NationalGeographicTravellerUKMayJune2020

ZZZ

CityPark

RINO ARTSDISTRICT

Cherry CreekPark

The International Churchof Cannabis

The SourceMarket Hall

Cherry CreekNorth

HighlandsSquare

RockmountRanch

DISTRICTSOCO

DENVER

LarimerSquare

500 yards

Denver

UNITED STATESOF AMERICA

COLORADO

Getting there & around

British Airways offers a direct

service from Heathrow. From April

to October, outside ski season,

Norwegian flies direct from Gatwick

four days a week. ba.com

norwegian.com

Average flight time: 9h40m.

Denver is an easy city to navigate,

and much of it is walkable. RTD runs

bus services and light rail, but most

people either drive or use ride-share

apps. Outside the city, a rental car is

essential to get the most out of your

visit, and for day trips to the

mountains. If you’re coming for the

skiing, there are dedicated bus

services to all the big resorts.

rtd-denver.com

When to go

Ski season is December to early

April (average 10C), with the best

snow usually from January to March.

Avoid public holidays, weekends and

spring break if you want to beat the

crowds, plus April and May, which

have the most rain and the odd freak

snowstorm. Summer lasts from June

to August (average 31C) with

occasional thunderstorms in the

afternoon. September and October

(average 24C) are perhaps the best

time for outdoor adventures: the

weather is warm and sunny, and the

crowds are fairly thin.

More info

denver.org

visittheusa.org.uk

How to do it

AMERICA AS YOU LIKE IT offers a

15-night Colorado As You Like It

self-drive itinerary, with stops in

Denver and many of Colorado’s best

mountain towns, including return

flights, accommodation and car hire

from £1,717 per person.

americaasyoulikeit.com

ESSENTIALS

AFTER HOURS
SOCO DISTRICT: This area is home to
four of Denver’s biggest clubs — The Church,
Bar Standard, Club Vinyl and Milk — each
with their own distinct vibe. On weekends,
one cover charge gets you in to all four, so
bounce between them for a mix of Latin,
techno, house and hip-hop. coclubs.com
LARIMER SQUARE: If you want a big night
out, but aren’t quite ready for a full-on
rave, Larimer Square is a good bet. There’s
the speakeasy-style Crimson Room for
jazz, stylish Green Russell for cocktails
and sophisticated Cru for food and wine.
larimersquare.com thecrimsonroom.com
greenrussell.com cruwinebar.com
GRIZZLY ROSE: Once you’ve got that
Rockmount cowboy hat, head over to the
Grizzly Rose, a world-famous honky-tonk, for
live country music six days a week. Everyone
from Taylor Swift to Willie Nelson has played
here and if you fancy yourself as a bit of a
rodeo star, make sure you have a go on the
mechanical bull too. grizzlyrose.com

SLEEP

THE SOURCE: Annexed to The Source

Market Hall’s delicious spread of restaurants,

with a lively rooftop bar and swimming

pool as well the best views of the Rocky

Mountains in the city, this cool, design-

forward hotel is an excellent base for a city

stay. thesourcehotel.com

THE RAMBLE: Located in the trendy

RiNo art district and inspired by the

lavish French salons of the 17th century,

the interiors of this hotel are sensual

and elegant. And so are the cocktails: the

marquee lobby bar is headed up by New York

City’s legendary mixologists Death & Co.

theramblehotel.com

THE ART:^ Home to more than a dozen

cultural attractions, staying in The Art

is like bedding down in a gallery. Each

floor showcases a particular artist’s work,

including big names like Sam Francis and Sol

LeWitt, plus there’s a good outdoor terrace

bar, ideal for resting weary legs after those

museum miles. thearthotel.com

Patrons at Grizzly Rose, a famous

country music venue open since 1989

ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER

130 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

DENVER