This is the heart of Boulder. There are tons of places to eat, grab a drink or coffee, and some great stores. Christina worked at The Peppercorn throughout high school and college, and it's worth going in just to check out the kitchen gadget section. The Boulder Bookstore is also worth a stroll. Joshua first met Christina's parents for brunch at Centro, and Christina spent a lot of time in her late teens and early twenties at The Trident.
CU-Boulder is a beautiful campus, and especially so in Spring. Not only are Christina and most of her immediate family alumni (Go Buffs!), but Tom Trager worked here when he and Barbara moved to Colorado. Christina's dad Jesus is also a CU alum, and worked for the University. Our families have lots of history here. The campus is huge, so if you're not in the mood for a long walk, we recommend parking on The Hill by The Sink and strolling the older part of campus right off of Broadway. In October the ivy should all be turning color, and there are small ponds, giant trees, and beautiful old buildings against the backdrop of the Flatirons. Once you've worked up an appetite grab a burger or pizza at The Sink, where Robert Redford once worked as a janitor. You could also grab a coffee at The Point up on The Hill, which was once called Cafe Roma, and was a favorite study spot for Christina during her undergrad.
You can't ask for a better view in all of Boulder. There are tons of trails up into the mountains that start here for everyone from novices to expert hikers. If you're not feeling up for anything too strenuous, you can have a lovely meal at the Chautauqua Dining Hall, relax in the open space all around the area, or wander the neighborhood to see some beautiful older cabins.
This tea house was a gift from Boulder's sister city, Dushanbe in Tajikistan. It's nestled right next to Boulder Creek, and it's stunningly beautiful. Even if you don't eat here, you should stop by to check it out. However, the food is awesome, and Christina loves their pancakes in particular.
One more outdoorsy option in Boulder, Eben G. Fine park is close to Pearl Street Mall and has a great play area for kids right near Boulder Creek. From here you can stroll along the creek path, and enjoy the view of the mountains from right next to the Creek.
It may be too late in the season to see a concert at Red Rocks, but it's a beautiful place to wander around even when there's not live music. As a natural amphitheater, it's one of the best places in the whole world to see a concert. The view of Denver from the seats is also amazing, and there are some pretty easy hiking trails around there if you want to check out the area.
The Denver campus of Meow Wolf is scheduled to open Fall 2021, so we're hoping that folks will be able to see it while they're here for the wedding. It's almost 100,000 square feet, and if it's anything like the Santa Fe campus it'll be a lot of fun.
The Denver Botanic Gardens have two large properties. At Chatfield Farm they have corn mazes and other fun activities for Fall. The other location on York Street in the heart of Denver is lovely in October as the leaves change color.
Larimer Street north of Broadway is definitely one of the best places to spend time in Denver. There are a ton of restaurants, bars, shops, and overall good people watching. Denver Central Market has a number of different food options, and in the alley behind the market is an amazing wine bar called Nobel Riot. They serve natural wines, and some of the best fried chicken in Denver. Nocturne Jazz Club is right next door, too, if you want to enjoy a cocktail and some live music. There's an outpost of the famous cocktail bar Death & Co. at the Ramble Hotel if you're looking for exceptional cocktails in a beautiful atmosphere. If you're looking for a beer, though, it's hard to go wrong with The Great Divide's tasting room or Our Mutual Friend (OMF) for a more laid-back vibe. If you go with OMF you should grab some of the best BBQ in Denver at Owl Bear next door. The brisket is killer. This description barely scratches the surface. There's a ton to eat, drink, see, and do here.
Denver has a lot of little neighborhoods that are terrific for exploring. In Baker, which is located on Broadway south of 6th Avenue and north of Alameda, you'll find a ton of funky places to spend your time. It's also Joshua's favorite neighborhood in Denver. Banded Oak has great drinks and a lovely patio, if the weather's nice. There are a lot of cute shops with everything from vintage clothes, to an amazing craft shop, to furniture on this stretch of Broadway. Sweet Action Ice Cream is one of the best places to get dessert in town, and across the street Sputnik has great vegan food. One of Joshua and Christina's early dates was to Fat Sully's. There's also a great tiki bar called Adrift close by.
Christina and Joshua had a picnic here for their third date. It's a beautiful park with several lakes in a lovely older neighborhood. After you've walked the 2.3 mile loop all the way around the park, you can treat yourself to a meal nearby in Baker or Cherry Creek. In addition to some of the restaurants listed in the Baker section, we love the Cherry Cricket in Cherry Creek. The Cherry Creek Grill also has a really amazing kale salad (I know! But really.), as well as grilled artichokes that are amazing.
Christina lived near here when she and Joshua started dating, and it's one of her favorite parts of the city. BookBar is a must if you're in the neighborhood. It's exactly what it souds like- a bookstore that is also a bar, and it's magical. The Tatarian has great cocktails, Vital Root makes delicious vegetarian and vegan food, and Empanada Express Grill on 44th near the Oriental Theater has the most amazing Venezuelan food. There are also a ton of cute shops to duck into, including Feral Mountain Co. if you want to get any gear for a hike or trip to the outdoors. Berkeley is close to LoHi and the Highlands neighborhoods as well, if you want to check those out as well. On 32nd Street you'll find even more shops and restaurants to wander around.
If you're in RiNo, it's worth it to head downtown to what's known as LoDo. The heart of this area is Union Station. As the "Great Hall" for all trains coming into Denver since the 1880's it was renovated a few years ago, and is now one of the best places to spend time in Denver. Up on the mezzanine you'll find The Cooper Lounge, which is an elegant place to grab a drink. Ultreia has delicious Spanish food, and if you're looking for somewhere to have a very good, very fancy dinner while you're in town The Mercantile is amazing. If you're at Union Station, it's a pretty quick walk to Larimer Square nearby. The area is going through its most recent renaissance, and it's nice to see that Denver is capable of continually reinventing itself. If you keep heading down 16th Street toward the Capital building you may want to stop at Union Lodge #1 on Champa. They have the best gin fizz anywhere in Colorado. The Brown Palace is also close, and does a lovely afternoon tea service.
Joshua LOVES Charlie Browns. Christina is deeply ambivalent. It's a dive bar with a lot of character and history. If it happens to be your birthday while you're here tell your waiter and you'll drink free! There's often someone plunking away on the piano, and spontaneous group singalongs aren't uncommon. The Beat Poets used to hang out here, as did Bill Murray when he was a student at DU. Joshua would love to talk with you about the myriad charms of Charlie Browns, if you manage to make it here during your trip.