Everywhere Honey Boo Boo’s Mom Went During Her Visit to Denver — and a Few Places We Think She Should Try

June “Mama June” Shannon posted a video on TikTok from her airplane seat as soon as she touched down in Denver to visit her daughter, Alana Thompson, the child star of TLC’s 2012-2014 reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (and a favorite on Toddlers & Tiaras prior to that). Thompson became one of Denver’s celebrity residents in 2023 when she moved here to attend Regis University.

Mama June arrived from Georgia on December 21 with no solid plans for how long her visit would be, just that she’d be leaving by January 4. “Don’t forget to tell me some things to do around Denver,” she said. “…Let us know some of your hole-in-the-wall restaurants that y’all love the most.”

Well, we have a few ideas. But first, here’s where Mama June has gone so far:

Jim’s Burger Haven
595 E 88th Avenue, Thornton and 7855 Sheridan Boulevard, Arvada
“It is well-known for the burgers, and we’re going to check it out and see what it’s all about,” Mama June said on TikTok. She captured footage of the restaurant’s “vibes” and her family’s meals before the group went to an unnamed fro-yo establishment. Mama June didn’t have much to say about the food other than that dinner was $58 and the frozen yogurt was almost as expensive as the dinner, at $48. Welcome to Denver.

Mile High Tree and Christmas Market
Auraria Campus, Tivoli Quad, 1000 Larimer Street
Mama June and her group went to see the Mile High Tree on the day before Christmas Eve. “If you are in Denver, this is definitely a must-see,” Mama June said. She added that it was extremely busy and she didn’t have a chance to do any shopping or try any food, but she was impressed by a booth where people can learn to hand-blow glass.

Atomic Cowboy
Multiple metro locations
Next, the family headed to Atomic Cowboy’s East Colfax location to try sweet and savory biscuits from Denver Biscuit Company. Alana Thompson showed off her cordon bleu biscuit with an over-easy egg. “Would y’all eat that big ass biscuit?” Mama June inquired. The bill was $148 for five people.

Ortega’s Jerky
1616 North Federal Boulevard
After Christmas, Mama June tried Orgega’s Jerky, jerky made in New Mexico that now has a trailer on Denver’s Federal Boulevard. The jerky is known for being thin and crispy rather than chewy, and comes in gallon bags. Mama June said it was $15 for a gallon bag, and the jerky was “pretty good.” “You know it’s homemade when they’re in these gallon bags like this,” she said.

DryBar Denver — Cherry Creek
3290 East 1st Avenue
This blow-dry chain is Mama June’s favorite place to treat herself in the Mile High City. “The best part is getting your hair washed and having someone play in your hair,” she said, admitting in the December 29 video that she had not washed her hair since December 11. “It looks so beautiful,” she said after getting the treatment. They always make it look so amazing.” The service was $114 before a tip, but Mama June says that DryBar is the one place she always goes to when she comes to Denver.

Westword’s Recommendations for Mama June

The typical Denver tourist destinations like Meow Wolf, Red Rocks, the Winter Park Express and New Year’s Eve fireworks are great ways for visitors to spend time here, but here’s a list of recommendations curated specifically for Mama June:

Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant
3609 Tejon Street
In a famous scene from Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Mama June makes one of her family’s favorite meals, Sketti — butter and ketchup mixed in a Tupperware and melted in the microwave before being poured over spaghetti noodles. Everyone’s so creative! We think Mama June would like Lechuga’s, because the Denver staple gets creative with its dishes, too. Lechuga’s is known for its savory canolis and spaghetti served by the bucket.

Mama Jo’s Chicken, Biscuits, BBQ
3525 East Colfax Avenue
Mama June should go to Mama Joe’s! Besides the fun word play, we think she and her family would enjoy the southern comfort food — Mama Jo’s has pork, mac and cheese, collard greens, biscuits and much more.

El Taco de Mexico 
714 Santa Fe Drive
If you’re in Denver, you have to try some green chile and a smothered burrito. We recommend the burritos at El Taco de Mexico, a beloved spot that actually won Best Green Chile in Westword’s 2022 Best Of awards. In 2020, El Taco de Mexico won a James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award, and foodies flock here for breakfast through dinner. We recommend a carnitas burrito blanketed in green chile.

NATIV Aesthetics Head Spa
7936 Arapahoe Court, Centennial
Since Mama June enjoys DryBar, we wanted to offer some other ways for her to treat herself. NATIV is perfect for people who love getting their hair played with. The hour-long appointment starts with a skin analysis to understand your scalp health before perching your head above a sink while the water runs across your scalp like a mini lawn sprinkler. Relax into the detoxifying scalp mask, followed by periodic breaks for an arm and neck massage, and ending with a warm towel wrap. We also have a whole list of other unique spa experiences around Denver.

Beat the Bomb
3863 Steele Street Unit 1273
If Mama June is looking for something to do with her family, it might be funny to try Beat the Bomb, an immersive group game where if you lose, a paint, foam or slime bomb explodes on you and your team. But don’t worry, the explosion doesn’t hurt, and players are suited up with protective gear, so none of the slime actually gets on you.