10 Popular Things To Do in Denver

When writing this, Frontier Airlines was offering direct 2 1/2 hour flights from Lafayette, Louisiana to Denver starting at $23 for a one way ticket. My destination was Las Vegas to attend an Expedia Conference. Frontier also has dirt cheap flights to Vegas on regular basis. I decided I would rent a car and drive up to Superior to hang out with my old high school buddy author Ken Wheaton who just moved there a few months ago from New York. If you are interested in learning more about my hometown of Lafayette, check out this post https://thecajuntraveler.net/tobys-top-10-things-to-do-in-cajun-country/.

What I Did

Most of my mornings started with cup of joe add cashew milk from Amethyst Coffee Co. which is right across the street from the hostel. My favorite part about this place is that it has a couch. My least favorite part about this place is that there is only one wall outlet for charging your phone or computer.

I visited a marijuana distribution center (legal in Denver) that just happened to be in the parking lot of the yoga studio (Kindness Yoga) where I missed my 9 a.m. session. Instead I ducked out to Breakfast Palace. The link is to the Facebook page. They don’t have a website. Old School. Don’t let the outside of this place fool you, the menu is huge. I chose the steak and eggs. Only one egg comes with the meal. I also opted for rye toast which is not that common in the south where I am from.

Where I Ate

Alamo Draft House and movie theater – the burger and fries was mediocre. I had the Royale with Cheese which was a bacon cheeseburger with caramelized onions. Even though the overall service was great, the fries were not hot when they reached my seat. Even though I was less than satisfied with my meal, I wish we had one of these in Lafayette. The movie (Bohemian Rhapsody) and the delicious white Belgian style beer (Avery White Rascal) made up for the food.

BurgerFi – although they boasted grass-fed beef with no hormones this was another mediocre burger. The fries were delicious, however, this is not what caught my eye. My neighbors had chosen the onion rings as a side instead of the fries. Oh, and what a choice. There were only like five onion rings on the plate. That’s right. They were bigger than my fist but each about an inch and a half wide. I was so impressed that I went back the next night and ordered only onion rings. Hands down these were the best onion rings I have ever eaten.

Chicago Style Beef and Dogs – I did a quick search for the best chili in Denver. I can across this article and I usually go for the first on the list. I was running late for my flight to Vegas and Cherry Cricket was a bit out of the way so I settled for Chicago Style Beef and Dogs. More than the hot dogs and the chili, the memorabilia inside the restaurant was what I will remember most.

Duffeyroll Cafe Bakery – On my way out to Red Rocks I was not in the mood for a full meal but just a snack. I accidentally stumbled into a place that serves the some of the best cinnamon rolls in Denver. They don’t look like much but man, looks can be deceiving.

Devil’s Food – With name like this (and an 8.9 rating on Foursquare) how can you not try this place out. It was brunch time so I went with the Garden Vegetables and Eggs. The eggs were poached perfectly. The meal itself was a bit bland for my test. I am a Cajun, in Denver. A little salt and pepper plus two kinds of Merf’s hot sauce made this dish a winner.

Searching for something on the healthier side, I used my trusted Yelp app and found one of the highest rated sandwich joints in Denver. Also, it was only a block away from my hostel. My choice at Zeps Epiq Sandwiches was the Boulderite which is a crispy falafel, feta, hummus, roasted red peppers, cucumber, tomato, romaine, minted yogurt sauce sandwich served on a French baguette.

Where I Slept

11th Avenue Hostel – $66 for a private room with shared bathroom. The floors creek a lot and the carpet needs a re-do but other than that the place is decent. You can tell the owners took time to give this very old hotel a hostel feel, especially by turning the Lounge area into a shared kitchen space equipped with books and a ping pong table. There is a small grocery store conveniently located right next door to the hostel.

Where I Went

Washington Park – revise “largely residential, Washington Park centers on its namesake green space, a rectangular expanse with sport facilities, formal flower gardens and winding trails for cycling and jogging. An elegant boathouse overlooks Smith Lake, popular with kayakers and anglers. East of the park, Old South Gaylord Street is a bustling shopping district with chic fashion boutiques, galleries, sports bars and casual bistros”

The most amazing part of my short trip to Denver was watching the birds fly, sing, and land on the ice lake in the middle of the park. I was there around 3 p.m. while the sun was starting to set. It was an afternoon I won’t soon forget.