I am pretty much a walking laundry list of things to do in Denver. (And in the surrounding areas, but we’ll leave that for another day.) I lived there for several years and pretty much spent the entire time as though it were a very extended vacation. Any free moment I had on nights or weekends was packed with exploring the city and the surrounding area.
This is definitely not an exhaustive list of things to do in Denver. It’s one of those cities where the list triples over night when you’re sleeping. You wake up and a new museum, three new restaurants and a brewery you have to try have all cropped up. And the best part is? They are usually really good.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive guide, check out this One Week Denver Itinerary. It gives you a step by step trip including places to stay, eat, and tips on what to see every day.
Things to Do in Denver:
- Explore mummies, dinosaurs and more at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
- Check out a special exhibit or explore the Pre-Columbian or Oceanic Art exhibits at the Denver Art Museum
- Take a stroll through Cherry Creek State Park
- Visit and snap a photo at the Mile High point on the Capitol Steps
- Spend an Afternoon exploring the books at Tattered Cover Bookstore
- Enjoy a movie at the Mayan Theatre
- Taste authentic Denver beer at the Great Divide Brewery
- Venture through the pioneer past at Four Mile Historic Park
- Get together with friends for drinks and bowling at Punch Bowl Social
- Have the best pancakes of your life at Snooze Eatery
- Take a tour of the Denver Mint
- Eat at the oldest restaurant in Denver at the Buckhorn Exchange
- Visit the home of Molly Brown, activist and Titanic survivor
- Take a stroll down 16th Street Mall for people watching
- Visit History Colorado to learn about the state’s past
- Catch a lacrosse game with the Denver Outlaws
- Explore the Clyfford Still Museum, full of the famous artist’s works
- Check out more than 75 beers on tap at Falling Rock Tap House
- Spend your morning with animals at the Denver Zoo
- Love hockey? Try a Colorado Avalanche game
- Explore the fishes at Downtown Aquarium
- Keep the kids entertained at the Denver Children’s Museum
- Want a thrill? Try Elitch Gardens
- Learn about cars, trains and more at the Forney Museum of Transportation
- Love baseball? Tour the Rockies Stadium or catch a game.
- Want to see bison? Check out Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Wildlife Refuge
- Want to travel back in time to 1908? Check out the Lakeside Amusement Park
- Catch stunning views of Denver from Lookout Mountain
- If you can handle the touristy spin, eat your food while watching cliff divers at Casa Bonita
- Hike Mt. Falcon Park just outside the city for beautiful views of the skyline
- Learn about the history of Buffalo Bill at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- Take a free beer tasting tour at Coors Brewery
- Take a boat out on Sloan’s Lake
- Hike South Table Mountain Park for views and adventure
- Explore Union Station, the historic rail station downtown
- Explore fighter jets and astronauts at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
- Explore the strange and beautiful world of art nouveau and art deco at the Kirkland Museum
- Learn about the Federal Reserve at the Money Museum downtown!
- If football is your thing, you’ll want to try a game or a tour at Mile High Stadium
- Learn about the founder of the Rocky Mountain News at the Byers-Evans House
- If tea is your thing, you’ll want to try a tour of Celestial Seasonings
- Watch the Colorado Rapids play a game
- Want to try all the breweries? Try a Denver Brews Cruise
- If you love geology and dinosaurs, check out the Morrison Natural History Museum
- Take a bike ride through Chatfield State Park
- See the site of Denver’s founding at Larimer Square
- Have a picnic at Confluence Park
- Travel back in time and have a drink at a speakeasy at Williams & Graham
- Birdwatch at Barr Lake State Park
- Take a stroll around the University of Denver
- Looking for street art? Try RINO or East Colfax
- In the winter, Denver has it’s own Christmas Market
- Love basketball? Check out the Denver Nuggets
- Catch a show at the Fillmore or Ogden Theatres
- Dance to some country songs at Cowboy Lounge
- If it’s January you can check out The National Western Stock Show
- If you’re looking for high end boutiques, make time for Cherry Creek and do a little mall shopping at Cherry Creek Mall
- Learn more about all things plants at the Denver Botanic Gardens
- Take a tour of Wynkoop Brewery Company
- Want more art? Try the Sante Fe Art District
- Curl up with a good book at the Denver Public Library
- Visit the landscaping of the City Beautiful Movement in Denver’s Civic Center Park
- In the fall you can check out the Great American Beer Festival
- Take a trip on the Denver Trolley
- Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art for a fresh perspective
- Wishing you could get the feel of camping at a hipster bar? Try Forest Room 5
- Want dinosaurs? Visit Dinosaur Ridge
- Want to have hundreds of butterflies floating around you? Try the Butterfly Pavilion
- Travel back in history with a night at the Brown Palace Hotel
- See the city with a Denver Sightseeing Tour
- Get a tasty brunch at Jelly Cafe
- Rent a pedal boat at Washington Park
- Relax and unwind at one of the many spas in town
- Visit the Colorado Rail Museum to learn more about the history of the railroad
- Take a beekeeping class at Hudson Gardens
- Grab a bike and take a self-guided tour around the city with Denver B-cycle
- Take on the entire story of Denver with the Denver Story Trek
- Dine inside surrounded by the woods at Beatrice and Woodsley
- Eat the local fast food at Good Times
- Get an awesome view and creative food at Linger, a mortuary turned restaurant
- Eat fun and colorful donuts at Voodoo Doughnut Mile High
- Enjoy a movie with dinner and a drink at Alamo Draft House
- Take a tour of the purportedly haunted Cheesman Park which was once a cemetery
- Dine at the original Chipotle at 1644 East Evans Avenue
- Check out the Blue Bear downtown at the Convention Center
