The Digital Summit Collective's City Guide to Denver:  An Insider’s Scoop for Marketing Leaders Heading to Digital Summit Denver

About this article:
Our City Guide is an insider’s guide for marketing leaders — real recommendations, local perspective, and the places that make this city worth experiencing beyond the conference.

Like most people in Denver, I moved here from elsewhere. Born and raised outside of New York City, I experienced quite the culture shock when I landed in Colorado. We’re a morning city – you can find bars open late, but we’re up early. Even in winter, we’re spending time outside. But the most surprising thing?

If you come to visit Denver, chances are you don’t spend that much time actually in Denver.

Don’t get me wrong – if you’re here just for the conference and your time for extracurriculars is limited, you will have a great time, drink great beer, and eat great food.

But the real gems are in the outlying neighborhoods and towns – Golden to the west, Wash Park to the south, and everywhere beyond and in between. Denver is a sprawling city with limited public transportation, so if you really want to see the hidden gems that make this place great, you’ll need to rent a car or grab an Uber. (Not to mention that the airport is basically in Kansas.)

Speaking of Kansas, many first-time visitors are very surprised when they land and the mountains seem...very far away. But don’t be fooled, chances are you’re still at a much higher altitude than you’re used to. If you read this article and only remember one thing, let it be this: drink. water. Altitude sickness is a surefire way to ruin your trip. Think you’re drinking enough water? Drink more - just to be safe.

I’m just here for the conference, how do I make the most out of Denver without traveling far?

For a “big” city, downtown Denver is pretty small.

There are a ton of hotels near the convention center, and there’s plenty of places to eat, drink and work downtown. If you’re looking for a hotel with a little more character, I really like the Hotel Monaco on Champa St. After conference sessions, head to The Corner Office (inside the Curtis Hotel) for happy hour, or walk to Larimer Square for dinner at Rioja or Tamayo.

A quick Uber or scooter ride (let’s be honest, those scooters are pretty fun) will take you to areas of downtown that feel like they’re a world away. Head across the river to LoHi for trendy shops and restaurants (and the best poke bowl in town at Ohana Island Kitchen), go north to RiNo for an industrial vibe with breweries and food halls, or east to Five Points for live music and the best bagel you’ll find outside NYC at Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen (trust me, I would know).

Got one free night? Spend it at Nocturne Jazz Club. (Reservations are recommended)

Got one free morning? Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy it in Confluence Park. (Huckleberry Roasters is my personal favorite)

Want to look like a local? Avoid the 16^th Street Mall. (It’s mostly chain restaurants and tourist shops anyway)

I’ve got some time, how can I get the real Colorado experience?  

Denver is a laid-back place – locals are more drawn to breweries over cocktail bars and food trucks over Michelin stars. However, one of the misconceptions of Denver is that we don’t have a strong food culture. Our food scene has strong Mexican influences, but because so many people move here from across the country there’s actually really great food from all cultures and regions.

There are a few things you should do to say you’ve truly been to Colorado:

• Try a Rocky Mountain Oyster – don’t Google it, just order it. You can get them at Buckhorn Exchange, Denver’s oldest restaurant, and try the rattlesnake while you're at it.
• Head to Red Rocks – while it’s best known as a concert venue, it’s also a public park. Grab a cup of coffee, park in the Upper North lot, and take it all in. If you’re looking for some exercise, it’s a popular spot for yoga or just...walking up the stairs.
• Drink local beer – some of my favorites are Joyride Brewing for a skyline view, Cerebral Brewing’s West Highlands spot for some wood-fired pizza, or Cannonball Creek for the best beer you’ll ever have in a 7-Eleven parking lot.

Got one free day? Head west and spend it in Golden. On your way back from Red Rocks, grab lunch from D’Deli and eat in Parfet Park on Clear Creek. Tour the Coors Brewery, but get a real beer at Mountain Toad or Golden City Brewing. Eat dinner on the patio at Sherpa House. If you’re feeling adventurous, hike up South Table Mountain and sit atop the town. The real spirit of Colorado is alive and well in Golden – and it’s like nothing else.

Regardless of how you choose to spend your time, you’ll easily see why so many people choose to move here. While I'll always have east coast roots, Colorado has been my home for almost 15 years, and I love sharing it with people.

Welcome to Denver!