Spring Weekend in Denver
Transitional seasons are high risk, high reward—especially in Colorado. For this spring weekend in Denver, I packed layers (including a light puffer coat), sunscreen, and a hat. I flew in Friday night and flew out Monday morning, a quick trip designed to minimize PTO and maximize fun. Denver delivered.
✈️ Friday: Late Arrival and Hydration Goals
I landed at DIA at 10:30 PM and felt grateful I’d eaten a big dinner at the Atlanta airport. No need to scramble for food. Instead, I hydrated aggressively (post-flight ritual) and headed to bed early—ready to sync from eastern time to mountain time.
☀️ Saturday: Coffee, Cauliflower, and Color
7:30 AM: Woke up refreshed (thank you, time zones). After a slow morning of coffee, reading, and hanging out with my friend’s tortoiseshell cat, we headed to City O’ City for breakfast.
I had an orange mocha with oat milk and their famous “chicken” & waffles—except it’s made with cauliflower, and it’s phenomenal. Crispy, savory, comforting, and not at all heavy. Highly recommend.
11:00 AM: We strolled the Denver Botanic Gardens in full spring bloom. Think: tulips of every shape and shade—scarlet, fuchsia, spiky, tiny. The Chihuly glass sculpture in front of the mansion sparkled in the sun, and the citrus grove in the orange section was a fragrant surprise. I never a gift shop (highlight every time).
1:00 PM Lunch at MECHA (RiNo District)
A Vietnamese-Japanese fusion bar that served up some truly creative comfort food. We chose the pho and shared a Japanese curry poutine that absolutely worked. Also? They serve alcoholic boba tea. Genius. Their patio is lovely, but the sleek bar inside was perfect for us that day. Next time: trying the bao buns.
3:00 PM: Spicy Librarian Bookstore
This romance-focused bookstore was a total gem—witty, warm, and wildly well-curated. They had spicy picks, local authors, fantasy, historical romance, and even signed editions. I could’ve spent hours here. (And kind of did.)
6:00 PM: Movie Night at Alamo Drafthouse
A standout experience. They’ve got mocktails, açai smoothies, whiskey, full meals, and buckets of popcorn—delivered directly to your seat. The $16 ticket includes reserved seating and they play actually good preview content. We watched Sinners (highly recommend), then called it a night.
🍳 Sunday: Dim Sum Dreams and Cozy Wanders
Slow Morning Vibes: Coffee, cat cuddles, reading, and sunshine.
11:00 AM Brunch at Star Kitchen
Hands-down the best dim sum I’ve ever had. Salted egg yolk buns, Chinese broccoli, shumai, and har gao (shrimp dumplings) were all unmatched. I expected it to be good— but not this good. I was thrilled to be wrong.
Post-Brunch: Lollicup Cafe (next door)
We were fighting a dim sum coma, so we walked straight to Lollicup for caffeine. Vietnamese iced coffee for my friend, royal milk tea for me. Essential for survival!
Afternoon at MATTER Bookstore
A Black-owned shop and graphic design studio with conversation card decks, prints, zines, and books. I grabbed a pack of encouraging postcards for my friends. This place was soul-nourishing and thought-provoking.
Evening: Girl Dinner & Tarot
We wrapped up the day with a rotisserie chicken dinner, pickles, tarot card readings, and music at home. A sweet and meaningful close to the weekend.
☕ Monday: Donuts & Departures
Breakfast at Jelly Café:
My friend got the legendary donut holes (chef’s kiss), and I had the salmon eggs Benedict to fuel up for travel. Filling and balanced.
Pro tip: She dropped me off at arrivals instead of departures at the Denver airport—skipping the madness. I breezed through security and made it home with a full heart and a happy stomach.
🧳 Wanderfare Tips
Pack smart for transitional seasons. Layers are essential.
City O’ City’s cauliflower chicken and waffles will change your life.
Alamo Drafthouse is worth planning a night around.
Star Kitchen is a must for dim sum fans—go hungry.
Add Spicy Librarian and MATTER Bookstore to your literary map.
Looking for more long weekend ideas with great food and chill vibes? Check out our recent itineraries or follow us on Instagram @wanderfaretravels.