Things to Do in Denver: Attractions, Outdoors & Activities

Denver’s primary appeal is the combination of an outdoor playground within driving range and a city with enough cultural weight to keep a trip interesting without leaving the metro. Red Rocks is 15 miles west. Rocky Mountain National Park is 90 miles north. Ski resorts are 60–90 miles up I-70. Within the city itself, the food scene, art museum, and craft beer culture are all worth a day or two of focused attention.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Red Rocks (18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison) is the most visited attraction in Colorado and one of the most distinctive concert venues anywhere in the world. The amphitheatre seats 9,450 people between two 300-foot red sandstone monoliths formed approximately 65 million years ago. Acts from The Beatles to Phish to Radiohead have played here; the acoustics are genuinely exceptional.

When concerts are not scheduled (and sometimes before morning shows), the amphitheatre is free and open to hikers and sightseers from 6am to 7pm daily. The Trading Post Trail (1.4 miles, moderate) loops around the lower rock formations. Morning yoga classes run May through October on the stage itself; approximately $15 per class, books quickly at redrocksonline.com.

Concert tickets range from approximately $35 (local or emerging acts) to $200+ (major touring artists). Check the schedule at redrocksonline.com. The venue hosts around 150 events per year from May to October.

Getting there: Drive approximately 30 minutes from downtown via US-6 West and CO-470 South. No direct public transit from downtown; some concert nights run RTD special buses. Parking is approximately $15 per vehicle on concert nights.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) sits 90 miles northwest of Denver, accessible via US-36 through Boulder or through Loveland on US-34. Entry fee approximately $35 per vehicle (as of 2026); a timed entry permit (approximately $2) is required from May through October for most park access — book at recreation.gov well in advance for summer visits.

Trail Ridge Road is the park’s signature drive: 48 miles crossing the Continental Divide at 12,183 feet, open from late May to mid-October depending on snow. The Alpine Visitor Center near the road’s highest point is at 11,796 feet.

Key trails:

Bear Lake to Dream Lake — 2.2 miles round trip, easy, dramatic mountain lake scenery; among the most visited trails in the park; arrive before 8am in summer to secure parking at Bear Lake Trailhead
Emerald Lake via Bear and Dream Lakes — 3.6 miles round trip, moderate; adds elevation and a third lake beyond Dream Lake
Flattop Mountain — 8.8 miles round trip, strenuous; gains 2,850 feet to 12,324 feet; panoramic views of the park

Elk are frequently visible in the meadows around Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park. Rut season (September–October) brings large bulls and significant tourist crowds. Moose are occasionally spotted near Kawuneeche Valley on the park’s west side.

Estes Park, the main gateway town (5 miles from the Fall River entrance), has dozens of lodging options and restaurants; Rocky Mountain Ramen and Poppy’s Pizza are reliable stops. Estes Park lodging ranges from approximately $90 per night at budget motels to approximately $350 at the Stanley Hotel (the building that inspired Stephen King’s The Shining).

Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum (100 W 14th Ave Pkwy) is one of the largest art museums in the Mountain West. Adults approximately $22, children (6–18) approximately $13, free for children under 6 (as of 2026). Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm, until 8pm on Friday.

The Native American art collection is widely regarded as one of the best in the country — approximately 19,000 objects spanning a range of nations and artistic traditions. The Western American art holdings (Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Albert Bierstadt) are also substantial. The Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind and opened in 2006, is architecturally striking — the angular, titanium-clad structure is polarising but distinctive.

The adjacent Martin Building (designed by Gio Ponti, 1971) connects to the Hamilton Building. Combined, the campus holds 70,000 objects across 12 curatorial departments.

Denver Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens (1007 York St, Congress Park) cover 24 acres with approximately 45,000 plants from around the world. Adults approximately $19.50, children (3–15) approximately $12.50 (as of 2026). Open daily 9am–8pm in summer, 9am–5pm in winter.

The tropical conservatory, the water garden, and the Japanese garden are the main indoor highlights. Outdoor gardens are at their best May through September. The Chatfield Farms satellite location (8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Rd, 30 minutes south of downtown) offers farm-to-table programming and sunflower season (August–September) when approximately 30 acres of sunflowers are open for visitors at approximately $7.50 admission.

The Gardens also host a popular summer concert series (Blossoms of Light in winter); check botanicgardens.org for the current schedule.

Denver’s River North Art District (RiNo)

RiNo is a former industrial area between I-70 and downtown, transformed over the past decade into the city’s main hub for street art, galleries, breweries, and restaurants. The mural density along Brighton Boulevard and Larimer Street is high; pick up a self-guided mural map at the RiNo Art District information kiosk at 35th and Larimer.

Key stops in RiNo:

Denver Central Market (2669 Larimer St) — a food hall with local vendors; good for breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack between galleries
Ratio Beerworks (2920 Larimer St) — one of the neighbourhood’s founding craft breweries; taproom open daily
Tracks (3500 Walnut St) — Denver’s largest LGBTQ+ nightclub, open Thursday–Sunday
Meow Wolf Denver (1338 1st St) — an immersive art installation spread across 90,000 square feet; adults approximately $45, children approximately $30 (as of 2026); open Wednesday–Sunday

Craft Beer Trail

Colorado has more than 400 craft breweries, and Denver alone accounts for dozens. A manageable self-guided trail hits several styles and neighbourhoods:

Wynkoop Brewing (1634 18th St, LoDo) — founded in 1988 by John Hickenlooper (later Governor and US Senator), the grandfather of Denver craft beer. Billiards upstairs; approximately 20 beers on tap
Great Divide Brewing (2201 Arapahoe St, RiNo) — famous for Yeti Imperial Stout and Titan IPA; taproom open daily
Breckenridge Brewery (2220 Blake St, LoDo) — the Denver pub location; not the main brewery, but centrally located with a wide selection
Our Mutual Friend Brewing (2810 Larimer St, RiNo) — smaller, more experimental; worth a stop for sour and farmhouse ales

Denver’s 16th Street Mall

The 16th Street Mall is a 1.25-mile pedestrian and bus mall running through downtown from Union Station to Civic Center Park. The free MallRide shuttle runs the length continuously. The mall is primarily a retail and fast-casual dining strip — useful for orientation but not a destination in itself. The west end near Union Station has the better bars and restaurants; Larimer Square (14th and Larimer, one block off the mall) is more interesting for independent dining.

Day Trips from Denver

Boulder (35 miles, 45 minutes via US-36) — University of Colorado town with strong food and outdoor culture; Pearl Street Mall pedestrian zone; Chautauqua Park trailheads for Flatirons hikes
Colorado Springs (70 miles, 1 hour via I-25) — Pikes Peak (summit drive approximately $20 per vehicle), Garden of the Gods park (free), and the US Olympic & Paralympic Museum (adults approximately $24)
Breckenridge (85 miles, 90 minutes via I-70 and CO-9) — ski resort with summer hiking; Main Street has strong dining and lodging options year-round