We were in Denver in October 2018 as part of Big Trip #2. Read about our first visit in 2016 here during Big Trip #1. Read about our third visit in 2020 here during Big Trip #3.

We did this on our first Big Trip: camped in the Airstream beside our friends’ house in Northeast Denver. Like, in the city! It was a blast both times. We ate a ton, drank good beer, and had some adventures around town.

(And again on Big Trip #3!)

Campground

Ha. Not telling.

Where to Eat

We accidentally kept returning to Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. It’s a huge former aviation manufacturing facility that now houses a variety of food/drink establishments, fitness studios, clothing shops, and other commercial spaces. Our first night in town we had a wonderful sushi meal at Misaki, and on the way out passed Denver Biscuit Co and knew we’d be back.

So yes, we had biscuits for breakfast. They were tasty gut bombs (accompanied by unlimited serve yourself coffee–why doesn’t every breakfast place do that??) that kept us full until…

Voodoo Doughnuts for an afternoon snack! Thought you’d like to see before and after photos.

Saturday night dinner was at Punchbowl Social: a restaurant with bowling lanes, pinball machines, and lawn games, housed in the original Denver Airport tower. I guess we had an airplane theme to our eating this trip. The food was great, but my favorite part about Punchbowl was the cocktails served in actual punchbowls, with ladles and dainty little cups. Yes I know my camera is crap. I had a new phone sent to Park City so when you get to that recap the photos will be much improved–and that’s where the hiking photos start so thank goodness for a good camera.

For our last breakfast in Denver, we returned to the scene of our last breakfast on Big Trip #1: Four Friends Kitchen for upscale comfort food. We loved it last trip and loved it this trip. Bonus: you can use the NoWait app and get in line virtually before leaving the house–GENIUS. Especially when you are dining with a small child, like we were. I don’t mean J.

The biscuit benedicts at Four Friends were stellar, but I totally could have eaten another biscuit sandwich at the Biscuit Wagon food truck we chanced upon at the Stapleton Farmers Market after breakfast.

Where to Drink

Our favorite beer in Denver this visit was from Long Table Brewhouse. We tasted several (including a surprising orange cream ale) and went back later for a growler to take on the Airstream.

We enjoyed Station 26 last time in Denver and it hit the spot again. Both Station 26 and Long Table have spacious outdoor seating areas, and delicious-sounding food truck options the days we visited.

Cheluna Brewing is in the Stanley, and we had an uninspiring Mexican lager (which, to be fair, isn’t our usual beer choice, so it’s probably us, not them) there while waiting for our sushi table.

Where to Entertain Your Dog

City Park is a pretty place to go for a run, and Bugsy and I enjoyed looping around the lake and people-watching on a beautiful Fall day.

But the absolute best place to take your dog in the Denver area, and the most impressive dog park I’ve ever even heard of, is the Dog Off-Leash Area at Cherry Creek State Park. It’s 107 acres (!!!) with a creek and distant views of downtown and the mountains and a million happy dogs zooming around. The humans had a lovely stroll and the dogs ran themselves into the ground. Denver dog owners–and Denver dogs!–are incredibly fortunate to have Cherry Creek Park!