Located right in the commotion of Denver is its 16th Street Mall, a hub for shopping, dining and socializing.
With a 40-minute ride on the B or the BX buses, students at CU can use their RTD bus passes to travel right to the Market Street Station on the 16th Street Mall.
The mile-long stretch of mall seems to be an abundance of activity. With over 500 bars, restaurants and stores, there is something for everyone to do.
Shopping-wise, the mall has a diverse array of places to go.
Whether visitors are looking for fashion at Express, athletic gear at the enormous Niketown or Colorado-themed shot glasses at one of the many souvenir stores, they are bound to find it.
A special suggestion for shopping is the Tattered Cover Book Store, located at the end of the mall near Coors Field.
This cozy spot boasts two stories of books, along with a cozy atmosphere for reading. Additionally, a coffee shop in the store makes it easy to spend an entire afternoon there.
For dining, the mall has plenty of places to eat.
Chelsea Peterson, an 18-year-old freshman international affairs major, said she admires the selection that the mall offers for food.
“From expensive, fancy restaurants to fast food, there’s nothing that you can’t find at the mall,” Peterson said.
Along with dining and shopping, there are plenty more activities to do. The Denver Pavilions mall on 16th Street offers a 15-screen movie theater, as well as a bowling alley.
Along with having great attractions, the 16th Street Mall can also be proud of its transportation efforts.
The RTD-Denver light rail, which brings anyone with a pass to locations throughout the Denver metropolitan area, has stations located down 16th street.
Destinations include areas such as the University of Denver, Littleton and Englewood.
In addition, the 16th Street Mall features the MallRide. The MallRide is a series of free buses that stops at every intersection on 16th street to make the visitor’s travelling easier.
The buses are also hybrid vehicles, which claim to be ultra-low emissions vehicles. However, such a convenient system does have its downside – the MallRide is usually very crowded, especially on weekends and during rush hour.
Although Denver is not considered to be a very dangerous city, it can get a little shaky at night.
Adrian Garcia, a 17-year-old freshman journalism major, said he thought that nighttime was not a good time to visit the mall.
“Downtown Denver in the daytime is pretty beautiful, but as it gets later, it seems to get sketchier,” Garcia said.
However, some people, such as Zack Davisson, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major, said they found the nightlife on the mall to be fascinating.
“The 16th Street Mall at night is a great place for people-watching,” Davisson said. “I dare say some of the people there are freakier than the people on Pearl Street at night.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Matt Glassett at Matthew.glassett@colorado.edu.
