Colorado Visiting Denver, CO

Midtenn

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So I'll be visiting Denver later in the month. What should I know about the city? Any areas to stay away from or social expectations that may be dissimilar to TN? I know you can buy drugs and I may but is there anything to consider? I imagine it to be like a liquor store. I plan to do a lot of hiking since there are mountains and such. Any must-try restaurants?

Thanks,
 
I’ll be driving through next Monday around lunch time picking people up at the airport. Following for any lunch recommendations on my way to Moab.
 
I live about 50 miles south of downtown and avoid Denver as much as possible due to the people there. Traffic sucks. Collective intelligence drops inversely to population density. I don't go often enough to be able to recommend specific places to go or areas to avoid. @tworley and @jjvw are both closer to being in "greater Denver" than I am and may be better for that.

Culturally, however, based on my recent visits to other more politically conservative states, you'll probably be surprised at how much mask-wearing you'll see here. It's enough that unless you have a mrblaine level of f***s given about what people think, you may feel socially uncomfortable NOT wearing one. I've visited Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas in the last 4 weeks and only in Colorado have I found establishments that straight up won't let you in without a mask. There are even some municipalities that are supposedly requiring them at all times in public, even walking on the sidewalk.

If you want to buy weed, then buy all you want to smoke but I wouldn't recommend trying to bring any back. Kansas highway cops love targeting anybody coming back from Colorado to pull over and check.
 
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I was just thinking about the process of buying weed. I’m not certain that I will, but i assume it’s like any other store.

while I think masks are dumb, I do go along to get along as long so I appreciate the heads up.
 
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I live and work right in the middle of Denver. Masks are a good idea and you will be out of place without one.

I like other cities better, but Denver isn't a cultural hell hole, imo. Gotta go to Pueblo for that. :)
 
Depending on your route and time of day--Bonfire burritos in Golden has the best breakfast burrito around (in my opinion). They have become real popular in the last couple of years so their lines can be pretty long. I find it best to go soon as they open which is 7am. Golden is about 30 min west of downtown Denver.

Voodoo doughnuts is worth checking out if you have a sweet tooth. They have a wild selection of donuts. Wild. You just have to go and experience it. They even have vegan and glutton free options if that is your diet.

Another pretty good place is the Cherry Cricket in downtown Denver(they have two locations). It is a burger joint with craft beer. They have a pretty good menu variation if your wanting something other than a burger.

If you are more into "fine dining" then Fruition Restaurant off of 6th Avenue in Denver is incredible. All of their menu items are fresh from local markets and local farms. To warn you--the menu is pricey (at least to me). My wife and I have gone there a few times and our bill is usually in the $300-400 range (special occasions only for us).

I haven't been downtown Denver in a couple of months, so I cannot comment on what the "mask" situation is like. I know in my county, they are STRONGLY encouraged. The county in which I work masks are REQUIRED. You might as well wear it, no sense in risking your health (lets keep politics and freedom out of this discussion). There is a rise in cases locally, just FYI.

If you are wanting to swing into a marijuana store, bring your ID. They wont sell or let you in without one. Typically you walk into a room where they scan your ID, and then you sit in a waiting room (just a few minutes). Once they are ready, they'll inform you and you walk into a separate room to browse and purchase. You'll deal with one individual and your options are within their section of the counter/store. Feel free to ask questions, they're helpful and deal with out-of-staters regularly.

As far as places to avoid--hard to say during these crazy times. Again--keeping politics/race/religion/any other touchy subjects out of it--Denver had a young black man die at the hands of police last year and lately there have been a lot of protests. They are peaceful, but when the sun goes down there is usually some uneasiness and may be rioting. We were at a vigil a couple weekends ago and it was very peaceful with violinists playing to remember the life that was lost. Around the time the sun went down, police came in riot gear and teargas was unleashed. Just an FYI. Again, lets keep the politics/religion/race out of this discussion. I just want you to be aware of what may (or may not) happen.

Colfax Avenue can be interesting. I have never been harassed or anything like that, but there are a number of homeless camps around and people of all diversities and state-of-minds. Don't be surprised if you have someone asking for change, come across someone sleeping on the sidewalk, or a rambling incoherent individual, or just plain old vomit on the sidewalk. People will for the most part, stick to themselves.
 
Thanks for this gents. I am currently doing some training in and around Colorado Springs/Carson and have found that masks are super acceptable here even though I’m not a fan. Many good eats and Pikes peak is awesome. I love to try new eats and have found that the skirted heifer has amazing burgers. Going to have to try this burrito spot once we head back to Denver.
 
Thanks for your very comprehensive review. We’d like to stay away from protests and the like.

I appreciate you understanding it’s not a political thing, I’m just looking to visit and see new things.

thanks for the howto on the weed buying thing. That helps a lot to understand what to expect as I’m sort of a square.
 
I have been to the academy a handful of times but given the corona, it is not appropriate for me to go.
 
The RiNo area has become interesting the last few years. My old shop was there when it was an empty decaying industrial area. Now it is full of cafes and little stores.
 
Any food recommendations between the airport and Moab? Closer to the airport since I pick up the rest of the wheelers at noon.
 
I like other cities better, but Denver isn't a cultural hell hole, imo. Gotta go to Pueblo for that. :)

They have some fantastic food down there but a lot of it is in places you go for lunch but not dinner. Lol

I'm just bitter about Denver because I can't go up north without adding 45 minutes to my ETA for completely inexplicable traffic jams.
 
Any food recommendations between the airport and Moab? Closer to the airport since I pick up the rest of the wheelers at noon.

There's not much near the airport. I assume they chose its location to allow future expansion, but it's out in BFE like, 25 miles from downtown Denver, past even the suburbs. They should have called it Commerce City International Airport. Tworleys suggestions in Denver and Golden are probably close enough to your route though.

Curious about your planned route from airport to moab. Are you going highway to get there quickly or considering the rimrocker trail from Montrose to Moab? If it was me I would probably take 285 out of Denver, through Fairplay and Buena Vista, then 50 from Salida/Poncha Springs through Gunnison to Montrose, and Rimrocker to Moab.
 
There's not much near the airport. I assume they chose its location to allow future expansion, but it's out in BFE like, 25 miles from downtown Denver, past even the suburbs. They should have called it Commerce City International Airport. Tworleys suggestions in Denver and Golden are probably close enough to your route though.

Curious about your planned route from airport to moab. Are you going highway to get there quickly or considering the rimrocker trail from Montrose to Moab? If it was me I would probably take 285 out of Denver, through Fairplay and Buena Vista, then 50 from Salida/Poncha Springs through Gunnison to Montrose, and Rimrocker to Moab.
Trailering so I-70
 
They pull me over sometimes for my Texas license plate (cops says 85 MPH is normal in Texas) what was that got to do with me being in Denver?

Downtown Denver sucks. Stay west - north west in the mountains because the east - south east is flat farmlands and cattle fields.
 
I plan to do a lot of hiking since there are mountains and such.

My favorite hikes are 14ers (mountains 14k+ in elevation). If you have a couple days to acclimate you could try to work in Evans, Bierstadt, Grays, Torreys. All have non technical routes, aren't terribly long and within a couple hours of Denver, and can be done in pairs so you can bag 2 summits in one hike. Pikes is close enough but the shortest route is about 14 miles round trip. The key is hydration and starting early so you're down before the lightning starts. 14ers.com has all the route descriptions, difficulty ratings, directions to trailheads, etc.