3 days in Denver

Day by day

1. Day 1: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre and Denver Art Museum

   Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Denver Art Museum and Colorado State Capitol, then Larimer Square in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

      An open-air amphitheatre set between two towering sandstone monoliths in the foothills west of Denver, famous for its acoustics and concerts by everyone from the Beatles to U2.

   2. Late morning

      Denver Art Museum

      Start with the Western American art and Indigenous arts galleries, which are the museum's specialities.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Green chile

      Mexican diners and taquerías across the city, especially on Federal Boulevard and in Northwest Denver.

   4. Afternoon

      Colorado State Capitol

      The Capitol's dome is covered with real Colorado gold leaf, and one of its west steps is engraved 'One Mile Above Sea Level'.

   5. Evening

      Larimer Square

      Come in the evening when the lights are on, and look for the lower-level cocktail bars.

2. Day 2: Denver Union Station and Coors Field

   Denver Union Station, Coors Field and Confluence Park, then Meow Wolf Convergence Station in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Denver Union Station

      Grab a drink at the Great Hall bar and watch the trains come and go.

   2. Late morning

      Coors Field

      Home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team since 1995, with a row of purple seats marking the mile-high elevation in the upper deck and a rooftop deck with mountain views.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smothered breakfast burrito

      Breakfast diners and burrito counters citywide.

   4. Afternoon

      Confluence Park

      Follow the Cherry Creek Trail from here for an easy bike or walking route through the city.

   5. Evening

      Meow Wolf Convergence Station

      Visit on a weekday and allow at least two to three hours to explore.

3. Day 3: Denver Botanic Gardens and Denver Museum of Nature & Science

   Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Clyfford Still Museum, then LoDo in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Denver Botanic Gardens

      Gardens covering about 9.5 hectares show plants from dry climates around the world, a Japanese garden, a rooftop alpine garden and the Science Pyramid, plus summer evening concerts.

   2. Late morning

      Denver Museum of Nature & Science

      Walk out to the back terrace for the classic skyline-and-mountains view.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Denver omelette

      Classic diners and breakfast spots.

   4. Afternoon

      Clyfford Still Museum

      Dedicated to the Abstract Expressionist painter Clyfford Still, whose estate gave nearly his entire body of work to the city.

   5. Evening

      LoDo

      Sports bars, clubs and rooftop bars near Coors Field and Union Station, busiest on game nights.

Before you go

• Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre: Concert tickets sell out quickly for popular shows; buy from the official site.
• Meow Wolf Convergence Station: Timed tickets often sell out at weekends; book online in advance.

If it rains

• Swap in History Colorado Center (Golden Triangle): Good for families; children enjoy the hands-on exhibits.
• Swap in Molly Brown House Museum (Capitol Hill): Guided tours are timed; book a slot online in busy periods.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, LoDo and Union Station keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Downtown and Larimer Square ($$$) suits first-timers, couples and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–22 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.4 hours in December to 15 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Denver
• 2 days in Denver
• 5 days in Denver

Questions travellers ask