LoDo

A Union Station highlight, the sophisticated Cooper Lounge is located on the mezzanine level of the renovated transit hub. Its balcony set-up is good for people watching into Union Station's Great Hall, and on the opposite side, you can look out onto Downtown Denver beyond Cooper's stunning arched windows. The upscale cocktail list and throwback-glam space feels celebratory in nature.

This glorious indie bookshop occupies multiple floors (which makes for literally countless cozy ready nooks) filled with new and used books of every kind. After almost fifty years in business, they're now a Denver mainstay for literary culture, hosting readings from new authors in their cafés. Once you pick something out, grab a latte—or one of their sandwiches—and snuggle up in one of the couches. For non-readers, there's also Wifi. There's a second location on the other side of town.

This longstanding Wazee Street establishment was founded by Jack Weil, who later became a Denver celebrity, not just for his amazing ranch shirts (he's the original inventor of snap-close cowboy shirts), but because he continued to work in the store every day until his death at the age of 107. Rockmount is now run by Weil's son and grandson, and it's still the best place in Denver to buy old-school cowboy shirts, and the store also has a great selection of boots, hats, and belts, plus some really great bolo ties for sartorially brave Westerners.