Denver

The "Mile High City," with Red Rocks Amphitheatre, craft beer and arts districts—a gateway to the Rockies, Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak.

Denver, the capital of Colorado, sits on the high plains at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains at about 1,609 m (5,280 ft)—hence its nickname, the "Mile High City." The city is known for its arts districts, craft beer, sports and outdoor culture, and the Front Range foothills are less than an hour to the west, making it the gateway for travel in the mountain West. Key areas: downtown's LoDo (Union Station, Larimer Square, Coors Field and the 16th Street Mall); the Golden Triangle museum district (the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Mint); City Park to the east (the Museum of Nature & Science, the zoo and the Botanic Gardens); and the RiNo Art District to the northeast. Classic day trips include Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge and the town of Golden to the west; Boulder to the north; Mount Blue Sky and the Georgetown Loop Railroad further west; and Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs to the south. The climate is dry and sunny. June–September is the season for outdoor concerts and mountain climbs, aspens turn gold in the mountains in late September, and in winter the city sees little snow while the mountains offer skiing; summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms. Getting there: the A Line train takes about 37 minutes from Denver International Airport to Union Station; downtown is walkable or served by light rail, but you'll generally need a rental car for sights outside the city. Allow 3–5 days, and when you first arrive at altitude, stay hydrated and use sun protection.

Top sights

• Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre – A natural amphitheater nestled between two giant red sandstone monoliths. It is a pilgrimage site for world-class musicians, and visitors c…
• Denver Art Museum – A museum made up of two sharply contrasting buildings: the Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind with angular titanium panels, an…
• Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway – Formerly known as Mount Evans, this is one of the highest paved roads in North America, reaching a summit over 4,300 meters high, where you…
• Chautauqua Park & Flatirons – A grassy park beneath the iron-shaped sandstone cliffs that define Boulder, and the most popular starting point for hiking routes.
• Denver Union Station – A historic railway station built in the Beaux-Arts style in 1914 and converted into a hotel, restaurants and transport hub. It is Denver’s…
• Larimer Square – Denver’s oldest block, with Victorian red-brick buildings hung with string lights. It is a popular street for dining and drinking.
• Colorado State Capitol – A gold-domed state capitol. The “one mile high” marker is carved into its west steps. Entry is free, and you can climb to the dome for view…
• Denver Botanic Gardens – A refined botanic garden in the high-plains city, with a Japanese garden, a tropical conservatory and an alpine rock garden.
• RiNo Art District – A warehouse-turned art district with giant murals, craft breweries and a food market, Denver's trendiest neighborhood.
• 16th Street Mall – A roughly 2-km pedestrian street in the city center, designed by I.M. Pei, with free MallRide shuttles linking Union Station and the Civic…
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science – The largest natural science museum in the American West, with dinosaur fossils, space exhibits and a planetarium, and a back entrance overl…
• Denver Zoo – A century-old zoo in City Park, where the Asian elephant passage and the Predator Ridge exhibit are visitor favorites.
• Coors Field – Home of the Colorado Rockies, where a row of purple seats in the upper deck sits exactly one mile above sea level.
• Clyfford Still Museum – A museum dedicated to the work of abstract expressionist master Clyfford Still, holding more than 90 percent of his paintings.
• Molly Brown House Museum – The Victorian home of ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown,’ where the story of this Titanic survivor begins.
• Meow Wolf Convergence Station – A four-story immersive art maze with more than 70 rooms, light installations and hidden storylines that can keep you exploring for hours.
• Washington Park – Denver locals' favorite city park, with two lakes, large flower beds and a loop trail, ideal for running and picnics.
• Confluence Park – The site where Denver was founded, at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, where summer kayakers ride a man-made whit…
• Elitch Gardens Theme and Water Park – A downtown theme park and water park where you can ride roller coasters with the Denver skyline behind you.
• Coors Brewery & Downtown Golden – One of the world's largest single-site breweries, located in the Old West-style town of Golden, where visitors can watch the brewing proces…
• Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave – The final resting place of Buffalo Bill, the legendary figure of the American West, on Lookout Mountain, with a small museum telling the st…
• Georgetown Loop Railroad – A narrow-gauge steam mountain railway dating from 1884 that winds across high trestles through silver-mining valleys, with an optional tour…
• Pearl Street Mall – A red-brick pedestrian mall four blocks long in downtown Boulder, lined with street performers, independent bookstores and patio restaurant…
• United States Mint at Denver – One of only two U.S. mints that produce circulating coins, where a free tour lets you watch coins being stamped through a window.
• Dinosaur Ridge – A fossil ridge next to Red Rocks, where you can see up to hundreds of dinosaur tracks and Jurassic bone layers up close.
• History Colorado Center – A highly interactive state history museum that tells Colorado's story, from Indigenous peoples and the gold rush to the ski industry.

Where to eat

• The Buckhorn Exchange – Denver's oldest restaurant, opened in 1893, famous for Western game like buffalo prime rib and elk, and walls covered i…
• Hop Alley – A Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended modern Chinese restaurant by a local Chinese-American chef, most famous for its bon…
• La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal – Denver's first eatery dedicated to Mexican pozole, recommended by Michelin Bib Gourmand, with an extensive mezcal list.
• Kiké's Red Tacos – A family-run taco spot that grew from a food truck, specializing in cheesy birria tacos dipped in consommé, as well as…
• Sam's No. 3 (Downtown) – A legendary Denver diner dating back to the 1920s, famous for its massive portions, Kitchen Sink burritos, and green ch…
• The Wolf's Tailor – Colorado's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant, offering multi-course tasting menus centered around fermentation, zero…

Itineraries

• Colorado's Four National Parks: 13-Day Grand Loop – A clockwise grand loop from Denver, linking Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Rocky Mount…
• Colorado Mountain Towns & Hot Springs – Depart from Denver to explore Estes Park, Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge.
• Denver, Rocky Mountain & Garden of the Gods: 4-Day Getaway – Starting from Denver, this short itinerary links Red Rocks, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Garden of the Gods.