Denver – A Tour of Colorado's Liberal Capital
Denver, the capital of Colorado, is the main city in the vast expanse between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains. The city's nickname is the Mile High City, honoring its high altitude. It sits right at the beginning of the rocky rise, to the east, on the edge of the Great Plains, under the highest peaks of the ridge. Denver is a very liberal city, the most liberal in this vast area considered the heart of America. Downtown is packed with attractions and entertainment spots, serving as a base for trips to the Rocky Mountain Park above and the ski resorts in Vail and Aspen.
How much time should you spend in Denver?
It is recommended to dedicate half a day to a full day of touring the center of Denver.
It's very wise to find accommodation in Denver during your visit, before heading to the Rocky Mountain Park or the ski resorts in the mountains.
Click here to check availability and prices at Denver hotels…
Must-See and Do in Denver?
- Fun at Larimer Square
- Shopping and Strolling at the 16th Street Mall in Heart of Downtown
- Daniels & Fisher Tower
- Visit the United States Mint in Denver
- Colorado State Capitol in Civic Center Park
- Denver Art Museum and Nearby Civic Museums
- Molly Brown House Museum
- Fresh Air at Denver Botanic Gardens
- Fun with Kids at Denver Zoo or the Nature Museum in City Park
- NBA Basketball with the Denver Nuggets
- Catch the Denver Broncos Football Empire in the Peak of Winter
Click here to purchase the Denver CityPASS, 3, 4, or 5 attractions at a discount…
What is Denver?
Denver is the capital city of the State of Colorado and the largest city in the state. About eight hundred thousand people live in Denver, and about two and a half million in its metropolitan area. Denver is the largest city at the seam line between the Rocky Mountain Range and the Great Plains, residing at the edge of a plateau 1500 meters above sea level.
Denver is located right at the beginning of the elevation of the range towards the high mountains of the Rockies, with Mount Elbert at the top, soaring at 4400 meters (almost 3000 meters above Denver). Above the city is also the Rocky Mountain National Park and the ski resorts of Aspen and Vail.
Denver was established in 1858 by miners from the Kansas Territory during the gold rush. The mining near the town's slopes was disappointing, and what was then known as Montana City was mostly abandoned. General William Larimer Jr. came to the town and named it after the Kansas Territory governor. He sold plots of the town to more miners arriving from the east. In 1870, Denver, which had by then developed into a city, connected to the western railroad and became the important county city on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Map of Denver
How to Get to Denver?
How to Fly to Denver?
Denver International Airport (DEN) – Located on the plains to the east of downtown Denver, this airport opened in 1995 and is currently the largest airport by area in the United States (third in the world) and among the ten busiest airports globally. It's a major hub right in the heart of the USA, serving as a home hub for major American carriers like United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
The airport is connected to all major and medium airports in the United States and Canada, as well as key airports in Europe and the Far East. You can easily reach Denver with a transfer in Europe through Frankfurt, London, and other European destinations. The airport is a half-hour drive from downtown Denver.
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How to get to Denver by car?
Denver is located at the junction of Interstate 25, running north to south, with the trans-American interstate number 70. Interstate 70 stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Baltimore, Maryland, to Las Vegas and Los Angeles (connecting with interstate 15 in western Utah). Interstate 25 runs along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, from El Paso in western Texas to northern Wyoming, where it connects with interstate 90, east of Yellowstone Park.
Click here for all the information on car rental in the USA + useful tips and significant discounts…
When is the best time to visit Denver?
Denver is a city with a continental climate that significantly affects when it's best to visit. The city is situated on a high plateau in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, experiencing cold and snowy winters, while summers are warm and relatively dry.
- The best season to visit Denver is, of course, summer. The city is a bit rainy in the summer, but nothing compared to spring. Temperatures in summer are warm and pleasant. The air is warm and dry, giving a desert-like feel. On cloudy days, there might be some light rain and it can get a tad chilly.
- Spring in Denver is really rainy, especially in April and May. It can still be cold during these months, but there's almost no snow. By June, it starts to clear up and the weather is excellent.
- On the city front, it’s freezing, from December to February the temperatures rarely rise above zero. For those who love winter vibes, this season is wonderful since there's snow that stays and doesn't melt, with almost no precipitation. Denver is the gateway to the high-quality ski resorts of the Rocky Mountains, especially in Aspen and Vail, and the city is very lively in winter.
- The fall in Denver is characterized by a drastic cooling, as the weather shifts from warm in mid-September to snowy and freezing by early November. The fall is relatively dry and pleasant for exploring the city.
How to plan a trip itinerary in Denver?
Denver is part of the travel route in the heart of America, located in the western parts of the Great Plains. The city is part of the monumental travel route of Middle America, which includes the national parks of the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone and Grand Teton in the north, through Rocky Mountain National Park just above the city.
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From Denver, you can head back towards the Great Plains via Kansas City and Saint Louis along Interstate 70, or veer towards Utah and join the special national park route of the Colorado Plateau. The route descends from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountain National Park, following the start of the Colorado River and tracks it to the national parks of Arches, Canyonlands (both near Moab, Utah), Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon, before continuing on to Las Vegas.
Click here for a day trip from Denver to the Rocky Mountain National Park + lunch…
Denver is the starting point for exploring the Rocky Mountains, including the upscale ski towns of Vail and Aspen. Nearby, you'll find other interesting places like the city of Boulder, Colorado Springs, and more.
The downtown tour focuses on the city center. It’s a good idea to start your tour in the lively Larimer Square and the 16th Street Mall, bustling with shops and restaurants. From there, head towards the Colorado Convention Center and Civic Center Park. Near the park, you’ll find the impressive Colorado Capitol building and the city's museum cluster.
Click here for a guided walking tour of downtown Denver…
Everything You Need to Know About Lodging and Hotels in Denver
Hotels in Denver are laid out in a classic style like in large (but not massive) American cities, with a relatively new center.
The layout of hotels in Denver is as follows:
- Urban hotels in towers in downtown Denver
- Motels are clustered in the southern sector of Glendale and in the northern cluster on Highway 70 east of downtown towards the airport
The hotels in downtown Denver offer the most urban accommodation option, and they are also reasonable for those arriving by car (some have paid parking). These are four and three-star hotels. Downtown also features luxury hotels like the Four Seasons. The central city hotels are located in towers, and Denver hosts representatives of all large American chains such as Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Westin, and IHG brands. In terms of location, the closer you are to the convention center and Larimer Square, the more convenient the location.
There are several clusters of motels around Denver, in addition to the modern Westin business hotel at the airport. For those who don't want to drive into downtown, the motels near the airport on Highway 70 are the ideal accommodation solution in the city. Near the highway, you'll find representatives of all major hotel chains as well as motel chains (everything that ends in ‘Inn' like Holiday Inn of IHG, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and other Inns).
Click here to search for accommodations in Denver…
Map of Recommended Places to Stay in Denver
Everything to See and Do in Downtown Denver
Larimer Square
Larimer Square is essentially a vibrant street segment at the western end of Larimer Street, near the University of Colorado campus. The block of the square, between 14th and 15th Streets, is filled with cool restaurants, shops, and a colorful street atmosphere, fitting for the most liberal city in the American landscape. Cables stretch over the street, always showcasing different flags according to seasonal events.
This is the nightlife hub of Denver and the heart of LoDo (Lower Downtown), the historic center of Denver. Along the street, there are historic brick buildings, which, in Denver terms, are considered ancient. The street was the historical center of the city and the place where the houses of Montana City were built in 1858. If you try a little, you can see in the facades of the buildings the origins of the Wild West city that Denver once was.
Just a short walk from the square is the Pepsi Center, home to the Nuggets and the Avalanche, also known as Ball Arena. Nearby is the popular Elitch Gardens amusement park featuring extreme roller coasters and many more attractions. Its location right next to downtown Denver makes it especially popular.
Click here to purchase online tickets for Elitch Gardens amusement park…
16th Street Mall
If Larimer Square is the historic heart of Denver, the Sixteenth Street Mall is the heart of the city's daily life. From Broadway and Civic Center Park, along 16th Street to Wewatta Street in the west, near Union Station, stretches Denver's main shopping street. Along its nearly two kilometers, you'll find restaurants, shops, malls, and more. Towards Broadway, there are blocks that are pedestrian-only.
Daniels & Fisher Tower
In the bustling mall of 16th Street, at the intersection with Arapahoe Street, stands the historic Daniels and Fisher Tower. This vintage skyscraper was built in 1911 as a giant department store. The tower is about one hundred meters tall and was once the tallest tower in the heart of America, between California and the Mississippi River.
The charming tower was modeled after the famous Campanile of St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. The same year Daniels and Fisher Tower was built, the Campanile in Venice was also rebuilt after it collapsed in 1902.
Address: Arapahoe St. 1601, Denver
Colorado Convention Center
The massive Colorado Convention Center building stands at the western edge of downtown Denver. The building was completed in 1990 and is considered one of the largest in the USA. Across the convention center, there are several huge spaces hosting large events, both public and private.
The Denver Mint
The historic Denver Mint was established in 1906. It produces metal coins for the federal government, from pennies to silver dollars, and coins for a variety of realms. To this day, it is considered the largest mint in the world. The Mint's building is part of Denver's Civic Center, close to Civic Center Park and the Capitol building. You can join a guided tour of the Mint and see American coin production.
Address: 320 W Colfax Ave, Denver
Click here for all the details on a tour of the Denver Mint…
Civic Center Park
Civic Center Park is the state hub of Colorado. The park is located on the southern side of downtown Denver and, aside from its official function, is a pleasant and well-maintained park with a beautiful view of the Capitol. The park was designed and planted in 1904 at the foot of the Capitol Building, which was constructed twenty years earlier. The Capitol's gold dome is visible from every corner of the park, and it serves as the access point to the museum complex and the municipal public library in its southern part.
The Colorado State Capitol Building
The Colorado Capitol Building is located on the eastern side of Civic Center Park. It was built in the 1880s but wasn't completed until 1894. After the Civic Center Park was established, the gold dome was added to the roof of the Capitol Building, which has become one of the city's symbols. You can enter the Capitol Building on guided tours.
Address: E Colfax Ave, 200, Denver
Click here for all the information on tours at the Colorado Capitol Building…
The Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum is located on the southern part of the Civic Center Park, not far from the Colorado Capitol Building. The museum opened at its current location in 1971 and houses more than 70,000 different pieces. It's considered one of the largest museums in the Wild West, in the vast area between Los Angeles and Chicago. The museum's collection is very American and includes many paintings by local artists and a huge collection of native art. The standard part of the museum also includes well-known European masters such as paintings by Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and others.
Address: W 14th Ave Pkwy. 100, Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for the art museum…
Click here for the museum's current operating hours…
The Clyfford Still Museum
The Clyfford Still Museum is located in the southern part of the art museum and is considered a sort of separate wing. The museum showcases thousands of pieces by the abstract expressionist artist Clyfford Still. Still’s entire collection was donated to the city of Denver after the artist searched for a city willing to host his entire remaining collection in a large space. Denver agreed, and the museum was built entirely in the artist's honor. Adjacent is the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, which is also part of the complex.
Address: Bannock St. 1250, Denver
Click here for the museum's current operating hours…
Molly Brown House Museum
The historical Molly Brown House is located two blocks east of the Capitol building between 13th and 14th Avenues, on Pennsylvania Street. The house, also known as the House of Lions, was built in 1889 and was acquired a few years later by Molly Brown and her husband James Joseph, who made their fortune from gold mining.
Brown was one of the most well-known survivors of the Titanic sinking in 1908 and later worked extensively for the survivors. To this day, she is considered one of the beloved figures of Denver, and her large mansion has been converted into a period museum. At the museum, you can learn a lot about Brown's character, who was known by the nickname The Unsinkable. At the house, you can see the lifestyle of Denver's affluent in the early 20th century.
Address: 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for the museum and a guided tour app…
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The Denver Botanic Gardens
The Denver Botanic Gardens are among the most beautiful and meticulously maintained urban gardens in the cities of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain Range. The gardens are located in the upscale Cheesman Park neighborhood, east of downtown. They feature a fascinating collection of plants from around the world, themed manicured gardens, and plenty of serene and pleasant spots.
Click here for the latest operating hours of the gardens…
City Park
City Park is the official urban park of downtown Denver. This vast park sprawls across the eastern part of the city center, just a short drive from downtown. The park features many attractions including a professional golf course, a lake, green trails, and beautiful gardens. City Park is also home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Click here to purchase online tickets for the museum…
Sports Events and Teams in Denver
Denver is one of the 12 U.S. cities that have professional sports teams in the four major American sports leagues – the NBA for basketball, MLB for baseball, NHL for hockey, and NFL for football. This is quite an impressive feat, considering that the Denver metropolitan area is the smallest among the dozen cities, which are considered large and significant across the USA.
Denver's sports teams are considered among the best in the league, including the Nuggets, which in recent years have been one of the top teams in the NBA, and the Broncos, a football powerhouse. The Avalanche is also considered a very strong team, and even the Rockies are regarded as really good. Because the city has outstanding teams, Denver is considered one of the best professional sports cities in all of the USA. The city is also home to an MLS team, the Colorado Rapids.
The city's sports teams are an integral part of visiting Denver. All the teams' stadiums are located downtown or just a short drive away, allowing you to experience the games seamlessly with your visit to the city.
Basketball in Denver
The Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are the city's rather average basketball team, which in recent years has been experiencing unprecedented success under the leadership of Serbian superstar Nikola Jokić. The team was founded in 1967 under the name Denver Larks and changed to the Nuggets in 1974. Since 1976, it has played in the NBA. The team wasn't much until the early 2000s when high-profile stars started arriving in the city, and the team began to regularly appear in the playoffs. In recent years, Nikola Jokić has led the team to incredible achievements, including a historic championship win in the 2023 season.
The team plays at the Ball Arena in Downtown, which it shares with the Avalanche hockey team. The stadium seats 20,000 spectators. In recent years, it's been quite difficult to get tickets to the Nuggets games, especially in the later stages, since the team is on fire.
Home stadium address: Chopper Cir. 1000, Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for the Nuggets game on the NBA League website…
Football in Denver
The Denver Broncos
The Broncos are the legendary team of Denver in the NFL, the tough football league. Like the range above the city, the team is considered a formidable wall, especially at its peak in the 1980s under the leadership of the legendary quarterback John Elway. The team was founded in 1960 and won two Super Bowls with Elway at the end of his career in 1997 and 1998. Before these championships, Elway led the team to three Super Bowls where they lost. In 2012, another legendary quarterback, Peyton Manning, joined the team and led it to a Super Bowl victory in 2015.
The team plays at Empower Field at Mile High, or the Mile High for short, near Interstate 25, west of downtown Denver. The stadium has a capacity of 75,000 spectators, and it’s worth the effort to get tickets for the games, even during the city's freezing winter.
Home stadium address: Bryant St. 1701, Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for Broncos games on the team's website…
Baseball in Denver
The Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are Denver's beloved baseball team, named after the mountain range that defines the whole state. Founded in 1993, they might not have won the World Series yet, but they do make it to the playoffs and put on some great series.
The Rockies play at Coors Field, located near Union Station, in the northern part of downtown. The stadium holds 47,000 spectators and usually, it's hassle-free to get tickets to games.
Home Stadium Address: 2001 Blake St., Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for the Rockies games…
Hockey in Denver
The Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche is Denver's hockey team and the most recent professional team to join the city. The team was founded in 1972 in Quebec City, Canada. It moved to Denver in 1995 and has since flourished to become one of the strongest teams in the NHL. Their first Stanley Cup win was in 1996, the first year they played in the city. Since then, they have won two more championships.
The team plays at Ball Arena or the Pepsi Center in downtown, which they share with the Nuggets basketball team. The stadium has a capacity for 20,000 spectators, but getting tickets isn't a problem unless it's playoff games.
Home stadium address: Chopper Cir. 1000, Denver
Click here to purchase online tickets for the Avalanche games on the NHL website…
