Colorado - Day 9: Denver to Chicago
On Sunday, August 30th, I wandered around the RiNo Art District and flew back to Chicago.
RiNo Art District
RiNo, short for River North Art District, is known for its colorful street art, contemporary galleries, restaurants, breweries, and converted industrial spaces. The district was formed by a group of local artists in 2005, building upon an area that had once been dominated by factories, warehouses, and other industrial businesses. Larimer, Walnut, and Blake Streets are the main streets that run parallel through much of the heart of RiNo and are lined with murals, restaurants, shops, galleries, and other businesses. Today, art remains at the heart of the district, with murals and other public artwork seemingly everywhere you look.
RiNo felt like the perfect area to explore on my last morning in Denver. I checked out of Sonesta Denver Downtown around 8:45am, left my luggage at the hotel, and called an Uber to Crema Coffee House on Larimer Street. I had a latte and some granola for breakfast, which hit the spot before I started walking.
I spent about an hour and a half wandering around RiNo and photographing murals. I covered a large portion of the district and saw an incredible amount of street art along the way. I didn’t follow a guided tour or any particular route. I simply explored on my own, mainly making my way through the neighborhood. RiNo is only about one mile in radius, making it very manageable to explore on foot.
The streets were mostly flat and easy to walk, and I loved not knowing what piece of artwork I might find around the next corner. The district’s nickname has even inspired its official rhino logo, so there were plenty of creative rhino references mixed in with the murals and signage.
Around 11:00am, I made my way back to Sonesta Denver Downtown to pick up my luggage and begin the trip to Denver International Airport for my flight home.
