Traveling to Denver for the First Time---Questions

[PracticallyPerfect2015]

Hi all,
My husband and I are going to be going to Denver this November for an event. The hotel we are staying at is about a half an hour away from Denver International Airport. Any locals or seasoned travelers have any advice for us regarding the best (read: most frugal) way to get from the airport to our hotel downtown? Also, are there any off-the-beaten-path MUST see/do recommendations for things/places that we should make sure we see/go before we leave the Mile High City?
Thanks in advance!

 

[TeamSy]

Just watch out when you take the road out of the airport!!! There's another way to go and we had no idea - we just used whatever directions Google Maps gave us. We took the toll road and got hit with a huge bill via our rental car company because we didn't have their version of whatever they use to pay tolls and it was cashless.

 

[hopemax]

I live in the Denver area, the metro bus service called Skyride to/from the airport is pretty good. I use it frequently to get from our park & ride to the airport. They use Motor Coaches vs a typical city bus for the airport routes, luggage goes underneath. I don't know exactly downtown where you are staying, but there is a bus that goes from the airport to Union Station, every half hour. If it's too far to walk, you could take a Taxi from Union Station easily. It's $11 per person.

If you were coming a year later, there would be light rail to Union Station. There other light rail lines that leave Union Station and I don't know if that would get you closer to the hotel or not.

The Airport - Downtown Route is: AF
http://www3.rtd-denver.com//schedules/getSchedule.action?routeType=9&routeId=AF

 

[SureAsLiz]

If you are driving to/from the airport, don't take E-470. Skyride is a good alternative. I've only used it once to get to the airport from SE Aurora, but RTD is very reliable. A great thing about Denver is that there is a pretty solid (and growing) public transportation system. Between the busses and light rail you don't need to drive if you don't want to.

As for things to do, my big ones are food related. Visit Voodoo Donuts at Colfax and Franklin. It's a little out of the way from 16th Street Mall/Lodo area, but very worth it. Just be careful about that area at night.

Also Marquis Pizza at 20th and Larimer. It's part of a small concert venue and they offer all types of pizza including vegan and gluten free. The slices are about $3 for a slice as big as a paper plate. They can be a little greasy at times, but still delicious.

Some other things that are fun: 16th is great. You can take a tour of the Mint. The Molly Brown house is near Civic Center and it's pretty cool to tour (it is the former home of Margaret Brown, a survivor of the Titanic).

 

[PracticallyPerfect2015]

Thank you all! I had found the Skyride option, but wasn't too sure of it. I think we've decided to use it, at least when we arrive. Thanks for the suggestions of things to do/places to visit, SureAsLiz. I think we will hit all of your recommendations!

 

[nordkin]

Thank you all! I had found the Skyride option, but wasn't too sure of it. I think we've decided to use it, at least when we arrive. Thanks for the suggestions of things to do/places to visit, SureAsLiz. I think we will hit all of your recommendations!

To visit the mint you have to make reservations. You can do that on line at their web site.

 

[disneyhand]

We have been there a couple times and really enjoyed Denver Bisquit Company for breakfast. Advise going near opening time, it gets very crowded. Sorry, can't get the link to work. Also enjoyed The Botanical Gardens.

 

[PracticallyPerfect2015]

Disneyhand, my husband found their website in one of his searches...I'm glad you recommended it!

 

[mikehn]

Don't know whether there are any events in November but the Red Rocks Amphitheater is just amazing.

 

[PracticallyPerfect2015]

Mikehn-It appears as though the last shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater are in October. I don't know if they close it for the late fall/winter.

 

[jedijill]

Will you have a rental car? Red Rocks is a whole park and is just amazing to visit in person. Rocky Mountain NP is about 1 1/2 hour drive away. Weather in November can be beautiful or snowy. If you like trains, there is a Train Museum in Golden. Golden also has the Coors Brewery tour. You can go to Boulder and tour the Celestial Seasons tea factory. The zoo is great. We also have a great Natural History museum.

We have a ton of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives locations (In fact, Guy was here last week filming for another episode!) I love Snooze for breakfast..there is a location near Coors Field in LoDo. Keegan Gerhard from the Food Network has a place Uptown called D Bar which is amazing. There are some great craft breweries around town if you like beer.

Remember...Denver is at 5K feet and is very dry. Stay hydrated!

Jill in CO

 

[UCFGrad01]

You can take I-70 or I-225 out of the airport, they're toll-free. E470 is the toll road. 30 min from the airport, but where exactly? Toward downtown? South? Most things are 30 min from the airport, it's out in the middle of nowhere

The Biscuit Company is awesome. Steuben's at 17th and Pearl is incredible too, along with Sam's #3 for breakfast. The 16th St Mall is fun, as is the Mint tour. The Botanic Gardens are lovely if it's not too cold. If you have some time to drive into the mountains, Breckenridge has a fun little downtown to walk through, and Idaho Springs is nice too - they have a great pizza place called BeauJo's. If you have some time to get down to CO Springs (about an hour south of Denver), the Garden of the Gods is breathtaking.

Do yourselves a HUGE favor and drink way more water than you think is humanly possible. Start on the plane. It's incredibly easy to get dehydrated at altitude, and then you'll feel yucky.