A Spontaneous Trip to Denver

Sometimes the best trips are the ones you don’t plan at all. Sometimes the best trips are had with people you barely know or don’t even know at all. My latest trip to Colorado would fall under both of these categories. Here’s how it all started:

I met Alison almost a year ago. My sister Rachel and I were headed to a bar downtown to watch the Bruins playoff game when we bumped into a girl who had just been yelled at by the bouncer for trying to take a beer outside. We quickly realized she was not from around here (since everyone in Boston knows how strict the rules are) and it all made sense when she told us that she had just moved here from Colorado where things are a lot more lenient. We immediately clicked, exchanged contact information and swore we’d keep in touch.

After many failed attempts to meet up, we finally got together six months after initially meeting for a day of shopping which ended with chatting over drinks. After I mentioned that I’d always wanted to go to Colorado but had never been, she said she’d been dying to make a trip back home and invited me to come along. She talked about all the places we’d go in Denver, Colorado Springs, and maybe even ski for a day. A few days later she messaged me saying “Change of plans- how do you feel about staying in a 17 person ski house in the mountains of Keystone?” When I asked her how this new opportunity came about and how she met the people we’d be staying with, her reply was, “don’t worry about it.” A few weeks later we were flying into Denver to meet up with a bunch of people we had never really met before.

People like Alison are the kind of people I love to surround myself with. Spontaneous, open-minded, and always up for meeting new people and making new friends. In short, I traveled across the country with a girl I barely knew to stay in a house full of 17 people I had never met before, located in a place I had never been before. And you know what? It was one of the most fun trips I’ve had in a long time. The trip started with a night in Denver, and the city proved to be the interesting and fun place I’d hoped it’d be. We arrived on the late side, but still managed to make it out to on Larimar Street which was a great area littered with bars and restaurants. We enjoyed some local craft beer, including Fat Tire and Mama’s Little Yella at a bar called The Front Porch featuring a gorgeous tree stump wall and other whimsical art touches. The vibe was relaxed but fun, playing an eclectic mix from Biggie Smalls to Tove Lo. I met two of Alison’s best friend’s here, both have an equally positive and open-minded attitude that I had already felt from the city itself. At one point a guy bumped into me at the bar which was followed by an unreasonably sincere apology. I stood there thinking about how this same situation would play out in Boston. All I can say is there wouldn’t have been an apology, and I wouldn’t have expected one! Alison laughed and said, “Welcome to Colorado.”

We ended our night at Two Fisted Marios, a late night pizza joint that serves delectable pie with a side of heavy metal music. We encountered some interesting characters, including some street musicians to some heavy metal lovers. I highly recommend making this your late night snack stop on your way home from the bars.

The next morning we headed to Snooze for a uniquely Denver brunch experience. Besides the exceptionally friendly staff, the long wait was worth it because I had the Bella Benny (A prosciutto benedict topped with a balsamic glaze drizzle) waiting for me on the other side. Make sure to also try the pancake flight, where you can choose three of their incredible selection of pancakes. You’ll want to do anything but snooze in order to make it in for this dining experience.

After our super-satisfying brunch, we then headed up to the mountains to have ourselves a ski weekend with a whole group of new friends. The skiing conditions were beautiful, the view from the top of the mountain was absolutely breathtaking, and every person we encountered along the way was even friendlier than the last. From relaxing in the hot tub after a long day of skiing, to playing Cards Against Humanity to sharing a delicious meal compliments of the house chef David, we all got to know each other, and at the end of the day it didn’t matter if I had known these people for years or for a day. We were all there to have an awesome weekend in the beautiful mountains of Colorado, and that we did.

Alison has since become one of my very good friends, and I have stayed in touch with a few friend I met from the trip. We’ve even chatted about visiting each other. This whole trip came about on the simple impulse of spontaneity. Had I questioned or over thought any of this, I would have missed out on an epic adventure. My biggest takeaway: sometimes eliminating a planned itinerary of exactly what you’re going to do, what you’re going to see, where you’re going to eat and who you’re going to do all of these activities with, is exactly what you need in order to relax and let the adventures unfold in front of you.