Colorado is one of those states I knew I would fall in love with once I set foot in it, but I couldn’t find the right time to get there. When Austin found out he had a work trip to Denver I knew I had to hop along for the ride! We did Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park and Boulder weekend warrior style by cramming as much as humanly possible into a long weekend. We ended up falling hard for the active lifestyle culture that Colorado embodies. Meeting up with old friends and exploring those three areas was an incredible experience, and I’m so excited to share with you what we did!

Denver

Union Station

 

If only Penn Station in New York was half as stunning as Union Station in Denver! Union Station is absolutely gorgeous, filled with amazing restaurants, bars, coffee shops and more. My favorite part about exploring the station was feeling like I was walking through history. It was originally built in 1881, and burned down in 1894. The building was redone in 1914.

Tattered Cover Bookstore

Just around the corner from Union Station, there is the adorable Tattered Cover Bookstore. After walking around a few unique Denver neighborhoods it was so nice to sit down in the comfy chairs, with a cup a tea and read history books about Denver.

RiNo Art District

 

RiNo: The quirkiest most empowering neighborhood in Denver! Recently revitalized in the early 2000’s this neighborhood is exploding with art, culture and beauty. Walking around this neighborhood was enchanting, and an absolute must see. You should follow the guide to the different art exhibitions in the link above.

Larimer Square

Denver’s first block! Walking around this area was like taking a walk back in time due to the striking original architecture. I fell in love with the quaintness of the string lights and outdoor restaurants. Definitely take a stroll down this street, and do a little shopping.

Red Rocks

 

Red Rocks during the day was insanely beautiful and crowded with people working out! Inspired by everyone exercising around us we decided to run up all the bleachers, and with only 80% oxygen it was definitely a tough workout (I would try it out)! We had so much fun going to the museum and checking out the beautiful rocks in the park. I wish we were able to go for a hike, but if you can I heard that Trading Post Trail is amazing.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Emerald Lake Trail

 

Emerald Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park is an absolute gem that leads you to three different lakes: Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. On the way up there were sweeping views of mountain peaks, and just wait until you get to the summit of the mountain! Sitting on top of the summit is Emerald Lake, which is surrounded by mountains so the water froze into a perfect mirror. PSA: Don’t forget your hiking shoes! We didn’t realize that it had snowed up in the mountains until it was too late to bring hiking shoes, so on the way down we slipped and fell hard multiple times (yikes). It was Elk mating season, so on the way out of the park we stopped to observe a ton of Elk making their mating calls which was actually really interesting. We grabbed a cup of tea from Inkwell & Brew to warm up in the adorable town of Estes Park on the way back to Boulder.

Boulder

Chautauqua Park

 

Chautauqua Park is quintessentially Boulder with stellar views of the Flatiron Mountains. The 30 minute uphill bike ride from our Airbnb was definitely worth it to reach this park. You aren’t allowed to bike once you’re in the park, but we did walk around and enjoy the mountains. From this park you can hike the famous and heavily trafficked First and Second Flatiron Loop.

Boulder Farmers Market

 

Music and incredible food is just the start of the lovely Boulder Farmers Market. I could have spent my entire afternoon wondering in this area. From empanadas and tacos to Thai spring rolls we tasted a little bit of everything. Its the perfect place to check out after a morning bike or hike!

Mount Sanitas and Sanitas Valley Loop Trail

 

After we were fueled from the farmers market, we actually walked from town to this hike (which I thought was amazing)! We started by going through the adorable Boulder Creek Path to the start of the Mount Sanitas trial head. I have never seen more dogs on one hike, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We got very distracted, and the hike honestly took us more time than it should have from playing with all the dogs. It was a challenging hike due to the incline, but it was worth it because on the east you could see views of the city of Boulder and on the east you could see views of the Rocky Mountains. There’s nothing better you could ask for! It was the perfect last hike of the trip.