Last Updated on December 15, 2025 by DIYbunker Team
Situated among mountain backdrops and gorgeous blue skies, Denver serves up a vibrant culinary scene featuring inventive craft cocktails and delicious brunches, along with one of the most beautiful botanical gardens I’ve visited. From sipping local beer to wandering through colorful paths at Denver Botanic Gardens, this city is a must-visit designation for those looking for a laidback vacation.
Where to Stay: the ART, a hotel
Located in the Arts District of downtown Denver, you’ll find a modern gem called the ART. This hotel features a convenient vacation, along with a fun, vibrant atmosphere that’s suitable for all ages. They have a museum that extends into the elevator, where you’ll find some fascinating videos playing on a TV.
Things to Do
Denver Botanical Gardens
Wandering around the Denver Botanical Gardens was one of the main highlights of this trip. We spent the better half of the day just walking around and exploring, and probably would’ve stayed for longer if our bellies didn’t start growling! They do have a place to eat here, but we felt we needed to venture out to look for our meal.
New Belgium Brewery
Even though there are plenty of great choices in the Denver area for beer, driving out to Fort Collins for New Belgium was a no-brainer.
While neither of us had been on a brewery tour before, we knew this one was something special. We were lucky to get in as most of their tour spots were taken for the whole month, and we didn’t even have an official place on tour. We signed up for the waiting list, and with a little luck, got in.
On tour, you learn about New Belgium, including the compassionate nature of the company and misconceptions about how you should drink your beer. There was a lot we didn’t know, and left with a deeper appreciation for the company. If you have enough time, you really should check this place out!
Denver Cat Company
Before the flight home, we decided just to found ourselves accidentally (totally not an accident) heading over to a cat cafe. We missed our little fur babies and couldn’t help ourselves from lovin’ on these cuties.
While I wish they had some espresso available, the kitties were enough for me to leave with a smile on my face. This was our first cat cafe, and won’t be the last.
Where to get Grub
Watercourse Foods
Out of the vegan restaurants we visit during this trip, this is the one you MUST go to. We ordered some buffalo chicken, the macro plate, and their summer curry dish. The flavors were well balanced, and everything perfectly cooked.
We were both digging the laid back atmosphere and the friendly servers. Outside of our window, we could see people hanging out in the grass. One lady even had her bunny playing in the grass on a leash!
Little Man ICE CREAM
It seems as if no trip to Denver is complete without visiting this small ice cream stand. We ordered a raspberry with chocolate chip ice cream and the lemon poppy seed with lavender. The verdict? The lemon poppy seed lavender is precisely what you’ll need on a hot day. It’s vegan friendly, and the flavor isn’t as on the nose as most desserts. Take a lick, and you’ll experience lavender aromas so delicious, you’ll want a second cone to go!
Ocean Prime
While we were in Denver, we wanted to try out one upscale spot, so we chose Ocean Prime. We were given the option upon arrival to sit on the second floor, out on the patio, or within the main restaurant on the first floor. We usually go for the patio, but this time around we wanted a beautiful elevated city view.
When we got to our seats, we found all the windows were wide open, letting in a cool summer breeze. It was absolute perfection! To tie it all together, the restaurant decor was beautiful. While waiting for our food, we just relaxed and watched people wandering around downtown.
For our meal, we ordered the calamari, pork chop, and blackened fish. Everything was flavorful and well cooked. I was pleasantly surprised by the Asian twist they put on our calamari.
Denver Biscuit Co
Buttery, flaky biscuits await you at Denver Biscuit Co for breakfast or lunch. Whether you prefer honey or gravy on your biscuits, you’ll leave satisfied and ready for a day full of exploring.
Snooze
We were a bit apprehensive about trying this place as it has so much hype across Denver travel guides. The original plan was actually to check out another spot, but Snooze is conveniently located by the train from the airport, and we were starving. Hoping for the best, we walked right on in.
To get a balanced idea of their menu, we decided to get something sweet and also something savory. I must say, the menu design is brilliant. They give you so many ways to customize your meal in the easiest way possible, flights. The sweet dish we got was an assortment of pancakes, and the savory was Eggs Benedict.
We couldn’t believe how good the food was when we got it. So if you can only go to one place for your Denver brunch, it has to be Snooze. There’s no way around it. We went to some other brunch spots, and this place takes the cake.
Union Lodge No. 1
If you’re looking for a unique bar experience, this is your place. Every cocktail is so perfectly crafted, and you might even get a little fire show to go with it!
A huge thank you to the ART, a hotel for hosting our stay in Denver. Your hotel is a truly memorable masterpiece. As always, all opinions are my own.
