DENVER: 10 Hours Out and About in the Mile High City
And so the adventure begins! After a 5:35am wake-up call, I made it to RDU and hopped on a one-way flight to Denver, Colorado a.k.a “The Mile High City” to begin my Great USA Rail Adventure.
Since I flew on discount airline Frontier, I was worried about getting both of my bags on the plane since I only paid for a carry-on but didn’t have any issues. Look at these behemoths–for what it’s worth, the red one is just filled with snacks and my blanket + pillow. The flight was pretty uneventful except for some turbulence that they said was normal coming into Denver.
What I Did
I gawked in and around Union Station after taking the light rail directly from the airport. The Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival-style building is over 100 years old, is super fancy, and even has a hotel above it. Just look at the Terminal Bar—it’s all brass, old-fashioned class, and sophistication with typewriters laying around, and they pipe in classical music.
I had a little time between brunch and my tour so I made my way to Denver’s famed Larimer Square, but on the way there, passed Writer Square. It felt like a great omen for the trip–especially when I popped into Larimer and heard the distinctive clacking of typewriter keys.
Looking around, I saw a set-up of two poets sitting under giant umbrellas with typewriters and decorated signs reading, “Pick a topic. Get a Poem.” My first thought: If this isn’t the most hipster thing ever. Second thought: I NEED A POEM. I told them I was a writer out on submission and asked for a poem about rejection. After a couple minutes, some affected smoking, and pulled faces, this was the poem I got and the poet even read it to me.
After that fun detour, I hopped on a bus to the Molly Brown House Museum. If you’re not familiar with the “Unsinkable Molly Brown,” that’s the posthumous nickname for Margaret Tobin Brown, an American socialite and philanthropist who I first learned about when watching Titanic (played by Kathy Bates). She not only helped others board lifeboats before finally being persuaded into one herself, she then took an oar and encouraged her lifeboat crew to return to look for survivors. After being rescued, Brown organized a survivors’ committee that also helped second- and third-class survivors.
Throughout the rest of her life, Brown’s Titanic fame (and money) allowed her to champion issues she really cared about such as the rights of workers and women, education and literacy for children, historic preservation, and of course, commemorating the workers of the Titanic. She was her own woman (she separated from her husband after 20+ years together) and a world traveler who didn’t shy away from adventure. There was no way I WASN’T visiting this museum. I leave you with this badass woman’s own words from a 1923 Denver Post article.
“I am a daughter of adventure. This means I never experience a dull moment and must be prepared for any eventuality. I never know when I may go up in an airplane and come down with a crash, or go motoring and climb a pole, or go off for a walk in the twilight and return all mussed up in an ambulance. That’s my arc, as the astrologers would say. It’s a good one, too, for a person who had rather make a snap-out than a fade-out of life.”
– Margaret Brown
Where I Stayed: Hostel Fish
It was my first time staying in a hostel and they set the bar HIGH (“high” is definitely a recurring theme in this city and it’s not lost on me that there’s a cannabis store literally right next door). Along with having a bar IN the hostel, they do pub crawls every Thursday night, but: 1. I can’t drink right now; 2. WE STILL IN A PANAMERA.
I belatedly realized I’d booked a bunk in a mixed room of eight, and was a little worried, but didn’t need to be. There were 3-4 other people in the room and I literally only saw them in passing. I brought an eye mask and ear plugs and didn’t even need them.
As for the accommodations themselves, everything was extremely clean and comfortable. You get a towel upon check-in. Each bunk is curtained and comes equipped with a lamp, charging station, and a fan. The bed itself was so freaking comfy. It was topped with a comforter that had me ready to melt into it after a hot shower. There was also a ton of locker space for my belongings. Check-in and check-out were a breeze. I would absolutely stay here again and recommend it to others!
Check out the IG Reel I made about it.
Notable Eats
- Syrup (Downtown) – Wisconsin Eggs Benedict: Ham steak and cheddar cheese on an English muffin topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce and a side of the best damn seasoned tater tots I’ve ever had. Wish I was here for another day so I could try one of their waffle dishes.
- High Point Creamery – I was so full from brunch that I didn’t get hungry until many hours later. I decided on ice cream for dinner because…I’m an adult. I headed to Denver Central Market and got a scoop of delicious basil blackberry. Apparently they steep fresh basil overnight in local cream then swirl in house-made blackberry sauce. It’s amazeballs!
Tips
- Get the regional RTD pass for the day! If you fly into DEN and you’re trying to get downtown, you’ll need a regional RTD pass that covers your light rail shuttle from the airport to Union Station AND all buses until 2:59 a.m. the next morning. It’s only $10.50 and so worth it if you want to explore the city.
- LUGDEN – There was no way I’d be able to carry my luggage around, and I didn’t want to take it all the way to the hostel, so I researched online and found this lifesaver. Located literally right across the street from Union Station, for $3/hr per bag or $10/day, you can leave your luggage in this bonded and insured storage van. There’s an attendant who literally just sits with the bags. I gladly paid $20 for the peace of mind to not have to worry about it.
Overall Thoughts
Denver feels like a fun, airy city and I’m sad I couldn’t give it the time and respect it deserves. I’d love to tour the Denver Mint, snap photos of the International Church of Cannabis, take more photos of the art on Colfax Avenue, and hit up a dispensary (when in Denver…). I’d also love to check out the nightlife; it was like a switch flipped after 8pm…or maybe that’s because by then I was in RiNo, the artsy-industrial neighborhood. Everything came alive and was buzzing with people on rooftop bars, dogs on patios, and drinks flowing and the vibe was really chill.
Oh–I can’t leave this post without saying something about the huge number of typewriters I saw! They were EVERYWHERE and once I realized, I started snapping pictures of them.
Songs Added to the Playlist
Remember, I’m adding along to my trip playlist as I go along. Here are the Denver additions! Check out the entire playlist here.
- “High Hopes” – Panic! at the Disco: I just finished a damn good meal at Syrup in the “Mile High City” and this song came on. It just felt right.
- “Never Change” – COIN: Actually, the rest of the songs on the list are by COIN. These songs are so light, chill, upbeat, and airy. It’s what I felt like walking around downtown Denver. I actually looked these guys up to see if they’re from here but alas, they are from Nashville. Denver vibes, yo.
- “Valentine” – COIN
- “Into My Arms” – COIN
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