If it is your first time in Denver Colorado and you only have a weekend, I would focus on two very different sides of the city.
Spend your first day around downtown, LoDo, Larimer Square, Union Station, and Dairy Block. Then spend your second day in RiNo, where you can slow down a little and mix murals, shopping, food, and a couple of fun activities.
This is still a pretty full weekend in Denver, but it gives you a really good feel for the city without trying to cram in every attraction.
If you are still deciding what you want to prioritize, my Top Things to Do in Denver Colorado covers more of the city so you can easily swap something in or out.
Start the morning at Onefold.
The menu has a mix of Mexican, Asian-inspired, and classic breakfast dishes, and everything is made from scratch. It is a good place to have breakfast before a very food-heavy afternoon.
I would keep this meal fairly light because your next stop is a food tour.
Next, join a Secret Food Tours Denver tour.
This is an easy way to get introduced to the city while also taking care of lunch. You get to try several foods along the way instead of choosing one restaurant, and you also learn a little about the neighborhoods you are walking through.
Because the tour includes plenty of food, I would skip a separate lunch afterward.
If food is going to be a major part of your trip, I also put together a DIY Denver Food Tour: Best Places to Eat in Denver Colorado with more places to add if you have extra time.
After the food tour, rent an electric city bike and ride part of the Cherry Creek Trail. This was one of my favorite ways to get around Denver because it turns transportation into part of the sightseeing.
The trail follows Cherry Creek and gives you stretches of creek views, bridges, and city scenery without just biking through traffic. You can choose how long you want to ride the trail. Even spending 30–45 minutes on the trail is a fun way to see another part of the city.
Wendy’s Tip: Make sure to check the tires before you pay because if it has flat tires, like my first bike did, you have to find another bike and pay the fee for a new one.
I would also have water with you if you are doing this in warmer weather. I travel with my Brita Water Bottle, which is easy to refill as I go.
From there, make your way toward Larimer Square.
Walk around the historic block, look at the buildings and overhead lights, and pop into a few stores.
One fun stop is Garage Sale Vintage, which is part vintage shop and part bar. Even if you are not planning to buy anything, it is entertaining to wander through.
After Larimer Square, start making your way toward Union Station. I would walk down 16th Street because there are plenty of little photo spots, public art, shops, and interesting things to look at along the way.
This part of the afternoon does not need a strict plan. Just give yourself some time to wander.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
Head to Denver Union Station later in the afternoon. The sun does not actually set directly behind Union Station, so I would not come here expecting that exact photo.
But the sky can still be really pretty around sunset, and the building looks especially nice as the lights start coming on. Walk through the station, look around outside, and take a few photos before dinner.
From Union Station, walk over to Dairy Block. I loved this area at night. Walk through Maker’s Alley, check out the little shops and restaurants, and take some photos once everything is lit up.
Then you have two very good dinner options depending on what type of night you want.
If this trip is for a birthday, anniversary, or you just want one major foodie experience, book BRUTØ. It is a Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant inside Dairy Block, and dinner is much more of an experience than a normal night out.
It is expensive, but I thought it was absolutely worth it.
Read my BRUTØ Denver Review: Is the Michelin-Starred Restaurant Worth It? if you want to see what the full experience is actually like before booking.
If you want something more traditional, go to Tavernetta near Union Station. It is an upscale Italian restaurant with handmade pasta, excellent service, and a polished atmosphere.
You still get a really nice dinner, but without an entire tasting-menu experience.
Finish your first day at Run for the Roses. This underground cocktail lounge is hidden inside Dairy Block, and part of the fun is finding the entrance. It has both cocktails and a thoughtful zero-proof menu, so this works even if you do not drink.
The atmosphere is dark and stylish and works well as the final stop after a full day downtown.
Your second day is all about RiNo, the River North Art District.
This was one of my favorite areas in Denver because you can spend the entire day here without needing to constantly move your car.
Start at Stowaway Kitchen, which was my favorite breakfast in Denver. The food is creative and farm to table. They have unique items on the menu, and the flavors come together perfectly.
Give yourself about an hour here.
After breakfast, start walking around RiNo.
The neighborhood is known for street art, and murals are everywhere.
You can use the official RiNo mural map if you want to find specific pieces, but also read my One Day in RiNo Denver: Where to Eat, Shop, and Explore to see my favorites and how I would organize a full day in the neighborhood.
While you are walking, stop at some of the local shops.
A few places we liked were:
RiNo has a mix of small local businesses and larger outdoor and lifestyle brands, so you can easily spend a couple of hours wandering.
For lunch, choose based on what sounds good.
You can grab pastries, coffee, sandwiches, chocolate, salads, and plenty of other things from several different vendors.
It is also one of the easiest places to turn lunch into a mini food crawl.
Another option is Cart-Driver. The clam pizza with pancetta is one of Cart-Driver’s most talked-about pizzas and probably the most interesting thing on the menu.
If clams are not your thing, the Daisy is their simple Margherita-style pizza and another local favorite. Their namesake Cart-Driver pizza with sausage and kale is also popular.
If you want an appetizer, people consistently rave about the fresh oysters and chicken liver mousse with focaccia.
After lunch, head to Puttshack. This is interactive mini golf with automatic scoring, bonus points, obstacles, and different challenges built into each hole. It feels more like a game than traditional putt-putt, so it works even if golf is not remotely your thing.
I would reserve ahead if you are visiting on a weekend.
If you prefer to have more of your activities booked before you arrive, Viator and GetYourGuide are also good places to compare other Denver tours and activities.
Next, try F1 Arcade Denver. There are full-motion Formula 1 racing simulators, and you can choose different difficulty levels depending on how confident you are.
I stayed on Level 1 Easy. That was still ambitious for me and I hit alot of walls. Brad thought this was hilarious.
We did the three-race option, and even with the motion sickness kicking in—my inner ear hates me—on a few tracks, I still thought it was really fun.
For dinner, go to Corsica.
This was one of my favorite meals in Denver. The whole menu made me want to order more than we realistically needed, which is usually a good sign.
It has a stylish atmosphere, great food for sharing, and works really well for a fun dinner in RiNo.
End your weekend at Death & Co inside The Ramble Hotel. It has a serious cocktail program, a beautiful atmosphere, and a full zero-proof menu that feels intentional instead of an afterthought.
This is an easy final stop because you are already in RiNo and can settle in for the night.
Yes. You will not see everything, but two days gives you enough time to experience several of Denver’s most recognizable areas without spending the entire weekend rushing between attractions.
It is definitely a full weekend, but if you only have 2 days in Denver and want a mix of sightseeing, food, neighborhoods, and fun things to actually do, this is the route I would choose.
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.
Compare flights to Denver with Skyscanner.
If you are extending your trip beyond downtown Denver and RiNo, you can compare rental cars through Discover Cars.
Flying in or out of DEN? My Denver Airport Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Denver International Airport covers what to expect at the airport.
Compare Denver hotels on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
If you want to stay right in Dairy Block, read my The Maven Hotel Denver Review: What to Expect.
If you have another day and want to get outside the city, my Red Rocks Amphitheatre Guide: What to Know Before You Visit covers what to know before going.
Have more than a weekend? See my The Perfect 3 Days in Denver Colorado.
Flying out of Frankfurt at the crack of dawn? Stay at the airport, not in the city!
The Hilton Frankfurt Airport is connected to Terminal 1 and the long-distance train station, so the walk to your gate takes a few minutes and no taxi. The rooms are soundproofed so well you barely hear the planes, some have runway views, there’s a sauna, and the bread and butter at Rise are dangerously good. It costs more than hotels farther out. On a budget, the Hilton Garden Inn next door gets you the same walk for less.
Save this for your next Frankfurt layover ✈️
No landmarks, no crowds, no souvenir shops. Otterberg is the everyday side of Germany 🇩🇪
It’s a small town just outside Kaiserslautern. Lunch at Putai inside the historic Das Blaue Haus means crispy chicken in coconut curry and spring rolls with homemade sweet chili sauce, then a slow walk past the old church and quiet streets. The Palatinate Forest and Humberg Tower views are close by. If you want a packed itinerary this isn’t your town, but if you like good food and nowhere to be, you’ll love it.
Save this for your Germany road trip!
Every 6 minutes a new round unlocks, and you can eat your way around the world for two hours. 🌍🍽️
Masons in Kaiserslautern: Korean BBQ, Jamaican jerk chicken, raclette potatoes, crispy baked ricotta from Monaco, and the Belgian cookie cheesecake you’ll still be talking about the next day. €39-45 per person. Bring a group and pace yourself, because they charge for leftovers.
Save this for your next trip to Germany
Sedona got me again 🌵
This was my second trip, and somehow I liked it even more. Every visit adds another trail, viewpoint, or restaurant to the list, and the list keeps getting longer. This time I stayed near Airport Mesa, with sunsets right outside my door and none of the crowds.
My Substack has everything I’d tell a first-time visitor: the lodge I’ve now stayed at twice, the experiences I’d do first, and the restaurants I’d plan my days around.
Subscribe for free so you don’t miss the next one. Link in bio ✨
YES is always the answer... ✈️
I’m Wendy, and yes, I travel for a living (still pinching myself). After 15 years teaching middle school math, I traded the whiteboard for a passport and never looked back. Knoxville is home base, but Arizona sunsets are on another level, and if it’s been sitting on your list, this is your sign to finally say yes and book it. City guides, hotel reviews, and foodie spots are all on the blog. So glad you’re here 🌵☀️
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