10 Things That I Love About Downtown Denver
I’ll never forget the time when I went downtown after the COVID shutdowns were eased up and how shocking the experience was. If felt like I was an extra in a zombie apocalypse film. Store fronts were empty, there was human poo in places that there shouldn’t be and spaces that had felt safe before didn’t. In fact, the emergence of people from their homes forced us to confront some of the issues that we had been ignoring for quite awhile in the City. Issues such as where in the heck are our unhoused neighbors supposed to rest when they are literally told to move on and what happens when that place ends up being Union Station? Since no one was really using the station it wasn’t an issue until it became one.
What happens when a major construction project is underway and it impacts a major part of the downtown experience? And finally, what happens when people around the state come to town for their once a year visit and freak out when they discover that Denver has some big city realities. Luckily, things have turned a corner with downtown crime reportedly declining by almost 20%. I absolutely believe that’s the case. In fact, I am loving the downtown experience and I think that you will too-it’s time to give downtown Denver a second chance.
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Cowtown Denver
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What is Downtown Denver Like?
I think to better answer this question is to ask the following question “What is downtown Denver like right now?” In the current moment that we’re in. I’ve spent time in downtown Denver since I was a kid. I’ve seen more than one economic downturn that has impacted the citizen and tourist experience in the city center.
I have really begun to enjoy downtown Denver again and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my favorite things about the current downtown Denver experience.
- Civic Center Park-There was a moment there when Civic Center Park was not doing ok. The team has clearly worked hard to turn it around and I’ve really enjoyed it every time I’ve hung out there this summer. From celebrating the Denver Nuggets NBA Championship win, to eating delicious food at Civic Center Eats and making my way down Broadway during each ¡Viva Streets Denver! event-Civic Center Park is definitely back. My only complaint-I miss the Civic Center Moves classes. Don’t forget to check out the different art and culture displays at the McNichols Building.
- Soundwalk Denver-This is an audio art experience that is on the east side of the Federal reserve building on 15th and Curtis. I love to take my out-of-town guests over to experience it.
- Basecamp Denver (where Market Street Station used to be) and the Party en the Paseo event. This event was held twice this summer and it included music and food. It also raised funds for a non-profit that takes kids on outdoor experiences that they would otherwise not have due to a variety of factors. I enjoyed a great cocktail and was given a free yummy meal because I was one of the first attendees to arrive. I would keep an eye on this space for other unique events. It’s also the home of a number of different outdoor equipment and apparel shops such as Topo Designs and the only US Thule store.
- Night Lights Denver-I am a huge art lover and it’s weird to me that so few people know about or talk about this cool interactive display on the Clocktower. Each month different art is projected onto the clocktower for about a 20-30 minute display. It’s a cool fun thing to check out.
- Union Station-One of my favorite things to do is to take the train. Maybe that’s why I enjoy the light rail so much? Union Station continues to be one of my favorite spaces downtown. From the water fountain in front with people enjoying it, the people watching, the bands are back and as the origination point for all of the tours in town. If you’re looking to visit the mountains, do a walking tour or a beer tour-Union Station is usually where you’ll meet your tour guide. Denverites (especially those who are new in town) definitely sign up for one of these fun experiences. I almost forgot to mention the farmers market on Saturdays.
- McGregor Square-Home of a great drag brunch at The Original restaurant and a ton of cool events for locals and visitors including: a free yoga class, free movie nights and even a ice skating rink during the winter. If you’re a baseball fan, McGregor Square is directly across from Coors Field and has a food hall with great food, restaurants and a branch of Tattered Cover book store-a local company.
- Understudy-This tiny interactive art space has left a giant sized impression on me. Located directly where the Convention Center light rail stop is, it’s a free art space that displays new art almost on a monthly basis. I love to pop in and check things out before I hope onto the next train.
- Sofia’s Roman Pizza-When I was in college one of my part time jobs was making pizza. When I tell you that I burnt out and lost my love for pizza-I’m serious. I very rarely eat it. So it was a bit unusual for me to want to check out a pizza place. Obsessed. I am seriously obsessed with this place. The pepperoni and hot honey is my favorite slice so far.
- Dragonfly Noodle-I thought my obsession with Dragonfly Noodle was a potentially a little extreme. The delicious smoky pork belly, broth that rich and had layers of flavor and those noodles-freshly made daily. Then I discovered that the owner of Dragonfly Noodle was nominated for a James Beard award in 2022. Well-deserved.
- Milk Tea People-Don’t visit if you’re in a rush. Instead, take your time, enjoy the different milk teas latte, creme drinks (my favorite is the Ube Jasmin Sweet Cream) and delicious Japanese deserts such as matcha wafchis.
- The Dairy Block-I love this development so much. From the Run the Roses speakeasy, the fun markets that are held in the alley way. Don’t worry it’s a beautifully built out space with a winery, pastry shop, whiskey space and more.
- Summer Sessions and River Front Park-I could have sworn that this park was called Confluence Park. But basically I’m talking about the park that you have to walk over the little bridge adjacent to the Union Station Light Rail Stop. Summer Sessions is a once a month event with music, food and fun.
- Vibe Coffee and Wine-This open and airy space is always busy. Wether it’s college students working on their projects, digital workers or conference attendees-someone is always there. My favorite thing about this space (besides the people and the coffee) is the fireplace fixture there’s nothing better than soaking up the ambience while getting some work done.
- Dikeou Collection-This permanent art collection is housed in what feels like a random spot 1/2 a block off of the 16th Street Mall. If you’re an art lover-this is a must experience collection. One important thing to note: you have to make a reservation.
There is also the updated very Colorado seating experience on 17th and California by Bank of the West-it’s a fantastic design.
Slightly Off Downtown
Take the A-Line light rail one stop and hop off at the 38th and Blake station. Check out the really cool residential building that is being built with a hiking trail in it. I’m serious. Enjoy dinner and drinks at Zeppelin Station that doesn’t get enough press in my view and then relax at the RINO Art Park.
Some Final Thoughts About Denver’s Downtown
You’ll notice that I didn’t mention a couple of significant areas in downtown Denver. The first is Larimer Square. I love this space but right now with the ongoing construction and a large number of store fronts that are empty-it’s hard to make a compelling reason to visit. There was a really cool Taste of Mexico event that was hosted there in July-but, I was out of town and couldn’t attend. I do think that Larimer Square should continue to have the road shut down but I think that they should put bricks on the road similar to how Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall is designed-making it more of a cohesive experience.
The second part of downtown Denver that I didn’t mention was basically anything east of the clocktower. That shouldn’t surprise anyone because a large number of empty storefronts are located at that end of the 16th Street Mall. The Denver Pavilions is empty-are they preparing to sell? Why aren’t there more shops in that space?
I’m excited to experience the end vision of 16th Street Mall once the construction project is completed. That said, I’ve seen so many people heading to Coors Field to watch a baseball game, heading to a parade and just enjoying themselves downtown. I encourage you to give it a second chance but to be aware of some of the ongoing challenges impacting the area.