Choose your own adventure for the perfect fall date around Denver – mix and match fall-themed date ideas to suit your needs.  

Start with your breakfast or coffee  

Weathervane Cafe – If you need to start your day with a hearty, seasonal breakfast, Weathervane offers seasonal breakfast options like an apple butter crunch parfait, pumpkin chia pudding and carrot cake oats as well as seasonal coffee flavors. Address: 1725 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218 

Apple Blossom – Autumnal favorites like apple French toast, pumpkin pie oatmeal, and smothered pork green Chile burritos are all on the menu to start your perfect fall day. Additionally, you can find a traditional pumpkin spice latter here along with other fall flavors like a honey fig dirty chai and a white chocolate pistachio latte. Address: 822 18th St, Denver, CO 80202 

Toast Fine Food and Coffee – A limited time fall menu includes pumpkin French toast, maple crunch cakes and a toasty griddle flight as well as seasonal coffee options like a pumpkin spice latte and a salted caramel cold brew. Address: 2630 W Belleview Ave #100, Littleton, CO 80123 

Humble House Cafe – Colorado seasonal flavors like palisade peach cobbler and harvest sweet potatoes are part of the fall menu accompanied by a large menu of seasonal drinks such as a pumpkin mallow chip latte, Mexican mocha, Bananas foster latter, and a sweet potato chai. Address: 1208 Washington Ave, Golden, CO 80401 

La Belle French Bakery – On the lighter side for breakfast, La Belle offers a full fall menu featuring fall classics with a French twist like a croissant citrouille (pumpkin croissant), pumpkin muffin and carrot cake slices along with ‘limonades’ in a variety of fruity, fall flavors. You can also find some traditional bakery items here like French cinnamon rolls, almond criossants and traditional breakfast sandwiches. Address: 12189 Pennsylvania St, Thornton, CO 80241 

Find a fall activity to do outdoors –  

Georgetown loop railroad – Step into fall with a train ride through the secluded terrain of the rocky mountains from Georgetown to Silver Plume. The train offers seasonally themed rides like an Autumnfest train where guests will experience a relaxing ride through the changing leaves in the high country while sipping on free beer samples from Tommyknocker’s Brewery. Train rides offered each weekend through the end of October.  

Chatfield Farms Botanic Gardens Corn Maze – ‘Birds of prey’ is the theme this year, featuring eagles, falcons, and cultures as your fly through the twists and turns of the maze. There is also a 10-acre pumpkin patch to explore and choose the perfect pumpkin, train rides, a mini maze for smaller children and other fall activities.  

Anderson Farms Pumpkin Patch – Rated by Denverites as a family favorite pumpkin patch, you can find an array of traditional fall activities starting with a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch and a variety of activities that are included such as a petting zoo, magic show, live music, play spaces and games for kids and even a pumpkin cannon. And don’t forget to check out their haunted corn maze once the sun goes down at Terror in the Corn.  

Spiders Around the World – Conquer that arachnophobia with an up-close-and-personal experience with spiders in their natural environments. The Butterfly Pavilion is offering this exhibit for a limited time for guests to view these eight-legged beauties with no glass barriers.  

Dia de los Muertos at Civic Center Park – Honor the presence of loved ones and ancestors with a family-friendly event that involves culture and community. Celebrations include community altars, art installations, live music, dance performances and a community ofrenda.  

Far East Mid Autumn Festival – Celebrating food and family, this festival is bountiful in delicious Asian street food in the heart of Denver’s Little Saigon District. Festival highlights include a pho eating contest and a moon cake eating contest, cultural performances, lantern-making, live music and even a karaoke contest.  

Take a fall hike – There are plenty of fall hikes to take within an hour of Denver and it can he hard to decide which to choose. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Sprague Lake to Bear Lake via Glacier Gorge – This secluded hike is often not traveled by hikers to RMNP since it winds between two the two parking areas but includes scenic views of Longs Peak, fall colors, and offers quiet scenery to spot wildlife like elk and moose.  

• Lair o‘ the Bear – There are many hikes to chose from here with levels of difficulty to suit every hiker’s needs.  

• Brainard Lake – Chose from one of many fall hikes which include views of lakes and winding creeks and you might even get lucky in seeing some moose.  

Find a fall themed event to finish the day –  

Ghosts in the Gardens – Denver Botanic Gardens invites guests who are brave enough to enter the gates after dark for a haunted history and scary stories as guests learn about the intriguing history of the gardens, including a site formerly known as “The Boneyard.” This self-guided tour follows dimly lit paths through the thick, winding landscape and an exclusive visit inside the Waring House.  

Dracula Ballet –  Running Friday-Sunday each weekend in the month of October, enjoy a cult classic performed by the Colorado Ballet. A classic gothic love story set in 19th century Transylvania takes the stage for a spooky and dramatic date-night at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.  

History Mystery Tour at Fairmount Cemetery – Only offered from mid September through the end of October, scratch the spooky cemetery itch with a historic tour of the Fairmount or Riverside cemeteries. Led only by flashlights, slowly move through Denver’s most well-known cemetery and learn about the history of Denver through the deceased.  

Frightmare Compound – Be prepared to get scared in an old, spooky farmhouse located in the suburbs of Westminster. The landscape entering the compound sets the scene for an eerie night as you drive in on a winding, country road situated in a dark corner of the city. Rumor has it, that the US Government funded a secret project there, but was abruptly pulled and suddenly rumors spread about high profile grave-robberies and missing persons tied to the area. Legend has it that a ‘deranged scientist refused to leave the property and continued the research in any way he could,’ according to the Frightmare Compound’s history.  

Bonus round: Finish your night with a fall-themed cocktail –  

Adrfit Tiki Bar – Offering an array of creepy cocktails, there is no shortage of options for those looking to end their evening on a high-note. Options include a boozy ‘Poison Apple’ featuring Jamaican rum, apple brandy, blended scotch, Madeira, and a spiced pear demerara and other spooky, seasonal mixes as well as Halloween themed punch bowls with tongue-in-cheek names like ‘Venom and Vice’ or ‘Death Sentence.’ 

Dairy Block – Multiple options for cocktails mingle here on the Dairy Block where a selection of seven different bars that are offering a seasonal ‘Drink-or-treat’ menu. Instagram worthy cocktails will please both the eyes and the taste buds featuring fall flavors like apple, pear, cinnamon and bourbon.   

Milepost Zero – A Halloween bar takeover is coming to McGreggor Square with hauntingly good drinks, offbeat decor, and spooky party vibes including happy hours, a zombie crawl, and ‘Graveyard Grooves’ in addition to Halloween-themed cocktails.