This winter, we took a long weekend trip to the Rocky Mountains and flurries of snow in Denver, CO. We visited for four days total, and we felt like it was the perfect amount of time to see just about everything on our Colorado bucket list.
Here’s an overview of our Denver, CO weekend trip for anyone who wants to plan their own snowy retreat!
Denver, CO Weekend Trip: Day 1
Our Denver, CO Air BnB
The Air BnB we stayed in was a converted trolley car cottage on an urban farm. Roost Farms is home to vegetable and flower gardening, chickens, goats, and a very friendly goldendoodle named Seamus. It was such a charming place to stay, and we really enjoyed coming back to it each night at the end of our adventures. One of the best parts was feeding our food scraps to the goats in the backyard!
Read more about our Denver, Co Air BnB here.
Dillon Ice Castles
On our first day in Colorado, we drove from Denver out into the Rocky Mountains to a small town called Dillon. The drive itself was pure magic to a couple of Texans who are used to flat land for miles and miles. The mountains towered over us, and for the second half of our journey beautiful snow was gently falling.
When we arrived, we pulled over to take in the view of the Dillon Reservoir, which was a stunning frozen solid lake. We made time for a quick snowball fight before heading over to tour the Dillon Ice Castles.
The ice castles were one of the most magnificent things I have ever seen. They are man-made structures of glistening icicles, hidden tunnels, playful fountains, and even an ice slide. We had so much fun wandering around and marveling at the ice formations.
Read more about the Dillon Ice Castles here.
Denver, CO Weekend Trip: Day 2
Denver Biscuit Company
The next morning, we woke up early and smelled the biscuits! We visited Denver Biscuit Company on Colfax and indulged in some delicious breakfast. We shared a chicken biscuit sandwich called the Ellsworth, plus a plate of biscuits with a trio of raspberry, strawberry rhubarb, and apple butter preserves.
Read more about Denver Biscuit Company here.
Tattered Cover Book Store
Just down the street from Denver Biscuit Company on Colfax is the Tattered Cover book store. It’s roots in the Denver area date back to 1971, and it’s a favorite amongst locals and tourists alike. We had a great time picking out books together.
RiNo Art District
Our next stop in the city was the RiNo Art District. The River North (RiNo) Art District comprises four historical neighborhoods. The district started as a grassroots movement by local artists who wanted to connect art organizations in the area.
We drove around photographing cool murals painted by local Denver artists and enjoyed the lovely cool weather.
Read more about instagrammable places in Denver here.
Union Station
No trip to Denver, CO would be complete without a stop at Union Station. We just wandered around inside and explored, but next time we visit we definitely want to take a train ride somewhere in the area!
Little Man Ice Cream
We heard rave reviews of Little Man Ice Cream from the internet and even from some friends here in Dallas, so we knew we had to add it to our itinerary. I ordered Bananas Pudding and German Chocolate Cake flavored ice cream, and it was divine!
Confluence Park
Right beside Little Man Ice Cream we came across a gorgeous river park in the middle of the city. Confluence Park makes a lovely backdrop for some pictures, and you can even kayak on the river in the warmer months!
Denver, CO Weekend Trip: Day 3
The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House
For the next day of our Colorado adventure, we wanted to drive into the mountains again. We started out by heading up to Boulder for some brunch.
We feasted on Chai Pancakes and stir fried noodles at the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House. The tea house was a gift to the city of Boulder from their sister city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It was completely built by hand without the use of any power tools, disassembled, crated up, and sent halfway around the world to be rebuilt in Boulder as a symbol of friendship and cultural exploration.
Read more about the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House here.
Rocky Mountain National Park
The main reason we booked a Denver, CO weekend trip was to see the beautiful Rocky Mountains. They did not disappoint!
My favorite part of our trip was driving through them, pulling off to the side of the road to snap pictures, and taking mini hikes in the rocks or the snow.
Downtown Estes Park
Our drive through the Rockies ended with the charming town of Estes Park. It’s nestled right up against the mountains, and it was snowing when we arrived. We stopped to buy taffy at a famous shop that has been operating since 1935, then huge ice cream cones we snacked on right there in the snow.
The Stanley Hotel
If you think Estes Park sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve head of The Stanley Hotel. It was the main filming location for The Overlook Hotel in The Shining! Visitors can take guided tours of The Stanley, or stay in its supposedly haunted rooms. We visited the main staircase and the hedge maze out front before continuing on to more mountain views.
Denver, CO Weekend Trip: Day 4
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
On the last day of our Denver, CO weekend trip, we took yet another mountain hike. But instead of snow flurries and icy rivers, this time we saw towering red boulders!
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is Denver’s famous concert venue. While it will probably be another year or so before we beat Covid and buy tickets for any concerts, we still wanted to see the iconic red mountains. One of the coolest parts was glimpsing the Denver skyline in the distance from some stairs on the trail.
D Bar Desserts
Before leaving town, we stopped for boozy milkshakes at a famous Denver dessert bar. I ordered a chocolate shake with amaretto, and Austin ordered an Oreo shake with Ghirardelli chocolate liqueur. D Bar did not disappoint!
Tips for Planning a Denver, CO Weekend Trip
We absolutely loved our time in the Colorado mountains, and I know we will treasure the snowy memories forever. If you’re inspired to plan your own Denver, CO weekend trip, check out the blog posts below.
The Perfect Colorado Weekend Itinerary 2021
The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House
My Denver Biscuit Company Review
X Instagrammable Places Around Denver, CO
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