Rising from the gates of the Denver Airport, guests are greeted by Blucifer—a towering cerulean horse, reared up on its haunches, mouth agape in an equine scream, staring down new arrivals with glowing pink eyes. The 32-foot statue, formally titled “Mustang,” cuts a robust determine in opposition to clear Colorado skies and elicits each fondness and tolerance from residents. However the response elicited from first-time guests is extra prone to be, “what the hell?”

“It’s bizarre. It’s very Denver,” one native explains to her pal, as soon as they had been aboard the A-Line commuter prepare to Denver’s Union Station and safely hidden from the penetrating gaze of Blucifer. Legends abound about Blucifer’s origins and intentions. The identical is true for Denver Worldwide Airport itself. Some say the underground tunnels beneath the airport result in the key headquarters of the Illuminati and it was constructed by the Freemasons and New World Order. Formally, airport representatives have denied all of those conspiracy theories, however isn’t that precisely what an agent concerned in a large cover-up would say? 

If that’s all “very Denver,” then Denver is cool. Certain, SLC is nearer to mountain resorts and our snow is the very best there may be, however when you get the jokes out of your system, you’ll discover there’s a lot to like concerning the Mile-Excessive Metropolis that isn’t snowboarding. Denver provides a comfortingly acquainted local weather and eclectic tradition that may shock and delight even probably the most entrenched of Utahns. And, its proximity to dwelling makes it the right vacation spot for a fast vacation getaway with out the stress to cram an excessive amount of right into a single weekend. You are able to do Denver your method. 

Journey No. 1—Historical past and Thriller

Should you noticed Blucifer, fell in love, after which began scouring airport conspiracy concept message boards, there’s a lot extra bizarre in Denver to maintain you hooked. Head to the Cheesman Park neighborhood, grabbing a powerful cup of joe at Russian espresso joint Dazbog on the best way. Cheesman Park is dwelling to the Denver Botanic Gardens, a welcome winter reprieve, and a surprising neoclassical colonnade, however the park’s tranquil trails belie a haunting historical past. Again within the 1800s, Cheesman Park was a cemetery. When town transformed it right into a public park, the undertaker accountable for shifting the our bodies was accused of dismembering corpses in order that they could possibly be positioned in child-sized coffins (allegedly, he was paid per coffin) and fired earlier than the job was carried out. As an alternative of hiring another person, town merely eliminated the remaining headstones, leaving an estimated 3,000 our bodies buried below the park nonetheless right this moment.

From Cheesman Park, dispel the nippiness out of your bones with a beer, cocktail and engaging pub grub on the Capitol Hill neighborhood’s favourite bar, Wild Corgi Pub, the place “Yappy Hour” is day-after-day from open–7 p.m. Close by, there’s one other historic gem and residential to considered one of Denver’s most well-known residents: the Molly Brown Home Museum. Margaret Brown didn’t obtain the moniker “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” till after her dying—a dying which she didn’t meet 110 years in the past aboard the RMS Titanic. Though memorably portrayed by Kathy Bates within the 1997 movie, Brown was extra indomitable in actuality. Her Denver dwelling has been lovingly restored by Historic Denver and is open to the general public for excursions. 

Put aside as many hours as you may for the psychedelic journey that’s Meow Wolf Denver’s Convergence Station. This interactive, surreal, sci-fi artwork exhibit has an underlying narrative about converged worlds and deep lore and mysteries to discover. Spanning 4 tales, 70+ distinctive installations, rooms and portals, Convergence Station took three years and 300 creators to make. (Professional tip: pay a little bit additional for the QPass for an much more immersive expertise.) Return to earth with a craft beer at Little Machine, or a singular Cinnamon Horchata Ale at Latinx-owned Raíces Brewing Co.

For dinner, we’re taking a jaunt to Denver’s Decrease Highland (LoHi) neighborhood to Linger. The restaurant’s semi-macabre décor reminds patrons that it’s housed in a former mortuary. Begin off with a cocktail and a shareable plate just like the steamed bao buns. For a nightcap, head up the road to the intimate speakeasy Williams & Graham. Should you didn’t make a reservation at W&G beforehand, the punk rock bar across the nook, Occidental welcomes all. 

The place to Keep: Patterson Historic Inn is within the coronary heart of Capitol Hill. The renovation of the 130-year-old mansion turned B&B is the topic of the movie The Citadel Venture, which paperwork the employees’ ghostly encounters. Rumors additionally abound concerning the unexplainable occurrences on the Victorian mansion Lumber Baron Inn & Backyard. 

Journey No.2—Deal with Your self (And a Few Choose Others)

The A-Line from the Denver airport will take you to Union Station in Denver’s Decrease Downtown (LoDo), the place it’s a choose-your-own eating journey, relying in your temper or the time of day: eating places Stoic & Real, Ultreia and Mercantile supply delicacies from James Beard award-winning cooks. Through the winter, your go to may be in time for Miracle at Union Station, a pop-up cocktail bar that unapologetically leans into the Christmas spirit. The vacation décor is ostentatious, coinciding with the Merry & Vivid Lights strewn exterior. 

Afterward, you may stroll off your meal on the 1.25-mile-long sixteenth Avenue Mall. For some vacation procuring, the Dairy Block is a retail incubator for native high-end boutiques. And, as a result of all of us have at the very least one cowboy in our lives, the long-lasting Rockmount Ranch Put on store is the place the primary snap-button cowboy shirt was invented. Additionally in LoDo, the Museum of Up to date Artwork Denver hosts altering exhibitions all year long of contemporary portray and sculpture, and the present store sells distinctive presents for artwork lovers or eclectic souvenirs for your self. 

There’s extra retail remedy available within the Cherry Creek North neighborhood. Begin off with brunch at City Egg Eatery, the place they use native components from small producers at any time when potential. Now able to courageous the vacation rush, head to Cherry Creek Procuring Middle. Whereas within the neighborhood, ensure to swing into Present of Arms. The native, female-owned artwork and present gallery sells whimsical and vibrant creations that you just received’t discover wherever else. Throughout the road, deal with your self to bottomless bellini brunch—who says you may’t have a second brunch?—at High quality Italian.

Through the vacation season, Cherry Creek Vacation Market hosts 50 native makers promoting their wares. If that’s to your liking, go full Santa’s elf on the Denver Christkindlmarket. Store for handmade presents in a duplicate European village embellished for the vacations. Bask in Bavarian-style pretzels, contemporary smoked salmon, Knödel, goulasch, Nürnberger sausages, and wash it down with Glühwein.

Elevated Rooftop Bar (249 Columbine St., Denver, 720-520-1474) hosts Après within the Clouds through the winter—a a number of course dinner, across the hearth in a comfortable cabana, full with s’mores and spectacular views. Shut out the day with a meticulously crafted cocktail at B&GC, a glossy basement bar hidden in an alley behind an unmarked door with an vintage gold doorbell.

The place to Keep: After procuring, wind down at one of many yoga and barre courses at Halcyon. Halcyon’s Kitchen Counter invitations company to socialize throughout comfortable hour, every day, 3-6 p.m, and its Gear Storage has complimentary bicycles, scooters and seasonal tools like sleds and snowshoes for company to take a look at. For a downtown locale—and a well-recognized pampered remedy for SLC natives—the Kimpton Lodge Monaco Denver has newly renovated luxurious lodging, nightly wine hour from 5-6 p.m., pet-friendly rooms, and complimentary lodge bicycles to get round downtown.

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