Discover 8 Great Things to Do In and Around Denver Colorado

Have you been to Denver lately? It had been a while since we visited, and the Mile-High City did not disappoint! We spent five days exploring Denver and the surrounding area and discovered it’s the perfect base for city adventures and outdoor recreation. The weather in mid-October was mild with sunny skies and moderate temperatures. Besides all the great things to do in downtown Denver, you don’t have to travel far from the city to find scenic parks like Roxborough State Park for hiking and outdoor activities. Plus there are easy day trips, including a spectacular train ride through Royal Gorge. As you make your list of things to do around Denver, Colorado, check out these 8 fun ways to explore the area, including several free things to do. 

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1. Learn About Denver with a Downtown Walking Tour. One thing we have learned about city travel is that taking a tour early on is a good way to get familiar with a new place. A walking tour is a fun way to see the sights and gain historical knowledge about the place you are visiting. Over the years, we have enjoyed walking tours in cities all around the USA and Denver was no exception. Our group of 8 met up with our tour guide from WeVenture near the Capitol Building. Over the next two hours, our guide shared the history and stories behind the buildings as we wandered along.  

The tour starts at the mile-high marker on the steps of the Capitol Building, which we learned is one of several markers based on recalculations and the application of new measuring technology. Moving along, it was interesting to learn about the architecture of the Greek Theater at Civic Center Park, the giant Blue Bear at the Colorado Convention Center (kids won’t want to miss this), and to see the ornate interior of the Brown Palace Hotel. In fact, taking this tour on our first full day in Denver gave us the opportunity to make a reservation for the popular afternoon tea at the Brown Palace a few days later. The walking tour ended at Union Station, a busy spot for both travelers and locals. If you enjoy walking tours, it's a great first day activity. We used the Free MallRide after our tour to shorten our walk back.  

Explore an epic 8 day Colorado & Utah road trip that starts and ends in Denver!

​2. Search for Street Art/Murals Around Town. One of the things we were excited about during our Denver trip was the chance to explore the vibrant street art scene. Murals were found in every neighborhood of Denver. The River North Art District (known as the RiNo District) alone is home to roughly 200 murals, and is a good spot for a tour to learn more about the artists and the stories behind the art. 

For flexibility, we opted to purchase & download the Denver RiNo Street Art Mural Tour by WalknTours. The self-guided app allows you to stroll at our own pace. The nice thing about walking through the RiNo district is that there are plenty of places to grab something to eat or drink along the way. The Catbird Hotel turned out to be the perfect base for exploring the RiNo district. Read more about the street art scene in Denver plus two other cities in the USA with amazing art.   

​3. Relax with Afternoon Tea at the Brown Palace. I have to admit that I had never been to a formal afternoon tea before our trip to Denver. So when we stepped into the lobby of the Brown Palace Hotel during our walking tour and learned about the tea, I decided to make a reservation for the last day of our trip. It turned out to be the perfect way to relax and unwind at the end of a very active five-day vacation before heading to the airport. 

The hotel lobby was surprisingly full when we showed up for our Monday reservation. A harpist set the mood in the towering atrium as we were seated at a table with a cozy couch and chairs. The menu had four choices, starting with the least expensive Brown Palace Signature Tea up to the decadent Bubbles for Four. All come with a choice of tea and a tiered serving platter of scones, finger sandwiches, and individual desserts. In case you were wondering, you won’t leave hungry!

4. Explore Roxborough State Park. Did you know that Colorado is home to 42 state parks? It's a great opportunity for spur-of-the-moment visits without extensive planning unlike national parks. We had heard about the beauty of Roxborough State Park from a local on social media, so were quite excited to see it for ourselves. It was an easy drive from Denver and perfect for a late afternoon hike on a weekday. The parking lot wasn’t huge, so I imagine it gets crowded early on the weekends. 

The park is home to 8 trails, with beautiful scenery from the moment you hop on the short trail from the parking lot to the visitor center. The Fountain Valley Trail loop, at just over 2 miles, gave us fabulous views of the red, sandstone formations just off the trail. With the late afternoon light, there were some interesting photo opportunities with the sun turning the tops of some rocks a golden color! ​

5. Ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. Head south from Denver for about two hours until you reach the small town of Cañon City. It’s home to the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, a unique train ride that follows the Arkansas River as you travel through the gorge. Besides the basic train ride (it’s anything but basic with those towering views!), this year-round attraction offers specialty rides including a Santa Express Train and Murder Mystery Dinner along with the First Class Lunch and Dinner Train. 

We booked our journey for 9:15 a.m. with seats in the Vista Dome car. Based on our recent train experience in Alaska, we knew we would be spending much of the ride on the open, outdoor viewing platform. Seating in the Vista Dome car gave us the flexibility to order from the breakfast menu, enjoy the view through the large windows, and step outside throughout the ride. Other options include the First Class Lunch and Dinner Train, or coach class seats. No matter where you sit, riding the Royal Gorge Route Railroad through the towering rock walls is a one-of-a-kind experience. If you spend the night in Cañon City, stop in the Bean Pedaler for coffee and Pizza Madness for lunch. We spent the night before our ride at the Parkview Inn Motel, conveniently located just across the street from the train depot.

6. Visit the Garden of the Gods. No trip to Colorado would be complete without a visit to the spectacular Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It’s perfect for a day trip, about 90 minutes from Denver! Enjoy free admission and spend a morning or afternoon exploring this unique park and its stunning rock formations. Start at the Visitor Center to pick up maps and plan your visit. You’ll want to spend time walking through the interactive exhibits to learn more about the history of the area. 

Then head outside to explore! There are over 20 miles of trails, which include the Central Garden Trails that wind through many of the rock formations. There is a parking lot nearby (in addition to the Visitor Center lot), just know it’s crowded and you may have to wait for a spot.  Other ways to explore the park include a free audio tour, or as part of a segway, e-bike, or even a horseback tour. No matter which you choose, just enjoy this spectacular, natural attraction. The park was a convenient stop for us on the way back to Denver from our Royal Gorge Route Railroad adventure.  

7. Take in the Scenery at Red Rocks Park.  Attending an outdoor concert at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is a bucket list item for many people! While that requires some advance planning, anyone visiting Denver can make the short drive to visit scenic Red Rocks Park. It’s another one of the many fun, free things to do around Denver, Colorado. Note that if you are visiting on a concert day, entrance to the amphitheater may be limited to ticket holders at approximately 2 p.m. 

So what is there to do at Red Rocks if you aren’t attending a concert?  Start with the Visitor Center, home to the Red Rocks Hall of Fame and the gift shop. (The Visitor Center is temporarily closed through April 2023 due to construction.) Then walk into the amphitheater, where you will likely find both tourists and locals, some using the steep seating area for their daily exercise routine. Make time for a hike on one of the trails. Red Rocks is one of the popular Denver Mountain Parks, and offers several hiking trails that bring you up close to the stunning scenery. We hiked the Trading Post Trail in a clockwise direction, a 1.4 mile loop that starts near the Trading Post building. Even if you don’t hike, stop and enjoy the view from the back patio of the Trading Post (with nearby parking close to the trailhead). As with all outdoor activities in and around the Denver area, keep in mind the altitude may impact your activity level when walking or hiking.  And while you are in the Red Rocks area, don’t miss a stop at nearby Dinosaur Ridge. Kids of all ages will enjoy seeing preserved dinosaur footprints either through a tour or a self-guided walk. We combined our morning at Red Rocks with lunch in nearby Golden.

8. Head to Boulder to see the Flatirons. It’s just under 30 miles from downtown Denver to the popular Chautauqua Park in Boulder. It’s home to Boulder's well-known Flatirons — a photo-worthy rock formation. It’s easy to see why Boulder is one of the popular places to visit near Denver. 

We arrived at the Chautauqua Trailhead midday on a Sunday and it was busy. On summer weekends, avoid the busy parking area with a free shuttle that runs from various stops around Boulder. The area is home to a range of hikes for all levels, and I definitely noticed the altitude even while we were hiking the easy/moderate Flatiron Loop Trail. There are five flatirons which can be reached via several trail combinations. For a more challenging hike with a rewarding view, check out one of Boulder’s hidden gems- the Royal Arch Trail. This trail is a 3 mile loop of mostly stairs, and a massive natural arch at the summit. Visitors can stop in to the General Store afterwards for a snack or drink. Here’s a resource if you are looking for accessible hikes in the Boulder area. 

Wondering where to stay in Denver? We split our time between two very different places, the eco-friendly Queen Anne Urban Bed and Breakfast and the funky Catbird Hotel. I would definitely recommend either for a stay in Denver for an adult getaway. It had been a few years since we had stayed at a bed and breakfast and we forgot how much we love sitting around the breakfast table enjoying a homemade meal while chatting with travelers from near and far. Rooms and suites are in two adjacent houses, with a lovely garden out back. Besides regular size rooms, four artist suites provide extra space to spread out.  

Less than two miles across town is the Catbird Hotel. This dog-friendly, colorful hotel is perfectly located to explore RiNo. I loved the colorful, comfortable furniture scattered around the lobby and the efficient use of room space with under-bed storage and a compact kitchen area. The rooms are designed with amenities for long-term stays that include cooking supplies and laundry facilities. The hotel is also home to a popular rooftop bar. There is a nightly amenity fee including one breakfast, access to the fitness center, hydration stations, and more. 

Popular family-friendly hotels in Denver include The Curtis Denver - a Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Denver, and the Moxy Denver Cherry Creek. For more affordable accommodations, check out Hostel Fish in the heart of downtown Denver.

And there are plenty of great food choices around the city. We loved the Table Bites and Boards & Bruschetta menu choices at Postino, the food hall at Denver Milk Market with something for everyone, the bacon fried rice and coffee from Lekker Coffee and Watering Hole, and dinner at Aloy Modern Thai. Plus the homemade breakfasts at the Queen Anne were an excellent way to start the day!  

For our next trip, I will definitely add the Denver Botanic Gardens and the uniquely shaped Denver Art Museum to our list of things to do in downtown Denver. For kids, the Denver Firefighters Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are popular. I’ve also read that the National Ballpark Museum close to Coors Field is a hidden gem for baseball fans. Of course, I’m also looking forward to spending a few days exploring all that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer. 

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