Plan the Perfect Solo Vacation to Denver, Colorado this Summer as a Black Woman

72 Hours in Denver, Black in Denver, Summer in Denver, Uncategorized Michelle@SquareState
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It’s almost summer and for many of you , that means you’re in the beginning stages of planning your summer vacation. Denver, Colorado may be the place that you’re considering but you’re completely unfamiliar with the place and have only seen snippets of the town when watching commercials about football and the season finale of the show Paradise. You may also be wondering what is there to do in Denver, are there enough Black people in town to feel comfortable and you’re just up for trying something new. You’re in luck. I live in Denver, I love going on solo vacations and staycations both in Colorado, in the United States and abroad. It’s my hope that this guide will help you as you plan the perfect solo vacation in Denver, Colorado this summer as a Black woman.

You deserve Peace and Rest.

This post will share some things about Denver, where to stay, things to do and tips to plan your experience.

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About Denver, Colorado

Even though I grew up in Denver, I’ve lived in other states. One thing that always surprised me was how people perceived the city. Here are some quick things to know about Denver.

  • Denver has had 2 Black mayors that each served 3 terms. Most of my life in Denver I’ve lived in Denver under a Black mayor.

  • The city of Denver is close to the mountains it is NOT in the mountains. It’s a flat city.

  • You will experience the high altitude in Denver. It is 5,280 feet above sea level which means you need to prepare for the change in altitude prior to arrival. Not medical advice but folks with medical conditions such as Sickle Cell Anemia should talk to their doctors about high altitude travel. All visitors should learn about preventing or managing Altitude Sickness.

  • There’s a lot to do in Denver. Activities ranging from going to the theater or museum, enjoying a great concert, watching a game (we have a number of professional sports teams)enjoying nature or eating your way through a fun festival.

  • Denver is not a club city even though it is a party city. People enjoy having a good time here.

Denver is a pretty chill city with great views, lots of stuff to do and a live and let live attitude.

Book Your Flight (ASAP)

If you’re reading this post during this spring (2026) we’re currently dealing with uncertainty around the price of oil. That’s going to impact the price of your plane tickets-not in a good way. You will be flying into Denver International Airport.

About the Airport

  • It’s huge but easy to navigate. BUT, if you’re in the new Frontier Airlines wing-you’ll be walking a lot.

  • Wear comfortable shoes-you’ll be walking a lot depending on where you disembark from

Leaving the Airport

Most Denverites take the A-Line train to get to and depart from the airport.

  • A-Line Train is located directly outside the Main Terminal

  • Purchase a ticket at the kiosk located about 100 feet from the train. The price will be $10.50 (you can use your ticket for the day. You can also download the RTD App and do this digitally.

Book a Mountain Tour

No trip to Denver would be complete without time in nature. There are a couple of different ways to do this but one of my top tips for out-of-state visitors is to book a tour. Let someone else deal with the traffic, mountain driving which can be really stressful and all of the logistics of planning a visit to the mountains. Also, if you’re a solo traveler, book a tour can be a great way to meet other people in a safe environment.

Where to Stay

I have a list of hotels and hostels that I think are perfectly situated in town, they are close to public transit and are within walking distance or a short-ride to Union Station (the main Denver transit hub)

Best Weeks to Visit During the Summer

There are some weeks that just stand out during the summer because of all of the activities happening in town during those weeks.

May (Late Spring)

  • April 29-May 6, 2026

June

  • June 1-June 7, 2026
  • June 15-June 21, 2026

July

  • July 1-July 6, 2026
  • July 6-July 12
  • July 22-July 27

August

  • August 3-August 9

Sample Itinerary

I thought it would be helpful to share an itinerary to help you plan out your time in town.

Friday

Fly into Denver early in the day and make your way to your hotel. Make sure to stay hydrated and drink water during your stay in Denver. You’ll be adjusting to the higher altitude and lack of humidity while in town.

Freshen up and make your way Konjo Ethiopian for fast casual Ethiopian food in the Denver Milk Market (opens at 11:00 am) Check out the Dairy Block where it’s located while you’re there. There are 2 great coffee shops on the block one is “Amp Artisan Coffee” and the other is Huckleberry Roasters.

  • If you enjoy sports the following teams may still be in the playoffs during the month of June so you might be able to catch a game.
    • Denver Nuggets (NBA)
    • Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
    • Colorado Mammoth (NLL)

Saturday

If you enjoy a good yoga practice and are ok with renting a car for the day, then I recommend attending Yoga on the Rocks. It typically starts around 7:00 am at Red Rocks and it’s an incredible experience-but there’s no public transit to Red Rocks at that time of day. If you would love to visit Red Rocks and aren’t interested in taking a yoga class, this year there’s public transit between 9-5 am on the weekends during the summer. Read HERE for the details.

For those of you who prefer to start the weekend off with a nice brunch, hop in a Lyft and make your way over to Ruby’s Good Shoes in the Park Hill Neighborhood. Enjoy some great food, a mimosa or mocktail while experiencing a local Denver neighborhood.

Are farmers markets more your speed? There are a number of wonderful markets in town and here are three of my favorites that happen every Saturday:

  • Mo Betta Greens-This is my favorite market in town, it’s Black owned, tiny and has incredible produce and fresh pressed juice. If you’re looking for a place that is joyful, has great music and immaculate vibes-Mo Betta Greens is that market. They also often have a DJ, dance classes and yoga depending on the week.
    • Dates: End of May-Early October, 2026
    • Address: 2401 Welton Street Denver, CO 80205 next to Blair-Caldwell Public Library

  • City Park Farmers Market-Is my second favorite market in town. It’s much larger than Mo Betta Greens, it went through the process to get SNAP certified, has a wide variety of vegan and carnivore forward food trucks and is the most diverse large market experience in town.
    • Dates: May 2-October 31st, 2026 from 8:00 am-1:00 pm.
    • Address: 2551 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206

Once you’re done, I highly recommend visiting The Museum for Black Girls in downtown Denver. I would encourage you to check out the events schedule because I think as a solo traveler booking an event experience like Yoga and Wine or Soft Life Sundays is a great way to be in community when you’re on you’re on.

There are several spas in town to check out. Here’s the shortlist of spas that I recommend on Saturday.

Once you’ve been massaged into deep noodle mode, head over to Le French 9+CO for a lovely lunch. You’ll need to take a Lyft to get there or take the #6 Bus, get off at Colorado Blvd and walk 3 blocks to the restaurant.

If you have time (and you’ve pre-scheduled a tour) head over to the Black American West Museum in Five Points. Learn more about the African-American experience in Denver and the Mountain West Region. Before heading back to your hotel, walk 4 blocks to Fifth Coffee House (710 E. 26th Ave) and order the Blacker the Berry one of my favorite specialty matcha drinks in Denver.

Late Night Shenanigans

There’s one spot in town that I’m very excited about which is Trybal African Speakeasy.

Sunday: Head to the Mountains

(Or, Visit. Boulder)

It’s my view that no trip to Denver is complete without some time in nature-specifically visiting a mountain town or park. Ideally you’ve booked a tour to Rocky Mountain National Park or Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. For those of you who are comfortable using public transit, take the Bustang bus from Union Station Gate 19 (always double-check the gate details) to Frisco Station. Then transfer to the free shuttle that will take you to Breckenridge. Once you’re in Breckenridge, do the following:

  • Visit Isaac HeartStone a huge Troll behind the Ice Rink-Ask the free shuttle drivers which route to take to get there.

  • Walk up and down Main Street

  • Enjoy a great cup of coffee and pastry from Threefold (kind of pricey but good)

  • Walk along the River Walk

  • Take the Gondola up the mountain (if you’re in Breckenridge during the earlier part of June, the Gondola might not be running because they do maintenance on it at that time) It is free to do if it’s running.

Visit Boulder

If you’d like to visit somewhere that’s a little bit closer. Boulder is a great quick day trip. There’s a bus that runs about every 15 minutes from Denver’s Union Station Bus Hub (It’s underground) to Boulder’s Bus Depot (the last stop). Here are some things you can do in Boulder.

  • Wander up and down Pearl Street Mall

  • Hike up Red Rocks Trail-just walk towards the mountain if you’re on Pearl Street. At the base of the mountain on the right hand side you’ll see a sigh that says “Red Rocks Trail” go up the trail. It’s a short, slightly steep trail with a stunning view of Boulder Valley. Definitely worth doing. Just be careful of snakes and injury.

  • Eat on the patio at Rosetta Hall. It’s a food hall with several great food concepts.

  • Make your way to Suti & CO. a Danish coffee shop with a really cute patio and interior.

Book a Spa Day at St. Julien

I used to go to happy hour and Wednesday night music nights at St. Julien. It was always a good time. It’s a beautiful facility, it’s within walking distance of Pearl Street Mall and the Bus Terminal and it has a stunning view of the mountains.

Monday

Today’s your last day in town and hopefully you’re feeling rested and relaxed. Also, hopefully you’re leaving later in the evening. Here are some final things to do while you’re here.

Spend a few hours at Lake Steam Baths (People are nekkid-It’s a Russian Spa) You can wear a swimsuit (Ladies days are on Mondays and Thursdays) View the Dikeou Collection pop up. It’s a permanent collection of art that is whimsical, weird and interesting. You will need to schedule your viewing time.

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