10 ways to fit in like a true Denverite

Denver is an attractive move for out-of-staters who want to be closer to the great outdoors while maintaining an urban lifestyle. Just don’t think it’s a mountain town.

Like any city, there are misconceptions about Denver. One of them, many say, is that Denver is in the mountains. It may be the "Mile High City" because of its elevation of 5,280 feet, but it's actually in the high plains.

“It’s not like we’re right in the mountains, and people think everybody skis, and that is not true,” said Denver-based agent Colleen Covell of milehimodern. “A lot of people ski, obviously, but it’s not like the mountain is 30 minutes away. … In high season, it can take you three to four hours to get to Vail because of the traffic or road conditions.”

Thankfully, for any new resident who makes a Denverite faux pas (like mispronouncing Estes Park — more on that later), the city is filled with friendly neighbors and a large mix of newcomers who likely won’t judge you too hard.

“Denver is so transplant; there’s so many people not from Colorado, much less Denver,” said Rayna Kingston, a lifelong Denverite and social media content creator who shares recommendations on activities, restaurants, and more in the city under the handle @raynakingdenver. “If you’re moving to Denver, you’re going to be in good company because most of your neighbors will probably also not be from here.”

Before moving here, blend in with native Denverites by learning these resident-suggested lessons the easy way:

Residents say overdressing is a quick way to make it obvious you’re not from Denver. Most residents wear outdoor clothing brands like Patagonia or shoes like Chacos, whether to take a hike, work, or grab dinner. It’s part of the laid-back Denver lifestyle.

“It’s a much more relaxed style of dressing. You’ll see a lot of people wearing athleisure wear everywhere. It’s a very active community. People are always dressed ready to jump,” said Covell.

Covell moved from the East Coast 17 years ago and used to joke that on Monday mornings at work, people would ask, “Did you work this weekend?” In Denver, the first question is always about what outdoor activities people were up to over the weekend.

“The focus on work as a primary motivator for your life on the East Coast is very different from Denver,” she said.

Dogs just may outnumber people in Denver, Kingston joked.

All kidding aside, a November 2023 story in The Denver Post reported that 150,000-plus dogs were woofing around—and that only 9,300 pet owners had obtained licenses.

The city firmly believes dogs are your best friend, so much so that businesses have been established to socialize with canines, like the 50,000-square-foot Skiptown doggy daycare, grooming center, and social club (with a bar).

“Dogs are family here,” said agent Michelle Schwinghammer with West + Main Homes in Denver, who owns a rescued 6-year-old golden retriever and Labrador mix named Kozmo.

Most people think of Denver as a cold, snowy city when it actually receives as much sunlight as parts of California, residents say.

“People think it snows all the time in Denver," said Covell, who said the weather is the best part about the city. "While it’s true — we’ve had 16 inches of snow on Labor Day before — it’s so sunny here that the snow melts really fast.”

The truth about Denver weather is that it can change quickly, so don’t make plans to hike too far in advance.

Denver consists of 78 distinct, official neighborhoods, said Schwinghammer. They house more than 713,000 residents, from Marston in the west to Gateway in the east.

The Denver Art Museum is in the Civic Center neighborhood (also known as the Golden Triangle), Coors Field is in the Lower Downtown/Ballpark neighborhood, and several notable music venues are scattered throughout the metropolitan area. The Ogden Theater in Capitol Hill is a great place to catch local shows — just leave a solid hour to find legal parking.

“We spend a lot of time and money seeing up-and-coming acts and legends play at the Bluebird Theater, the Gothic [Theatre], and Mission Ballroom,” said Schwinghammer. Technically, the Gothic Theatre is in Englewood, right outside Denver.
 

At the base of Rocky Mountain National Park is Estes Park, a popular destination 70 miles north of Denver. It's also home to The Stanley Hotel, which author Stephen King used as inspiration for The Overlook Hotel in "The Shining."

“We have this mountain called Estes, and everyone who’s not from here pronounces it ‘Estees,’” said Kingston, who said it’s “Estiss.”

Be sure to refer to Washington Park as "Wash Park."

Other mountain lingo to know is “Front Range” and “Western Slope,” denoting the eastern front half of the Rocky Mountains and the western side of the Rocky Mountains, respectively.

In the city, a handful of neighborhoods rarely go by their proper name.

To refer to the neighborhood of Lower Highlands, say "LoHi." The River North Arts District is "RiNo." Lower Downtown is "LoDo."

Don’t fall victim to an initiation trick of trying Rocky Mountain oysters — they’re not actual oysters.

“Rocky Mountain oyster is fried [bull] testicle,” said Kingston. “It’s been a thing forever. Only a few places serve them, but they’ve become so known for them that you bring people there and say, ‘You should try a Rocky Mountain oyster!’”

It’s another Denver-known delicacy, next to green chili (which Denverites actually enjoy). Many locals get their favorite green chili-slathered dishes at Sam’s No. 3 diner.

To be a Denver native, go where they go.

“I grew up here, and I’ve still never been to Aspen,” said Kingston. “Aspen is very much one of those places that celebrities are told to go to or have fancy events, but I don’t think many people who live in Colorado or Denver go to Aspen.”

Kingston prefers Leadville, Beaver Creek, Evergreen, Copper, Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin), or Breckenridge.

“It feels like they’re in the mountains but not too hard to get to, so it doesn’t feel like it takes your whole day up getting there and back,” she added.

Don't discount the Denver food scene, residents say.

“People underestimate how sophisticated some of the dining and the restaurant options are,” said Covell. “We have Michelin-star restaurants and some nationally known chefs that people don’t necessarily expect from Denver.”

Many restaurants offer a mix of cultural inspirations, especially off Federal Boulevard, where you can find Chinese, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese fare.

“All the locals know that Aurora, which is one of our neighboring towns, has the best food spots and the best cultural food spots,” said Kingston. “And off of Federal Boulevard in Denver is one of the hot spots for good food.”

And if you’re looking to stay closer to city central and stumble upon good food, try walking around the Highlands neighborhoods, specifically LoHi, RiNo and Sloan’s Lake, Kingston suggested.

There’s really no need to buy a new vehicle to blend in, but there are some popular Denverite choices.

“We used to joke there were only three cars in Denver: Subaru, Audi and a 4Runner,” said Covell.

Nowadays, there are electric cars to add to the mix, but that trio of car manufacturers is most attractive for outdoor adventurers needing sturdy vehicles fit for off-roading or driving through the mountains in any kind of weather.

Most people who choose to move to Denver are attracted to its outdoor opportunities and lifestyle, but it’s also a typical urban city where not every person likes to hike or ski.

“I wouldn’t say everyone here is always in the mountains every weekend or hiking outside every chance they can get,” said Kingston. “There’s very much still a city culture where plenty of people love to go outside and be camping every weekend, but they find each other, versus the people who want to sit and drink a prosecco on the patio. There’s very much that culture here, too.”