List of Best Things To Do In Denver

Best Things To Do In Denver From A Local

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write this post. We moved to Denver in 1994 and ever since then, we’ve been making recommendations for friends who come to visit. Recently, I started a spreadsheet to help me remember  – and finally, the list feels complete enough to share. There are over 35 suggestions, all in alphabetical order.

Anything I missed? Denver is growing so fast; it’s hard to keep up!


16th Street Mall

16th Street from Broadway to Wewatta, Denver
This pedestrian mall runs the length downtown and is crammed with shops and restaurants. A free RTD Mall Ride runs the length of it, making it easy to hop on and off for other destinations around town.

Things to Do in Denver - 16th Street Mall


Blue Bear / Convention Center / Dancing Aliens

700 14th Street, Denver
Blue Bear is my favorite sculpture in Denver and he leans in on the second story of the Convention Center. On the other side are the Dancing Aliens (technically named “The Dancers”), who tower over Speer Boulevard from inside Sculpture Park.

Things to Do in Denver - Blue Bear


Brewery Tour / Great American Beer Festival

Various Locations 
I will be honest here, I am a light beer gal, so I don’t know the ins and outs of the Denver craft brewery scene. I just know there is a huge one. Many are situated in the LoDo (Lower Downtown) and RiNo (River North) neighborhoods, so I would start there. Also, every September, Denver hosts the Great American Beer Festival. I have attended several times (and even volunteered). While GABF can be overwhelming, if you like beer – it’s the place for you.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Beer - Great American Beer Festival


Buntport Theater

717 Lipan Street, Denver
This non-profit theater group puts on offbeat shows that are hysterical and thought-provoking. I’m also partial to these folks because they are friends.

Things to Do in Denver - Buntport Theater


Byers-Evans House

1310 Bannock Street, Denver
This museum/former house is a small gem that I have attended with my son on field trips. What really makes it worth it is the guided tour that takes you back in history to the origins of Denver and two of our pioneering families.

Things to Do in Denver - Byers Evans House Denver


Capital Building

200 East Colfax Avenue, Denver
At least walking past the Capital Building is a must, but the tour is great too (reservations are not required for groups of ten or less unless your group has special needs). Tidbits about the building: Yes, the dome is gold (leaf, specifically). The entire known supply of “Colorado Rose Onyx” marble was used on the inside of the building. There are several markers on the west steps indicating you are “a mile high,” – each from updated measurements over the years.

Things to Do in Denver - Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver


Cherry Creek North Shopping District

1st Avenue to 4th and University to Steele, Denver
This ritzy district has a wide variety of high-end shops, restaurants, residences and events. It’s highly walkable and a safe bet for a nice meal.

Things to Do in Denver - Cherry Creek North Denver


Children’s Museum of Denver

2121 Children’s Museum Drive, Denver
When my son was younger, we were members at the Children’s Museum. Since then, it’s gone through a major renovation and word is, it’s gotten even better. I loved that there were fun, sensory activities for kids to do from toddler up to around age eight. Don’t forget the hand sanitizer though!

Things to Do in Denver - Children's Museum Denver


City Park

17th to 23rd Avenue and York to Colorado Boulevard, Denver
Denver’s largest park, City Park is a great place to go for a picnic, ride some paddle boats, and also add on a visit to the Denver Zoo or the Nature & Science Museum (located right there). During the summer, there are free City Park Jazz concerts every Sunday evening.

Things to Do in Denver - City Park Denver


Clyfford Still Museum

1250 Bannock Street, Denver
This museum features the work of Clyfford Still, who was an impressionist artist in the 50s. His work is very vibrant and the building itself is beautiful. Located near the Denver Art Museum, Denver Library, the Colorado Capital and many other attractions in the Golden Triangle area, this museum is an great addition to a day in Denver.

Things to Do in Denver - Clyfford Still Museum


Confluence Park

2250 15th Street, Denver
One of Denver’s most popular parks and centrally located near our flagship REI, Confluence Park provides an urban place to play in the South Platte River. Kayakers use the river, bikers use the many trails that lead off from the park, and walkers can enter downtown via two nearby pedestrian bridges.

Things to Do in Denver - Confluence Park

Photo by beerandloathing on Flickr


Denver Art Museum

100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver
DAM is undergoing a major upgrade to their main entrance and north building, but the Hamilton Building (the crazy spiked one) has expanded their offerings in the meantime. Plus, their fabulous rotating exhibits are always worth a stop. Also, every first Saturday of the month is free admittance!

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Art Museum


Denver Botanic Gardens

1007 York Street, Denver
Considered one of the premiere gardens in the country, Denver Botanic Gardens is centrally located near the Zoo and City Park. They have a variety of summer concerts (which are, frankly, hard to get tickets to) and they are starting to have rotating sculptural exhibits. In the winter, Blossoms of Light is on everyone’s list for Christmas festivities.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Botanic Gardens


Denver Mint

320 West Colfax Avenue, Denver
It’s kind of wild to think there are only two U.S. Mint facilities that give tours: Denver and Philadelphia. Coins made here have a “D” on them, which I did not know until I moved to Denver. Here are details on taking a tour – and the location is also in very central Denver, near the Capital and Art Museum.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Mint Tour

Photo by Ken Lund on Flickr


Denver Museum of Nature & Science

2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver
As its name states, this is our museum for natural history and science. It’s next door to the Zoo and City Park, so the three together make a great combination. There is a wonderful fountain out back that kids play in during the summer – which is also at the top of a hill with a great view of the Denver skyline. Otherwise, of course, the museum itself is top notch, with an IMAX, a planetarium, exhibits for all ages and rotating events.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Museum of Nature & Science


Denver Performing Arts Complex

1400 Curtis Street, Denver
One of the largest performing arts centers in the United States, DPAC is a beautiful location to walk through even if you are not there to see a show. But definitely get tickets for one of the various performances that that are held in the theaters of the complex. There are also several great restaurants within walking distance if you would like to make a night of it.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Performing Arts Complex


Denver Zoo

2300 Steele Street, Denver
When our son was little, we had almost weekly visits to the Zoo. Since then, the upgrades there have been phenomenal. Be sure to check out the elephants, apes, giraffe feeding station, and of course, the conservation carousel.

Things to Do in Denver - Denver Zoo


Dinosaur Ridge

16831 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
This area near Red Rocks Park is a field trip destination for all Colorado kids, but worth it for anyone headed to Denver. The walking trails allow you to look at tracks left by various dinosaurs from 100 million years ago!

Things to Do in Denver - Dinosaur Ridge


Elitch Gardens

2000 Elitch Circle, Denver
Get to Elitch’s while you can! While there are no plans for changes in the near future, in 2018 the city of Denver approved plans which would eventually change the area into a housing hub. Until then, Elitch Gardens enjoys being a major amusement park on the edge of downtown (it was also a Six Flags for a while). There is an attached water park, a summer concert series and fun Halloween events.

Things to Do in Denver - Elitch Gardens Amusement Park

Photo by Terry Robinson on Flickr


History Colorado Center

1200 North Broadway, Denver
As the name indicates, this museum is dedicated to the history of Colorado. It’s right down the street from the capital and has had a major upgrade over the past decade. The museum houses a vast collections of books, manuscripts, photography, documents, maps, and other artifacts.

Things to Do in Denver - Colorado History Center


Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

1201 Bannock Street, Denver
This museum relocated to their beautiful new building in Denver’s Golden Triangle District in 2018. The Kirkland  is dedicated to collecting and exhibiting Colorado art, with an emphasis on the 1840s onward, and holds the estate of Vance Kirkland (1904–1981).

Things to Do in Denver - Kirkland Museum


Lakeside Amusement Park

4601 Sheridan Boulevard, Denver
Opened in 1908, this amusement park has been considered a smaller and ricketier sister to Elitch Gardens … their neon signs and fun games harken back to a more 50s style park, with all the campy fun you can imagine. My personal favorite is the bumper cars, but my guys (and many others) prefer the Cyclone Coaster.

Things to Do in Denver - Lakeside Amusement Park


Larimer Square

14th and  Larimer, Denver
This district is a great spot for a meal and some shopping. There is almost always some festive flags flying over the block and it’s a great starting off point for the Lower Downtown (LoDo) area.

Things to Do in Denver - Larimer Square

Photo by Geoff Livingston on Flickr


Local Music Concert

Various Locations
If you read other parts of my blog, I am all about music. Check out my “Local Bands” section for some of the best Denver acts and these venues often feature bands from the area: Bluebird Theater, Globe Hall, Larimer Lounge, Levitt (which are often free), Lost Lake, Marquis, Ophelia’s, Syntax and the Walnut Room. I also maintain a Concert Calendar that includes larger venues too!

Things to Do in Denver - Local Music Concert


Lumber Baron

2555 West 37th Avenue, Denver
This gorgeous Victorian mansion is supposedly haunted, but is a popular bed and breakfast nonetheless. I have photographed events there and, I promise, I felt pretty safe! The Lumber Baron is open to the public and also serves up a great brunch on weekends.

Things to Do in Denver - Lumber Baron


The Mayan Theater

110 Broadway, Denver
This movie house, built in 1930, is one of the country’s three remaining theatres designed in the “Mayan Revival” style. The Mayan, run by Landmark, typically shows independent and foreign films. Bonus: they have a bar!

Things to Do in Denver - Mayan Theater


Molly Brown House

1340 Pennsylvania Street, Denver
The “Unsinkable Molly Brown” from Titanic fame? Yup, she was from Denver. Her house is close to downtown and it’s a gorgeous example of Victorian architecture. Through paint analysis, architectural research, and studying original photographs from 1910, the house has been carefully restored to its original splendor.

Things to Do in Denver - Molly Brown House


Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

1485 Delgany Street, Denver
The MCA opened in Denver right after we moved here and quickly became one of our favorite museums. They will be reopened in February 2019 after some upgrades, so be sure to also hit their rooftop cafe and numerous fun events.

Things to Do in Denver - MCA Denver


Red Rocks Amphitheatre & Park

18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison
If you can head out to see a concert at Red Rocks, you must. It’s truly the best venue on earth. But what people sometimes don’t understand is Red Rocks, the venue, is situated inside Red Rocks, the park. So head out early on a concert day or in the offseason just to drive or hike around. But stay on the trails – there are steep fines for actually climbing on the rocks.

Things to Do in Denver - Red Rock


RiNo Street Art

Various Locations around 27th and Larimer Street, Denver
One area where you can really see how Denver has grown is RiNo (River North). In fact, the neighborhood didn’t really exist beyond warehouses until about 20 years ago. Now, you can walk up and down Larimer to see some visually stunning street and graffiti art. In fact, we have a yearly festival called CRUSH WALLS to celebrate it. And there are lots of fabulous restaurants and bars in the area for pit stops on your walking tour.

Things to Do in Denver - RINO Street Art


Santa Fe Art District / First Fridays

Various Locations around 9th and Santa Fe, Denver
We’re lucky to also have a well-established arts and culture district along Santa Fe, with numerous galleries and boutiques that cater to just about everything. Be sure to plan for a First Friday (of the month) gathering, when you can meander up and down the street(s) and take it all in.

Things to Do in Denver - Santa Fe Arts District


Sports Game

Various Locations
Denver is a sportsball town! In fact, we are one of only 13 U.S. cities with teams from four major sports. You can go see football (Broncos), baseball (Rockies), basketball (Nuggets), hockey (Avalanche), soccer (Rapids) and lacrosse (Mammoth and Outlaws). Some tickets are harder to get than others but all the venues are fun and if you like sports, it’s a must!

Things to Do in Denver - Rockies Game


Tattered Cover

Primary Location: 2526 East Colfax Avenue, Denver
One of the largest independent bookstore chains in the country, Tattered Cover has three locations, but the main one is on East Colfax in the historic Bonfils-Lowenstein Theater. It’s a great place to peruse the books, get a coffee, and snuggle into a chair for a spell. Tattered Cover also often offers book signings with famous authors.

Things to Do in Denver - Tattered Cover


Twist & Shout

2508 East Colfax Avenue, Denver
Located next door to the Colfax Tattered Cover, Twist & Shout is a mecca for music lovers. Thanks to nearly three decades of expertise in vinyl, this record store (that is way bigger than it looks from the outside) remains one of the best places in the country to find rare, out of print and import items.

Things to Do in Denver - Twist & Shout Record Store


Union Station

17th and Wynkoop Street, Denver
A major overhaul in recent years has made our train station a major stop when people visit Denver. It’s over 100 years old and reflects that history – but still feels modern and airy, especially with a plethora of great restaurants inside and in the vicinity.

Things to Do in Denver - Union Station


Water World

8801 N Pecos St, Federal Heights
We used to have a membership at Water World when our son was little – it was great to just go for a few hours in the afternoon to cool off. But don’t be fooled by our casual attitude, this water park is regularly considered one of the best in the country! Water World is loads of fun, especially when temperatures soar during the summer.

Things to Do in Denver - Water World


There you go. Hope this list of fun things to do in Denver helps you plan your visit!

List of Things To Do In Denver From A Local #Travel #Denver #Colorado

Photos are either mine, from stock art purchases, the entities themselves, royalty free sources, or as noted.

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