If you only have one day in Denver, unfortunately this is not the day to sleep in.
This one day in Denver itinerary is packed, but it hits a lot of what I think the city does best: a great breakfast, RiNo street art, local shopping, a casual lunch, a ride along Cherry Creek Trail, downtown Denver, and an excellent dinner to finish the day.
If you want to see a lot of Denver in 24 hours without spending the entire day bouncing between tourist attractions, this is the route I would recommend.
Start your day in RiNo at Stowaway Kitchen. This was my favorite breakfast in Denver, so it would absolutely be my first stop. We loved the blue cornbread, the Scram Sandwich, and especially the sherry plum and Basque cheesecake waffle.
Give yourself about an hour here before heading out to explore RiNo.
Read next: Stowaway Kitchen Denver Review: Is It Worth the Hype?
After breakfast, spend the morning wandering around RiNo, Denver's River North Art District.
I would not plan every single stop here. There are murals, shops, galleries, restaurants, and small businesses everywhere, so half the fun is seeing what you find as you walk.
You can use the official RiNo mural map if you want to track down specific pieces, but we found plenty without really trying.
I also have a full One Day in RiNo Denver: Where to Eat, Shop, and Explore guide with some of my favorite murals if you want a more specific list before you go.
While you are already walking around, stop into some of the shops. RiNo has larger brands mixed in with smaller local businesses, so there is a good variety if you actually like shopping when you travel.
This is another reason I would keep the morning pretty loose. You may think you are spending five minutes in a store and suddenly realize it has been 40.
That happens. Well, at least to me. Ha.
For lunch, I would keep it casual because dinner is going to be the big meal.
You have two really good options depending on what sounds better.
Billy's is a local favorite and who doesn't love a great hot dog!
We tried several, and my favorite was the Buffalo Bratwurst, a grilled brat with jalapeños and cheddar topped with grilled onions, sauerkraut, and spicy brown mustard.
Brad preferred the Seattle Dog, which comes with cream cheese, grilled cabbage and onions, and chilled BBQ sauce.
If pizza sounds better, go to Sliceworks, located closer to downtown Denver. The Big Mac slice was the one that completely surprised me. I did not expect to like it nearly as much as I did.
Either works well here because lunch can stay quick and casual.
After lunch, grab an electric city bike and start making your way toward downtown. One of the most fun ways we got around Denver was riding along the Cherry Creek Trail.
The trail follows Cherry Creek and gives you a completely different view of the city than riding along regular streets. You get stretches of creek, bridges, city views, bikers, walkers, and a little break from traffic.
It also makes getting from one part of Denver to another feel like an activity instead of wasted transportation time. If the weather is good, this is one of my favorite ways to work your way toward downtown.
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Once you reach downtown, stop at Larimer Square. You do not need hours here, but I still think it belongs on a first-time Denver itinerary.
Walk around, browse the shops, look at the historic buildings, and take in all the strings of lights overhead. It is especially pretty later in the day, but even in the afternoon it feels like a classic Denver stop.
Give yourself around 45 minutes to an hour depending on how much you like to shop.
From Larimer Square, start walking toward Dairy Block.
This part of downtown Denver is easy to explore on foot, and the walk gives you a chance to see more of LoDo without having to plan another specific attraction.
Once you reach Dairy Block, walk through Maker's Alley, check out the shops, peek inside Denver Milk Market, and take a few photos. We stayed at The Maven, so we ended up walking through this area constantly. I especially liked it at night when everything was lit up.
If you have a little extra time, this is a good place to grab coffee or just sit for a few minutes.
If you are deciding whether to stay in this part of downtown too, my The Maven Hotel Denver Review: What to Expect covers our experience there.
You can also compare downtown Denver hotel options on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
From Dairy Block, head toward Denver Union Station. Even if you are not taking a train anywhere, I think it is worth seeing.
Walk through the station, look around the surrounding streets, and spend a little time outside.
Union Station is really pretty later in the day. The sun does not set directly behind the building, so I would not plan your entire evening around getting some dramatic sunset shot here, but the light can still be really nice as everything starts glowing.
This is also an easy time to look for some of the colorful downtown art installations as you walk.
If you want your 24 hours in Denver to end with a major foodie experience, this is the option I would choose.
BRUTØ is a Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant inside Dairy Block, and dinner here feels more like an experience than simply going out to eat.
The chefs walk you through the dishes, the menu explores things like fermentation and preservation, and the whole thing feels creative without becoming stuffy.
BRUTØ is definitely a splurge and more of a special-occasion restaurant, but I thought it was worth it. If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or you just really care about food, this is a memorable way to finish your day in Denver.
Read next: BRUTØ Denver Review: Is the Michelin-Starred Restaurant Worth It?
After dinner, stay right in Dairy Block and find Run for the Roses.
Part of the fun is finding the hidden entrance. Inside, it feels upscale and romantic but still relaxed. They also have a genuinely good zero-proof program, which I appreciated because I do not drink alcohol.
This is the easiest pairing if you want one big dinner followed by somewhere interesting to sit for a while before calling it a night.
If BRUTØ feels like too much after such a busy day, I would choose this route instead.
Corsica was one of my favorite meals in Denver. It is a stylish French- and Italian-inspired small-plates restaurant in RiNo, and everything we tried was excellent.
It is a really good choice when you want a memorable dinner without committing to a long tasting-menu experience.
After dinner, head to Death & Co inside The Ramble Hotel. It has a beautiful atmosphere, a serious cocktail program, and a full zero-proof menu that actually feels thought-out.
The bartenders are also really good about helping you figure out what you might like. This is a great final stop if you want something polished but still relaxed.
A little, ha, but that is kind of the point. This is not the itinerary I would recommend if your main goal is to sleep late, wander for an hour, and take a nap before dinner.
But if you only have one full day in Denver and want to fit in RiNo, downtown, good food, some shopping, and a little time outside, I think this route gives you a really good mix without spending the whole day rushing between tourist attractions.
And if I only had 24 hours in Denver again, this is how I would do it.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
If Denver is part of a bigger Colorado trip, see my Spend a Week in Colorado: The Perfect Denver and Golden Itinerary.
For flights, I usually compare options through Skyscanner.
If you want to add a guided activity or food experience to your trip, you can browse Denver options through Viator, Get Your Guide, or Secret Food Tours.
For more restaurant ideas, see my DIY Denver Food Tour: Best Places to Eat in Denver Colorado.
If you have more than one day in Denver, my The Perfect 3 Days in Denver Colorado gives you a slower itinerary with more time to explore.
For more ideas beyond this route, see Top Things to Do in Denver Colorado.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Filing this one under “go now before it gets cold.” Bonneville Hot Springs is one of those trips where fall access is honestly the sweet spot the campground road is open, the hike in is short, and you skip the snow-and-gate situation we dealt with when we went in March.
September and early fall mean clearer trails, easier parking, and pools that are just as good without the extra mile of hiking to earn them. Fewer than 10 people out there when we visited, a rustic changing booth, zero amenities, and pools that range from “relax” to “actually scalding” until you move some rocks around and mix in river water. Small waterfalls feeding in, mountains in every direction, not polished, and that’s exactly the point.
Full breakdown on parking, what to pack, and timing it right is linked in my bio.
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