Thinking of going to Denver but not sure if it is worth visiting? I have lived here for several years and never been bored – even in winter! The Mile High City has a lot going for it. Cool museums. Beautiful parks and gardens. A large number of excellent restaurants. Free music in the summer. Views of the Rockies. Plus a bunch of South Park references. Want to go? Here’s a great guide to top Denver activities and attractions.
Also Read: How to Spend 3 Days in Denver: A Local’s Guide
Union Station
Union Station is stunning, my favorite part of downtown. The architecture and the red sign of the train station is one of the most iconic sites in Denver. The interior has been recently remodeled and is great to take pics. Inside the main hall of Union Station there are several eateries and cafes – it acts as a hangout spot. You will also find the Tattered Cover bookstore on the lower level. The plaza in front of the station is also a good place to just sit and relax.
If you’re coming from the Denver International airport and taking the A line train, Union Station is where the train will drop you. It’s really convenient option if you’re not planning to rent a car. However, be careful and cautious if you’re visiting the bus terminal behind it. It’s pretty sketchy even during the day. Denver is pretty sprawling and quite car focused – but Union Station and Larimer Square in LoDo (Lower Downtown) are some of the easily walkable areas of the city if you know where to skip.
McGregor Square
I love visiting Mcgregor Square for food and drinks. It is also located in LoDo near Coors Field. The square is really vast and a great place to hangout when the weather gets warm. It can get really crowded on game nights though. Summer brings about a series of outdoor concerts and movie screenings – perfect for families.
If you love baseball, you should stay in the Rally hotel – its themed furnishings and decor and on point for fans. And off course, there’s a Tattered Cover location here! Restaurants can get pricey – but you can stay well within budget if you attend the free events on the grassy outdoor plaza. If you are set on dining here, I’d recommend Carmine’s for delicious Italian. Other good restaurants are located within the Mile Post Zero food hall.
Larimer Square
Before McGregor Square was redeveloped, Larimer Square was THE SPOT to hangout in LoDo. This is Denver’s oldest block and you can see it in the red brick industrial looking warehouse buildings that surround the square. Most of them are now converted to Denver’s top restaurants.
Instantly recognizable by the iconic string lights that hang over the square and patio tables, Larimer Square has a fun vibe. I love heading here for a fun date night. Rioja is a must for fancy dinner while Tamayo has excellent Mexican food. The Square also has plenty of boutique shopping. The quare also hosts lots of fun events every month.
Denver Art Museum
I love art and always get a membership to the Denver Art Museum. Its diverse collection is as fantastic as the modern architecture. The museum is located in Civic Center Park and can be reached by the free 16th Street Mall bus which runs from Union center to Civic Center.
Keep aside a minimum of two to three hours when visiting the museum. Its European and American Art collection has works by masters such as Monet, Renoir, Pissaro, and Van Gogh. It also has a fantastic Western American Art gallery with several paintings showing life in the Rocky Mountains. My other favorite galleries are Native American Art and Asian Art.
16th Street Mall
While many locals love to hate 16th Street Mall, I don’t get it. While it’s something you can skip – it’s not completely meh either. I have taken plenty of friends when they came over for a visit and they’ve all loved walking along the pedestrian area. Designed by the famous architect I. M. Pei it’s a great example of urban planning.
You will find several public artworks, sculptures, murals, and architectural elements along the pedestrian mall. Touristy restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang are located here along with notable Denver eateries like West saloon and The Kitchen. In winter, the 16h Street Mall hosts an ice skating rink and pretty holiday decorations.
Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol, located near the Art Museum and Denver Public Library in Civic Center Park, is pretty iconic. The architecture with its neoclassical design is reminiscent of the US Capitol building in Washington DC. You can visit the capitol building on a free tour and learn about all the secrets of the building including the underground tunnels.
One of the most striking features is the Golden Dome which gleams in the light on sunny days. It can be seen from quite a distance. The dome honors the Colorado Gold Rush. It is also known for its observation deck which is open to tourists on a guided tour. You can climb 99 steps to the dome for amazing city views. Fun fact – The rotunda dome you see from the inside is not the gilded dome!
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
In City Park, you will find several top attractions in Denver including the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. I have loved dinosaurs since I was a tall skinny 3rd grader and the Dinosaur Hall and Prehistoric Journey exhibit is my favorite place to go. Kids love seeing favorite dinos such as T-Rex, Stegosaurus, and diplodocus.
Other great exhibits are the Space exhibits featuring a cool new Spacewalk and Egyptian Hall full of human as well as animal mummies. The museum cafe is very pretty. After you visit the museum, take some time to enjoy the museum plaza overlooking Ferril Lake. It has one of my favorite views of the Denver skyline and Rocky mountains front range.
Meow Wolf
One of the newest and fun experiences in Denver is Meow Wolf. It is one of the largest locations in the US and opened in 2021. The exhibit is named Convergence Station. At Convergence Station, you can enter 4 different planets from the same portals. My favorite of the new realities is C Street – filled with aliens driving cars and an ultra hip vibe. The colorful rainforest and dusty labyrinth passages are some of the otherworldly parts of this unique exhibit.
RiNo
One of my favorite neighborhoods in Denver is RiNo (River North) Arts District. Sometimes I can’t believe that this used to be one of the most sketchy neighborhoods in the city. The walls of this creative hub are splashed with colorful street art while the buildings are home to some of the best eateries in the Denver area.
My recommendations? Cart-Driver has amazing wood-fired pizzas, Denver Central Market Food Hall for everything from coffee and pastries to whiskey and sushi, Mister Oso for tacos, and lip-smacking cocktails at Death & Co. You can also kill time by checking out the art galleries and shopping in the area.
Clyfford Still Museum
Art lovers should visit the Clyfford Still Museum. This space is dedicated to the 20th century Abstract Expressionist artist. Clyfford Still’s contributions to the art movement are considered to be as important as those of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. The museum was established in 2011, as per terms of Clyfford Still’s will.
The museum building itself is timeless and made of bare concrete, creating the perfect space for Still’s dramatic canvases. The museum collection spans over 3000 works of art that he created in his lifetime including several on paper. Visit this museum to contemplate the bold brush strokes and unique patterns.
Molly Brown House Museum
Margaret Brown – popularly called Molly – was an American activist, who along with her philanthropic work, was also famous for surviving the Titanic. Her historic home located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood has been converted into a museum for the public. The museum is dedicated to her life, work as an activist, and her connection to the unsinkable ship.
The home itself is an architectural beauty. Built in Queen Anne style of architecture in the 1890s, it has several unique decorative elements including several lion statues. Molly Brown and her husband JJ Brown lived here for almost two decades.
On a tour of the house museum, you can see the wraparound front porch, the iconic lions, the grand library filled with books, bedrooms, and sitting areas. The house still has opulent period furnishings and original artwork that belonged to the Browns. You can also see clothing and dinnerware used in that era. Also interesting is the exhibit on Titanic and how Margaret led the occupants of Lifeboat 6 to safety.
Denver Zoo
I love visiting the Denver Zoo as it’s obvious that the animals are happy and well-cared for. Located in City Park, it makes a great outing for families. The animals always seem to be out and active. Some of the popular exhibits include the majestic African lions, tigers, gorillas, orangutans, penguins, and giraffes.
One of the highlights is the Elephant Encounter where you can go behind the scenes. They also have several other special experiences throughout the day. The Denver Zoo is a large and sprawling one, so easily plan to spend 3 to 4 hours here to get through most exhibits.
Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the best botanic gardens in America. I love it best for its mind-blowing bonsai collection located in the Bill Hosokawa Bonsai Pavilion. Some of the bonsai trees here include ponderosa pine, fir, bougainvillea, and even succulents. The Japanese Garden is also really pretty and serene. The garden also has a tropical conservatory that is home to plants that thrive in humid climates. If you love plants, you’ll love visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Denver Mint
The Denver Mint has been around since the Colorado Gold Rush days when the first coins were minted from the locally mined metal. It is located in a majestic renaissance style building on W. Colfax Avenue. On a tour of the mint, you can see the coin presses, exhibits, and murals depicting Colorado’s history. The Denver Mint offers free tours, but tickets go really fast. You need to visit to understand the nation’s financial and coinage history.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Technically not in Denver, but Red Rocks is an impressive place to visit – especially for music lovers if you’re able to score tickets to an event. The amphitheater was constructed by the CCC during the Great Depression era. Its natural acoustics produce an excellent sound quality that lends itself to incredible performances. Surround the amphitheater, you will find hiking trails and may even spot a fossil or two on those trails.
Mount Evans
Denver is a great launch point for mountain activities. Drive for just 30 minutes and you will find scenic hiking trails and gorgeous lakes. One of my favorite trips in the area is to the top of Mt Evans. The road itself is thrilling and from the summit you can see cool views of the city and prairies. You can also spot plenty of mountain goats and other wildlife on this drive. The road is open only in summer – check out road conditions before you go.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is just lovely – why wouldn’t you visit it when in Denver? The park contains over 50 named towering mountain peaks above 12,000 feet along with famous Fourteeners. Trail Ridge Road is my favorite way to explore the waterfalls, tundras, lakes, and peaks within the park. You can easily spot bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer, and bears on the park trails. Several pioneer settlements, cabins, homesteads and other historic structures are also located within the park. Estes Park – a cute little shopping downtown district – is right by the national park and good to stay the night.
Fairplay
South Park fans need to visit Fairplay, about a 90 minute drive from Denver. You can rent a car and drive down to check out all the sites. It takes about an hour or so. Apart from Fairplay, Casa Bonita is a must visit destination within Denver for South Park fans – after all, they made a whole episode of it!
I kid you not, Denver has so much to do. Explore the main attractions or go on your own treasure hunt and seek out little gems. Hang out in cities like Boulder or Golden for the day. In short, Denver has a very hip and laid back vibe. It has an amazing music scene plus fun attractions. The climate is also awesome in summer. If any of this is appealing, come visit Denver!