Travel Westword: 24 hours in Georgetown, Colorado

This installation of Travel Westword is sponsored by Visit Georgetown.

In the late 1800s, after a wealth of silver was discovered on the ridge of Mount McClellan, Georgetown was named the “Silver Queen of the Rockies.” After this trip, we can vouch for Georgetown: She’s still a mountain queen.

Located just 45 miles from Denver, Georgetown sits at 8,530 feet above sea level, tucked within mountains, lakes and the scenic Clear Creek. Yes, it was a mining town founded in the 1800s, but today it’s home to local businesses and restaurants, a historic train loop, hiking trails, a brewery and wonderful people.

Come along with us for this edition of Travel Westword as we show you how to spend 24 hours this summer in Georgetown, Colorado.

A Home in the Mountains: Clear Creek Inn

I’ve been to Georgetown countless times since moving to Colorado in 2023, but I’ve never noticed the Clear Creek Inn between the trees and the creek in the center of town. The inn, which is also a wedding and event space, was opened in 2019 by the father-son ownership team of Lloyd and Sam Yanis.
Sometimes we do these Travel Westword trips solo, sometimes with more of our Westword team, but this time I brought my husband along with me. We parked our car in the spacious lot across the street from the inn. The first thing I noticed as we walked up was the homey feel: The front doors were propped open, a mountain-inspired playlist filled every room, and glass doors led to a back patio topped with twinkling lights and a backdrop of aspen trees. We were greeted by Sam Yanis himself, and our bags were taken to our second-floor suite.

In our spacious room, we had a dining table, a large closet complete with robes, an updated bathroom, a Jacuzzi and a very comfortable king-sized bed. While the Jacuzzi looked relaxing, we opted for the creekside hot tub (just down the hall, on the second-floor roof) that overlooks the mountains.


The next morning when we went downstairs, that glorious playlist was setting the vibe just right again, and Sam brought us a smoothie and a delicious homemade breakfast. If you're looking for an inn that allows you to truly relax and reset with homey vibes, this is the place.

Beer and a Pickle Shot at Mother’s Saloon

Dive bars. Bring these up in any group text as you’re planning a trip, and you’ll get clapping emojis across the board. Mother’s Saloon is the definition of a dive bar, but with the uncommon perk of being creekside. From the pool table to the pickle shots to the taxidermied buffalo in a cowboy hat, Mother's checks all the boxes.


I grabbed a pint of the hazy IPA on tap, and we headed to the patio, where we chatted with a man (and his adorable dog, Snoopy) who'd recently moved to Georgetown after spending years in Arizona. He and his family were heading to a Red Rocks show that night with an extra ticket, and he asked if we wanted to tag along. Next time, friend, next time.

Dinner at Cooper’s on the Creek

Our creekside tour continued at Cooper’s on the Creek. Established in 2016, this local eatery, owned by Amanda and Ryan Cooper, is home to fine dining in Georgetown. For an appetizer, we enjoyed the Buffalo chicken dip, which came sizzling on a skillet. The tasty starter is made with roasted chicken, cream cheese, chives, Buffalo sauce and Gorgonzola, and is served with crostini and veggies for dipping.


My main course was the grilled Angus ribeye with duck fat-roasted fingerling potatoes and a wild-mushroom demi-glace (drooling yet?). My husband enjoyed the hot honey sous vide pork chop, a twelve-ounce bone-in pork ribeye with creamy polenta, grilled broccolini and a red chile hot honey drizzle. For dessert, we split the strawberry cheesecake, which was so creamy and rich, I’d get it every dang time.

The cozy ambience of Cooper's would have been lovely to dine in, but we opted for the patio so we could enjoy the sights of the creek and canyon. The patio is enclosed, but the windows were open, allowing the surrounding sounds and fresh mountain air to roll in while we ate.

Craft Beers and Mountain Views at Cabin Creek Brewing

As Georgetown’s sole remaining brewery, Cabin Creek Brewing is always a must-stop for me. We ended our night here with live music and a few pints on the patio. The views are simply stunning. This trip is all about slowing down and enjoying life in front of you, and we did just that as we watched the sunset, jumping fish, and busy beavers working on Georgetown Lake.

My favorite beer here is the Trail Tag Hazy IPA, which is brewed with more than 4.5 pounds of Strata, Citra and Mosaic hops per barrel. After the first sip, you can taste notes of mango and other tropical fruits, subtle pine and grapefruit. We paired the beer with beignets topped with powdered sugar and raspberry dipping sauce on the side.

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Georgetown Gallery of Fine Art is the oldest art co-operative gallery in Colorado.

Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek

Walking Around Historic Downtown

You can’t visit Georgetown without taking a stroll through town. Although there is currently construction on Sixth Street, where a lot of the shops are, we still enjoyed our walk up and down the street, taking in the sights and the sunshine. We grabbed a cup of coffee at Georgetown Coffee and Tea, which shares a space with the Georgetown Gallery of Fine Art.

This gallery is the oldest art co-operative gallery in Colorado, featuring award-winning Colorado artists showing work in oils, pastels and watercolors. You’ll find a variety of landscape, floral, still life and Western paintings. The gallery also carries pottery and jewelry crafted by local artisans. Stop by to browse or just say hello, as one of the artists is in attendance every day.

A few other stops to explore in Georgetown include the Georgetown Gateway Visitor Center and the Clear Creek County Library, with its basement of bargain books.

Feel the Wind in Your Hair on the Georgetown Loop Railroad

It was Wild West Days at the Georgetown Loop Railroad. There was cosplay. There was (playful) gunfire. Our money was taken by train robbers. It was just a wholesome treasure of an experience.

There is no better activity than the Georgtown Loop Railroad for those who want a relaxing ride up to Silver Plume and back (with almost 200K views, even TikTok agrees). Operating since 1984, the railroad is an ideal activity for visiting friends or family who want to take in mountain views without doing anything too strenuous. The ninety-minute ride winds slowly around the canyon and creek.

There are four weekends of Wild West Days remaining this year. Book a ride or a mine tour online.

Lunch and History at 511 Rose

We ended our 24 hours in Georgetown at the historic 511 Rose. Owner Ron Grady bought the space in 2020. Built in the 1800s, 511 Rose is now home to great food, drinks and live music. We sat at a table in back that faces the space and the windows, so while I sipped my whiskey, I gazed upon the history that touches every corner of the place and the tree-lined mountains just outside.

For lunch, we started with the grilled bruschetta, a tomato fondue with wild truffled mushroom ragout, parmesan, nut-free pesto and balsamic reduction. Deciding to opt for a lighter entree, I ordered the signature beet and berry salad, with roasted golden beets, berries, goat cheese, sunflower seeds and a lemon-honey Dijon dressing. My husband ordered the special of the day, a flavorful French dip with French fries.

A Bridge From Old to New

As we were finishing our lunch, Grady casually called Georgetown's mayor, Georgia Kofoed, who stopped her Saturday gardening to come down and meet me. We sat in the town center while a local musician played across the street and talked about what makes Georgetown so special.

“It’s magical and special here in Georgetown because we are really a great mix of what’s old and what’s new,” Kofoed says. “We are a typical old mining town in Colorado. We also have wonderful food, artists — lots of things to do that are of current time. I love that we are a bridge.”


While her official title is Police Judge, Georgetown — the only territorial charter in Colorado — bestows both titles on Kofoed, who was voted in on April 22.

“People describe us as living in a Norman Rockwell card,” she says. “But also, the outdoors are right here. The other day, up here on this mountain, we could see thirty young rams right from town, which is spectacular.”

Before we headed back to Denver, Grady gave us a tour of the second floor of the 511 Rose. One room in particular was an antique lover's dream. It was staged like a bedroom back in time, filled with vintage furniture and antiques found around the space and in the basement over the years.

One thing stood out while he talked about the items, as it did during our entire stay in Georgetown: This is a historical place filled with special, caring, one-of-a-kind people and experiences, and we can't take it for granted. So jump in the car, take the hour drive, and explore the mountain magic that Georgetown has in store for you.