Highland and LoHi

Highland, on the hill across the South Platte from downtown, is the neighborhood we send visitors to when they ask where Denver locals actually go out. It was a separate town until it joined Denver in the 1890s, and its streets still mix Victorian houses, brick storefronts and ambitious new architecture, with views back across the valley to the downtown skyline and the mountains to the west. Visit Denver breaks it into three districts, and they make a perfect evening crawl. Lower Highland, or LoHi, is closest to downtown and easiest to reach: walk from Union Station across the Millennium Bridge and Commons Park, then over the pedestrian Highland Bridge spanning the interstate, and you arrive among rooftop bars and restaurants with some of the best skyline views in the city, including the Michelin-recognized dining that has made the neighborhood a destination. Highland Square, around West 32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, is a cozier village of boutiques, wine shops, bookstores and neighborhood restaurants. Further northwest, the Tennyson Street Cultural District runs for several blocks with galleries, music venues, shops and eateries and hosts a First Friday art walk. Craft beer is everywhere: Denver Beer Co. has a taproom here, other independent breweries cluster just off Tennyson, and Avanti Food and Beverage, a collective of small eateries in repurposed shipping containers, has a rooftop that is one of the best-loved patios in the city. And for dessert, Little Man Ice Cream, under its giant milk can, is a Denver institution. Wandering is free; the expense is entirely up to your appetite.

The neighborhood's charm is in its variety. On a single walk you can pass carefully restored Victorian homes, modern townhouses, small parks, and a commercial strip that keeps evolving as new chefs and bartenders arrive. That evolution is also a caution: restaurants in Highland open and close often, so check current hours and reviews before committing to a particular spot, and reserve ahead for the most celebrated tables, especially on weekends. Sunnyside, just to the north, adds its own small cluster of acclaimed restaurants and a cidery, and Sloan's Lake, Denver's second-largest park, lies to the west with mountain views across the water.

The best way to experience Highland is on foot in the late afternoon. Start with a skyline view in LoHi, walk the residential streets to Highland Square for a drink, and finish with dinner or ice cream; or spend a Friday evening on Tennyson Street for the art walk and live music. Brewery fans can link Highland's taprooms with those in RiNo across the river, a short rideshare away. In summer, the patios and rooftops are the main event, and the neighborhood's annual street fairs and beer festivals add even more life. In winter, the cozy bars and restaurants make it an ideal place to warm up after a day in the museums.

Getting there is easy. LoHi is a fifteen-minute walk from Union Station via Commons Park and the Highland Bridge, and rideshares cover the longer distances to Highland Square and Tennyson Street. Street parking is limited near the busiest blocks, so walking or riding is the better choice. Highland is not a sightseeing district in the traditional sense, and travelers looking for monuments should spend their days elsewhere, but for an evening of food, drink and local atmosphere it is hard to beat. It also works well as a base: several small hotels and plenty of short-term rentals sit within walking distance of LoHi, putting both downtown and the neighborhood's restaurants on foot.