61] (available for free every Thursday at newsstands and locations across the city) is a good place to find the food your interested in for your price-range and location. Below is a sampling of some consistently good choices.

Budget

• Benny Blanco's Slice of the Bronx, 616 E. 13th Ave., +1 303-831-1346. Benny Blanco's is a classic hole-in-the-wall pizza joint, and in this case the phrase is literal. There's no seating, but big, New York-style slices fresh from the oven can be had for as little as $2 a slice.
• Blue Bonnet, 457 S Broadway, +1 303-778-0147. A noisy bar featuring southwest/Tex-Mex in Denver with most items under $10. There is patio seating and two separate dining rooms that are a bit quiter than the main bar. Consistently rated a "Best Of" in various local polls.
• Buenos Aires Pizzeria, 1319 22nd St., +1 303-296-6710. An Argentinean-style pizza joint with unusual topping choices and plenty of $2 empanada (small savory turnovers) offerings.
• Casa Bonita, 6715 W. Colfax, +1 303-232-5115 . A gargantuan (52,000 sq. ft.) Mexican restaurant in Lakewood known more for the entertainment than for the food. An inexpensive place to bring the family, the kids will love the cliff divers, trained "gorilla", video arcade and other entertainment.
• Clancy's Irish Pub, Located a wee bit west o' Kipling and 38th Ave. Daily 11AM-10PM. Clancy's serves a variety of Anglo-Irish and domestic favorites, including Corned Beef and Cabbage, Fish n' Chips, (listed by Westword as the best in town.) Shepards Pie, Rueben sandwitches and pint after pint Guinness Stout on tap.
• El Taco de Mexico, 714 Santa Fe Dr., +1 303-623-3926 [62]. This small Mexican lunch-counter offers many delicious food choices for the adventurous palate.
• Fatburger, 14221 E. Cedar Ave Unit A, +1 303-363-6996. Originating in Los Angeles, Fatburger has slowly spread to other locations across the United States, including this location in Aurora. Calling itself "The Last Great Hamburger Stand", the American standard is available in beef as well as turkey, chicken breast, and veggie burger (you can also get a fried egg to top your Fatburger). Shakes made with real ice cream, homemade onion rings, chili and a choice of "skinny" or "fat" fries rounds out the bill of fare.
• Heaven Dragon 16255 W 64th Ave, +1 720-898-9909. Though not in Denver proper (rather, it's in the suburb of Arvada) this often-overlooked Chinese restaurant may be among the best in the entire state of Colorado. With prices that will feed even a large family for under $40, its food is consistently ranked by reviewers as spectacular, to the point where visiting politicians (congressmen, governors, even President George W. Bush) often go out of their way to stop there. The atmosphere is superb--very formal and elegant, despite the low prices. A bit of a hike from the city, however--20 or 30 minutes from downtown on a good day.
• Illegal Pete's 1530 16th St. #101, +1 303-623-2169, [63]. A local favorite hangout with great, cheap burritos! Its patio is located directly on the 16th St Mall, making it a great place to people watch.
• Jerusalem, 1890 E Evans Ave., +1 303-777-8828. Open until 3AM, and within walking distance of the University of Denver, this small but excellent Middle Eastern restaurant offers great no-frills food in a laid-back and hip atmosphere.
• Leela European Cafe, 820 15th St., +1 303-534-2255. Leela's is a combination bar/coffeehouse/cafe which is a favorite among the college crowd. There's good Italian coffee, great music (live on some nights), and great panini sandwiches. Leela's is open 24 hours as well, and free wireless internet is available, so you can be productive (or not) while waiting for your friends to arrive.
• Pete's Kitchen, 1962 E. Colfax Avenue, +1 303-321-3139. [64] This combination Greek restaurant and short-order diner is open 24 hours a day and boasts a great Greek salad and French toast. It's a favorite of local celebrities as well.
• Taqueria Patzcuaro, 2616 West 32nd, +1 303-455-4389. This neighborhood favorite boasts the most amazing tacos and green chili.
• Tommy's Thai, 3410 East Colfax, +1 303-377-4244.
• Two-Fisted Mario's Pizza, Market and 16th, +1 303-623-3523. Two-Fisted Mario's has excellent East-coast style pizza on the cheap ($2 a slice, and it's a big slice), and is open until 3AM, so you can grab a pie after drinking microbrews into the wee hours of the morning.

Mid-range

• Racine's, 650 Sherman St ., +1 303-595-0418. THE restaurant for both Denver's power brokers and proletariats with its simple yet elegant American menu and casual yet sophisticated decor.
• Jack n Grill, 2524 Federal Blvd., +1 303-964-9544. Excellent New Mexico-style food with heaping portions usually soaked in your choice of a green or red chili or for the indecisive, both.
• New Saigon, 630 S Federal Blvd., +1 303-936-4954, [65]. Denver is home to a sizable Southeast Asian population that shows off its unique culinary talents at this great Vietnamese community institution.
• Empress Seafood, 2825 W Alameda Av., +1 303-922-2822. Empress has long been the queen of dim-sum and affordable yet flavorful seafood selections from all over Asia.
• Le Central, 112 E. 8th Ave., +1 303-863-8094. A surprisingly affordable French restaurant in central Denver offers Provence-style French food such as mussels et frites. A great choice for the fancy dinner without the fancy check.
• Imperial Chinese, 431 S. Broadway. +1 303-698-2800, [66]. Simply put, The Imperial is Denver's premier Chinese restaurant and has been for the over 20 years it's been in existence. Dinner entrées range from $10-$30, with all but the Peking Duck and various specials under $22.

Splurge

• The 9th Door, 1808 Blake Street, +1 303-303-293-2111, [67]. Spanish tapas and wine, desserts and atmosphere.
• Barolo Grill, 3030 E 6th Av., +1 303-393-1040. Decadent Italian.
• The Black Pearl, 1529 S Pearl St, +1 303-777-0500, [68].
• Buckhorn Exchange, 1000 Osage Street, +1 303-534-9505, The oldest continuously operating restaurant in Denver, noted for its "western" menu and decor. Right next to the 10th and Osage light rail stop. Famous for offering game meat such as elk, bison, and venison.
• The Fort, 19192 Highway 8, Morrison. Though a bit of a drive, The Fort is possibly Denver's most famous restaurant. It sits just on the edge of suburban Denver and is perhaps most famous for hosting a dinner during the G7 conference in 1997. Reservations highly recommended.
• Luca d'Italia, 711 Grant St., +1 303-832-6600, [69].
• Mizuna, 225 E 7th Av., +1 303-832-4778, [70].
• Strings, 1700 Humboldt St. Near the heart of downtown Strings is a fantastic restaurant with entrée prices ranging from $12-40 or so, and an excellent wine list. Reservations highly recommended.
• Sushi Den, 1487 S Pearl St, +1 303-777-0826, [71]
• Venice Ristorante Italiano, 1700 Wynkoop St. Amazing, authentic Italian. Very expensive. Very romantic. Very Good. Reservations highly recommended.
• Vesta Dipping Grill, 1822 Blake St., LoDo, +1 303-296-1970, [72]. Each menu item at this hip LoDo restaurant comes with your choice of three dipping sauces for a unique and interactive meal.

Colorado has more microbreweries per capita than any other state. In fact, Denver mayor John Hickenlooper was a microbrewer before running for office. Notable breweries in Denver and environs include:

• Coors Brewery [73]
• Great Divide Brewing Co. [74]
• Flying Dog [75]
• Breckenridge Brewery [76]
• Wynkoop Brewing Company [77]
• Bull & Bush [78].
• New Belgium [79], maker of the very popular Fat Tire, is based to the north in Fort Collins.
• Rock Bottom [80], a national chain of brewpubs, is based in Louisville (near Boulder).

One should keep in mind that the effects of alcohol are magnified at higher elevations, so people may find themselves inebriated more quickly and with greater effect than they would at lower altitudes. Moderation is probably a good idea until you understand your body's reaction to alcohol and can acclimatize to its effects at higher elevations.

That said, the following are some of the best bar-hopping locales in the city:

Bars in Lower Downtown (LoDo)

LoDo is the name Colorado locals have given the Lower Downtown district of Denver. It's a great place for meals, entertainment, and nightlife, where restored Victorian buildings now house more than 90 sports bars, brew pubs, jazz clubs, and restaurants.

• My Brother's Bar (Brother's), 2376 15th St, +1 303-455-9991. Brother's is the oldest bar in Denver and steeped in the history of the Beat movement; Jack Kerouac was a regular here during his years in Denver. Massive selection of premium choices and a fantastic single-malt scotch selection. Classical music plays, but don't expect to hear it on a really busy night. Good food, including the JCB: a cheeseburger featuring Jalapeno Cream Cheese. There's no sign on the bar so don't look for one, but it's right on the southeast corner of 15th and Platte streets. This is where the locals go and regulars abound.
• The Cruise Room, 1600 17th St, +1 303-825-1107, [81]. 1930's Art Deco Martini Bar inside the Oxford Hotel. Best Martinis in Denver! You can also order fresh seafood from McCormick's Fish House.
• Double Daughter's Salotto, 1632 Market St, +1 303-623-3505
• Fado Irish Pub, 1735 19th St, +1 303-297-0066, [82].
• Falling Rock Tap House, 1919 Blake St, +1 303-293-8338. The Falling Rock is a beer snob's dream, with over 70 excellent beers on tap. The selection changes from week to week, too, keeping the locals entertained and tipsy off of fine Belgians and microbrews. It gets crowded after Rockies games, but during the offseason, it's a great place to eacape from the cold and warm up with a well-poured Belgian trippel.
• Jet Bar, 1612 Wazee Street, +1303-572-3300, [83]. The Lobby (main bar) is a retro and contemporary design of lighting, shag rugs, and comfortable lounge seating, and Club Twenty is Jet Hotel's private club.
• Lodo's Bar & Grill, 1946 Market St, +1 303-293-8555
• Nallen's Irish Pub, 1429 Market St, +1 303-572-0667. A little piece of the Old Country in Denver, Nallen's has great nightly drink specials, authentic Irish ambience and a great Tuesday night pub quiz.
• Pour House Pub, 1435 Market St, +1 303-623-7687
• Sing Sing, 1735 19th St, +1 303-291-0880
• Wynkoop Brewery, 1634 18th St, +1 303-297-2700, [84]. Fresh brews, billiard tables, and excellent food. Banquets and private parties. Historically significant architecture.

Bars in Capitol Hill & Other Neighborhoods

• Bender's Tavern, 314 E. 13th Ave. +1 303-361-7070, [85].
• Capitol Hill is the neighborhood directly east and south of the Colorado State Capitol, located on Colfax Avenue and Grant Street. It has long held as place for young people, sub-cultures and the gay and lesbian community. Currently, it rivals LoDo as the place to party, no matter what your scene is.
• Charlie Brown's Bar & Grill, 980 Grant Street, +1 303-860-1655. Charlie Brown's in another beat era hangout located at a hotel where Ginsburg and the gang used to stay. Has great happy-hours, a mostly local crowd, good food, and an agile piano player belting out tunes while you drink.
• City O City, E. 13th Ave. You will find a changing handful of unusual brews on tap. Grab a blueberry muffin or the vegan buffalo wings (which are excellent - and you can eat them without having to worry about a bone!) and people watch.
• Funky Buddha Lounge, 776 Lincoln St, +1 303-832-5075.
• Govnr's Park Restaurant & Tavern, 672 Logan St, +1 303-831-8605. Practically the after work bar for all of the state workers and lobbyists at the capitol, this comfortable place has great happy-hour specials and tasty food.
• Park Tavern, 931 11th Ave.
• Cricket on the Hill 1209 E. 13th Ave, +1 303-830-9020. Denver's preeminent punk bar/club offers almost nightly live music, great specials and some of the best clientele to people watch in the city.
• The Church, 1160 Lincoln St., +1 303-832-2383, part of the "SoCo" (South of Colfax) club district, the Church is one of the most popular dance clubs in the city, and as its name suggests, is housed in a former Episcopalian church. That however, does not prevent hundreds if not thousands of people from descending on the dancefloor every night to shake what God has given them.

Bars On Colfax

Colfax Avenue, described by Playboy Magazine as the "longest, wickedest, street in America," stretches 26 miles through Denver and its suburbs. Colfax has long had a "gritty" reputation for being home to prostitution and drug peddlers. However, through much urban development work, Colfax has shed its past and emerged hipper, cleaner and more popular than ever. The many bars, restaurants and nightspots along the street give it a 24/7 ambience.

• The Bank Bar & Grill, 2239E Colfax Ave, +1 303-320-9494
• Charlie's, 900 E. Colfax Ave. +1 303-839-8890. While technically a gay bar, Charlie's is also a cultural landmark catering to the old west spirit and/or disco diva in all of us. Very straight-friendly and not at all creepy, Charlie's friendly clientele and music makes everyone who visits at least a little "gay" (as in happy).
• Goosetown Tavern, 3320 E Colfax Ave, +1 303-399-9703, [86].
• Irish Snug Restaurant & Pub, 1201 E Colfax Ave # 100, +1 303-839-1394. The Snug (to the locals) is the best place in Denver to down a pint of Guinness with your mates. Excellent fish and chips will fill you up (if the Guinness doesn't first).
• Lion's Lair, 2022 E Colfax Ave, +1 303-320-9200.
• Mezcal, 3230 E Colfax Ave, +1 303-322-5219, Mezcal is a hip Mexican-themed bar/restaurant serveing excellent and cheap Mexican food along with its plentiful selection of great drinks, particularly tequilas.
• Sancho's Broken Arrow, 741 E Colfax, +1 303-832-5288. One of the four Don Quixote themed bars in Denver, Sacho's is the best place in Denver to relive your old days with its Grateful Dead come alive decor and live rock and roll every Monday.
• Streets of London Pub, 1502 E Colfax Ave, +1 303-861-9103. The closest thing to England you can get without a 10 hour flight, Streets of London has an abundant selection of ales, draughts and other favourites.
• The Squire Lounge, 1800 E Colfax Ave, +1 303-333-9106.

Downtown Coffee

• Pablo's Coffee, sw corner of 6th and Washington. Fresh roasted coffee roasted in the store, excellent barristas and a nice patio, no wi-fi so the number of student "campers" is a minimum, a great place for people looking for a great cup of coffee.
• The Market, at Larimer Square. THE place for coffee shop people watching in Denver. Not Wifi/Laptop friendly. Outstanding pastries, hot from the oven every day at 6:30AM. Also a great full service deli.
• St. Mark's, 17th and Race (20 blocks east of Broadway). Quintessential coffeehouse ambience. House made pastries. Lovely neighborhood block with a nice collection of restaurants.
• Fluid, 19th and Pennsylvania. Modern. Wifi/Laptop friendly. Order an Artisan coffee made with the Clover machine. Light pre-packaged eats available.
• Daz Bog, 9th and Downing. Formerly Diedrich's. Wifi/Laptop friendly. Lovely tree lined street. Nice selection of pastries and light bites. Significant portion of patrons are gay.
• Common Grounds Downtown, 17th and Wazee. Wifi/Laptop friendly. An old mainstay in Denver. Between Union Station and Market Street RTD station.
• Metropolis, 11th and Cherokee and 17th and Champa. Modern. Wifi/Laptop friendly.