Referred to by some as the Amsterdam of the U.S. (if you think that’s a stretch, we agree), Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood is at the forefront of the movement to end cannabis prohibition. It was here, after all, that Ken Gorman organized the first 4/20 rallies in Civic Center Park, and the historical (and probably haunted) Croke-Patterson mansion (now bed and breakfast) tried to become the city’s first public cannabis consumption lounge.
“The first 4/20 rally at Civic Center was organized in the early 1990s by Ken Gorman, a Denver native and one of the city’s best-known cannabis activists. Gorman, aka “Governor Pothead” (he conducted several write-in gubernatorial campaigns), shepherded Denver 4/20 through more than a decade of difficult activism. These were the years during which the seeds were sown for legalization votes that would culminate in Colorado’s 2012 passage of full adult-use legalization.”—Leafly
Lightshade has called Denver’s Capitol Hill home since opening our 6th Avenue cannabis dispensary on the edge of the neighborhood in 2016, and we’ve witnessed Denver’s transition from cow town to a booming metropolis firsthand. Once considered a city reliant on ski tourism, agriculture, and energy for its livelihood, Denver today is booming, with a rapidly growing population and the maturing legal cannabis industry. And Cap Hill is still a neighborhood at the center of it all.
Our short cannabis-lovers guide to Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood has something for everyone. From proud weed-loving natives (we see your bumper stickers) to tourists, to digital nomads planting roots in our city.
Your itinerary for the perfect day in Denver’s Capitol Hill:
Shop at our Capital Hill Dispensary
Our 6th Ave dispensary is ground zero for your Cap Hill experience. Arrive when we open (8 AM), and chat with our expert budtenders. They’ll recommend the perfect products to fit your plans. And, they might have a few suggestions that are absent from this guide.
Lightshade dispensary budtenders are Denver’s alternative tourism board. Strike up a conversation – they won’t let you down.
A quick note before we move on: public cannabis consumption is illegal, and driving while under the influence of cannabis is also prohibited (and stupid). Don’t consume in public; walk or take a ride-share to explore the outer reaches of Cap Hill.
And be realistic about tolerance. Don’t consume more than you can handle. We like to micro-dose before taking in the sights, sounds, and experiences of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. A little bit goes a long way.
Lightshade 6th Ave
745 E. 6th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
720.899.3040
Sunday – Thursday 8:00AM- 9:45PM
Friday & Saturday 8:00AM- 10:45PM
Experience
Titanic survivor and founder of the Denver Women’s club, “The Unsinkable” Molly (Margaret) Brown was a fierce advocate for women’s rights and a well-known Colorado socialite. Her husband made it big in the mining industry of the late 1800s, and the couple bought a home on Pennsylvania Street near 14th Avenue. Visitors flock to her house, now a museum, to take-in local history while they try to catch a glimpse of Molly’s ghost.
Molly Brown House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania Street
Denver, CO 80203
303.832.4092
Cannabis consumers tend to be music fans, and there’s no better place to shop for vintage (or new) vinyl than famed Colorado record store, Wax Trax. Surly record store clerks have served-up slabs of vinyl from the corner of 13th and Washington for more than 40 years. And you can find everything from hip hop, jazz, and R&B, to stoner metal, EDM, and obscure afrobeat 45s (record store nerds go deep).
Wax Trax Records
638 E. 13th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
303.860.0127
Perk Up
Hudson Hill is a relative newcomer to Denver’s coffee and bar scene. Still, they’ve made a name for themselves by offering Capitol Hill residents a chill place to perk up or imbibe. And it’s a stone’s throw from Wax Trax (across the street). Hudson Hill offers a uniquely Scandinavian take on the Cap Hill cafe and bar, with blond woods, white subway tile, and sprawling windows. It’s the perfect place to reset before you hit the pavement again. They also have small bites to satisfy your mid-morning munchies.
Pro tip: Ripple Dissolvables from Stillwater are discreet, and won’t take away from your coffee’s flavor. Tear into a single-serve packet and get on with your day.
Hudson Hill
619 E. 13th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
303.832.0776
Eat
Capitol Hill is rich in restaurants that appeal to every palate and budget. But there are standouts that Denver dispensary customers love. Here are two of our favorites:
Potager
Potager was Denver’s original farm-to-table restaurant when they opened two decades ago. And they still offer a menu that rotates every four weeks to reflect what’s in-season (and delicious). Tucked away on a side street off 11th Avenue, the restaurant is a hidden gem in Capitol Hill and has a romantic postage-stamp-sized patio in back. The restaurant changed ownership last year, but it’s as delicious and comfortable as ever.
Potager
1109 N. Ogden St.
Denver, CO 80218
303.832.5788
City, O’ City
City, O’ City, is Denver’s beloved Capitol Hill vegetarian restaurant. You’ll find a menu full of vegan and vegetarian fare, with enough gluten-free options to please the strictest of celiacs. City, O’ City, is also a late-night hotspot where cannabis-friendly locals hang and converse until the doors close and the lights turn-off.
City, O’ City
206 E. 13th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
303.831.6443
Relax outdoors
Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood isn’t lacking in relaxing outdoor spaces. And with nearly year-round sunshine, Cap Hill’s parks are free and always there for you to enjoy. We can think of few things better than hitting a Denver Dispensary near you (preferably our 6th Ave Dispensary) for a few essentials, consuming (not in public), and then hitting a beautiful park for the day.
Here are two parks we love:
Cheesman Park
Franklin Street & 8th St
Denver, CO 80206
Governors Park
7th Ave and Logan St
Denver, CO 80203
Cap Hill is Denver’s most densely populated neighborhood. It’s also one of our city’s oldest neighborhoods. The area is walkable, cannabis-friendly (to be clear, we’re not saying it’s okay to consume in public), and worth exploring.
Visit Lightshade’s cannabis dispensary at the corner of 6th Avenue and Logan in Denver today!