Every Place I Go: Ooohh Denver

Guest Blogger, Lori Sabian, writes about her city- Denver. What a great place to visit! If you are in the area and need some good places to eat or visit, check out Lori's suggestions. Happy travels to you.

While the mountains and the outdoors are huge draws, I prefer a more urban experience in Denver. And “urban” for Denver still requires a car, a good sense of direction and a little adventure.

Typical experiences include the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo and the Botanical Gardens which all have a strong sense of Denver culture. These are interesting local and well organized places. Slightly off the traditional path is the Denver Firefighter’s Museum, the Colorado Railroad Museum , the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art , and MCA Denver.

Denver’s city also encompasses many interesting neighborhoods for exploring. Lodo, RiNo, The Golden Triangle and The Art District on Santa Fe offer great ways to experience the local arts, shopping and dining communities. Park Hill, Cherry Creek North, Old South Gaylord, Highlands and Old South Pearl are other places to explore Denver’s commercial hot spots. In these neighborhoods small boutiques, art galleries and interesting restaurants dot the streets. Each district plays its own riff on the local scene.

The performing arts community has main stream to local as well. In the Denver Performing Arts Complex you can find theatre, ballet, orchestra and opera. Local performing groups include Buntport Theater and Curious Theater .

The Stapleton and Lowry neighborhoods are Denver’s classic examples of urban redevelopment. Both areas within the city limits were built from airports. Lowry used to be an air force base and Stapleton used to be Denver’s airport. Open spaces and eco-conscious living are their hallmarks. They each have small commercial districts with shops and restaurants.

There are hikes, biking trails and beautiful state and national parks just outside the city area. Boulder, where the University of Colorado lives, has its own set of outdoor experiences, funky shopping and delicious eats.

Sprinkled among the galleries, neighborhoods and outdoor experiences area plethora of great places to eat and enjoy the whole Denver vibe. Oh, and the BEST independent bookstore is The Tattered Cover. Just explore.

Here is my shout out list of favorites for eats in no particular order: