Situated within the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Denver, Colorado is a fast-growing metropolis attracting guests from close to and much. Every of Denver’s neighborhoods is exclusive in its personal approach, whether or not it’s the hip and concrete RiNo (River North) Arts District or the charming inexperienced area often called Wash Park.
within the arts, delicacies, or craft beer? Denver has all of it. And the very best half? You’re prone to get up to sunshine and clear skies nearly every single day!
Other than its distinctive array of neighborhoods, you’re only a quick drive from among the most well-known mountains within the nation. Climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and snowmobiling await.
As somebody who has lived in Denver for years now, I can attest to the town’s heat and friendliness, so distinctive and delightful it’s onerous to seek out elsewhere. There’s really one thing for everybody within the Mile Excessive Metropolis!
PRO TIP: Earlier than we get going, do not forget that the elevation in Denver is a lot greater than you’re possible used to! I’d suggest giving your self no less than a day or two to acclimate earlier than doing any strenuous actions or hikes.
Greatest Areas in Denver
Downtown Denver
Downtown Denver is essentially the most handy place to remain by way of comfort and issues to do in a single central location. It’s dwelling to the town’s Union Station, which serves as a hub for Amtrak and Denver RTD.
Trains and buses run via right here, making it straightforward to get round. There’s even a straightforward practice from the airport to Union Station, with a 37-minute journey costing simply $10.50 a method. The world additionally gives handy entry to widespread mountain locations like Vail, Breckenridge, and Winter Park. Within the winter, Amtrak gives separate weekend entry to and from Winter Park.
Moreover, downtown Denver gives sports activities stadiums equivalent to Empower at Mile Excessive for soccer and reveals and Coor’s Area for baseball and concert events.
You’ll discover a plethora of eating places, bars, and retailers lining each avenue, with easy accessibility to close by enjoyable areas like LoHi and RiNo.
Downtown Most In style Points of interest:
- Coor’s Area Baseball Stadium
- Empower Area at Mile Excessive Soccer Stadium
- Meow Wolf
- Sightseeing like Mile Excessive Steps, Huge Blue Bear, and Larimer Sq.
- Eat on the Milk Market
LoHi (Decrease Highlands)
Foodie paradise! A quaint little city only a mile from downtown Denver, LoHi is the right spot for {couples} and younger adults in search of a walkable neighborhood somewhat farther from downtown.
It’s a nifty residential space with loads of leases and some inns. Fashionable bars and upscale eating places await!
Can’t Miss in LoHi
- Flip your frown the other way up at Comfortable Camper!
- Discover the Avanti Meals Corridor
- Style wine at Postino
- Get pleasure from licks at Little Man Ice Cream
RiNo (River North)
RiNo, also called River North, is Denver’s most artsy neighborhood. This Artwork District is crammed with hip breweries, hidden dive bars, and eccentric eating places – together with a bar that serves sizzling canine with caviar.
That is the place to be if you’d like limitless nightlife choices and love native brews.
RiNo’s Most In style Points of interest
- Go for a hole-in-one on the Puttshack
- Hit the breweries
- Style one thing new at Stem Cidery
- Take a look at the road artwork
Capitol Hill
One of the crucial historic Denver neighborhoods, Capitol Hill, was dwelling to Titanic survivor Molly Brown. Capital Hill comes with a wealthy historical past – actually and figuratively. It was dwelling to Denver’s wealthiest residence, which used to reside on Millionaire’s Row.
Historic properties and museums might be discovered all through the realm. Capitol Hill can be dwelling to many festivals, such because the Cinco de Mayo and Satisfaction parades.
The downtown sixteenth Avenue free bus begins in Capitol Hill, making it a straightforward journey to and from downtown.
Capitol Hill’s In style Points of interest
- Denver Artwork Museum
- Broadway Market
- Brown Home Museum
Issues to Do in Denver
Most In style
1. Sightsee via downtown’s main points of interest
Assume: Larmier Sq., standing one mile excessive on the Colorado State Capitol, Huge Blue Bear, stroll via artwork museums, and Union Station. Sightseeing via downtown is well walkable. There’s additionally a free sixteenth Avenue bus that may transport you round!
2. Get misplaced in Meow Wolf
Belief me, you’re going to get misplaced. This convergent station could have your whole senses tingling! You may depart just a few hours to wander round this immersive expertise and you continue to received’t make it via all of it.
3. Discover the bar above Union Station
Make your approach up the steps by the Amtrak ticket counter to seek out this hidden gem. Take within the wine and craft cocktail checklist – it’s one in every of my favorites on the town!
4. Steal some laughs on the Denver Comedy Membership
Professional tip: begin your evening with an espresso martini and chortle till you’ll be able to’t breathe
5. Stroll via the Botanic Gardens
Seize a seasonal cross in the event you love metropolis escapes and wildflowers.
6. Store til you drop at Wash Park or LoHi
Each neighborhoods are crammed with cute boutiques to window store or discover native presents and souvenirs.
Funds Points of interest
7. Have a picnic on the parks
Take a look at the inexperienced area and mountain views from Wash Park, Commons Park, and Metropolis Park.
8. Catch a ball recreation at Coor’s Area
They’re [usually] not nice, however the tickets are low-cost and the views are spectacular! Ask for the Rock Pile tickets on the counter for the most cost effective possibility.
Professional tip: the sunsets from the stadium will blow your thoughts!
9. Zip down the Cherry Creek Path on a motorcycle or scooter
40 miles of trails?! You learn that appropriately. Denver is a bikeable metropolis, and this is likely one of the greatest! Trip alongside the South Platte River. It’s as shut as I can get my Caribbean coronary heart to a seashore downtown.
Close to Denver
10. Go tenting
You’re 1-4 hours away from dream-worthy dispersed tenting websites. Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park, Vail, Rio Grande Nationwide Forest, and Telluride are just some of the coveted tenting locations you must see to consider. I wish to camp close to reservoirs and lakes – it’s the closest I can get to feeling like I’m on a seashore in Turks and Caicos in Colorado.
11. Ski and snowboarding in Colorado’s well-known mountain cities
Winter Park is the closest mountain city to Denver – there’s even an Amtrak practice that runs to and from the mountain on the weekends within the winter months.
Breckenridge, Vail, Copper Mountain, Keystone, A-Basin, and Steamboat Springs are all 2-3 hours from the town. There are tons of transportation choices to the mountains from the airport and downtown.
12. Soak within the sizzling springs
On the lookout for an Instagram-worthy day trip? Steamboat Spring’s Strawberry Scorching Springs is located simply outdoors of downtown Steamboat. You may make a visit as much as the springs or spend the evening in one in every of their coveted cabins.
Professional suggestions: Reservations must be made forward of time. When you don’t have a 4-wheel drive car, you should purchase a round-trip shuttle to take you to the recent springs from downtown.
13. Catch a present at Pink Rocks
Probably the most visited venue on the planet, Pink Rock Amphitheater is a excessive bucket checklist venue for artists from all genres. Catch quite a lot of performers right here each summer time, from Huge Wild, to Elegant and Sting to Wiz Khalifa.
You may even catch just a few coveted comedy reveals on the historic venue.
What time of 12 months do you have to go to Denver?
4 seasons, 4 utterly totally different experiences within the Mile Excessive Metropolis!
Summer season
When you’re a fan of climbing, tenting, breweries, and sunshine, summer time in Denver is regularly neglected! The parks in Denver are crammed with inexperienced grass, volleyball video games, and cookouts.
Eating places open their patios and rooftops so that you can benefit from the each day sunshine. Though it may possibly get sizzling with 95-degree days, there’s little or no humidity – and even higher, little or no rain – which is likely one of the perks of visiting Denver in the summertime.
Whereas the warmth isn’t too dangerous, having a pool at your lodge or rental is a good perk.
What to pack in the summertime: climbing sneakers, energetic shorts, and light-weight shirts, raincoats for afternoon showers, sundresses, hats, and loads of sunscreen (the solar hits more durable in Denver!)
Fall
Fall is named a wet season in lots of areas, from the West Coast to the Caribbean. Nevertheless, fall is the best possible time to go to Denver! The solar remains to be shining, the warmth is cooling down, and the summer time crowds disappear.
However the actual fantastic thing about fall in Denver lies within the altering aspen leaves – the mountains flip right into a shimmering golden paradise.
It’s my favourite time to go tenting and climbing, though the nights get tremendous chilly. To high off the right climate, there’s nearly no rain within the fall, even within the mountains, making it an unbeatable season in Denver.
What to pack within the fall: climbing gear, light-weight shirts, and pants, 1-2 pairs of shirts for decent days, a lightweight sweater or jacket for cold evenings.
Winter
Winter is once I want to run to the islands, however is arguably the preferred time to go to Denver.
In terms of mountain cities round Denver, each locals and guests are drawn to the realm’s famend ski resorts. Colorado gives a variety of winter actions equivalent to snowboarding, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
It’s price noting that that is the priciest time to go to, with skyrocketing costs within the mountain cities and more and more costly ski passes.
However, regardless of the expense, folks proceed to go to for good cause.
What to pack within the winter: all of your heavy stuff! Puffer coats, hats, gloves, waterproof ski jackets and pants, skis, snowboards, and sweaters
Spring
The spring air is difficult to beat, however sadly, spring has changed into Denver’s wet season over the previous few years.
Whereas it’s nonetheless much less wet than many spring locations, Spring is an enormous shoulder season in Denver. When it’s not wet, the climate is heat and nice for climbing and strolling round Denver’s neighborhoods.
Shoulder season additionally means cheaper costs and fewer crowds. Spring is the right time for exploring the town’s historical past and tradition, bar hopping, and tasting the town’s well-known brews.
What to pack within the spring: a mixture of cool and heat garments, raincoats, gentle jackets for the evenings, and climbing gear.
Getting Round Denver
Public Transportation
Public transportation is offered to and from the DEN airport to downtown Union Station. The sixteenth Avenue bus is a free service that may get you round downtown.
Shuttle Bus Corporations and Amtrak
A number of bus firms have routes to and from a number of mountain cities from the airport and Union Station. These must be reserved forward of time, however are nice methods to keep away from renting a automobile to get to the mountain cities.
When you don’t plan on staying on the ski resort, cities like Breckenridge have bus providers to get you to the ski resorts from sure areas.
Rental Automobiles
A necessity in the event you’re planning on visiting a couple of space or city. Nevertheless, the mountains within the winter require a 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive car with snow tires. Maintain this in thoughts when budgeting.
In the summertime, if you wish to go on hikes, parks, and tenting, you’ll clearly want your personal automobile to get round.
Ubers, Bikes, and Scooters
Ubers, bikes, and scooters are a straightforward possibility for navigating round Denver and its neighborhoods. Bikes and scooters, after all, aren’t the best choice within the winter when the roads are slick!
Visiting Denver FAQ
What number of days do it is advisable to go to Denver?
If you wish to solely go to downtown Denver and its neighborhoods, I’d counsel visiting for 3 to 4 days. If you wish to go to downtown Denver and its close by out of doors actions and mountain cities, 5 to 7 days will permit you extra time to acclimate and discover.
What it is advisable to know earlier than going to Denver
A very powerful factor to know earlier than going to Denver is that the elevation and trigger some odd signs and you might want 2-3 days to acclimate earlier than doing any strenuous climbing or actions.
Is it price it to go to downtown Denver?
Sure – it’s completely price going to downtown Denver. Downtown Denver is a central location crammed with sports activities and among the metropolis’s hottest points of interest, eating places, and bars. It’s additionally the place you’ll wish to be for sporting occasions and concert events.
Is Denver a walkable metropolis for vacationers?
No, Denver is just not very walkable. Until you’re staying immediately downtown and don’t plan on visiting any surrounding neighborhoods, you’ll want a automobile, scooter, or Uber to get round.
Abstract: Your Full Information to Visiting Denver
There you’ve gotten it! Hopefully, this information provides you every little thing it is advisable to know to discover Denver and its magnificence. Whether or not you’re visiting first time or a repeat Denver traveler, there’s a lot so that you can discover.
Denver doesn’t simply cater to skiers and snowboarders. There’s a city and exercise for you whether or not you need nice views, thrilling journey, low-key brunches, historical past, or extra.
Maintain studying:
Rachel Grenis is enthusiastic about encouraging you to cease ready and begin exploring. When she’s not exploring within the Caribbean, she’s hanging out within the mountains close to her hometown of Denver, Colorado.
She took the photographs for this text.
