Looking for a fun day in downtown Denver? Love Art? Do you enjoy a quieter and slower pace with less crowds? This post is for you!
Denver is my home town. I’m actually one of the rare natives. Summer is when I believe Colorado is at its best and when I like to put my travel on pause and become a tourist or in some cases a tour guide in my own town.
I got the opportunity to do that this month with my friend visiting from Connecticut. Here are my suggestions for a day in Downtown Denver for Art lovers.
Attend an Art Festival
What can you do in a day in Downtown Denver? The Denver Chalk Art Festival is one of my favorite summertime activities.
Artists travel from all around the country to create their masterpieces in chalk on the streets of Denver, Colorado. It happens the first weekend of June every year.
I recommend going on Sunday morning as there will be less crowds and the artists will be further along in their creations. Plus, street parking is free on Sundays!
Summers can get hot in Downtown Denver, so mornings will also be a little cooler. Don’t forget some sunscreen on those shoulders! There isn’t always a lot of shade. A hat or an umbrella also helps.
The Denver Chalk Art Festival is located in The Golden Triangle Creative District on 12th and Bannock. It’s just two blocks South of Civic Center Park and a great jumping off point for other fun places to spend a day in downtown Denver.
The Chalk Art Festival runs the first weekend of June every year and is open from 10am to 8pm both Saturday and Sunday. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite artist while you are there!
Missed it this year? Swap it out for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival just East of Downtown which runs July 5-7, 2024.
Lunch at Pints Pub
Photo by Kate Bocash
Next, take a break for lunch nearby and explore the art of beer making. A day in downtown Denver wouldn’t be complete without visiting one of its many breweries like my favorite, Pints Pub.
It really feels like a warm and homey British pub complete with not one, but two British red telephone booths and a British bobby (policeman) to greet you at the door.
They brew traditional cask conditioned or live ales and have the largest selection of single malts outside of Britain! They also have several local hard ciders which are a particular favorite of mine.
Photos by Kate Bocash
Ambiance
The layout is broken up nicely into four rooms which makes the atmosphere feel more intimate and relaxed than a lot of restaurants.
Cozy up in one of their nice booths, pull up to a table for two with their comfy leather chairs or choose a high top table near the bar with a group of friends and a view of their cask cellar through a window in the floor.
Pints Pub also has two nice upstairs rooms to accommodate larger groups. Soak up a taste of Britain without the long plane ride or expensive ticket!
Photo by Kate Bocash
Food
Pints Pub serves traditional British Pub fare and also has a large burger selection. I love that they always bring a caddy of additional toppings for your burger like, thinly sliced red onions, dill and butter pickles, and even jalapeños and banana peppers if you want something a little spicy.
As a vegetarian I always get the Queen’s Own Burger. A Garden Burger, but it’s jazzed up with a tasty bun and served with avocado, lettuce and tomato.
I also suggest adding the British Cheddar or Dill Havarti cheese to your burger. Delish! Save some room for dessert though.
Pint’s Pub has an excellent Chocolate Lover’s Torte from nearby Gateaux’s bakery which has been voted the best bakery in Denver many times by Denver’s 5280 Magazine and has also been featured on The Food Network. It’s served with a drizzle of raspberry couli and is a chocolate lovers delight!
Check out a Museum
After lunch check out one of Denver’s cool art museums. There is the large Denver Art Museum conveniently located down the street from Pint’s Pub.
There are also smaller or more intimate museums you may want to check out like the Kirkland Museum for fine and decorative art or the Clyfford Still Museum for abstract art.
Photo of Kirkland’s Original Studio
On this particular day I chose to visit the Kirkland Museum which I noticed had an exhibit on Art Deco, called Vanity and Vice, as I was roaming the chalk art festival .
I love Art Deco and the decorative arts, so my friend and I popped in to explore after lunch. The Vanity and Vice exhibit runs until January 12, 2025.
This museum has been open since 2003 and moved to the Golden Triangle Creative District in 2016, but I had never visited before.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much this museum had to offer. Not only does it have a vast supply of works by prolific artist Vance Kirkland who called Colorado home, but I also found art objects from Frank Lloyd Wright, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.
I was very impressed by the versatility of Kirkland’s work as well, from realism to surrealism to abstract. During my visit to the museum I learned that Kirkland suspended himself from the ceiling in his studio to create his dot paintings. That is dedication to your craft!
Photo of the Ropes Kirkland Use to Suspend Himself
Dinner and Dessert at D Bar
A day in downtown Denver wouldn’t be complete without savoring another artistry. That of the dessert. D Bar is a fun place to linger over a delicious dessert and offers the unique opportunity to actually watch them make them right in front of you. Sit at the bar and watch these skilled pastry artists in action!
Desserts
My favorite dessert at D Bar is the famous Cake and Shake, the Madagascar chocolate frosted, 3 layer cake served with a mini-hand spun milkshake. Get your choice of vanilla, chocolate or raspberry shake. I chose the raspberry and it paired quite nicely.
Want to relive the simplicity of childhood? Try the tasty freshly baked cookies served with a cold refreshing glass of milk. Umm…just like grandma’s house!
D Bar is the brain child of Food Network Celebrity Chef, Keegan Gerhard and his lovely wife and fellow chef, Lisa Bailey. The “D” in D Bar stands for Drinks, Dining and Desserts.
I’ve been coming here since it was a tiny store front on 17th Street and could only seat a few people. I’m so happy that they have expanded and even have a D Bar coming soon to the Denver International Airport. I can’t wait to check that out on an upcoming trip!!
Don’t Forget Dinner
I’m all about the desserts, but this place doesn’t just have great desserts they have excellent food and drinks as well!
Try the heavenly pizza salad sandwich with a glass of Spanish Los Dos wine. It may sound strange, but it is the perfect combination of smooth and creamy goat cheese, crunchy pine nuts on a thin crust pizza with the heavenly liquid gold that is basil pesto. So amazing!
Prefer some good old comfort food? Try the Bacon Mac and Cheese with a 4 cheese sauce, applewood smoked bacon and a crispy, crunchy Cheez-it and panko crust that ends with a sigh of satisfaction.
I hope you enjoyed my recommended day in Downtown Denver for Art Lovers. If you enjoyed this post check out these posts next: Best Restaurant in Long Island, NY, Things to do in Salt Lake City, and Best Restaurants in Salt Lake City with Something for Everyone. Get there using my hack for finding cheap flights and don’t forget to travel light. Please subscribe and be the first to find out about other hidden gems!