72 Hours in Denver When You Love Beer
Denverites LOVE their beer. In fact, the state of Colorado is home to a ridiculous number of breweries dedicated to the craft of creating the best beer to enjoy. From IPAs, ales, lagers, stouts and more there is likely a locally brewed beer or beers for a beer lover to enjoy during a trip dedicated to enjoy the hoppy brew in Denver.
In a recent poll by Real Estate Witch, Denver was ranked the 5 Best Beer City in the United States with Pittsburgh taking the top spot. If you’ve already visited Pittsburgh and are looking for your next beer city destination-Denver is on your list.
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Cowtown Denver
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Denver has become a hugely popular vacation destination throughout the year. With its access to nature and the Rocky Mountains, sporting events ranging from Denver Nuggets Basketball games, Denver Broncos Football games, Colorado Rapids soccer (will Messi’s team play here next year?) Colorado Avalanche Hockey and Colorado Rockies baseball games sports fans have a choice of teams to enjoy (especially if they’re fans of an opposing team) Prefer other activities such as theater and the arts, live music or eating your way through town? Denver has you covered.
Where to Stay
For a beer focused Denver trip I would recommend staying closer to downtown as it is home to a number of breweries and access to mass transit and ride shares such as Lyft and Uber.
- The Source Hotel
- I once hosted a retreat here and really love this hotel, the team and it’s proximity to lightrail. But, it also has a brewery on the first floor and you can get some freshly made beer as you check in! Beer is on tap at the check-in desk.
- Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
- If you’re attending the Great American Beer Festival, this hotel is directly across the street from the Colorado Convention Center
- The Curtis Hotel
- This hotel is located one block away from the Colorado Convention Center. The decor is awesome and it’s close to one of my favorite coffee shops-Vibe Coffee and Wine.
- Limelight Hotel
- Located adjacent to Union Station, this hotel is a fantastic location for attending any sporting events, theater, would like to take a tour of the mountains (tours companies typically pick up attendees at Union Station) or would like a great meal-this is the place to stay.
- The Maven Hotel
- This hotel is a part of one my favorite developments in Denver. It has restaurants, a wine bar, whiskey bar, shopping and fun activations in its beautifully built “alley” space. One of my favorite local coffee shops (Huckleberry Coffee) is located there as well.
- Hilton Garden Inn Union Station
- This hotel is also next to Woodie Fisher, a restaurant with delicious food and not enough accolades for my liking. It’s a couple of blocks from Union Station and is well-situated for a beer focused vacation to Denver.
- Ember Hostel
- This hostel is located about 10 minutes from downtown Denver. It’s very clean, cute and within walking distance to a Trader Joe’s. You can walk to downtown, the Denver Art Museum and enjoy events at Civic Center Park such as Civic Center Eats, Pride, 420 Celebration and the Independence Eve Celebration on July 4th.
- Hostel Fish
- Within walking distance to Coors Field, bars and a few clubs, Hostel Fish is a beautiful composed hostel that I’ve recommended to a number of people. It’s also above a really cool music and food venue called “Orphelia’s Electric Soapbox” and walking distance to Five Points (RINO) There are even free music nights.
- 11th Avenue Hostel
- This hostel is located about 10 minutes from downtown Denver. It’s very clean, cute and within walking distance to a Trader Joe’s. You can walk to downtown, the Denver Art Museum and enjoy events at Civic Center Park such as Civic Center Eats, Pride, 420 Celebration and the Independence Eve Celebration on July 4th.
Play around with the map below to see where each hotel is located in relation to the football stadium. Type in the name in the blue bar below.
What to Pack for Your Trip to Denver
Here is a list of all the must haves when you’re visiting Denver.
When is the Best Time for a Beer Lovers Vacation in Denver
September, hands down, is the best time for beer lovers to visit Denver. There a number of reasons why and I thought I would share some.
Perfect weather-September is one of my favorite months in Denver. The weather is still warm during the day but the evenings and mornings start to have a slight chill to them. I start sleeping better at that time of year. It can snow at that time of year but if that happens-the snow will melt within a day or so. Don’t freak out.
What to Do
I highly recommend booking a Brews and Views tour that has you sampling beer, no driving needed and checking out a mountain town close to Denver. You can also support a local organization via a Beer With a Cause tour (Do good while getting a little lit) or just spend a day in Rocky Mountain National Park and have a tour guide do the driving and take you to best places within the park to explore.
Additional Events and Activities for Your Beer Focused Visit
The Great American Beer Festival-This is the granddaddy of all beer events in Denver. Thousands of people will descend on the Mile High City to taste beers from across the world. Get your pretzel necklaces ready. Also make sure to book your hotel room NOW if you’re reading this post in August or September (before the event) because rooms are going FAST and there are other events happening at the same time.
Oktoberfest (Downtown Denver)–I have never understood why Oktoberfest is in September. That said, there’s a really fun Oktoberfest in Denver and I’ve had fun working the event in past years. There’s nothing like hearing the Chicken Dance song over and over again LOL! But seriously it’s a great time and this year Oktoberfest coincides with The Great American Beer Festival.
Oktoberfest on South Pearl Street-This cute historic street is also the home of the South Pearl Street Farmers Market on Sunday mornings as well as other fun events. It’s one of the most popular markets in town.
Denver Broncos Regular Season Begins-Love football? Are in town sometime in September, watch a Broncos game and marvel at the size of that new scoreboard screen at Empower Field at Mile High. Read the following planning guide if you’re planning to see the Denver Broncos.
Colorado Avalanche Pre-Season Hockey Begins-If you love hockey make sure to get your ticket and check out a game or games while you’re in town.
Visit Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park-Don’t miss observing the elk rut that happens at this time of year. DO NOT GET CLOSE TO THE ELK LOL! This time of year is mating season for the elk and the make a noise. It’s called “bugling” It’s cool to observe and it’s just an incredibly beautiful time of year to experience the town of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
7 Breweries to Check Out in Denver
There are so many breweries in and around town that I thought I would share a few that you could consider checking out. I’m also adding one cidery (because it’s awesome)
- Great Divide Brewing Co on Brighton Boulevard
Additional Fun Activities in Denver to Enjoy
Denver is a really fun city to visit. But, I often say you “Enjoy Denver and Visit Philly” (listen to the quick podcast episode) Plan your time in Denver around fun activities which are a great introduction to the town.
- Civic Center Eats-This event lasts from May-September. Enjoy food trucks, music and people watching in Civic Center Park. I’ve listed other events that take place in Civic Center Park throughout the year.
- 420 Festival
- Pride
- Independence Eve
- Mile High Tree (I love this tree!)
- Christkindlmarket
- Check Out Meow Wolf-An interactive, immersive art experience.
- Enjoy a theatrical performance at the Denver Center for Performing Arts.
- Check out one Denver’s MANY farmers markets
