In November, I visited Denver for the first time. When I was in 6th grade, I traveled to Boulder, so I have experienced Colorado before. However, my memories of the state were foggy, at best. I remember the drive up to Pike’s Peak and was in awe of the beauty of the mountains. But beyond that, I really don’t remember that trip. My bestie from NC booked a trip to Denver in November, and since LA is such a short flight, I had to meet up with her. There are a lot of fun things to do in Denver and in the areas around Denver, so I thought I’d share some of the best things.

Mile High Comics

@poshinprogressMile HighComic Book Store in Denver – the coolest! ##comicbooks ##denver ##travelwithme♬ Comic Books – Barney Coleman

The first few days I was in town, my friend hadn’t arrived yet, so I brought a friend from LA. He’s really into comics, so I knew we needed to check out Mile High Comics. Mile High Comics is the largest comic book store in North America. To say it is massive would be an understatement. I was seriously in awe of all of the comics, action figures, and other memorabilia. If you or your travel companions are interested in comics, you need to go to this store. My friend was so overwhelmed by the experience. It’s the type of place you need to visit more than once because there is so much to see and experience.

Larimer Square

On nearly every list I read about things to do in Denver, Larimer Square was at the top of the list. I can see why. Although things aren’t totally normal due to COVID, many restaurants were open and people were enjoying outdoor dining. It was a pretty place to visit, especially with all of the lights at night. We didn’t get the chance to go during the day, which I regret, but I’m still glad we went. I’m pictured here with my friend’s daughter. 

Denver Street Art

For our first meal in Denver, we went to the RINO Beer Garden. I had read about the RINO district for their street art, so we stopped there for a quick bite. They have really delicious beers and the food was amazing too. We had the brussels sprouts and their burgers – both were seriously delicious. The RINO district does have a lot of great street art, but there are a lot of other areas in Denver that also feature street art. 

Aurora has a lot of amazing street art. I was actually super impressed with Aurora and it’s only about 20 minutes outside of Denver. They had a lot of cute shops and amazing street art. While you’re in Aurora, make sure to stop by Third Culture for the best matcha. 

Colorado Springs & Garden of the Gods

@poshinprogressGarden of the Gods in Colorado⛰. Breathtaking. So glad I got to experience it with @terrimchugh ##gardenofthegods ##travelwithme ##natureisawesome♬ Paradise – Bazzi

If you have a free day, I would highly encourage you to check out Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. This place is breathtaking. My photos and video don’t even do it justice. Honestly, our day trip to Colorado Springs was probably my favorite part of the trip. I can’t get enough of this natural beauty. If you’re looking for other things to do in Colorado Springs, click here.

Day Trip to Boulder

Boulder is only about an hour away from Denver. It is a quaint little college town with tons of cute places to visit. It’s also super close to the mountains so you can take in more natural surroundings on our trip to Boulder. Boulder is an easy day-trip from Denver, just like Colorado Springs. The next time I visit, I think I will stay in Boulder, as it’s much more my vibe. If you’re looking for things to do in Boulder, click here.

Things to do with Kids in Denver

My friend’s daughter was with us, so we definitely needed to find kid-friendly activities too. We stayed at the most amazing hotel with two massive pools, so she was content a lot of the time just staying at our gorgeous hotel.

There are a lot of other kid-friendly options. The Denver Zoo and Aquarium are both highly visited attractions. They also have an amazing Denver botanic garden that I really wanted to visit, but just didn’t have the time. Another option is the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, if your kids like museums. A lot of people also visit Molly Brown House museum, which is the home of a Titanic survivor. 

There are a few other things I was able to do in my three days in Denver, including visiting the Red Rocks Amphitheater. I was a huge Dave Matthews fan when I was in college, so it felt nostalgic to get to visit there.  It’s a short drive from Denver and it was definitely worth the drive. I went during the day, so we didn’t get to hear a concert. Hopefully on another trip. Obviously, there are also a lot of opportunities to visit the Rocky Mountains while you’re in Denver. There are a lot of options for day trips, it just really depends on your goals while you are there. This site gives you 10 day trips from Denver.