A Golden Staycation
In need of a staycation? Visit Golden helped us plan the perfect weekend trip to Golden! From brunches, happy hour, local tours — they had some great recommendations we wanted to share with you all. If you are dying for a little getaway with a mountain town feel that’s close to home, this post is for you!
Bloody Marys at the Bridgewater Grill
The Golden Hotel
We stayed at the Golden Hotel right in the heart of downtown Golden. We LOVED the location — it doesn’t really get any better. We took advantage of the free parking and didn’t need the car the rest of the weekend. We checked in to our room and the first thing we noticed was the amazing mountain view from our window. The beds were also really comfortable, and the shower had great water pressure (isn’t it funny the things you look for in a hotel room as an adult?). We also noticed the hotel is dog friendly, so you can bring your little buddy along too. After getting settled, we headed straight down the the Bridgewater Grill, the on-site restaurant with a patio overlooking the creek. We decided to enjoy a combo of happy hour & brunch, ordering some bloody marys and the crispy brussel sprouts with pork belly. Both were really tasty, and it was the perfect way to kick off our trip!
Old Barrel Tea Company
Local Shopping
We spent most of the day walking around downtown and popping into shops. The first stop was Old Barrel Tea Company. You can smell all of their teas and even sample some. They share their space with a local ice cream shop, butcher, and liquor store. We spent wayyy too much time here, bought some teas, and then headed on our way! Another shop we really enjoyed was Truly Bohotique. They had everything from clothing and jewelry to wellness and beauty items. They also sell local jewelry made from skis! We window shopped a bit more, and then headed to Tributary, a food hall with a variety of cuisines and a full bar. They even have a coffee shop, Generous Coffee, if you need a little pick-me-up!
Bella Colibri
Dinner at Bella Colibri
We are still dreaming of this cozy Italian restaurant. Bella Colibri (translated ‘beautiful hummingbird’) was founded by Dean Valdez, who’s family immigrated to Colorado from Calabria, Italy. The menu features a variety of Southern Italian dishes, including seafood, homemade pastas, Colorado lamb, steaks and more. We started with the burrata, which was a real showstopper. For our entrees, we ordered the Butternut Squash Ravioli and the Potato Gnocchi with Short Rib. We were too full for dessert — something we literally never say. Everything from the atmosphere to the homemade dishes had us feeling like we were actually in Italy! You can see their full menu here.
We had such a relaxing time in Golden and are SO happy we decided to plan this little getaway! It was exactly what we needed for a recharge. If you’d like to plan a trip, Visit Golden is the go-to spot to learn about all the fun activities in Golden. You can find them at visitgolden.com. They have great info on hiking and biking trails, craft breweries, and museums and tours! We’d love to hear your favorite spots/things to do in Golden. Leave a comment below!