Denver

Best things to do in Denver

1. 

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   1. Boulder

   • Half a day to a full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Active
   • No car needed

   A university city at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, with about 108,000 residents at the 2020 census. A popular day out from Denver for mountain scenery and a walkable town centre.

   Check how you will get there and what is open on the day before you set out.

   19,433 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Boulder, Colorado

2. 

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   2. Pikes Peak

   • A full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Families
   • Couples
   • Active

   A fourteener of the Front Range with a summit at 14,115 ft (4,302 m), the easternmost fourteener in the United States. Its base is in Manitou Springs, just west of Colorado Springs.

   Several ways up exist; check current opening and access with the operator before you go. The summit is high, so expect cold, thin air and changing weather.

   16,307 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Pikes Peak

3. 

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   3. Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park

   • A full day
   • Book in advance
   • Families
   • Couples
   • Active

   A national park on the Continental Divide in the Front Range, with mountains, alpine lakes and wildlife. Estes Park, on its eastern side, is a summer resort town and home to the park headquarters.

   The national park service says a timed entry reservation is needed in certain hours from late May to mid-October, and an entrance fee or pass is always required. Check the NPS page for current rules and trail conditions.

   14,871 readers a month

   Sources

   • National Park Service, Rocky Mountain plan your visit
   • Wikipedia, Rocky Mountain National Park
   • Wikipedia, Estes Park, Colorado

4. 

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   4. Golden

   • Half a day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Families

   A foothills city on Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range, founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak gold rush. It was the capital of Colorado Territory from 1862 to 1867.

   Check opening times of anything you plan to visit before you go.

   5,910 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Golden, Colorado

5. 

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   5. Garden of the Gods

   • 2 to 4 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Families
   • Couples
   • Active

   A 1,341-acre public park in Colorado Springs; 862 acres are a National Natural Landmark. The official site says it is free, with a visitor and nature center, trails, an audio tour and guided walks.

   The official site gives park hours of 5 am to 10 pm from 1 May to 31 October, and 5 am to 9 pm from 1 November to 30 April. Check the visitor center hours, which change in summer.

   4,388 readers a month

   Sources

   • Garden of the Gods official site
   • Wikipedia, Garden of the Gods

6. 

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   6. Mount Blue Sky

   • Half a day or more
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Active
   • Couples

   A 14,266 ft (4,348 m) fourteener, the highest peak in the Mount Evans Wilderness in the Front Range. It lies in Clear Creek County, to the southwest of Idaho Springs.

   Check current road and access conditions before you go; the summit is very high and weather changes quickly.

   3,030 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Mount Blue Sky

7. 

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   7. Denver Union Station

   • 1 to 2 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Rainy day
   • No car needed

   The main railway station and transport hub in downtown Denver, in the LoDo district. A station opened on the site in 1881; the present building was finished in two stages, with the central part completed in 1914.

   Check which shops and cafes are open before you visit.

   2,704 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Denver Union Station
8. 8

   8. Denver Art Museum

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • Tickets needed
   • Rainy day
   • Couples
   • Families

   An art museum in Denver's Civic Center with more than 70,000 works. It is known for its American Indian art and Western American art, and the Martin Building was designed by Gio Ponti in 1971.

   Check opening times and ticket details on the museum's own site.

   1,745 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Denver Art Museum

9. 

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   9. Molly Brown House Museum

   • About 1 hour
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Rainy day
   • Couples

   The Denver home of Margaret Brown, a philanthropist and activist who survived the sinking of the Titanic and became known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Exhibits cover her life and Victorian Denver.

   Check opening times and tour details on the museum's own site.

   1,739 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Molly Brown House

10. 

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    10. Colorado State Capitol

    • About 1 hour
    • Check entry rules before you go
    • Rainy day
    • No car needed

    The seat of the Colorado General Assembly, at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver. It also holds the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and State Treasurer.

    Check current visiting and tour arrangements before you go.

    1,430 readers a month

    Sources

    • Wikipedia, Colorado State Capitol

Just missed the list: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (11th by readers; a wildlife refuge close to Denver); Denver Museum of Nature and Science (12th by readers)