Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in our May 2016 issue. This version was fact-checked and updated (where possible) with current information for the 2017 edition of 5280 Traveler.

If Your Guests Want To See: Union Station and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
Take Them To: Stoic & Genuine

5280 Traveler 2017
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Take your crew to see early photographs by New York–based artist Ryan McGinley at the MCA Denver, then walk to LoDo’s pièce de résistance, Union Station. Grab some Instagram-worthy shots of the neon sign before hitting Stoic & Genuine. The flown-in-daily seafood and signature granitas (try them on the oysters or in a cocktail) will make your guests forget they’re landlocked. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., 303-640-3474

Fruition
Fruition’s seasonal lamb dish. Photo by Sarah Boyum

If Your Guests Want To See: Denver Botanic Gardens
Take Them To: Fruition Restaurant

Create the perfect date for your visitors with a late-afternoon stroll through the York Street gardens’ succulents and sculptures (an exhibit of large-scale outdoor metal works by Alexander Calder) followed by dinner at Fruition. If available, try the seasonal lamb dish and the savory cheese dessert; chef and proprietor Alex Seidel often uses ingredients from his Fruition Farms Creamery. 1313 E. Sixth Ave., 303-831-1962

Golden-Moon-Speakeasy
inside the Golden Moon Speakeasy. Photo by Sarah Boyum.

If Your Guests Want To See: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Take Them To: Golden Moon Speakeasy

The country’s coolest natural amphitheater is a can’t-miss site. Explore the venue and surrounding park, making sure to point out-of-towners to the on-site museum for a history of Red Rocks shows. Quench your thirst at Golden Moon Speakeasy with cocktails crafted from house-made spirits like mint-forward gin and delicate crème de violette. 1111 Miner’s Alley, Golden, 720- 638-1155

 

The Tijuana dog at Über Sausage. Photo by Sarah Boyum

If Your Guests Want To See: The Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Take Them To: The Über Sausage 

Have visitors in tow who are dying to see Dobby the giraffe or DMNS’ Vikings exhibit? After a visit, treat them to a hearty sausage lunch perfect for all ages. Kids will dig the mac-and-cheese-stuffed dog while Mom and Dad enjoy grown-up options like the Tijuana with pico de gallo and queso—and a Colorado beer. 2730 E. Colfax Ave., 303-862-7894

City-O-City
The Kimchi Stew at City O’ City. Photo by Sarah Boyum.

If Your Guests Want To See: The Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, or the United States Mint
Take Them To: City O’ City

Just about everything in Civic Center will be on your visitors’ must-see lists. Guide them through Mi Tierra, 13 installations by contemporary Latino artists, at the DAM. Let your guests snap a pic at the 5,280-foot marker on the Capitol steps, and then take them to lunch at City O’ City. Hearty eats like kimchi stew and olive tapenade pizza are sure to satisfy, and you’ll get major “cool Coloradan” cred for picking a vegetarian eatery that sources much of its food locally. 206 E. 13th Ave., 303-831-6443