Spotlight On City Park Neighborhood
It’s hard not to love Denver’s City Park area or want to live within one the many neighborhoods that surround the park.
With the largest park in Denver as the central focus, this vast neighborhood also includes great walkability to local restaurants, bars, and shops. Inside the park, you’ll find City Park Golf Course, the Denver Zoo, and Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Choose from several, smaller, neighborhoods like Uptown, Whittier, Cole, Five Points, and the ever changing Colfax Avenue. Each offer their own unique vibe and different reasons to live there. Spending a day in the park then grabbing dinner at a local restaurant on East 17th Avenue before heading to a concert at one of the three venues on Colfax all make for a day well spent. These are our to top picks:
Jazz In The Park- every Sunday for ten weeks starting in June, City Park Jazz puts on a free jazz show in the center of the park surrounding the pond. Music starts at 6, but Denverites gather around the park all day to grill, play volleyball, and relax. More than twenty food trucks line up to serve everything from gourmet grilled cheese, ice cream, and even cereal!
Vine Street Pub– if you’re a fan of Southern Sun or Mountain Sun in Boulder, you will love this place. Same great locally resourced food, music, and craft beer. We recommend trying some of their daily specials, great burgers, or vegetarian options. Note: they only accept cash, so don’t forget to swing by an ATM first (but they will give you an I Owe You to mail in if you forget your cash). Children are welcome and we recommend trying the patio in the summer or playing the adult sized bar games, like Giant Jenga.
The Thin Man Tavern– this Denver staple and long time local favorite features infused vodkas like strawberry lemonade and even house made sangria in the summer. The ambiance of red string lights, a wood burning stove, and couches make for a great date spot or grab a patio table from one of two outdoor areas in the summer and enjoy the people watching of East 17th Avenue.
D Bar Denver– Originally started as a dessert bar, D Bar recently expanded to a new location and opened up their menu to include lunch, dinner, and brunch on the weekends. We recommend coming in late night after dinner for some of their award winning desserts- ice cream, macaroons, shakes, cakes, and pies, whatever your heart desires, they have it!
Talulah Jones– Looking for a unique gift? This boutique gift shop has it. With one of the best selections of hand made children’s gifts and clothing from small businesses around the world. Talulah also sells one of a kind jewelry, house wares, unique cards, clothes, accessories, books, and more for any adult you need to shop for!
Denver Bicycle Cafe– coffee shop, snack bar, craft beer spot, and bicycle shop all in one. You can grab a coffee and crush some work during the day, just remember the WiFi is turned off at 5:30 when the bar starts to get busy. Or grab some tamales from Denver’s La Casita or a cheese board while you wait to get your bike fixed. Check out their calendar for comedy night, live music, and beer specials like $3 Can Night.
Ogden Theater– Listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places and built in 1919, this venue holds 1600 people and makes for great acoustics and a smaller, intimate setting. With nightly concerts, it would be hard to not find a show to go to- the theater hosts a variety of bands from bluegrass, hip-hop, electronic, jam, almost anything! If you’re looking for a smaller venue, try the Bluebird and if you want something BIGGER, try the Fillmore- all located on Colfax Avenue.
