If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that I was recently in Colorado. On our way to Boulder, we stopped in Golden, Colorado, for a couple of days. Before arriving, I didn’t know much about this city, but it’s so charming. It’s the perfect getaway for a weekend with outdoor activities, scenic beauty, and cute shops. Ready to book your trip to Golden? Here’s the ultimate Golden, Colorado travel guide!
Tank Top | Flare Pants (similar, similar, similar)
Where To Stay:
We stayed at the Table Mountain Inn, and I can’t say enough good things! Everything from the attentive service, mountain views, and southwestern charm makes this adobe-style boutique hotel the ultimate place to stay in Golden. Since it’s in the heart of Golden, it’s walking distance to most things, and we loved the prime downtown location. In addition, the hotel offers spacious rooms designed to maximize comfort away from home, and we truly felt at home.
What To Do:
Visit the Colorado Railroad Museum. I was honored to be invited and attended an exclusive media event hosted at the Colorado Railroad Museum, a beautiful space for hosting events surrounded by Colorado’s rich railroad history located on 15 acres. They also offer Table Mountain Inn’s full-service catering options for events, including the Table Mountain Grill & Cantina’s thoughtfully crafted menus.
Have a drink at the Golden Moon Speakeasy. What a cozy speakeasy-style lounge that features handcrafted cocktails, and all the drinks are made solely with the spirits produced by Golden Moon Distillery. They also have live music several nights per week.
Take a Coors brewery tour. This facility is the largest single-site brewery globally and one of the most popular things to do in Golden, especially for beer lovers. They give multiple samples to visitors over 21 on the guided tour, or you can skip that and try some beers in the lounge. Since their reopening, they do require reservations and proof of vaccination. I highly recommend booking in advance because the slots quickly fill up!
Stroll around. There’s so much scenic beauty, and restaurants and shops line the main street that you can’t miss featuring the iconic arch. We didn’t mind walking because there were beautiful views everywhere.
Take a day trip. Golden is only 20 miles south of Boulder and 16 miles west of Denver (my Boulder travel guide is coming in two weeks). Also, Red Rocks Amphitheatre is less than 8 miles away, and Rocky Mountain National Park is about an hour and a half drive — so bummed we didn’t have time for either of them! If you want to extend your trip, there are many things to do in the surrounding area.
Where To Eat:
Table Mountain Grill & Cantina — Table Mountain Inn’s restaurant keeps with the theme with its vibrant Santa Fe decor and fresh Southwestern food. We tried their margaritas, coriander flank fajitas, and Santa Fe hot chicken sandwich, and everything was delicious!
Windy Saddle Cafe — This homey cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and coffee. We didn’t get a chance to eat here, but we stopped by for coffee and pastries three times throughout our trip because we loved it so much!
Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza — Located right across from our hotel, Woody’s has been a favorite since 1993. We weren’t too hungry when we went, so we just shared a pizza; however, we noticed the table next to us taking advantage of the buffet option, which looked fantastic.
The Golden Mill — We drove past this place when we first arrived and knew we wanted to return. It’s a food hall with numerous local food choices, from BBQ to ice cream to Mexican to sushi, but the coolest part is the self-pour tap wall with over 50 options. They charged by the ounce so you can try all sorts of drinks! Also, there are stunning views of Clear Creek from the rooftop patio.
This post is just a slice of what Golden has to offer. Brett and I wished we had a couple more days to explore because we didn’t get to everything we wanted. If you have any questions or additional recommendations, please leave them in the comments! xo
Thank you to Table Mountain Inn for hosting our stay. As always, all opinions are my own.
Golden looks so cute and charming! Never been to Colorado, but have always wanted to go! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve always been curious about Colorado. The pictures that you see are so beautiful! I wonder what would be the best places to visit that are not always the one advertised. Thanks!
I loved following along on insta! It looked like such a great trip with amazing food!
It has the quaint, small-town look and feel that I love. Colorado was never on my radar, but my interest has been piqued. The food looks fantastic btw.
I was recently in Golden and ate at The Golden Mill. Your photos capture the flavor of this quaint town well. thanks for sharing.
I’ve never been to Colorado and I don’t think I really have read much about it. Your pictures are beautiful. I want to eat at the Windy Saddle! The landscape of Colorado was not what I expected. (Not sure what I expected, but it looks better than I thought!) Thanks so much for sharing.
The food looks so good!!
If you’re in Golden and craving Mexican food, try Xicamiti La Taqueria Bistro–it’s really good! You can also check the nearby Jeffco Fairgrounds for events–that’s where they host the County Fair and other horse shows and rodeos throughout the summer.
How fun! That’s great you were able to stay somewhere in the heart of downtown.
I enjoyed your article on Golden Colorado! I’m going to add the Colorado Railroad Museum to our list of places to visit next time we are in CO!
Looks so nice! I really hope to visit the US this year.
Great guide! Will use this for my next road trip planning!
I’ve never been but always wanted to. Thank you for sharing!
I would love to visit Colorado one day and now I’m even more tempted! Your pictures are stunning!
Haven’t been to the US yet and Colorado is not something I hear many people talking about, but looking at those pics, looks like a great place to visit.