If you’ve ever rented an apartment in Denver, you know what it’s like to plant roots in the Mile High City. You understand the city’s appreciation for quality craft beer, you spend all your free time outside, you care about recycling and you root for the Broncos.
These are all the things Denver is known for outside of the state of Colorado. But, what do the locals have to say about their culture with these Denver facts?
Don’t try to argue with someone from Colorado about these Denver facts
1. Denver isn’t necessarily bohemian or grungy, but its people have certainly embraced an outdoorsy, yoga-in-the-park culture.
2. It’s big on its breweries. Each year, the city hosts several beer festivals, plus Beer Week: the largest beer competition in the nation.
3. Skiing on the weekends consists more of sitting in traffic and finding parking than it does actual skiing.
4. Locals love their parks, and it’s not uncommon to see any given park in Denver littered with locals (and their dogs and bikes) on a Saturday or Sunday.
5. Speaking of parks and beer, to initiate as a local, you must have a picnic in the park — and that picnic must include some beer.
6. Most “locals” are actually transplants from out of state, which is why the Mile High City is known for its transplant-friendly attitude.
7. Most of Denver is pretty sheened up with high rises, which come with high rent costs.
8. Denver and Salt Lake are both mountain cities, but Denver has a hipper, more robust nightlife and Downtown than Salt Lake.
9. Denver is no cow town. Between the art districts and crystal shops, any remnant of the cowboy vibe (minus the bearded bros with banjos) is now long gone.
10. To date successfully in Denver, you need like the outdoors and like beer — or be great at acting like it.
11. Most dating apps in Denver are 90 percent composed of dudes that wear cargo shorts and flip-flops who also work at a tech company.
12. Those in the 702 keep up on current events and are usually glued to local news apps, especially when the news mentions climate change.
13. Denverites love their Mexican food and everyone knows you’ve got to head just west of the city to find the best of the best.
14. Denver’s healthy food scene isn’t quite as dedicated as L.A.’s, but locals into running, hiking and biking definitely appreciate eating green and clean. But, don’t worry, you can still get a greasy burger at most restaurants around town.
15. Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marijuana, and most people in Denver love their pot. That’s a fact.
16. Denver’s population is not exactly the most diverse. The majority of locals are white working professionals in their 20s and 30s.
17. The city isn’t sketchy like most others its size. Denver has an especially low crime index and you feel pretty safe wandering through the streets.
18. Just about every local uses the mountains to orient themselves at any given time and give directions to those that ask for them. The mountains are to the west of Denver, so instead of saying “take a left at Main street,” you’ll likely hear “head west once you hit Main Street.”
19. Owning a car is a must since Denver’s public transit system is pretty mediocre. So, if you’re moving from a big city like New York or San Francisco where public transportation is the most common way of traveling, you’ll want to get your driver’s license ready.
20. Farmer’s markets are more than a once-a-year event. They’re ongoing during the spring and summer and might be the thing locals get most excited about, right behind drinking beer and hanging out at the dog park.
21. Denver has some of the most unpredictable weather in Colorado. One day it’s 80 degrees with blue skies and the next it’s 45 degrees with light snow.
22. What Denver lacks in its food scene, it makes up for in its underground, grunge, you-heard-it-first-on-SoundCloud music scene.
23. It’s cool to ski or snowboard and it’s rare that someone living in Denver doesn’t. And, those that don’t ski or snowboard will pretend to just so they don’t seem out of place.
24. Between cliff divers and margaritas, it’s a tradition that every local goes to at least one birthday party at Casa Bonita.
25. It’s not uncommon to see drunk people cruising in the fast lane on Birds and Limes between brewery hops, so watch where you drive.
26. Colorado-style pizza means lots of toppings and honey — yes, honey — on the crust. It’s basically like dinner and dessert rolled into one.
27. When you hear the term “fourteener,” it’s referring to one of the many mountain peaks that rise about 14,000 feet tall.
28. Orange and blue are your colors on game day. Even if you’re not into sports or you’re not a Broncos fan, wear the colors for your own protection.
29. Breakfast really doesn’t exist on the weekends, so don’t ask someone to meet you for breakfast on a Saturday morning. Only brunch exists after Thursday.
30. Driving a Subaru Outback is practically mandatory. It can hold all of your gear for hiking, rock climbing, skiing and camping. After all, the only reason you need transportation is to get you to your next outdoor adventure.
31. Colorado green chili is the best in the nation, no doubt about it (we’re looking at you, New Mexico).
Ready to hang with the Denver locals?
Denver certainly has drawn in an interesting crowd — after all, honey on pizza isn’t exactly normal. But, Denverites are some of the most relaxed people you’ll ever meet and they know how to enjoy the world around them. If you think you’re ready to dive into the Mile High City, then start your search for a place to live and find an apartment in Denver!
