Winter City Break in Colorado

Traveling with friends

• Denver Museum of Contemporary Art: Visit the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art to view its rotating exhibits. When you’re done, head upstairs to the cafe for mountain views and a hot beverage

• Denver Union Station: Head downtown to Denver’s Union Station, renovated in 2014, to shop and dine. Have a coffee in the lobby while you admire the decor, or visit the outpost of Tattered Cover books so you have something to read on the plane ride home.

• River North Arts District, or RiNO: Go on a self-guided beer tour of Denver’s RiNo district. Stop by Our Mutual Friend, Ratio Beer Works and Stem Ciders for some of the best drinks and snacks!

• Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory: Take a tour of the Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory, learning how the country’s favorite herbal tea got its start. The best part? After the tour, you can indulge in unlimited tea tastings in the cafe!

• Pearl Street Mall: Visit the Pearl Street Mall for a morning or an afternoon, wandering several car-free blocks of shops and restaurants. Stop in at OZO Coffee to get out of the cold!

Traveling solo

• Shoshoni Yoga Retreat: Register for a yoga retreat outside Boulder at Shoshoni Yoga Retreat. Spend a few days practicing Hatha yoga and meditation, surrounded by beautiful mountains.

Traveling with kids

• Denver Aquarium: The Denver Aquarium has many interactive exhibits for kids, and is great for cold weather.

• Denver Museum of Nature and Science: Head to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for rotating exhibits that are perfect for kids!

Breakfast and lunch

• Sunny’s: Head to Sunny’s in the Highlands neighborhood for fantastic breakfast and brunch options.

• Onefold: Bring a book and have a leisurely breakfast at Onefold near Denver's Union Station. Order the chilaquiles with or without chorizo.

• Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings: With locations in Denver, Boulder, and Aurora, Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings makes the perfect lunch spot. Try the soup dumplings and the pan fried pork buns.

Happy hour and dinner

• Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey: For happy hour in the West Highlands, you can’t do better than Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey. Delicious drinks and food specials.

• Vital Root: Head to Vital Root in the Tennyson neighborhood for fast-casual, vegan-friendly food. Get the cashew “queso.”

• Safta: Safta is where I return to, every time I am in Denver. Make a reservation for dinner and enjoy some of the best Mediterranean and Israeli food west of the Mississippi.

• Temaki Den: Temaki Den is the place to go for a hand roll omakase experience. Make a reservation for a seat at the bar and watch the chefs prepare super fresh hand rolls. Excellent cocktails.

• A5 Steakhouse: Go to A5 when you want an upscale meal–enjoy a steak and tiger prawns, as well as an excellent wine list.