Winter Weekend in Denver (No Ski’s Required!)

Indoor Activities

Denver Art Museum: With more than 12 permanent collections in architecturally modern buildings, you could spend hours looking at art. Make sure to prioritize any special exhibitions and save time for the museum shop on the way out.

MCA Denver: The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is a 21st-century contemporary art museum situated in an iconic building. Exhibitions rotate every two to four months.

Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Station: The third permanent exhibit in the Meow Wolf franchise, Denver’s Convergence Station is billed as a “multiversal transit station to the converged worlds.” It’s hard to explain what that means, but with or without kids, it’s a super fun way to spend an afternoon on a shared adventure and snap some great selfies while you’re at it.

Union Station: Denver’s historic and still very active train station is always a hub of culture. It is filled with restaurants, shopping (including one of my favorite independent bookshops, Tattered Cover Book Store) and special events. It’s a great place to take a break with a warm drink and people-watch from super comfy seating in the beautifully restored Great Hall.

Tip: Check out opening hours and book tickets in advance for any special exhibitions or events.

Breakfast/Brunch

• Snooze, An A.M. Eatery: There are several locations in Denver, including one at Union Station, for you to enjoy a tasty breakfast where they let you get half of a Benny order, which is perfect if you can’t decide between the Habanero Pork Belly or the Smashed Avocado.

• Duffeyroll Bakery & Café: Around since 1986, Duffeyroll has two locations in Denver and is a Colorado food landmark. A Duffeyroll is “an elegant proprietary dough recipe featuring a perfect balance of light buttery crunchiness with a mouthwatering soft center.” Order a box of mini-rolls and try multiple flavors, but make sure one of them is the original cinnamon roll.

Lunch

Food halls are also perfect options for lunch, and Denver has quite a few. Two of the ones I’ve recently liked are:

• Dairy Block: Right next to The Maven Hotel and full of options for all taste buds. Kachina Cantina if you want seated, gourmet tacos and margaritas. Or you can choose from multiple vendors in the Milk Market for a more casual take-away to enjoy separately but together.

• Stanley Marketplace: A few minutes from Downtown Denver in Aurora, Stanley Marketplace houses over 50 restaurants and small shops in an old Stanley Aviation Factory. It’s a perfect place for lunch if flying out of DIA in the late afternoon or evening. Kids will love the robot server at Boychik and dessert from Sweet Cow Ice Cream.

Dinner

• Uchi: From James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, Uchi offers non-traditional Japanese cuisine and stellar service. If you want a real adventure for your taste buds, go for one of the omakases. Make sure to book your reservation early.

• Spuntino: This cozy husband and wife chef-driven restaurant is a clever mix of classic Italian and flavorful Indian with a complex wine list and delicious desserts. Make sure to check out their reservation page for details on securing your table.

• Stella’s Cucina: If you make your way to Boulder, make sure to end it with dinner at Stella’s Cucina. Opened in 2023 and hidden away behind a secret store front, this authentic Italian restaurant is one for all your senses to experience. It is in a space inspired by an Art Deco aesthetic.

Drinks

• Run for the Roses: Nestled underground in the Dairy Block, Run for the Roses is an ode to past cocktail clubs. It has a classic cocktails menu that is crafted as a deck of cards, where each card represents a thoughtfully designed drink based on its historical reference. I’m partial to The National (card eight of rabbit, rum-based and shaken.)

• Sunday Vinyl: Around the corner from Union Station, enjoy a glass of wine from the Old World while enjoying tunes spun on vinyl (check out some of their playlists on their website). They often host special music or band-themed Flight Nights — a musical artist or genre paired with a sommelier-curated flight of four incredible wines.

• Union Lodge No. 1: It’s easy to walk right by Union Lodge No.1, but if you don’t you’ll step back in time to this small bar designed to reflect the Pre-Prohibition era. Order from their seasonal drink menu or you’ll never go wrong with their original Union Gin Fizz.

• Charlie Brown’s Bar & Grill: There is nothing glamorous about Charlie Brown’s Bar & Grill. But if you want to sing and dance to your favorite piano tunes all night long (and request a few), it’s the place to be. Tony Bennett and Bill Murray are listed as fans of the establishment.