Everything We’ve Done Since Moving To Denver: Year One

In 2010, I quit my finance job and bought a one-way ticket around the world. The plan was to take a year off to visit all the places I’d been dreaming about and checking off a bunch of my bucket list experiences along the way. I never expected that I’d not return and instead, became a full-time photographer, and spend the next 15 years continuing my travels around the world.

Along the way, I kept my base in San Francisco and then Los Angeles post-pandemic, but places like Sayulita (Mexico), Antalya (Turkey), and Porto (Portugal) also felt like home during that time.

At the beginning of 2026, my partner moved to the US and together, we decided to pick Denver, Colorado as our new home.

What’s great about being new to a place is that you still have that excitement and motivation to explore before you start putting things off because they’re ‘so close’ and ‘will always be there.’

While it’s still fresh, we wanted to apply the same spirit of adventure that we’ve had with all of our destinations to our new home.

And to help me keep track of it, I put together this list of everything (and still plan on doing) we’ve done since moving to Denver. This is Year One.

I hope it’ll be useful for those who’ve just moved here, those considering a move to Colorado, and even for locals who might have forgotten about some of the experiences that are just right in their front and backyards.

My partner and I are new to Colorado. We’re only discovering things as we go, so there may be plenty of amazing experiences that are missing here. I love feedback, but please be kind if you’re a local (or native). Better yet, let me know what I should put on my list to do yet, or invite us along if you’re doing something cool.

Our Favorite Experiences 

1. Yoga on the Rocks at Red Rocks Amphitheater. We set a reminder on the calendar months in advance to join the pre-sale for the one-of-a-kind sunrise yoga session at Colorado’s iconic venue. And then we somehow missed the alarm. But luckily, we were still able to score a couple of things during the general sale and on my birthday. At 5:30 am, we got a fairly expensive Uber out to the Red Rocks Amphitheater just in time for sunrise. All the rows were filled up, but everyone had plenty of space and it was every bit as enjoyable as we’d hope it would be. A great way to celebrate another year around the sun.
2. Twice: This Is For Us at Ball Arena. Denver was one of stops on Twice’s global tour. For those who know, this is my favorite K-Pop group and they are still just as popular over 10 years after debuting. What’s incredible was that I could just walk 10 minutes to Ball Arena for the concert. I took a chance and was able to get some front row seats last minute for a fraction of the price had this been somewhere like Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York.
3. Meow Wolf Convergence Station. I went to my first Meow Wolf’s immersive art experience in Las Vegas at the Omega Mart. When we moved here, it was hard to miss the Meow Wolf Convergence Station building heading out of Denver on the I-70. A couple of my friends have made it a mission to visit all the Meow Wolf exhibitions, so we did it the Denver one together when they came out for our wedding celebration. This one feels like you’re stepping into a real life episode of Rick and Morty heavy on the multiverse theme.
4. Winter Park Express Train from Union Station. When we first moved here, we decided to put off skiing until the following winter. But with the Winter Park Express, you can get to one of Colorado’s best ski resorts and the town of Fraser in a little over 2 hours in a warm panoramic carriage without having to drive. We paid $19 each way, but some weekends were only $9 if you booked head. It was worth it for the scenic train ride alone. We didn’t ski, but it was a lovely day trip with a winter hike between Fraser and Winter Park and then visiting the resort area for some ice skating and a hot coffee.
5. Manitou Springs. Manitou Springs was the first real mountain town we did a weekend trip to after moving here, and for my partner who had just moved to the US, she’d never seen such a cute little town. A persistent headache kept us from doing the Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak out of caution, but we were able to enjoy the town, taking in a meal at the Himalayan Hut and spending a couple of hours at the Penny Arcade.
6. Garden of the Gods. We stayed by Manitou Springs, but it was the Garden of the Gods that brought us down this way. It’s a bold choice for a name, but we can see why it’s a spot worth visiting. The whole park is free, very easy to navigate, and the towering rocks look like they’ve been placed deliberately perhaps by some higher entity after all.
7. Back to Back GOAT: Messi and Ohtani In One Day. By some cosmic coincidence, we ended up with tickets to watch two generational athletes compete in Denver on the same day. For the Colorado Rapid’s 30th anniversary, they hosted a game against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. Messi ended up scoring 2 goals including the winning one in an exciting and competitive 3-2 match against the local team. From the sheer volume of Messi jerseys in the stands, you’d hardly believe it was a Rapids home game. Right after, we walked over to Coors Field to watch the Rockies play against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani. For better or worse, the Rockies being at the bottom of the standings means cheaper tickets to the ball park, and it was a lot less expensive than trying to catch Ohtani at a home game in LA.
8. Living By Union Station. I think we made the right decision to choose the Union Station area for our first spot in Denver. Amongst many things, it’s allowed us to still be car-free since it’s the main transit hub. We still travel quite a bit, so having a direct train to the airport just steps away from our apartment is amazing. And unlike many other train stations around the country that have seen better days, Union Station is both beautiful and functional. The hotels, shops and restaurants as well as the many local events make it a place we visit even when we’re not traveling.

Our First Winter In Colorado

We moved here right before Christmas, prepared for a full on snowy winter, only to find that was the weather was mild. Then it was warm before peaking around 80°F on Christmas Day. Everyone assured us that this was not normal, and in a way it worked out perfectly, especially with the move.

1. Christkindlmarket. One of the things we hated about leaving Europe in December was missing out on the Christmas markets. We loved that Denver has its own little version with the Christkindlmarket, where we can sip on warm glühwein and smoky Bavarian sausages and pretzels. We also caught our first drone light show here, which is something that has since popped up on several other celebratory occasions.
2. Ice Skating at McGregor Square. The 2026 winter in Denver was quite unusual for its warm weather, but we were still able to enjoy some outdoor ice skating rink action at McGregor Square. It was a bit small, but it was also only a few blocks away from us. We’re definitely buying some ice skates and taking advantage of this again next year.
3. National Western Stock Show. For some reasons, I’ve always wanted to go to one of these stock shows and a proper rodeo. We had to miss it because we were out of town, but we were at least able to catch the kick-off parade, which took place practically outside out door at Union Station. It was packed and was the first time we saw so many people out in Downtown Denver.
4. Red Rocks on Christmas Day. Our first trip here happened to fall on Christmas Day when we had no other places. We had just arrived in Denver a few days before and staying in a rental by Sloan’s Lake. I was surprised it only took 20 minutes to get to the famous Amphitheater. We had a historic Christmas Day high of 80°F and experienced one of Denver’s famous 300 days of sunshine.
5. Daily strolls around Sloan’s Lake. Our short term rental was just a few blocks away from Sloan’s Lake and with the great weather and sunshine, even in December, we took advantage and acclimated to Denver’s altitude with our daily sunset strolls around Sloan’s Lake. We put it on our list to return here when the weather warms up, because I think it’d be a great spot to hang out.

Community and Local Events

Attending local events is the single thing that has always made a place feel more like home. Denver has had plenty in every season we’ve experienced here and the vest part is that most of these events feel different from the ones you’d find in Los Angeles (where I’m originally from) and in Europe (where my partner’s been living).

1. Colorado 150th and Mile Long Table Dinner on 16th Street. On August 1, 2026, Colorado celebrated its 150th birthday. There were events held all over the state. We joined the celebration around Union Station, McGregor Square and the Dairy Block before heading over to the National Western Center for a one-of-a-kind mile long table dinner. The first event took place in 2025 and brought together 3,400 strangers for a shared evening of  dinner and conversation on the MSU Auraria Campus. They were hoping for 5,280 guests (hence the mile long moniker). This year, they held it on Colorado’s birthday with three incredibly long rows of tables. Almost everything is donated and they asked for only a $5.28 symbolic donation. I would definitely put this one on the calendar for next year.
2. Sunset Cinema at Sculpture Park. While living in Portugal, one of our favorite activities were the free summer outdoor cinemas scattered around the cities at different iconic spots. One misty evening, we went to an abandoned military barracks (hidden just a few blocks away from where we lived) to watch a horror movie. We loved it and marked our calendars for all the free outdoor cinemas events. Our first one was watching National Treasure on July 3rd at Sculpture Park to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. The Sunset Cinema series is the big one, but there were also screenings at McGregor Square and at the space by the Denver Central Market in RiNo. Red Rocks Amphiteatre also host their Film on the Rocks series, which requires ticket, but is also a movie at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, so that’s gotta be cool. You can check out the full Film on the Rocks list.
3. World Cup Viewing Parties. The World Cup was an exciting time. While we watched most of the games at home, we went out a few times for the atmosphere of viewing parties, especially in the knockout stages. McGregor square was great the first time we went for the Colombia vs Uzbekistan game. The crowd was 95% Columbia fans by the sea of bright yellow jerseys, which made for a lively atmosphere. It was disappointing when they started charging admission for certain games. For those, we went out to Skyline Park for the free viewing there, which was a lot more casual and relaxing.
4. Colorado Beef Festival. We’re heading to the annual Colorado Beef Festival this weekend. Why? Because it’s there. One of the things my partner asked me was why there were so many random festivals. I didn’t have an answer, but I’m glad they exist as a way to celebrate so many different interests. And I love beef, so unlimited samplings sound great to me.
5. Firefly Handmade Market at Old Gaylord Street. I wouldn’t say there was anything particular special about this market, but we’ve seen quite a few artisanal markets pop up and they’re always fun to check out, especially when they’re in new neighborhoods we haven’t been visited. We discovered the Old Gaylord Street shops here and then went for a walk around the area. This was part of just getting away from our central base and exploring different neighborhoods one at a time.

Colorado Weekend Escapes and Nearby Day Trips from Denver

We definitely haven’t taken advantage of heading out for weekend trips enough. It’s partly due to our work and travel schedule, but also there’s been a lot to explore locally. I think this will change as the weather gets warmer and then cooler before winter. We’ll be hitting up most of the ski resorts on the Epic Pass list this upcoming winter.

1. Colorado Springs. We planned for a trip to Colorado Springs, but we mostly ended up visiting Manitou Springs and the surrounding areas for hikes. This is definitely a place we’ll return, just because it’s about about a little over an hour’s drive from Denver. The town of Manitou Springs is cute, the Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak is still waiting for us, and I also wanted to check out the old town at Colorado Springs.
2. Breckenridge. We did a relaxing weekend stay at the Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge. We came here in the summer knowing full well that we’d probably be returning several times, especially during the ski season. Like some of my favorite mountain towns in Europe, Breckenridge fully transforms during the warmer months with plenty of summer activities on the mountains. We also went to the Beer Festival that was also by the Beaver Run Resort. It was fun, but I fully thought through the whole all you can drink at 10,000 ft elevation on a sunny day thing. It was an instant same-day hangover for both of us.
3. Boulder: Pearl Street, the Flatirons, Dushanbe Teahouse. Boulder’s only 30 minutes away so we’ve visited a couple of times, just for the vibe and some of the surrounding hikes. The town is cute and I honestly wasn’t that impressed the first couple of towns just walking around Pearl Street, but the more you visit and get away from the center, you can understand why so many people are willing to pay more to live here and be right at gateway to Colorado’s amazing outdoor scene.
4. Golden: Clear Creek Trail, Coors Brewery. Golden’s about 25 minutes away and like Boulder, an easy place to visit, especially when we head out to Red Rocks. The famous Coors Brewery is here, where you can do a tour or just have a few drinks at in their hospitality lounge. Booking in advance is strongly advised due to the tour’s popularity. One of the thing that’s still on our list is doing the tubing down Clear Creek. We’re planning on getting our own tubes for this, but you can also rent them along with a couple of shuttle rides to the starting point for less than $40.

Entertainment

We’re not gamers or big drinkers, but we like trying out unique spots as well as to have things that we can incorporate into our weekly routine.

1. F1 Arcade. If you’re a fan of F1 racing, the F1 Arcade is such a cool spot to catch the races and also try your hand at one of their realistic simulators. They do a full menu with fancy cocktails and upscaled bar foods. Each race last about 5 minutes, and you can book them in bundles to race against your friends. I think it’s a great idea for a date night activity or with friends. There’s only 7 locations in the US and Denver is one of them. We found a deal and booked our races ahead of time here.
2. Weekly Movie Date: Regal Denver Pavillion and Alamo Drafthouse. We love going to the movies and it’s nice that we can have a nice 25 minute stroll or take the free 16th street bus to the Regal downtown location. There’s a proper 4DX screen here where you can smell, feel, and move along with the movies. I’ve done a few, but nothing was as intense as watching Spider Man: Brand New Day here recently. I’m not even exaggerating when I say hold on to the popcorn, or at least eat a lot of it before all the web-slinging and swinging starts. The Alamo Drafthouse is nice too if you want to check out screenings of older films and smaller indie openings. Lastly, Colorado has two true 70mm IMAX theaters. Only 41 exists in the world, and there’s one less than 30 minutes away at the  Regal UA Colorado Center and another in Colorado Springs.
3. Punch Bowl Social. This was a fun spot to spend a few hours playing games and eating. Sort of like a boutique Dave and Buster’s, but more fun. Besides the arcades, there’s karaoke, bowling, ping pong, and electronic darts. They also do weeknight events here. It’s located in one of my favorite stretch of shops and restaurants in SoBo (South of Broadway).

Concerts and Shows

1. Twice: This Is For World Tour at Ball Arena. My least favorite thing about going to a big concert is having to deal with the expensive and crowded parking. Twice coming to Denver meant I didn’t have to fly to LA or Chicago to see them. And Ball Arena is only a 10 minute walk from where I live at Union Station.
2. Ed Sheeran Loop Tour at Empower Field. Denver appears to be a spot for most major headline artists going on tour and even some smaller names will find their way here. I took my partner to see Ed Sheeran on July 4th. The irony of hanging out with an Englishmen on America’s 250th birthday is not lost on me. I wouldn’t say I’m a big Ed Sheeran fan, but I really like a couple of his songs like Photograph and Perfect. Seeing him perform solo for 3 hours straight really highlights how talented this guy is writing songs and performing. I also liked that we could hop on a train for one stop from right outside our doors, or even walk to Empower Field (where the Denver Broncos football team plays).
3. The Empire Strips Back. This parody on Star Wars burlesque show was a fun date night for us. A bit of nerding out, a bit of stripping (sort of), and a lot of laughing. They have a permanent show in Las Vegas, but the traveling show had a stint in Denver. We found a lot of random and fun events on Fever. We are planning to check out the Idiots Guide To Wine and maybe the Jury Experience.
4. Candlelight Concert: Coldplay x Imagine Dragons. We’ve done a couple of candlelight concerts in other countries. It’s fun to hear a classical take on my ABBA, the Beatles and even Bad Bunny, surrounded but hundreds of flickering candles (artificial for safety reasons). They’re usually set in very atmospheric venues. We went to a Coldplay x Imagine Dragons one (for some unexplainable reason, she loves Imagine Dragons) at the historic Trinity Church. There’s a whole slate of candlelight series performances. You can find the current list here.
5. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Buell Theatre. We picked up last minute tickets for one of the last performances of the famous West End theater production of Harry Potter. I love theater but had read nothing about this production. This one exceeded my expectations, because the practical effects were truly magical and befitting of the series. We had a double Harry Potter day because in the evening, we returned the Denver Performing Arts Complex for a showing of the first Harry Potter movie with the soundtrack played live by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. It’s great that Denver gets some of the most popular Broadway and West End productions coming to town at the Buell Theatre. You can find all the upcoming events for the Buell Theater here. We’re excited for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, and Hadestown.
6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the Colorado Symphony. This was the second time we went to see one of these movie symphony performances and only because I happened on some last minute tickets on Facebook Marketplace. I can’t remember when I last watched the first movie and it was so fitting to watch it right after seeing the play, which takes place 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts and the end of the original series.
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with the Colorado Symphony. This was our first visit to the Symphony after moving to Denver. I absolutely love the feel of entering the Denver Performing Arts Complex, where you’ll find several theaters, the opera, ballet, and symphony all in one place. Especially at night, it feels like you’re transported back to New York in the 20’s. With these movie performances, it’s not long before you get lost in the movie and forget that all the music you’re hearing is being played live by the orchestra right under the screens. You can find all upcoming events for the Symphony here.

Denver Museums

So far, Denver has impressed with their museums. We’ve taken advantage of a couple of the free or 1 penny days to check out a few of the museums. I like to pick out one or two museums to support by buying an annual membership. So far, we’ve picked one up for the Denver Art Museum.

1. Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This place is huge. London’s Natural History Museum is my favorite of its kind in the world, but Denver is no slouch. We spent over 3 hours here and didn’t get to everything. Definitely a place we’ll be returning to. My niece and nephew both loved it when they came to visit from Berlin.You can check out their free days here.
2. Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. This is small contemporary arts museum, but it sprawls across three floors with a rooftop bar where you can soak in the sun with a drink or coffee. You can visit most of the exhibitions in an hour, so take that how you will. They do 1 penny admission for Colorado residents on the 1st Saturday of the month.
3. Denver Art Museum. This is Denver’s premier art museum with both a permanent and rotating temporary exhibitions. I got a membership here for the latter. They also have free days several times a year. Read more about that here.

What’s Still On The List (In No Order)

There are still so many things we want to do and plenty more that I’m sure we don’t know about. If you’re aware of anything unique Colorado experiences we should put on our list, let me know.

1. Manitou Incline
2. Devil’s Head Lookout
3. Hitting our first 14K summit
4. Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout
5. Tubing in Golden
6. Royal Gorge
7. Broadmoor Seven Fallstubin
8. Casa Bonita
9. Denver Zoo
10. Olde Town Arvada
11. The Grizzly Rose
12. Lakeside Amusement Park
13. Elitch Gardens
14. Downtown Aquarium

Mountain Towns and Ski Resorts In Colorado To Visit

1. Aspen (Ski)
2. Telluride (Ski)
3. Ouray (Ice Climbing)
4. Vail (Ski)
5. Estes Park (Via Ferrata)
6. Idaho Springs (Springs)
7. Buena Vista (Rafting)
8. Keystone (Ski)
9. Copper Mountain (Ski)
10. Black Hawk and Central City (Gaming)
11. Cripple Creek (Gaming)

Via Ferrata Experiences In Colorado To Do

I’m a big fan of via ferratas. For people who aren’t technical climbers, it can give you the thrill of hanging off a cliff and enjoying the view and exposure. I think it’s also fun because you navigate a variety of obstacles. This is not to say one is better than the other – they are different experiences. I propose to my now-wife on a Via Ferrata in Switzerland.

We love that there are many different ones in Colorado that we can experience. Here are a few that are on our radar for the upcoming year.

1. Cave of the Winds Via Ferrata
2. Royal Gorge Via Ferrata
3. Ouray Via Ferrata
4. Estes Park Via Ferrata

Hot Springs To Visit

If you know me, you’ll know that I’m obsessed with baths and hot springs. I’ve chased them all around the world and have made multiple trips to Japan with the focus of onsen hopping from one hot spring town to the next.

Colorado has its fair share. Years back when I did a cross country roadtrip, we stopped in the mountains and stayed overnight at the Strawberry Park Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs. It’s high on my list to return with my partner and then hit up a few others that have popped on our radar.

1. Strawberry Park Hot Springs
2. Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
3. Iron Mountain Hot Springs

Updated on August 18, 2026