Long Weekend In Lodo: History, Flavor + Family Time
Weekend trips used to begin with reservations and plans, with thoughts about where we wanted to eat first or what we hoped to fit into the day. Traveling with our son, Emery, has shifted the pace in ways I never expected. Suddenly the moments that stay with me happen in between the plans. Tiny hands pressed against windows. Unexpected stops. Lingering a little longer somewhere simply because curiosity says to.
WHERE DENVER BEGAN
As we pulled into Denver’s Lower Downtown, better known as LoDo, I found myself thinking about its heritage. Long before LoDo became one of Denver’s most walkable districts of restaurants, boutiques and cultural spaces, this was where the city began to take shape. Rail lines and warehouses transformed into the center of a growing city, with Union Station acting as Denver’s front door for generations of travelers. While many historic districts can feel frozen in time, LoDo has done something different. It has managed to preserve its character while continuing to evolve.
That reinvention is perhaps most obvious at Denver Union Station itself. Walking into the Great Hall feels a little like stepping into another era, though not in a nostalgic way. Beneath soaring arches and historic architecture, people move in every direction. Travelers roll suitcases across the floor, locals settle into corners with coffee and friends meet for cocktails beneath oversized windows. Following a major refresh completed last year, the station feels softer and more welcoming, balancing its grand scale with intimate spaces designed for gathering and lingering. The Crawford Hotel, tucked within the station itself, also underwent a redesign inspired by the golden age of train travel. Jewel tones, vintage details and thoughtful touches make it feel less like checking into a hotel and more like stepping into a story.
Our first evening started at The Cooper Lounge. Cocktails arrived alongside views of the Great Hall below and downtown framed through towering windows. There was a feeling of old-world travel that made us want to slow down and stay for another round. Just a short jaunt from our happy hour, dinner at Ultreia continued that sense of discovery, with Spanish-inspired dishes that encouraged sharing and conversation.
FAMILY IN THE CITY
For us, Union Station became something of a living room for the weekend. Emery was fascinated by the movement around him. He watched trains arrive and people come and go while Bobby and I sat nearby with coffee in hand, realizing we had nowhere urgent to be. There is something comforting about places built around arrivals and departures. You can stay still and somehow still feel part of the energy.
Our first morning led us toward Larimer Square, where historic brick buildings and string lights create one of Denver’s most recognizable streets. We ducked into Little Blue Pigeon, a new bookstore and community space that felt like the sort of place every neighborhood hopes to have. Shelves held stories for every age while Emery happily pulled books within reach and sat with other kids at the coloring table, making himself at home.
Nearby, vintage shops and coffee stops pulled us naturally from one doorway to the next. We simply followed what caught our attention. A sunny outdoor brunch at Tamayo, the modern Mexican mainstay of the area, gave us time to sip and savor with a front-row seat to watching other people take their Saturday strolls on Larimer Square. After enchiladas and a spicy margarita, I slipped away to Sway Wellness Club for a 50-minute massage.
Once I peeled my very relaxed self from the massage table and reunited with my family, our easy pace continued along the newly revitalized 16th Street promenade. As we wandered back to Union Station we stopped in to The Vintage Label, an upscale boutique filled with pieces that felt collected rather than merchandised. The shop carries a mix of vintage finds alongside its own collection of clothing and accessories, and browsing became part treasure hunt, part time capsule.
Every afternoon, affogatos at Milkbox Ice Creamery somehow felt essential, but that seems to have become a tried-and-true travel tradition for Bobby and me. Now with Emery, ice cream stops are even sweeter.
Our favorite dinner of the weekend was a classic. Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar feels like stepping into one of those neighborhood institutions that have quietly earned their place over time. Since opening in LoDo in the mid-1990s, Jax has become woven into the fabric of the area, bringing fresh seafood to a state far from the coast. We settled into the familiar energy of a lively dining room, slowing down over oysters and shared plates while Emery took in some first-ever tastes.
TAKING IT ALL IN
Sunday morning invited a walk to Dairy Block — a collection of reimagined historic buildings where alleyways, boutiques and cafés create an atmosphere that feels intimate and unexpectedly tucked away amid the energy of downtown Denver. We were at LoDough as soon as they opened, filling a box with fresh pastries to last the day while a line formed behind us.
That afternoon, we joined a stream of fans in purple and black as we walked to Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies game. After an impromptu carrier nap en route, Emery woke to the elevated energy of a baseball game. For him, it was just as much about watching people and taking in the atmosphere as what happened on the field.
Cities often ask us to move quickly. They encourage checking boxes and fitting in one more thing before the day ends. LoDo seemed to welcome a little more reason to wander without a strict agenda. Somewhere between bookstores and baseball games, sips of evening cocktails and tiny hands pressed against train station windows, the weekend felt less about coming and going and more like a collection of moments that we’ll carry with us.
Photos by Kim Fuller.
Originally published in the summer 2026 issue of Spoke+Blossom.