Uptown, City Park & East Colfax Neighborhoods

These popular neighborhoods represent a confluence of cool, from the biggest greenspace to the hippest street.

Uptown (or North Capitol Hill) is an eclectic mix of brick rowhouses, dive bars and trendy cocktail lounges minutes from downtown. It's sandwiched between Park Avenue and Colfax Avenue and is the perfect place to start exploring eastern Denver.

Restaurant Row, the stretch of 17th Avenue running from Broadway to City Park, is lined with cafes, bistros, pubs, fine dining and LGBTQ-friendly bars – almost all with outdoor patios. It's also where you'll find Denver's largest green space, City Park, home to two of the city's most popular attractions – the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Colfax Avenue, meanwhile, is the longest commercial street in the U.S.A. after first appearing on Denver maps in 1868 as a dirt road and then becoming a bustling trolley route in The Mile High City in the 1890s. Playboy Magazine once referred to Colfax as "the longest, wickedest street in America."

Today, the street is lined with an eclectic mix of eateries, bars, brewpubs and shops, as well as entertainment and live music venues. The street's diversity is best seen by exploring on foot, starting at the State Capitol and heading east to Upper Colfax and East Colfax.

Looking for a place to stay in the heart of it all? Flora House Denver is an 1892 Victorian mansion turned into a modern boutique hotel.

Neighborhood Map

Explore City Park, East Colfax & Uptown Denver

Dining

From a few rounds of table tennis at Ace Eat Serve to drinks, dining and dessert at Chef Keegan Gerhard's D Bar, Uptown is the epicenter for tempting taste buds. Plant-based fans won't want to miss Watercourse Foods with its healthy comfort food any time of day. In its relatively new Park Hill location, Bistro Vendome is a Parisian sanctuary that evokes enchantment at every turn. For some yummy contemporary American food, try Steuben's or for a taste of Southern Italy head over to Coperta, complete with a mozzarella bar. No visit to Colfax Avenue would be complete without experiencing Urban Cookie. After you make your almost impossible selection from traditional to rebellious, have a seat on the European-style courtyard patio.

Craft Beer & Wine

Bring the whole crew to Reverence Brewing Company. They have everything from homemade sodas to delicious craft beer. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Bruz Off Fax is right off Colfax between City Park and Denver Botanic Gardens. They have traditional Belgian-style beers and innovative Belgian-inspired brews. For wine connoisseurs, La Bouche–Wine Bar offers a unique French-American wine bar experience.

Music Venues & Entertainment

Colfax Avenue is known for its music venues like the Ogden and Bluebird theaters and the Fillmore Auditorium. These iconic performance spaces have hosted artists from across the country including Bob Dylan, Michael Franti, Snoop Dogg, Lorde, the Trey Anastasio Band, and local bands like Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats. Film buffs won't want to miss the Sie FilmCenter where you'll see movies you won't see anywhere else.

Attractions

City Park is the perfect place to experience the outdoors. There are miles of jogging and biking paths and panoramic views of more than 120 miles of snowcapped peaks. The beautiful City Park Pavilion offers breathtaking views and is surrounded by landscaped gardens and Ferril Lake. City park's picnic areas and playgrounds, as well as tennis courts, horseshoes, baseball, football and soccer fields make an ideal setting for a day outdoors. Or hit the links at City Park Golf Course. In the summer, enjoy free jazz every Sunday in the summer during City Park Jazz.

City Park is also home to Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The 100-year-old museum features explorations through the cosmos, dazzling gems and minerals, the Phipps IMAX Theater and a planetarium all under one roof.

Denver Zoo, meanwhile, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing more than 350 species. Don’t miss the Toyota Elephant Passage, the largest bull elephant habitat in North America, the Giraffe Encounter or The Edge, an Amur tiger exhibit. Additionally, Denver Zoo is a nonprofit organization, which runs five field conservation programs around the world.

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Locals Know

City Park is an amazing place to see the sunset over the Rocky Mountains beyond the downtown skyline — sometimes accompanied by a lion roar or peacock crow from the Denver Zoo. The Anschutz Family Sky Terrace in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers unparalleled views of The Mile High City.

During the summer months, City Park's Fresh Market sets up around historic Sullivan Fountain among the majestic statues and architecture of the City Park Esplanade. Experience this fresh market on a patch of green in the heart of the city, and load up on Colorado honey, Western Slope apples, goat cheese and even cinnamon rolls!

Evening aerial image of Denver's City Park

Annual Events

City Park Jazz

In the summer, this free concert series is a local favorite.

Colorado Black Arts Festival

Taking place each July in City Park, the festival is one of the best in the nation.

Zoo Lights

Stroll through the Denver Zoo in December while the grounds are lit with large-scale animals, an event that's sure to delight kids of all ages.

Colfax Marathon

The annual marathon makes its way down Colfax Avenue and into downtown before the runners reach the last leg of the race, down 17th Avenue and into City Park itself for the thrilling finish line next to Ferril Lake.

Denver Film Festival

The Sie FilmCenter hosts the annual Denver Film Festival in the fall, which showcases movies from around the world.

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City Park, East Colfax & Uptown Map

Start your neighborhood adventure at this suggested spot! This is a centrally located position that you can input into your GPS to get started exploring.