Dino tracks, Red rocks, and Buffalo Bill on the Lariat Loop in Denver

Right outside of Denver is the Lariat Loop scenic byway with plenty to see. It's to the west of Denver in the foothills to the Rocky Mountains and makes a great day trip (or half a day) of driving and light hiking. Perfect for kids, too. And everything is free.

I found the Lariat Loop national scenic byway in my handy road trip book that's always in my car; you never know when you'll have time for a scenic drive.

I stopped at the Dinosaur Ridge visitor center where you can park. Then you walk up the road that is closed to traffic. Or you can pay for a ticket to ride the tour bus. You quickly climb up the side of the hill and get a nice view. There are sites marked along the route showing fossilized dinosaur tracks, plants, and geologic formations. What a great way to get some fresh air, exercise, and learn a little.

Next stop is the Red Rocks Amphitheater and park. You can park and walk around this outdoor theater. The red rock outcroppings are dramatic, and the steep seating makes for a good urban hike. And the views down into the valley are nice. 

I had time for one last stop before the rain started so I drove up the winding road to the Buffalo Bill museum. Park for free then take the short walk to his gravesite. You also get a great view of downtown Denver.

The Lariat Loop scenic byway ends up in Golden, Colorado where you can stop for a drink or snack before taking the short drive back into Denver.

Make-your-own bowl at Grabbagreen in Denver

Make-your-own bowl at Grabbagreen in Denver

It's my last day in Denver and I had to keep looking for the healthy food joints. Grabbagreen is a national chain serving up fast, healthy breakfasts and lunches using mostly organic and local fresh ingredients. Choose one of their bowl recipes, or make one of your own. Either way, it's prepared fresh for you, and the staff takes the time to walk you through all your choices.

I went the make-it-your-own route. I had a bowl with quinoa, black beans, cilantro, and chimichurri sauce. Then you add five super nutrients; I picked corn, beets, tomatoes, carrots, and onions.

I hardly had time to sit down and they called my name to pick it up. The food was warm, the ingredients were very fresh, and it tasted great. I would eat here all the time if there was a location near by house.

Grabbagreen also serves coffee, smoothies, and juices.

Find a Grabbagreen location near you

Where to Eat in Denver  >>

Chilaquiles brunch at Cochino Taco in Englewood, Colorado (Denver)

Chilaquiles brunch at Cochino Taco in Englewood, Colorado (Denver)

My plan was to walk from the light rail over to a taco joint recommended to me and check out their tofu taco. But as it turned out, I arrived for the Sunday brunch which serves a different menu. I ended up with the chilaquiles which were very good and I'll return later to check out those tofu tacos.

Cochino Taco has a lively brunch. Plenty of patio seating and a nice menu of drinks. Why did I skip that Bloody Mary??

Where to Eat in Denver  >>

Herb Veggie Burger at Mellow Mushroom in Denver

Herb Veggie Burger at Mellow Mushroom in Denver

Mellow Mushroom serves pizza, burgers, and salads (and brews) in a funky, festive environment. Mellow Mushroom has locations all over the country, and a couple in Denver. I stopped by the one in Centennial. 

What sets Mellow Mushroom apart from other pizza joints (other than the decor) is that they can make any menu item into a vegan meal. They will swap in a soy-based product and vegan cheese if you ask. My server was super helpful in explaining all this to me. I've read plenty of reviews for the other locations and knowledgable staff seems to be the norm.

The Herb veggie burger patty is made with quinoa, kale, brown rice, and roasted mushrooms then seasoned with roasted garlic and shallots. It's juicy and delicious. The burger is finished with avocado, cheddar cheese, garlic aioli, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Wow this burger was great! (Remember you can ask to swap out the dairy cheese for vegan cheese.)

Super fresh veggies in the salad

You get a side of roasted potatoes which were also very tasty

Great food, great service, and plenty to look at Mellow Mushroom. Check it out!

Find a Mellow Mushroom location on their web site.

Where to eat in Denver  >>

Native Scorpion Burger at Native Foods Cafe in Denver

Native Scorpion Burger at Native Foods Cafe in Denver

Native Foods Cafe is a small chain of restaurants serving burgers and salads made from 100% plant-based mostly organic ingredients. They started in Palm Springs but now have locations all over the country. I stopped by the location in Glendale, Colorado which is in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver.

The Native Scorpion Burger is blackened tempeh, chipotle sauce, romaine, carrots, red onions and avocado. It's served on a whole wheat bun. The tempeh is made from non-GMO organic soybean and millet.

Don't forget to add a salad

There's a selection of juices. I had the watermelon fresca.

Don't skip a little hand grenade sriracha. It's very tasty and not super hot.

Find a Native Foods Cafe location at their web site.

Where to eat in Denver  >>

Veggie Burger at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Aurora, Colorado (near Denver)

Veggie Burger at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Aurora, Colorado (near Denver)

I tried the veggie burger at Burger King the other day so when I got to Denver I checked to see if Freddy's also had one. (Check out my review of the green chile cheeseburger at Freddy's in Albuquerque.) 

Yep, they sure do. Unlike the green veggies in the BK one, Freddy's uses black beans and it's delicious. OK so maybe black beans are my favorite burger, but even so this one is really good. You get the standard Freddy's burger with onions, tomato, onion, cheese, and Freddy's fry sauce. This tastes as good as the black bean burgers I make at home. And it's juicy which is not always easy to do in a veggie burger.

Had to get some fried pickles while I was there. This is the first time I tried Freddy's jalapeno fry sauce which is spicy without blowing your head off. It's great on the fried pickles.

What's a visit to Freddy's without some concrete? I had the turtle sundae. I like how Freddy's serves your dessert before your burger arrives. Don't want it to melt, right??

There's plenty of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers locations -- check out their web site for locations.

Read more about Freddy's veggie burger at their web site.

Where to eat in Denver  >>

Mexican candies at La Fogata in Denver

Mexican candies at La Fogata in Denver

Mexican candies aren't exactly candy, but they are sweet and delicious. They are seasoned jalapeno peppers which are roasted over a flame, and served with ranch dressing. These are an excellent appetizer. They are a little spicy, but not too much.

Giant cinnamon roll at Johnson's Corner in Denver

Giant cinnamon roll at Johnson's Corner in Denver

A truck stop isn't exactly the first place you think to take your daughter on your cross-country road trip, but it is when it's got the best cinnamon roll I've ever tasted.

Fry bread nuggets Tocabe American Indian Eatery in Denver

Fry bread nuggets at Tocabe American Indian Eatery in Denver

When my daughter and I were passing through Denver on our road trip last month, we had to stop in at Tocabe American Indian Eatery. I have been there before (here's my review with pictures) and I knew she would love it. It's set up a lot like a Chipotle with a "build your own" type of service line. But instead of a burrito, you're assembling a meal which you might never had tried before.

Indian Taco at Tocabe

Is there such a thing at Native American fast food? There is in Denver at Tocabe, An American Indian Eatery.

The setup is similar to Chipotle: start at one end of the serving bar, and pick the base of your dish. Then slide over for the beans and meat, and slide over again for the salsa and other toppings.

I had fry bread, chicken, pinto beans, and hominy salsa on my Indian taco. This is really good!

Iko's Green Chili Stew is full of ground beef, sweet corn, green chiles. It's spicy and delicious.

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