So, you’ve decided to come to Colorful Colorado.

First off, welcome to our beautiful state. It’s been a hidden-gem for a long time, and for good reason. There’s a multitude of things to do, see, and explore, but most importantly, it’s a special place to just be.

You’re most likely here to visit a friend, ski, or take advantage of the 300+ days of sunshine that we’ve got throughout the year. Or, you’re here to scope out if Colorado is the right choice for your next phase in life.

I get it, thousands of others have had the same idea.

Regardless of your reason for visiting, I’m worried that your friends, family, or Google haven’t given you the proper preparations for your visit. So, I’d like to give you 5 things you should know when visiting from a Colorado Cutie herself.

And by the way, these recommendations may seem simple and self-explanatory, but too often, they’re overlooked and lead to regret when not considered seriously...let’s avoid that.

Let’s break down 5 Things You Should Know.

1. Altitude Sickness Is Real.

Denver sits at 5,280 feet above sea level.

And most likely, you’re interested in exploring the Rocky Mountains, which naturally takes you up into higher elevation. Even if you have no plans to hike or summit mountains, just driving up to higher elevation can trigger some serious altitude sickness.

I’ve lived in Colorado for more than twenty years, highly adjusted to the elevation, and there are still moments I experience a version of altitude sickness. And if you’re a football fan, you might’ve even caught on occasion some players on the visiting team using oxygen masks and canisters to catch their breath when practicing or playing against the Broncos at Empower Field.

Even the most physically equipped get hit.

For example, here are 3 popular mountain towns and their elevations:

• Breckenridge – 9,600 feet
• Vail – 8,239 feet
• Aspen – 7,891 feet

And if you’re salivating at the thought of climbing a 14er…then you really need to be prepped.

Seriously, it sounds cute, but it ain’t a walk in the park.

Altitude sickness is tough to avoid, so it’s important to prepare for the symptoms if they arise, just in case.

2. Get The Rental Car With 4-Wheel Drive, Or A Friend With One.

Simple, yet an important reminder.

Regardless of the season, but especially (ESPECIALLY) in the winter, if you plan on renting a car, make sure it’s 4-wheel drive. You do not want to experience sliding on snow on the highway.

Now, sometimes with the weather condition, it can be hard to avoid sliding and slipping regardless, but, to better your chances, rent a car that’s built for winter and/or mountain conditions. You’ll be happy you did so.

And yes, if you were wondering, you absolutely need a car when visiting Colorado. It’ll be your best friend and most convenient companion throughout your trip.

3. There’s Great Food, You Just Gotta Find It.

Compared to cities like LA and New York, or even Houston and St.Louis, Denver has never been the talk of the town for it’s culinary scene, until now…

Denver has grown immensely over the last 10 years, luring in newcomers from all over the United States and major metropolitan cities, which means we’ve also attracted award-winning chefs and restauranteurs who are interested in leaving their mark on the Mile High City.

So much so, there are 13 Colorado-based chefs, restaurateurs, and restaurants that received semifinalist nods for the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards. 

That being said, you gotta find them.

In New York, for example, you can walk down nearly any street and find something delicious to eat. Denver doesn’t have a luxury quite like that. Here, you’ll most likely find great spots scattered throughout downtown and the surrounding areas.

Instead, the best practice is to map out which restaurants you want to try ahead of time, and then double-check their reservation list to see if they have availability for a specific day and time ahead of your trip, or if they only take walk-ins.

Depending on where you go (and which day and time), you can definitely get away with walking in and sitting down fairly quickly. But, if you’ve got a large group (5+ people), make sure to call around ahead of time to make reservations, just in case.

And lucky for you, the last two years especially we’ve had a boom of bangin’ restaurants, pop-ups, and food that you can find all over the place, especially in unlikely places.

Here are 5 of my recent favorites:

• La Forêt – french, beautiful, and my favorite restaurant in SoBo.
• Uncle – ramen, cool, satisfying.
• Mehak – I never, ever liked Indian cuisine until I experienced Mehak.
• Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox – multilevel “gastro-brothel”. Exactly, it’s amazing.
• Mizu Izakaya – japanese, unique, and fun.

3 places I’d love to try:

• Somebody People – vegetarian
• Safta – mediterranean
• Wildflower – italian and mexican

4. Nightlife Is…

So, here’s the thing.

Just like the food scene, if you want it, you’ll find it. When it comes to going out, nightlife, and after hour fun, depending on what you’re looking for, Denver may or may not have it. Or, at least a variation of it.

If you’re more interested in looking cute and having a casual drink, then there’s plenty of fantastic places for that (Death & Co). If you’re looking for a fun social setting with food, drinks, and a high-energy environment, then we’ve got that too (Ace Eat Serve).

If you’re looking for some line dancing and live music, we even have that at the Grizzly Rose. This one’s fun, for sure.

Even though Denver is spread out and finding fun can sometimes be a scavenger hunt, so many new and interesting places have been popping up recently that has, at least for me, reignited my love for this wonderful place.

And if you’re curious on where to go for your next date night, here are 12 Unique Ideas For Date Night In Denver that I think you’ll love.

5. Denver Is Great, But Beyond Is Even Better.

We’ve established what you can expect in Denver, but I highly encourage you spend as much time as you can beyond the Denver Metropolitan Area. Specifically, deep in the wilderness of the Rockies.

You’re probably already aware, but making the most of a mini adventure through the mountains is one of the best experiences you’ll ever have, no matter the season. And the best way to see the state.

Colorado is a wonderfully large state, which means no matter which direction you go, you’re bound to end up somewhere magnificent. You’ve probably heard of the well-known mountain towns like Breckenridge, Vail, Telluride, and Aspen, which I highly recommend you seeing for yourself because they truly live up to their name of being some of the most beautiful mountain towns in the world…

But with that, if you have the time, I hope you find the quiet corners of Colorado that most don’t have the opportunity to see, but should.

5 underrated mountain towns you’ll fall in love with:

• Beaver Creek
• Steamboat
• Frisco
• Carbondale
• Lyons

When you do make your way to Aspen, here’s my Winter Travel Guide To 48 Hours In Aspen so you’ll know exactly where to eat, drink, stay, and enjoy.

There you have it cutie, you’re ready for Colorado.

I know you’re going to love it as much as we do.

Love, Anastasiya

---

Join My World

If you enjoy these types of posts, I’d like to invite you to The Sonder, my lifeline.

It’s my newsletter, but it’s so much more than that.

Every week, I send 3 emails – Sunday and Monday – then brief and bubbly surprise messages throughout the week with the sole purpose to encourage you to keep going.

To keep pursuing your dreams, ideas, desires, plans, and life.

I’m the friend who relentlessly won’t let you give up on your dreams.

“Breathing dreams like air.” f. scott fitzgerald

Every Sunday, I send The Sundae Sonder.

Inside you’ll find…

• the tools I’m using to upkeep my mindset and wellbeing – books, tactics, and exercises.
• what I’m currently loving – music, dessert, movies, etc.
• ideas for fun and adventure – solo dates, group activities, and simple pleasures.
• and so much more

During my darkest moments, I realized that all I really needed was one person to cheer me on and remind me that I wasn’t alone. 

And although it’s our responsibility to do the heavy lifting of our own lives, that doesn’t mean we have to do it all alone.

That is what The Sonder is for.

A resource and reminder to keep moving forward. Every week.

So, come on in, you’re gonna love it.

I can’t wait to see your name pop up!

Love, Anastasiya