City Highlights

• Location: Denver, Colorado, USA

• Population (metro): 2.96 million

• Known for: Capital and largest city of Colorado, Mile High City, world-renowned craft beer scene

• Weather during visit: Sunny, 12-28ºC (53-82ºF)

• Time in Place: 7 hours 41 minutes

Nestled along the Front Range on the Eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains lies Denver, Colorado, one of the nation’s most revered cities. The Mile High City, home to artists and industrialists alike, is often quoted as one of the best cities in the United States for its combination of cosmopolitan experiences and the natural beauty of the Rockies. Between its proximity to world-class skiing, a craft beer scene that tops world’s best lists, and a variety of athletic organizations and events based in the city, there is something in Denver for everyone to experience.

I visited Denver late in the summer of 2024, making the most of a long layover there. Combining elements of Midwestern cities I was accustomed to with pieces of my favorite West Coast cities like Seattle and San Francisco, Denver is a city that I have long wanted to visit and experience firsthand. The city ended up being a mixed bag for me. While I enjoyed parts of my visit, I may have built it up too much in my mind with certain elements of the cityscape letting me down during my visit. For better or worse, however, I still enjoyed parts of the city and discovered some unexpected gems within the capital of mountain towns.

Arriving in Denver

Getting to Denver

There are several ways to get to Denver aside from driving I-70 into town. The city’s Union Station is an important stop along Amtrak’s California Zephyr route and the eastern terminus for its seasonal Winter Park Express service that drops passengers off steps away from Winter Park Resort’s ski lifts. Union Station is also the terminus for Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies to Red Rocks luxury tourist train service, one of the few private passenger rail operations within the United States. Intercity bus operators like Greyhound, Burlington Trailways, and Express Arrow also use Union Stations (well, it’s underground bus terminal) for service through Denver.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is one of the largest airports in the world, both in terms of passengers and physical size. DEN was the third busiest airport in the United States and sixth busiest internationally by passenger enplanements in 2023. By land area, the airport is the second largest in the world at nearly 136 km2 (52 mi2). Denver makes good use of its size, hosting around 100 gates across three terminals and 25 airlines at the time of writing.

Thanks to its prime location in the heart of the country, Denver is a major connecting hub for airlines like United and Southwest who combined moved approximately 60 million people through the city in 2023. There is a significant number of domestic destinations served by the airport, with nearly every state in the United States seeing flights from Denver. Internationally, Denver is still a decent airport with flights to Asia, Europe, and Central America from airlines like Icelandair and Copa America. While there are a decent number of international flights at DEN, the domestic operations far outweigh the international due to the airport's location. Boston’s Logan Airport, for example, sees nearly 4 million more international passengers than Denver on an annual basis, even though Denver moves nearly 18 million more passengers in total. DEN is also home to many restaurants, kiosks, shops, and several United Club locations.

When stepping off the jet bridge into the airport, the first thing I noticed was the sheer scale of the airport. The terminal spaces reflect the airfield’s record-breaking status, with much of the newer terminal spaces feeling open and letting in plenty of natural light. Most of the airport feels modern, though some areas are noticeably worn, as well as several spots that were in the process of renovation. One unique thing about Denver is that the terminals are only connected by an underground people-mover system. While the trains are quite nice, and it does not seem to add much time to the journey due to the distance covered between terminal stops, it would be nice to have the option to walk between terminals like at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. This problem is especially apparent when the system is undergoing maintenance or has a malfunction. After my short ride, which ended up being less than five minutes, I arrived at the main concourse and was able to follow signs towards the train station.

Getting Around Denver

Transit in Denver is handled by the Regional Transportation District (RTD), a regional agency that provides service not only in Denver but also in the surrounding communities such as Aurora. RTD currently operates six low-floor light rail lines, four high-floor commuter rail lines, and over 120 bus lines. Throughout my day in Denver, I had the opportunity to ride the buses and commuter rail line from the airport, but I did not have the chance to try the light rail system. One major thing I noticed about getting around Denver is the bus system works very well for what it is, but I will talk about that more later in the report.

The only way to get to the train station in Denver is by walking outside since the platforms are open-air, meaning anyone who is waiting for a train is exposed to the elements. This seems like a massive oversight in a city where the last time I was connecting through was in the midst of a -40º (C and F) cold spell. The signage for the trains from the terminal was also not as good as it could have been, as many signs kept referring to ground transportation but meaning options like ride share or the shuttle buses to the rental car facilities as opposed to the rail service. After riding a very long escalator from the terminal level to the below-ground-level platforms, I was able to get the pass for the trains. Fares for transportation in Denver are higher than several other systems in the US but are about on par with its European siblings. A local ride starts at $2.75, and a day pass and/or airport trip costs $10. Riders have the option to purchase a paper ticket from machines at rail stations or pay via mobile apps. Both Uber and Transit are supported for payment, which is a nice touch to have multiple options available in widely used third-party apps.

After about a five-minute wait, a train arrived, and I was able to board while finishing the 15-minute station sit. The trains for the A Line on the RTD are very nice Hyundai Rotem Silverliner V trainsets, which feel modern on the interior. Both trains I rode featured working digital wayfinding and luggage racks, a helpful amenity not always available on airport rail connections like Chicago's Blue Line or Phoenix's Valley Metro. The train I was on was very quiet, with few passengers, even though it seemed like the service was well-used overall, and the ride was incredibly comfortable with good AC, well-padded seats, and a smooth ride. Once en route, it took about 45 minutes to get from end to end. Stops are spaced fairly far apart, allowing for the trains to get to their top speeds. While I did not disembark on the first trip into town at any of the outlying stations, it seemed like all of them had ample parking lots and decent bus terminals for connections. At the end of the line, we pulled into Union Station, and I was able to start exploring Denver on foot.

The LoDo on the High City

The terminus for the A Line is Denver's Union Station, an ornate Romanesque Revival-style building first constructed in 1881. Both inside and out, the station building is lovely. The exterior features grand facades and neon signs, while the interior has intricate detailing and large chandeliers. In addition to functions such as the waiting room for Amtrak services, the facility also houses businesses like the Terminal Bar, a bar set up in the old ticketing area, and the Tattered Cover Book Store. Once through the terminal building, you find yourself at the corner of Wynkoop and 17th in the heart of LoDo.

LoDo is a district made of mid-rise buildings from the turn of the 20th century and features a uniquely pedestrian scale compared to much of the rest of the city. A significant amount of redevelopment starting in the late 20th century led to the area becoming one of the most desirable locations in the city, and the neighborhood houses some of Denver's most famous attractions. I enjoyed the mix of older-style buildings that often featured Art Deco design elements like glass block construction. Through the heart of the district is the Mall Ride bus line, a free shuttle running the length of 16th Street.

While I enjoyed the area greatly, a couple of things detracted from the overall atmosphere. Firstly, the midrises block the view of the mountains behind the city. Denver isn't particularly hilly, but without a view of the Front Range and no slopes to traverse, it felt like a lot of Midwestern or Great Plains cities. Secondly, the neighborhood feels gentrified. Historic buildings house expensive wine bars and high-end chains like Fogo de Chão. While these things are inherently wrong, with housing prices well above average in a city that is going through massive growth, often turning more affordable apartments into luxury dining and shopping makes it difficult to fully enjoy the neighborhood.

Around the edges of LoDo are some of the biggest attractions in Denver, such as Ball Arena (home to the Denver Nuggets and Denver Avalanche), Coors Park (home to the Colorado Rockies), and Elitch Gardens (home to funnel cake). At the neighborhood's Western side is Cherry Creek, with some pedestrianized iron bridges crossing the trickling water, as well as a trail that runs its length. I walked the trail for a while, seeing glimpses of Elitch Gardens along the way before getting rather hungry. Heading back to the center of the district, it was time for lunch.

One venue I had seen in my pre-trip planning come up several times was Milk Market. Milk Market is a food hall that I can only describe as trying a bit too hard to attract the well-to-do office workers for their lunch break and not much else. The place felt dead at 11 am until just before I left around noon when the office workers finally started coming in droves. The operator attempted to make it feel like there were multiple different restaurants even though it was obviously from the same company, just making different types of food. According to the faux-neon sign hanging in a moss wall above the stall, I ate at "Ghost Burrito" in an attempt to try some of Denver's Tex-Mex. Walking up to the stall, I didn't see anyone behind the counter, but there was a tablet ready for me to place my order. I did so and sat down nearby to wait for my food. About 15 minutes later, a worker in a different stall came over and made the green chile chicken tinga burrito I ordered. The burrito wasn't bad at all, but it was nothing special. A step above most fast food restaurants, but not quite as good as what I had in Salt Lake City or San Francisco's Mission District, and not something I would need to get again.

After finishing my lunch, I walked through the alleyways near the Milk Market and enjoyed the public art consistent with the styling inside the market itself. At the far end of the alley was Coors Field. While not a huge baseball fan, I thought the stadium looked lovely and managed to snag a few pictures of it before catching a 52 bus southbound towards the Civic Center.

Parks Civic and Central

I got off the bus at Civic Center, the government complex in the heart of the city. The complex is set up with a large mall spread between the Colorado State Capital at the Eastern edge and the City-County Building at the Western edge. Both of the buildings were rather impressive and what one would typically expect from a state capital building or city hall in one of the nation's most important cities. At the State Capital, there was not a lot for me to see as I was not able to go into the building, though on the stairs up to the entrance was the Mile High Marker, a medallion engraved into the foundation of the building marking one mile above sea level and the origin of Denver's nickname.

After the State Capital, I walked the lawn separating the two buildings, trying to soak up the warm late-summer mountain air. With the nice weather, there were lots of people out enjoying the day by reading on the lawns, taking their lunch on a park bench, or just strolling around the public space like I was. Along the route are several statues, plazas, and particulates, in addition to lots of benches and landscaped features. The street in front of the City-County Building has been pedestrianized and even painted with a nice mural, which I felt helped to connect the government building with the rest of the environment and create a more welcoming space overall.

The City-County Building is done in a Greek Revival style, with large halls branching off the central entrance, creating an impressive wraparound effect when standing in the middle of the structure. One nice touch in the design is the lower height of the building to allow visitors to see the mountains that lay behind. Unlike the State Capital, the City-County Building is open to members of the public as it houses much of the city’s bureaus and lower courts. It was nice to be able to escape the heat for a little while, walking down the main corridors of the building and seeing the various Art Deco design elements mingle with more mid-century modern touches like the Fallout Shelter signs adorning the walls.

I then climbed aboard an 83D bus southbound from Civic Center Bus Terminal. Busses in Denver are heavily used and well thought out, from what I experienced. Most of the stops were further apart than in other similar-sized cities, leading to slightly longer walks to get to the stops but also fewer total stops en route, leading to faster rides for passengers. The increased stop spacing didn’t seem to deter riders, as there were lots of passengers on the busses while I was aboard, and there seemed to be fairly frequent turnover, meaning the lines weren’t just full of people trying to get from one end to the other but also to stops along the way. The buses in the city center were frequent, with most lines running every 15 minutes. Connections were also well times, with the longest wait between lines only lasting around 10 minutes.

After around 15 minutes and six stops, I disembarked in the Cherry Creek neighborhood. Cherry Creek is a place of variety where the city’s newest and oldest homes meet. There was plenty of shopping, especially on the Southern edge of the neighborhood near the aptly named Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Inside and surrounding the mall are many of the big-name stores one would expect to find littering shopping districts around the country, like Vineyard Vines, Sweetgreen, and Yeti. While the area seemed to be nice, it felt like it was trying to cater to the same demographic as Milk Market, leading to an almost disingenuous air. Much of my trip to Denver felt this way, in all honesty, even walking through some of its more residential areas. This shopping area, in particular, didn’t have much character and could have just as easily been Scottsdale Quarter in Arizona or Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale had it not been for the mountains rising behind it.

With my short walk around the area and a $6 oat milk latte completed, I climbed aboard first the 3 line and then the 73 line buses, making the connection between the two easily. During the ride, I got to see more of Denver’s outlying areas and noticed how they didn’t feel too different from other major cities I have visited in the Great Plains or Midwest. Denver does truly feel to me like a Heartland city cosplaying as a West Coast metropolis. While many of the older houses have a lot of charm, the newer group-built constructions bring to mind a certain Malvinas Reynolds song.

Denver Airports Past and Present

After disembarking my last bus in Denver, I finally arrived at my last stop of the trip, the former site of Denver’s Stapleton Airport. Stapleton opened in 1929 but was eventually hemmed in by construction from Denver’s urban sprawl, leading to noise complaints and legal threats from surrounding communities The airport was closed in 1995 with the opening of the new Denver International Airport (the new airport opened the day after Stapleton closed and took with it it’s airlines, vendors, and a fleet of ground vehicles moved overnight). With a significant amount of land somewhat centrally located now available for fresh development, the city and developers alike began planning, which culminated with the city’s new Central Park opening in 2020.

The area around Central Park feels new, and it’s hard to tell there was ever an airport there, though the results are mixed on urban design. The tower for Stapleton is now a brewery and mini golf course, in true Denver fashion. Tower tours are available but cost $12. The park is fairly decent, but it’s mostly just an open plot of scrub with a few trees and some walking paths. I strolled around the area for a while, but not wanting to pay for a tower tour and feeling quite tired from my long day of traveling, I decided to walk several blocks north back to the A Line. Along the way, I met for the final time Denver’s style of urban development, where there’s a relatively pedestrianized area near a train station with no sidewalk connection, requiring pedestrians to cut across a lawn, through a parking lot, and into a bus terminal to reach the station. An A train arrived just as I did to the station, and I climbed aboard the mostly empty train back towards DEN.

As we got closer to the airport, I once again noticed the scale of just how massive the entire complex was. Even aside from the large terminals with dozens of gates, the rental car areas, the airline operations areas, and the works departments required to keep the airport functioning just seemed to stretch forever. Along the route, I also got to see Blucifer, the demonic-looking blue stallion statue with glowing red eyes that killed its creator (true story).

The terminal was a bit chaotic when I arrived, and it took me a while to find the PreCheck line, but once I had it located, it did not take long to get through and onto a train towards the gates. Arriving at my designated terminal, I did find perhaps my favorite passenger amenity an airport can offer: an outdoor patio. With ample seating and good views of the airfield, it was a plane spotters paradise. The comfortable couches were a perfect space to allow me to collect my thoughts and enjoy the views of landing airplanes while the mountains stretched beyond.

I would be lying if I said that Denver was one of my favorite cities I visited since starting this project. It isn’t that the city had a particularly bad element to it or that I had an unpleasant interaction while in the city, rather it just felt overwhelmingly neutral. There was never a “wow” moment for me in the city, even compared to close cities I have previously covered, like Salt Lake City’s majestic valley or the otherworldly landscape of Phoenix. Denver is not actually in the mountains, contrary to my prior belief, and it does not feel particularly well connected to them. The city that was supposed to have so much character felt lacking in that element.

Maybe it was the time of year that I visited or that I didn’t get the chance to experience something curated for getting a “real taste” of the city, but I shouldn’t have to. When I visited Salt Lake City, I was out and about on a random Tuesday in March, yet I found lots of things to see and enjoy on my own accord with the limited time I had. In Chicago, there was simply so much that the city had to offer that I walked away wishing I had more than 9 hours to see a few more things. In Denver, I was ready to go and ended up spending more time in its (admittedly nice) airport than I needed to.

I do not want it to seem like the city is not worth a visit at some point, as it does have its bright spots. There are lots of areas to see, and there are paid attractions like Elitch Gardens or one of the city’s many museums that I just didn’t want to pay for. I also did not venture further West into the Rockies for some of its incredible skiing and hiking. If you want to visit Denver, you can have a great time, but be prepared to shell out for it and have a plan ahead of time for what you want to do; simply showing up and walking around the city may not be enough as it is in many others. I hope that I get to visit Denver again at some point in the future to get a second opinion of the city and find something that makes another trip worth the visit, but there are other places that I intend to visit before I return.