Things to do · Denver · United States
16 best things to do in Denver
16 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Denver are Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Denver Art Museum and Colorado State Capitol. Of the 16 picks below, 7 are free, 6 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- Denver Art Museum
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre | Morrison | 2 hours, or an evening for a concert | Free |
| Denver Art Museum | Golden Triangle | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Colorado State Capitol | Golden Triangle | 1 hour | Free |
| Denver Union Station | LoDo and Union Station | 1 hour | Free |
| Larimer Square | Downtown and Larimer Square | 1 hour | Free |
| Denver Botanic Gardens | Cheesman Park | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Denver Museum of Nature & Science | City Park | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Clyfford Still Museum | Golden Triangle | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| History Colorado Center | Golden Triangle | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| RiNo street art | RiNo | 2 hours | Free |
| Coors Field | LoDo and Union Station | 3 hours for a game | Low cost |
| City Park and Denver Zoo | City Park | Half a day | Low cost |
| Washington Park | Washington Park | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Molly Brown House Museum | Capitol Hill | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Meow Wolf Convergence Station | Sun Valley | 2–3 hours | Expensive |
| Confluence Park | LoDo and Union Station | 1 hour | Free |
The 16 best things to do
Landmark · Morrison
1.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. When there is no show, visitors can climb the steps, walk the Trading Post Trail and visit the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
Climb to the top row for sunset views of Denver and the plains; on concert days the amphitheatre closes to visitors in the afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2 hours, or an evening for a concert
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Concert tickets sell out quickly for popular shows; buy from the official site.
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Outdoors
Museum · Golden Triangle
2.Denver Art Museum
The art museum spans the angular titanium-clad Hamilton Building by Daniel Libeskind and the 1971 Martin Building by Gio Ponti. Collections are known for art of the American West, Indigenous arts of North America, and Latin American and Asian art.
Start with the Western American art and Indigenous arts galleries, which are the museum's specialities.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Architecture · Golden Triangle
3.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'. Free tours visit the chambers and the rotunda, and the dome's observation level has views of the Front Range.
Look for the mile-high markers on the west steps; more accurate surveys put the true mile a few steps higher.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Architecture · LoDo and Union Station
4.Denver Union Station
The 1914 Beaux-Arts station was restored in 2014 as a transit hub, hotel and public 'living room', with restaurants, bars and a bookshop in the Great Hall. The plaza has summer fountains that children play in.
Grab a drink at the Great Hall bar and watch the trains come and go.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Food
- History
Street · Downtown and Larimer Square
5.Larimer Square
Denver's oldest block, saved from demolition in the 1960s, is lined with Victorian buildings, restaurants and boutiques under overhead strings of lights that make it especially pretty after dark.
Come in the evening when the lights are on, and look for the lower-level cocktail bars.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Food
- History
Garden · Cheesman Park
6.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. The Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory is a good cold-weather stop.
Visit in June or July for peak bloom, or in December for the Blossoms of Light display.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Couples
- Kids
- Outdoors
Museum · City Park
7.Denver Museum of Nature & Science
A large natural-history and science museum in City Park with dinosaur fossils, wildlife dioramas, gems and minerals, an Egyptian mummies gallery, a planetarium and an IMAX theatre. The back steps give one of the best views of the downtown skyline against the mountains.
Walk out to the back terrace for the classic skyline-and-mountains view.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- History
Gallery · Golden Triangle
8.Clyfford Still Museum
Dedicated to the Abstract Expressionist painter Clyfford Still, whose estate gave nearly his entire body of work to the city. The concrete building, lit through a perforated ceiling, shows rotating selections of his huge, jagged canvases.
It is small enough for an hour; combine it with the Denver Art Museum next door.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Golden Triangle
1.History Colorado Center
The state history museum covers Colorado's people from Indigenous nations to mining towns and ski resorts, with interactive exhibits and a simulated ski jump.
Good for families; children enjoy the hands-on exhibits.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Neighbourhood · RiNo
2.RiNo street art
Large murals cover the walls of the River North Art District's warehouses and alleys, many added during the annual CRUSH Walls street-art festival. Breweries, galleries and the Denver Central Market food hall are mixed in.
Walk the alleys between Larimer and Walnut Streets for the densest concentration of murals.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
- Food
Landmark · LoDo and Union Station
3.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. Ballpark tours run on many days.
Cheap rooftop tickets are a sociable way to see a game with mountain sunset views.
- Time needed
- 3 hours for a game
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- After dark
- Views
Park · City Park
4.City Park and Denver Zoo
Denver's largest central park has lakes, paddle boats, a historic pavilion that hosts free summer jazz concerts, and the Denver Zoo, whose exhibits include Predator Ridge and Toyota Elephant Passage.
Combine the zoo and the Museum of Nature & Science in one day; they are at opposite ends of the park.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Park · Washington Park
5.Washington Park
Known locally as Wash Park, this large park in south Denver has two lakes, a replica of Martha Washington's garden, flower beds and a 4-km loop path that fills with runners, cyclists and volleyball games on summer weekends.
Bring a picnic on a summer weekend for some of the best people-watching in Denver.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
Historic site · Capitol Hill
6.Molly Brown House Museum
The Victorian home of Margaret 'Molly' Brown, the Titanic survivor and activist, restored with period furnishings and toured with guides who tell her story and that of Denver's silver-boom era.
Guided tours are timed; book a slot online in busy periods.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Experience · Sun Valley
7.Meow Wolf Convergence Station
A four-storey immersive art installation by the Santa Fe-founded collective Meow Wolf, where visitors wander through surreal, interconnected worlds of colour, sound and hidden passages beside the Interstate 25 and Colfax interchange.
Visit on a weekday and allow at least two to three hours to explore.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets often sell out at weekends; book online in advance.
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
Waterfront · LoDo and Union Station
8.Confluence Park
Where Cherry Creek meets the South Platte River, the city was founded during the 1858 gold rush. Today the park has a kayak chute, sandy banks where families wade in summer and junctions of the main bike trails.
Follow the Cherry Creek Trail from here for an easy bike or walking route through the city.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- History
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Clyfford Still Museum and History Colorado Center |
| History | Colorado State Capitol, Denver Union Station, Larimer Square and Denver Museum of Nature & Science |
| Views | Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Colorado State Capitol, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Coors Field |
| Outdoors and nature | Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Denver Botanic Gardens, City Park and Denver Zoo and Washington Park |
| Food and markets | Denver Union Station, Larimer Square and RiNo street art |
| After dark | Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Larimer Square, Coors Field and Meow Wolf Convergence Station |
| With children | Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, History Colorado Center and Coors Field |
| On a rainy day | Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Clyfford Still Museum and History Colorado Center |
What to book ahead
- 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.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Denver?
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.
+What can you do for free in Denver?
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Colorado State Capitol, Denver Union Station, Larimer Square and RiNo street art. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Denver when it rains?
Head indoors to Denver Art Museum, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Clyfford Still Museum and History Colorado Center.
+What is there to do in Denver at night?
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Larimer Square, Coors Field and Meow Wolf Convergence Station are best after dark.