[burro_blasta]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

ok guys, seems the group of folks i'm going with want to stay in downtown denver as this will be easiest access to food/transit etc.. we will then day trip out west.


is downtown basically like NY? in regards to homeless etc? assuming yes

Downtown is like FiDi Manhattan...full of offices, empties out a bit at night, with the obligatory patch of "destination" - like how FiDi has stone street and the seaport, Denver has "LoDo" (lower downtown) and Larimer street. They're...fine.

RiNo is a reasonable walk or very short Uber from downtown, great neighborhood full of breweries, good markets, and good restaurants. The Source is a good hotel complex with a few restaurants and breweries and rooftop, but it's on the other side of RiNo so you wouldn't walk into it if you weren't trying to, but worth it.

From downtown, a bit longer walk but still short Uber gets you to the Highlands area and also LoHi (lower Highlands). RiNo, Highlands, and LoHi will give you tons of city nightlife options...the best options within Denver proper...and, importantly, a good Denver/CO kind of vibe. If you want to venture a bit farther, Cherry Creek is 15 mins ride, think Scottsdale (?) kind of walkable trendy shopping and eating and drinking area.

Lots of good advice above about exploring outside of denver. The I-70 stretch just west of denver has Breck and Vail within 2 hours, also winter park Keystone and beaver creek. Red Rocks for a closer hike. St. Mary's Glacier is a farther drive than red rocks, but gets you into the actual Rockies (red rocks is just foothills), is a short uphill hike, with beautiful alpine lake payoff...a good one for tourists bc the hike is pretty short so you're not going to get wrecked by the altitude adjustment, and you still get an awesome view