Is Golden Colorado Worth Visiting?

Golden Colorado is located just outside of Denver and is the perfect escape from the “big city” upon arriving in Golden you will forget that Downtown Denver is just 20 minutes away. This town feels like you just escaped to a piece of the “old west” it is very cute, an easy walk, and has lots of good restaurants and breweries. Whether you are a Denver local or coming in from out of town Golden is a great place to spend a weekend. So is Golden, Colorado worth visiting? Here is what you need to know.

Where to stay in Golden, Colorado

There are several hotels in Golden, many are located on the main road and are very accessible from all of what the town has to offer. We stayed at Table Mountain Inn. We loved it. Very cozy and homey and is right on the edge of the main road so everything was super close. The hotel is very Southwestern styled, it adds to the warm feeling of the hotel. Our room had two balconies with amazing views of the town and Table Mountain.

You can read more about Table Mountain Inn here.

Fun Facts about Golden Colorado

Buffalo bill is buried nearby at Table Mountain which is a lot of where the old wet theme of the town comes into play.

The Jolly Rancher Candy Company started here in Golden! Check out the map for the address and see what it is now!

If you are a dinosaur lover then Golden and the surrounding area is a great place to go! The area is known for many fossil discoveries and there are several places you can see these fossils for yourself. There is a walk in Golden called the Triceratops trail and then just a short drive from town there is the fairly famous Dino Ridge.

You can read more Dino Ridge here (coming soon!)

Biggest Little Brewery Town

Despite the size of this little town, there is a lot of breweries. One, in particular, I am sure you have heard of is Coors. Yup, Coors. I never realized that it was based in a small town in Denver but it is. I also assumed it was made IN the Rocky Mountains but it is actually at the base of them. Because of this other microbreweries have popped up all over town. If you are a connoisseur of craft beers then Golden, Colorado is a place that should be on your list.

Other Local Breweries in the area include Barrels & Bottles at Camp George West, Barrels & Bottles Brewery, Barrels & Bottles Brewery, Cannonball Creek Brewing Company, Coda Brewing Company, Golden City Brewery, Holidaily Brewing Company, Mountain Toad Brewing, New Terrain Brewing Company, Ohm Brewing Company, Over Yonder Brewing.

We visited Golden City, Mountain Toad, and Barrels and Bottles during our stay. We enjoyed them all.

Here is a great website that has all you need to know about the breweries in Golden as well as all of Colorado.

Itinerary

Here is a great Weekend Itinerary for Golden Colorado.

Friday

Land in or leave Denver mid-day and head to Golden. Check in to your hotel (Table Mountain Inn is a great choice!) and then head to Golden City Brewery for a sampling of craft beers (if that is your thing of course)

Then have dinner at the Table Mountain Grill & Cantina.

Saturday

Start the Pastries and coffee at Cafe 13.

Walk downtown to the visitor center which is only about 20 minutes by foot from Table Mountain Inn, be sure to grab a Golden Ticket while you are there. This will give you discounts around the town.

Then the check out museum near the Visitor Center, it’s free! Be sure to do the little scavenger hunt for your treat!

Grab a sandwich for Lunch at D’deli.

Then walk off lunch on the Triceratops Trail, you can walk to the trail from the hotel it’s about a mile and the trail is about a mile, it’s not a strenuous walk but it is long. Great when the weather is good.

Note the Trailhead is a bit strange to find, walking is the easiest way to find it but you can park near the college and walk also. There isn’t parking especially for the trial.

Continue the walking tour by taking the creek trail back to Mountain Toad Brewery for some more craft brews. They have Kombucha on tap too if you aren’t a huge beer drinker.

For dinner get some Pizza at Woody’s Wood Fire Pizza. This pizza is SO good and the atmosphere is great, especially if you have a noisy one your old in tow. I recommend “the backpacker” for meat-eaters and the ‘tree hugger” for vegetarians. They also have good lemonade.

Sunday

Get a good Breakfast at Sassafras. So good! You must order the beignets. Also the fresh juices and so good! The sweet potato hash with Cajun seasoning is what I had for breakfast. It was really flavorful and unique.

Finish your weekend at Dino ridge a 1.2 to miles paved walk that is uphill. it features lots of fossils and cool history. Great for any dino lover. It took us about an hour but depending on your party and the weather it can take up to two. It is outside with little shade so plan accordingly!

So Is Golden Colorado Worth Visiting?

Golden Colorado is definitely worth visiting. I would never have had it on the list before finding myself there but it was a great few days and we fully enjoyed our stay and wholeheartedly recommend paying this cute little town a visit.

If you are in Denver for more than a weekend pair this itinerary with our Golden Itinerary here.