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Basecamp Mountains to Murals at The Alley

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Denver LGBTQ+: 3-Day Weekend Itinerary

Some cities are built for a three-day plunge but with its museums, sporting venues, welcoming neighborhood gems, easy jaunts into the foothills and Rocky Mountains and nearby Boulder as well as its easy LGBTQ+ vibes, Denver can handle your undivided attention for many more days. Even so, three days in the Queen City has a nice ring to it. Here’s a “Go West, Young Man, Woman, Non-binary soul” itinerary. Trust us, time spent ambling the city will leave you revived, intrigued and wanting more. What could be better?

Day 1

Unpack your bags at one of the many luxe hotels that give the Cherry Creek neighborhood its Rodeo Drive-in-the-Rockies vibe: the Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek​, the Jacquard Hotel & Rooftop, the Moxy Denver/Cherry Creek and Hotel Clio, A Luxury Collection Hotel.

Take a late afternoon stroll through the boutiques of Cherry Creek North or app a ride to the Denver Botanic Gardens. Throughout the summer, the urban oasis hosts concerts of nationally known acts in its concert series or showcases local talent at its Evenings al Fresco. Walk through the greenery and roll with the tunes. Grab a late evening cocktail at Mozart’s Lounge in the May Fair — that’s Mo’s to locals — or the R&R Lounge, one of the city’s oldest gay bars on the storied Colfax Avenue nearby.

Consider a jut to the west, first to Denver Art Museum, then to the Art District on Santa Fe, especially if it’s a First Friday, when art galleries (Michael Warren Contemporary for one), food trucks and the sweetest queer-feminist bookstore around (Petals & Pages) strut their stuff. End the night and greet the early morning dancing at Tracks in the River North Art District (RiNo), now in its fifth decade as one of the most thumping, welcoming dance clubs around.

Day 2

IGLTA logoRecovered yet? It’s time for brunch. Maybe you stayed at one of the downtown boutique hotels: AC Hotel Denver, The Crawford at Union Station or Limelight Denver. Or maybe you tucked in at the Rally Hotel at McGregor Square, adjacent to Coors Field, where baseball is rumored to be played.

If so, think about a walk to the Dairy Block, with its variety of shops and eateries. Or perhaps you settled in at one of the hotels in bustling RiNo: The Source Hotel, The Ramble Hotel or the Catbird Hotel. If so, there’s no shortage of places to eat. But a fave is Crema Coffee House, where you’ll find your people, if those people are hip, kind, non-conforming and all-over-the-map.

Check out what’s on stage at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, home to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Colorado Ballet, the Denver Symphony and Dazzle, a renowned jazz club. Or head to Capitol Hill. When local machers began imagining a dedicated district for the Queen City — tagged Lavender Hill — it was this Denver OG (that’s original gayborhood) that claims the heart of the cultural district. 

In the afternoon, you might plan a short trip just outside of town to get a sense of this beautiful area. It's just a 30-minute drive to Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, in the foothills of the Rockies, just west of town. Here you can tour the stunning natural concert hall that has hosted countless superstar rock bands over the years or hike the park's gorgeous terrain.

Day 3

So, you decided to stay in Cap Hill. Perhaps at the Patterson Inn with its Manitou sandstone, Chateauesque exterior and suites with names like the “DaVinci,” "Biltmore” and “Antoinette.” If so, amble north to Champagne Tiger on the Fax (East Colfax Avenue), a street famous for its nostalgic neon signs, among other things.

Book one of the apartment-style spots at The Artesian in Lower Highland (LoHi). Then spend a morning people-watching at one of the most relaxed patios in town, LGBTQ-owned Highlands Cork and Café, in the titular and chill north Denver neighborhood. Pop into the shops along 32nd Avenue or stroll the Highlands Farmers Market (Sundays, through mid–October) for baked goods (Hearth), mid-summer Palisade peaches (Morton’s / Peaches & Cream Organic Farms). Be sure to say “Hi” to Lost Greens Farm purveyor Sam or grab a tofu spring roll from best buds Tom and Josh manning the booth at Savory Saigon.

Head back into town for the twinkling of the keys at the stately Brown Palace Hotel & Spa by Marriott, where pianist John Kite plays Sundays, afternoon teatime during the week and Fridays and Saturdays in the hotel’s Ship Tavern. Sir, we salute you. Looking for something friskier? Dive into Sunday’s favorite version of the “hair of the dog that bit you” by stopping at X Bar’s Beer Bust on Colfax. 

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