Diving into Denver

At one of our team meetings, the icebreaker question was, “What’s your plan for the summer?” I said I didn’t have anything planned yet, but I’d probably book a flight somewhere. My destination depends on which place has cheap airfare on the dates I’m free. That’s my travel algorithm.

For June, the algorithm chose Denver, Colorado.

On the week of my flight, immigration crackdowns had started in Los Angeles and eventually reached Orange County, where I live. The raids sparked protests in LA that grew loud enough for Trump to send in the National Guard. The news was unsettling. Agents were showing up in unmarked vehicles, masked, unannounced. People were just being taken.

I’m here legally and have all my documents, but that doesn’t mean I feel safe. The uncertainty is the scariest part. The randomness of it all. Once I found out operations were happening in my area, I started keeping the front door locked whenever I was home. I felt safer at work as we have badges, security gates, and cameras. People couldn’t just come in.

My flight was on a Thursday, and part of me was nervous about just getting to LAX without trouble. But another part of me felt that leaving town, even for a few days, might be the safest move. Protests were expected to intensify over the weekend; it was Trump’s birthday, after all.

Thankfully, I landed in Denver without a hitch.

The airport was surprisingly beautiful. Instead of the usual concrete sprawl of parking lots, the first thing I saw outside the terminal was a lush green space. Lounge chairs were scattered across the lawn, inviting people to relax, breathe, and take in the view. On both sides of the grassy patch were rows of wind chimes, softly tinkling in the breeze. It added to the calm, almost meditative vibe of the place.

Getting to downtown Denver from the airport was painless. There’s a train (RTD) that runs directly from the terminal, just a short walk from the exit. A day pass costs $10 and gives you unlimited rides.

While I was on the train, I pulled up my itinerary and looked for the breakfast place I’d planned to visit—Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. Turns out it was right at Union Station, my stop. Perfect. I wanted to try both their Benedicts and pancakes, but I knew there was no way I could eat that much in one sitting. So, I decided I’d go twice.

Breakfast, a nap, and dinner

First I went with the Benny Duo, which lets you pick two half-orders of Eggs Benedict. I chose the Habanero Pork Belly and the Bella! Bella! Benny—thin slices of prosciutto, melted Italian cheese, and poached cage-free eggs on toasted ciabatta. Both were great, but the Habanero Pork Belly was the winner. Spicy, tender, with just enough heat to wake up my taste buds after a morning flight.

From Union Station, I hopped on one of the free MallRide buses that loop around the 16th Street Mall area. I stayed on for a full round to get a quick lay of the land, then rode another bus and got off at the stop closest to my hotel.

Thankfully, the hotel allowed early check-in, for an extra $50. I didn’t even hesitate. My flight had been at an ungodly hour and I wanted a nap.

I had a dinner reservation at Guard and Grace, just across the street from my hotel. It’s a modern steakhouse, known for its prime cuts, but I was more interested in their seafood. I ordered the Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Black Truffle Mac & Cheese, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and the Alaskan Black Cod. The waiter, who was incredibly nice, asked if I wanted half portions. It wasn’t listed as an option on the menu, but they could make it happen. No food waste, no food coma. I happily agreed.

The Brussels sprouts were fantastic but the Alaskan Black Cod was the standout. It was lightly charred on the outside, buttery-soft on the inside, resting on broccolini and a sweet soy butter that pulled the whole dish together. It was the kind of dish that makes you pause between bites just to appreciate it, and makes you want it to be your last bite.

I asked for the check but before handing it over, the kind waiter brought me a small piece of cake. “We don’t want anyone leaving without dessert,” he said.

I walked off the meal by heading a few blocks down to the convention center to see the big blue bear sculpture peeking curiously into the building.

The next day, I squeezed in another visit to Snooze before I went to the Foothills of the Rockies. I ordered their signature pancake flight so I could try three different flavors: Pineapple Upside Down, Strawberry Shortcake, and Classic Chocolate Chip, which I ended up ignoring because the pineapple and strawberry were the best. The Rejuvenate juice—a mix of pear, lemon, ginseng, agave, prickly pear coconut water, and Himalayan pink salt—also stood out. In fact, I would go back to Snooze just to drink it again.

Dinosaur Ridge

On the tour, we were joined by a family of four, including two kids who were very into dinosaurs. I ended up learning from the kids that we’d be visiting an actual dinosaur fossil site, called Dinosaur Ridge.

We also stopped at some ancient rock formations that were once below sea level.

The main attraction was the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. The amphitheater is stunning. It’s built right into massive red sandstone formations that shoot up on either side, forming a natural acoustic wonder. The seats cascade down between these giant rocks, creating a view that’s both cinematic and intimate. Even if you’re not there for a concert, the place is worth visiting for the sheer beauty alone. You don’t just see the landscape; you sit inside it.

Next to the amphitheater is a visitor center with a cool little fossil exhibit. There’s a jawbone from a Tyrannosaurus rex, and the fossilized footprints of Ornithomimus and Iguanodon, bird-like dinosaurs that once roamed the area.

Finally, we made it to Dinosaur Ridge, where actual dinosaur bone fossils are still embedded in the rock face. I’ll admit, I was hyped. But when I saw them, it was underwhelming. You couldn’t really make them out from the stone unless you squinted and followed the outline highlighted in varnish-like paint. Even then, it was hard to see. You kind of had to just take their word for it. The kids were a little disappointed, too. That said, we only stopped at the first section—maybe there was more to see if we went further in.

On the way back, we drove through Golden, Colorado, a small town with Western charm. From there, we spotted the massive Coors Brewery, its campus so sprawling it has its own internal train system for moving goods and materials.

After the tour ended, I headed to the International Church of Cannabis. I’d booked a spot for their signature light show, a sensory experience meant to transport you to another realm (supposedly more immersive if you’re under the influence). The visuals were great, but the narration was cheesy.

The lobby was a playful surprise: part arcade, part designer toy gallery, with shelves of collectible figurines, bright neon art installations, and quirky games. Outside, there was Gandhi Garden, dotted with eccentric chairs. No cannabis was sold or smoked on-site; it’s purely a cultural, immersive space, not a dispensary.

Afternoon tea and a ghost tour

I made my way to the Brown Palace Hotel for my first afternoon tea experience, which was held in a sunlit atrium beneath a soaring stained-glass ceiling. Picture three-tiered platters stacked with dainty sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and petite pastries.

I ordered a fragrant raspberry tea and the waitress—who was so warm that talking to her felt like chatting with a family member—walked me through the scone spreads, clotted cream, preserves, and lemon curd.

The sandwiches were perfection, exactly what I needed after a day of sightseeing. I got comfortably full somewhere between the scones and the second tier of treats. It was relaxing, elegant, and exactly the kind of midday indulgence that reminds you why it’s nice to travel.

That evening’s agenda was a ghost and haunted houses walking tour. I’d done one in New Orleans that was dark, theatrical, and wildly entertaining. Denver’s ghosts, by contrast, felt tamer. Maybe even refined.

The most well-known stop was the Molly Brown House Museum, home of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown,” a Titanic survivor famously portrayed by Kathy Bates in “Titanic.” The house is said to be haunted by her spirit and possibly others, with reports of unexplained cold spots and footsteps.

Another stop was the Patterson Inn, a historic red sandstone mansion with a long, eerie history. Stories include flickering lights, phantom footsteps, and even guard dogs leaping from windows during past renovations. The inn now only accepts guests 21 and older—apparently, the ghosts prefer haunting children.

I took a Lyft from the Capitol where our tour group had met and disbanded. The driver casually warned me to steer clear of the area the next day due to a planned protest. It was happening in Denver, too!

Art and museums

The following day, I had another walking tour, this time one that reached the city’s arts district. I’ve never thought of myself as an art and museums person, but Denver had me rethinking that. Two museums caught my attention: The CELL (Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab), an interactive museum focused on global and domestic terrorism, and The Denver Firefighters Museum, which showcases historic equipment and stories of bravery, all set in a beautifully preserved firehouse from 1909.

Denver takes art seriously. The city mandates that a portion of its budget goes to public art, and it shows. Sculptures, murals, and installations seem to pop up in the most unexpected places.

We looped back to the Capitol again, which I didn’t mind at all. With its gleaming gold dome and stately white columns, the building looks like it was plucked straight from a storybook. It was still early, so the protest crowd was just starting to trickle in. Throughout our walk, we kept passing more protesters en route to the Capitol.

We also returned to the Brown Palace Hotel, but this time, I got to explore the second floor. You can either take the elevator or climb the two antique escalators-turned-staircases. Our guide mentioned that there used to be an underground tunnel, now sealed, that connected the hotel to a former brothel across the street called the Navarre Building. The story goes that while their wives sipped tea in the atrium, the men discreetly used the tunnel to sneak over for less wholesome entertainment.

At one point, the guide brought up Casa Bonita, a themed restaurant in Lakewood that had shut down during the pandemic and was later revived by the creators of South Park. What sold me on it? Cliff divers. Yes, real people diving into a pool right inside the restaurant while you eat. What?! That immediately became my post-tour plan: check out, head to Casa Bonita.

But sadly, it’s reservation-only. I still showed up, hoping for a cancellation, but the host explained that all bookings are handled by a separate company, so they couldn’t release any last-minute spots. A total miss. But hey, now I’ve got a great excuse to come back.

Denver delivered exactly what I thought it would and more. It’s quiet, composed, and intelligent. Not a place that shouts for attention, but one that earns it.

Even its protests had a certain restraint. When I called a Lyft later that day, the driver couldn’t reach me because of a road closure. He told me to meet him on the other side, which meant crossing through an actual parade of protesters. So, there I was, politely weaving between homemade signs and megaphones, trying to unnecessarily blend in. No one actually cared what I looked like. In fact, that was partly the point of the protest. And for that, I was grateful.

A fitting end, I thought. Denver is a subtle city, but not a forgettable one.