The Best Neighborhoods to Spend a Weekend in Denver

The saying, “this city has a little something for everyone,” is a little cliché, but for Denver it’s undeniably true. Where else can you experience the vitality of an urban sprawl, the charm of tree-lined neighborhoods, and the serenity of a mountain range each within driving distance from one another?

But the nuances of the Mile High City run deeper: Colorful art districts give way to parks and green spaces, and beyond that the buzz of shopping centers and business hubs. Each Denver neighborhood is original, full of character and activity. If you’re planning an adventure here soon, here’s where to stay, whatever your vibe is.

Northwest from the hubbub of downtown, these kitty-cornered neighborhoods are full of suburban bliss. No, really; it may be a lot of residential blocks, but there are pockets of great restaurants, boutique shopping, and lots to see and do (outside or in). Edgewater and Berkeley were officially established in 1901 and 1902, respectively, so they’ve had time to develop into the quiet—but entertaining—piece of Denver they are today.

A lap around Sloan’s Lake. It doesn’t quite rival the alpine lakes in the nearby Rockies, but walking, biking, or rollerblading around it, especially at sunrise or sunset, is its own kind of beautiful. You can even canoe, kayak, and paddleboard when the weather abides.

A short walk from Sloan’s Lake will have you at Edgewater Public Market, which houses approximately 15 food vendors, a cocktail bar, brewery, and coffee bar (alongside cool boutique shops and a sunny rooftop patio). Walk north two blocks to W 25th Ave and take your pick from cozy pubs, eclectic tiki bars, or locally brewed beer—or scooter on over to Odell’s Sloan’s Lake outpost.

Tennyson and surrounding areas have plenty of options when it comes to food and drink, from the Michelin-nodded Hey Kiddo and Glo Noodle House to fluffy, stuffed bagel sandwiches at Call Your Mother Deli. Wash things down with cold brews at Call to Arms or cap the night with something sweet from High Point Creamery.

This is another primarily residential area of Denver, so you won’t find too many high-rise or boutique hotels. That said, The Berkeley Hotel puts you smack in the middle of Tennyson Street and its plentiful food, drink, and shopping options. There are also plenty of charming Airbnbs to choose from that are excellent base camps for any adventure, like this sleek guesthouse just steps from Sloan’s Lake.

Southeast of Downtown sits the posh shopping district of Cherry Creek and the suburban paradise of Washington Park. Distinct but sharing certain features—independent, boutique retailers, upscale dining, and an added air of leisure with every mile that stretches further from LoDo—both are equally good for spending a day, weekend, or lifetime. The areas look vastly different today from their initial establishments, but the common thread remains the sense of community and tight-knit neighborhood feel of each. You'll find everything from parks and ice cream shops to locally loved haunts and all the day-to-day resources (grocery stores, shopping malls, fitness studios) you could need.

Spending a few hours (and dollars) in Downtown Cherry Creek. The area isn’t short on independent shops and boutiques sitting next to high-end, brand-name storefronts, with the span of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center available for your spending pleasure too. There are several art galleries in the few-block radius, as are a number of high-end spas and salons, perfect for relaxing after a day of really getting those steps in.

Fuel up at Wash Perk before a day of adventure, then find exceptional handmade pasta and stellar service at Restaurant Olivia for dinner. The coastal Mexican fare (read: tacos) at Perdida—along with its citrusy, tropical happy hour cocktails—is always satisfying, as is the Italian food that many Denver residents love at Quality Italian. If something more casual is your vibe for the evening, a burger and brew from the iconic Cherry Cricket should do just the trick.

Forget Me Not and Ay Papi have “chic cocktail bar” covered, but if you can, score an invitation (or at least a hint to the entrance) to the understated elegance of B&GC.

Picture lavish, boutique hotels with private rooftop pools, impressive restaurants, and stop-in-your-tracks design. Halcyon is your ticket to poolside paradise, though it helps that the rooms (and lobby, and hallways, and everywhere) are stunningly styled. Take advantage of its Gear Garage, where you can rent scooters, bikes, seasonal outdoor equipment, and even GoPros or a few vinyl records for your room, all included with your stay. A block over is the Clayton Hotel & Members Club, which has its obvious perks for members but is worth a stay even if you aren’t one. Take your pick from any number of other wonderful hotels in the area, including the well-known Jacquard and Hotel Clio.

RiNo (short for River North) is a newer subset of the city and a vibrant arts district, where a youthful crowd spends its days coworking at coffee shops and setting PRs in the climbing gym, then bar hopping from one lively street to another at night. Objectively, RiNo is the gentrified younger sibling whose roots stem from the storied Five Points neighborhood, which is still known to be a culinary, historical, and cultural cornerstone of the city, and equally worth a stay.

With RiNo being an arts district, something artsy should be on your list. There are street art tours available, you can check out the gallery guide for a self-guided adventure, or you can just step outside and start walking. Mission Ballroom is not only one of the best music venues in the city but also is rolling out more frequent outdoor concerts and music fests, meaning something fun is always going on, rain or shine. Coors Field is also nearby: Look for day-of-the-game Rockpile tickets (read: cheap) during baseball season.

The section of Larimer Street that runs through Five Points has the highest concentration of bars and restaurants (and breweries and wineries… ) in town. On a single block (at 35th and Larimer) you can hit up Colorado Sake Company for sake flights, the Embassy Tavern for cheap, strong drinks, and Hop Alley for a hip-hop playlist and serious Chinese eats.

Further down the road you’ll find handmade pasta at Dio Mio, another one of the city’s choice food halls at Denver Central Market, the best queso you’ll ever have at Mister Oso, and a duo of must-visit breweries, including Ratio and Our Mutual Friend.

The 50-room boutique Ramble Hotel looks like it’s been in the neighborhood forever, even though it was built and opened in 2018. A stay here provides easy access to the Denver outpost of NYC-based cocktail bar Death & Co (it’s literally in the lobby), as well as plenty of walkable attractions, like Coors Field, nearby.

CatBird, with its hip, modern style that bridges the gap between home and hotel, boasts a function-forward design that makes a stay as comfortable a base camp as possible. Be sure to head to the rooftop bar, The Red Barber, for refreshing cocktails, impressive city/mountain views, and the occasional DJ dance party.

These two neighborhoods span from the centrally located Civic Center Park to Mississippi Avenue to the south, but they are joined by one of Denver’s busiest (and most fun) thoroughfares: Broadway. A stay here means you’ll get to experience an eclectic slice of the city that’s got both cultural destinations and a punk edge.

All the museums. Or at least one. The Golden Triangle is where you’ll find a healthy cluster of art and history museums and attractions, including the Denver Art Museum. Check out Latin American art at Museo De las Americas, go on a free tour of the gold leaf-covered Colorado State Capitol building, see how money is made at the Denver Mint, and learn more about the state at History Colorado.

The move here is to splurge on a meal because cheap drinks for your late-night adventures are plentiful. For a taste of the islands, Cuba Cuba is a low-key classic where the rum flows freely and the lechon with mojo is a must-have. If you want to go full tiki, head to Adrift and pair your Mai Tai with a pupu platter for two. City, O’ City is some of the best plant-forward fare you’ll find in Denver, and we mean that.

The late-night scene is all about getting a little divey. At Dive Inn you’ll find part-retro, part-nautical, part-eclectic decor, cold, local beers on tap, and a full-sized speedboat you can sit in while you sip. The one thing Broadway isn’t short on is places to drink; low-key cocktail bars, dives, and barcades line the strip.

The ART hotel is steps from the Denver Art Museum, complete with its own restaurant and cafe for filling up before or after perusing works, though Populus made quite the splash when it finally opened in fall 2024.

In Baker, hotels are pretty much nonexistent, but it’s not too hard to find an Airbnb with a bit of personality or history; like this private carriage house that was designed by the architect that designed the Molly Brown House.

Union Station itself was once a mostly empty relic of old Denver that sat quietly in LoDo (the Lower Downtown Historic District). Then, in 2014, a total makeover and grand re-opening of the train station (and the creation of The Crawford Hotel) invigorated the area. The name Union Station includes not just the building itself, but also the neighborhood surrounding it—an area that borders the Highlands just on the other side of the Platte River, where some might argue Denver’s restaurant revival began. With pedestrian-friendly paths connecting the two, it’s easy to explore both during a single stay.

The most unique attraction in the area is Meow Wolf, hands-down. Aside from the exclusivity of it only being available in select cities, the artistic, puzzling, otherworldly exhibit and venue is perfect to spend time, whether you’re in a pinch or need to kill several hours.

When Union Station got revamped, it became home to some seriously heavy-hitters in the food and drink arena, making it an ideal place to start. Two of the Mile High’s best chefs have restaurants in the building; Alex Seidel’s Mercantile is part market and part full-service restaurant, and just around the corner is Jennifer Jasinski’s Ultreia, offering Spanish tapas and a whole menu of gin and tonics. A few steps beyond is the highly regarded Tavernetta, but for more informal dining, food halls Milepost Zero and the Dairy Block provide your pick of fare, from empanadas and ramen to fresh seafood. Dairy Block Alley is also where you’ll find the near-hidden entrance to underground cocktail bar Run for the Roses.

A hungry visitor simply can’t go wrong in LoHi (Lower Highlands), which is a stone’s throw from the Union Station area. It’s where you’ll find upscale Mexican eatery Alma Fonda Fina, which earned a Michelin star within its first year of business; ramen superstar Uncle; the Western opulence of Wildflower; dumpling powerhouse Nana’s; and of course, Little Man ice cream—just look for the giant milk jug. (And don’t even get us started on good bars.)

Located inside Union Station is The Crawford Hotel. If you’re ready to treat yourself, this is the move. You can’t get more central than here, with the nearby light rail offering easy access all over the Metro area and a direct line to the airport—not to mention all of the bars and restaurants just an elevator ride away (more on those below). Just up the street is the Oxford Hotel, one of Denver’s most historic landmarks and also where you’ll find one of the oldest bars in the city, The Cruise Room. Limelight is a smart choice if you like package deals and pet-friendly accommodations; offers range from breakfast credits and savings for ski and snowboard pass holders to curated sporting events and concert packages for the ultimate Denver adventure.

This piece of Denver offers so much more than just parks, though they certainly are impressive. In warmer months, both parks are filled with residents walking, jogging, playing, and picnicking, and descending upon City Park during farmers market season. Each green space borders a particularly fun stretch of Colfax Avenue, one of two principal highways serving Denver before the Interstate Highway System was constructed.

The massive green space of City Park is also home to the Denver Zoo and its some 2,500 animals as well as the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, both worthy attractions for anyone new to the Mile High. But music fans rejoice at the selection of edgy venues dotting the area, not limited to but certainly including Fillmore Auditorium, the Ogden Theatre, Lost Lake Lounge, and the Bluebird Theatre.

It’s all about the high/low contrast on Colfax. The food options here include everything from 24 hour diners (Pete’s Kitchen is a hard to beat classic for both early morning breakfast or a late night patty melt fix) to Q House for some of the city’s best Chinese food. Bastien’s, famous for their sugar steak which is never served over medium-rare, is a midcentury marvel that feels like it’s been suspended in time, while next door is Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs where you can order everything from a classic Chicago dog to a “chimi dog” wrapped in a tortilla and deep fried.
While the craft cocktails and award-winning snacks at Middleman are well worth a stop, Colfax is probably best known for its old-school dive bars. You could easily spend an evening hopping from one to the next, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to meet at least a few memorable characters along the way. Some standouts include PS Lounge (it’s cash only and if you’re lucky, you might score a free shot or a free rosé for the ladies), The Squire Lounge (which is conveniently under the same ownership as Pete’s Kitchen and sits right next door), and the Lion’s Lair (best for punk shows and super cheap beer).

Skip the hotels—this part of town isn’t quite that tourist friendly yet (part of why we love it). Instead, focus on finding the ideal Airbnb location for your needs. You can’t get much better than a park-side apartment, which offers easy access to any events happening at City Park. A sleek carriage house with exposed brick will give you those Colfax-ready urban vibes, or opt for a colorful garden level getaway with an eight-person hot tub in nearby Park Hill.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.