I'm a Colorado local. If I had one day to show you my state, I'd skip Denver and take you to a city just west of it.

I've lived in Colorado for over 10 years.

If you really want to get a taste of the state, try visiting the city of Golden. milehightraveler/Getty Images As a Colorado local , I love bringing first-time visitors to the state to Golden instead of Denver.

It's a short drive from downtown Denver with beautiful mountain views and a walkable downtown.

There are great places to eat alongside mountain views, hike, and enjoy the scenery in Golden.

I've lived in Colorado for over a decade.

If I had just a single day to show someone what I love about the state, I wouldn't take them to our capital city, Denver.

Instead, I'd bring them to the much smaller city of Golden.

Golden gives has a little bit of everything for visitors: mountains and hiking trails, a creek running through town, a historic downtown made for wandering on foot, and plenty of places to eat and drink.

It's located just about 15 miles west of downtown Denver, or about a 25-minute drive, and typically less than an hour's drive from the Denver International Airport .

Here's why I love bringing out-of-towners to Golden — and where I'd take them when they visited.

I'd start the morning with coffee at a family-owned shop.

Sogo Beans and Boards is one of my favorite morning stops.

Courtesy of Lexi Marshall Golden has several coffee shops, but I'd start my perfect day here at Sogo Beans and Boards.

The family-owned coffee and skate shop is just minutes from downtown.