Today we’re talking about Denver, the Mile High City, the city exactly one mile above sea level. Yet, when you arrive, Denver will not look like a mountain resort to you, despite its 5400 feet: you will rather have the impression of being in a classic modern, easygoing American city, with its striking collection of skyscrapers in the Downtown area and the beautiful skyline of the Rocky Mountains and the entire Front Range in the background.
Denver is the capital of Colorado and is traditionally linked to the history and myth of the Wild West, having been founded in 1858 around a railroad: alas, it retains little or nothing of that atmosphere. The fact remains that, being the starting point for many wonderful excursions to discover Colorado, Denver is the perfect place to become familiar with the cold climate of the mountain regions, spending a few hours discovering what there is to see in the city and its surroundings.
Let’s find out what are the best things to do in Denver: the city center has some excellent museums, beautiful parks and other places of sporting interest, while in the area immediately surrounding the city there are already the first natural wonders to visit.
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Map of Denver and surroundings
What to Do in Denver? Attractions and Places to Visit
Most of the most interesting attractions in Denver are located in the LoDo district (Lower Downtown), around two main areas: 16th Street Mall and Larimer Square, places immortalized in the pages of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. What to do in Denver, perhaps following in the footsteps of the writer?
Larimer Square
This area is ideal for an evening stroll at cocktail hour. The artists of the Beat Generation loved to spend their time in this lively and elegant corner of the city, passing from one brewery to another. Denver is in fact famous for the production of beer, so much so that it has earned the nickname of the “Napa Valley of beer” (if you are in the area in early September, do not miss the Great American Beer Festival). Restaurants, stores and fine boutiques line the sidewalks of this beautiful street, which is illuminated at night in a very impressive way.
16th Street Mall
If you want to relax a bit, you can go to the adjacent pedestrian street called 16th Street Mall, the commercial equivalent of Larimer Square. This is a tree-lined avenue about 1.2 miles long, full of stores, stalls and places to eat: you can walk along it or take the shuttle bus, but the concept is just that of shopping and relaxation.
That’s not all: by just wandering around this area, you can get in touch with the free and irreverent spirit of the city, and have fun discovering all the art installations hidden in this area: if you are good with the piano, you can cheer up the population of Denver by tinkling on one of the colorful pianos scattered along the way.
Denver attractions: two bizarre examples
- I See What You Mean: If you leave the pedestrian area of 16th Street Mall for a moment and head towards the ultra-modern Colorado Convention Center, along 14th Street, you’ll see a huge blue bear peeping inside the building. The installation, ironically titled I See What You Mean, is by Lawrence Argent. For a visionary like me, this installation, placed in such an urban, glitzy rational context, has a unique surreal charm.
- Dancers: again next to the Colorado Convention Center, but on the Champa Street side, there is another “alienating” installation: it is “Dancers”, two gigantic ethereal figures immortalized in a dance step. You will find the installation in the park in front of the DCPA (Denver Performing Arts Complex).
Union Station
This is not “just” a station: walking through the streets of LoDo you will be struck by how Union Station has been redeveloped, indeed … transformed into a très chic hotel and shopping center. The care taken with the furnishings and the style of the rooms makes one think of a classy establishment rather than a train station.
Denver Art Museum
Denver’s vocation for contemporary art is fully realized in the Denver Art Museum (100 W, 14th Ave), which houses a remarkable collection of works and installations by recognized contemporary artists. However, what makes this museum stand out is the section – decidedly less futuristic but quite interesting – dedicated to Native Americans and the Wild West, where you will also find paintings and works on the life and events of the old and distant American West. The wing dedicated to contemporary art – named after Frederic C. Hamilton – is spectacular even from the outside: its abstract shape immediately catches your attention.
Behind the contemporary wing of the Denver Art Museum is another bizarre open-air art installation: Cow Town, two fat cattle grazing (so to speak) amidst the ultra-modern buildings of Denver’s cityscape.
Denver Parks
There are many green spaces in Denver, but one of the most pleasant destinations is Cheesman Park, great for long relaxing walks. If you have some time to spend in this city park, you should definitely visit Denver Botanic Garden, a colorful ode to nature’s imagination, and effectively structured with paths and areas classified by plant type and climate zone.
City Park, just north of Cheesman, is Denver’s largest park. You can take a pleasant wander along its flower-filled paths to Ferril Lake or the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, which houses some impressive dinosaur fossils. in the prehistoric section. You can see one of Denver’s best skylines from the museum’s terrace.
Denver’s stadiums: sports tour!
Denver’s sports tradition is known across America, and local teams excel in many disciplines. If you want to experience a Colorado Rockies baseball game, you’ll have to go to Coors Field (2001 Blake St, pictured), while the Denver Broncos football games are held at the prestigious Invesco Field at Mile High (1805 S Bryant St), where the soccer championship is also held.
Finally, we would like to point out the magnificent Pepsi Center (1000 Chopper Circle), where the Denver Nuggets, a team in the top American basketball league, play.
Things to Do Near Denver
As we have said, Denver is the ideal place to discover the natural beauty of Colorado. But not only Colorado! People who want to visit Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming usually choose Denver airport, to get as close to it as possible, for their amazing road trip. In the travel diary you will find some examples of what you can see when starting out from Denver. One example? The Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, a small natural park containing some strange red sandstone rock formations: you can reach it in just over an hour’s drive from Denver. Here are some other possible excursions:
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Despite being outside of downtown Denver, this beautiful amphitheater is one of the symbols of the city and is definitely worth visiting before leaving the city. We talked about it more extensively in this article: Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre.
Lariat Loop and Buffalo Bill’s Tomb
Just outside of Denver is the small town of Golden. This is the starting point of the Lariat Loop National Scenic Byway, a beautiful scenic route through the mountains that leads to many places of interest, including the Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum. For those who want to learn more about Buffalo Bill’s history and visit his grave…!
Genesee Park
Just move a few miles east of Denver and you’ll find beautiful mountain parks that are just a taste of the resounding 14ers, the peaks that exceed 13,800 feet in Colorado. One of these is Genesee Park, where a beautiful scenic road allows us to climb Genesee Mountain.
Mount Evans Scenic Byway
Speaking of scenic roads, the Mount Evans Scenic Byway is absolutely worthy of a mention. Of course, Mount Evans is further away from Denver (about 1.40 hrs by road), but the scenic road to the top of the mountain surpasses in charm many other byways in the area, offering beautiful 360° views.
Rocky Mountain National Park
There are the Rocky Mountains, which geographically designate a very large and articulated mountain range stretching from New Mexico to Canada… and then there is the Rocky Mountain National Park, which is a story unto itself. You can reach it by driving northwest from Denver in less than two hours. There are many trails and things to see in this park, but a must-do activity is the drive up the beautiful Trail Ridge Road, with views that may remind you of (and in some cases, anticipate) the Grand Teton.
Denver to Rocky Mountains National Park guided tour
Places to Stay in Denver
In all of the city’s neighborhoods, both high-class hotels and classic chain motels are available, but it’s worth looking for some good lodgings in LoDo, to enjoy Denver’s vibrant nightlife. A good alternative may be Cherry Creek, a quiet residential neighborhood not far from Downtown.
Denver airport: information on getting around
Denver International Airport is the largest in the entire United States, and it’s about a 40-minute drive from downtown. This huge airport (which is under the eye of many conspiracy lovers due to some of its alleged mysterious elements) offers the major car rental agencies, but we don’t recommend you use a car to get around Denver: if your accommodation is central, finding a parking space in Denver could be difficult. Since, as you may have guessed, the city is easy to get around on foot and by public transport, it would be best to postpone picking up your car until after you leave the city. If you land in Denver and go on the road right away, rent the car at the airport!
If you don’t plan on picking up a rental car at the airport, you can take advantage of the Regional Transit District (RTD) buses, the Airporter and the Denver Airport Shuttle. Otherwise, more convenient and personalized services are available, such as a private or shared car and shuttle. In either case you will be dropped off from the airport at your Denver hotel.
Best Time to Visit Denver
Finally, two climate tips: Denver has extremely cold winters, with frequent snowfall, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t beautiful sunny days with mild temperatures. The great thing is that the summer sees a climate suitable for visiting the city, with high temperatures, but very low humidity rates. The temperature range is considerable: summer nights require a classic blanket.
