At Tweedz, we love to explore new places. Sights, Sounds, & Salivation: A Travel Guide for Music Lovers, is our new '3 things not to miss...' travel series that focuses on providing a few tips from our travels - exploring one essential sight, one sound (music venue), and one salivation worthy restaurant or culinary experience from a city worth checking out. If you only have 24 hours, be sure to fit these stops into your trip. This stop...DENVER!
Denver, Colorado - There’s a lot more going on in Denver than jam bands and legal marijuana (although if you’re looking for either one, you have come to the right place). The mile-high city is flourishing these days, whether we’re talking about food and entertainment, outdoor tourism, or urban development. But for decades it’s had a great indie music scene, including some killer clubs, some of which long served as rock and punk staples for the Southwest.
Sights:
Denver’s most notable sights are actually outside of Denver, as the staggering Rocky Mountains lie just beyond the city. But the hip Capitol Hill neighborhood is a great place to stroll around and kill an afternoon within city limits. You’ve got little shops like Kilgore Books and Comics and historic Wax Trax! Records. The rolling hills of Cheesman Park provide a paradise for joggers, barbecuers, or just people looking to lie around on a blanket.
Sounds:
The city has some excellent larger clubs like the famed Ogden Theatre, the Bluebird, and the Gothic. But for something a little more intimate and edgy, Hi-Dive is a must. A grungy little dive in the Baker neighborhood, this is that rare venue that draws top acts, but has a layout and sound that feels like the band is playing just for you and a group of your friends. Hi-Dive’s sister locale next-door, Sputnik, is a great place to warm up before a show, or to grab a breakfast burrito the morning after.
Salivation:
Denver has a pretty sophisticated foodie scene, including fancy fare like the Top Chef-featured Jax Fish House and affiliated restaurants. But we’re not going to talk about that right now. No, we’re talking about Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs. Biker Jim is a real guy, a former repo man who started selling unbelievable hot dogs from a cart on downtown Denver’s bustling 16th Street. His business has blown up since. Sure you can always just have a hot dog, but Jim’s is known for its exotic offerings like elk, rattlesnake, boar, and duck dogs.
That's all for now. Be sure to check back for more travel recommendations with a music spin. And check out our back catalog: 3 things not to miss in Austin, Texas & 3 things not to miss in Boston, Massachusetts.