Top 15 Things To Do and See in Denver

by Deb Schell
Last updated:: 10:00 AM ET, Wed October 17, 2018

PHOTO: Sunset over Denver cityscape, aerial view from the city park. (photo via Creative-Family / iStock / Getty Images Plus)

City Park , 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Purple Door Caf��. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Acorn Denver. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Black Shirt Brewery. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Rhino Art District �CCrush Walls. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Scoot Tours Denver. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Colorado State Capitol Tour. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Denver Art Museum. (Photo via Denver Art Museum / Richard Anderson / Flickr)

Buckhorn Exchange.(Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Union Station Denver. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Red Rock Park. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Denver Central Market. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Biju��s Little Curry Shop. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Ace Eat Serve. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Denver convention center & Blue Bear. (Photo courtesy of Deb Schell)

Welcome to Denver!

1/16

Traveling to Denver can be overwhelming with so many options to choose from. With little time, you may want to get recommendations on the best coffee and lunch spots, steller breweries, inspiring art, culture, food, nightlife and more!

City Park

2/16

Make sure to take a stroll in City Park early in the morning-breathe in the crisp air and greet dog-walkers and fellow joggers while on the gravel trail that winds through the park. It features picnic spots, playgrounds and lakeside trails. Within the park, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has a planetarium, an IMAX theater and temporary shows. Exotic reptiles and events draw families to nearby Denver Zoo and south of the park, East Colfax Avenue has cool cafes, retro-style bars and the Bluebird Theater concert venue.

Purple Door Cafe

3/16

If you love a good cup of coffee, make sure to stop into the Purple Door Caf��. In addition to excellent customer service, it's a great place for quick and small breakfasts, with lots of tea and coffee options as well as seating for working or meeting friends.

Acorn Denver

4/16

Locals love recommending this hot spot. With the wide variety and selection on the lunch menu, we enjoyed sharing plates of sun-dried tomato dumplings, pimento cheese with dipping bread, shishito peppers, as well as ordering tall-stacked burgers, crisp salads, and unique dishes like monkfish. Acorn is located within the Source, a reclaimed 1880's foundry turned new epicurean marketplace in Denver's River North District.

Black Shirt Brewery

5/16

With a nice menu, good service and great recommendations on beer selections, this place is the perfect evening stop. Black Shirt Brewing Co. is featured in "Crafting A Nation," a documentary that focuses on the state of the local and national craft beer scene. Located in the heart of the RiNo Art District neighborhood just north of downtown Denver, Black Shirt Brewing Co. strives to offer an experience that strikes a harmonious balance between music, crave-worthy pizza, and delicious craft beer.

RiNo Art District - Crush Walls

6/16

Find inspiration in the Rhino Art District murals; the Crush Walls are really one of the most creative and inspiring places in the city to visit. Walking along the streets and viewing the artwork is best done early mornings or in the evenings when the light is at its best. Make sure to swing into alleys to see the creative new works that have been added. A map listing the artists and how you can connect with their work is available on their website.

Scoot Tours Denver

7/16

ScooTours Denver Scooter Rental provides everything you need with scooter riding lessons, gas, liability insurance and suggestions of where to explore on your motor scooter. If you can ride a bicycle, you are 18 or older and you have a valid Driver's License, you can easily train to ride. Renting a 50 cc moped is the perfect day trip activity for a group event, a visit to Denver or just a fun afternoon.

Colorado State Capitol Tour

8/16

Check out this amazing piece of history when visiting Denver. The golden-domed Colorado State Capitol is one of the prominent features in the cities skyline. The Neoclassical building, which sits at the eastern end of Denver's Civic Center Park, serves as a sort of museum to Colorado history and free tours of the capitol are offered Monday through Friday.

Denver Art Museum

9/16

With a wide variety of prints, paintings and sculptures, along with photographs from classic, traditional, and trend-setting artworks, the Denver Art Museum is not to be missed. As the sole venue for Rembrandt, Painter and Printmaker, it showcases more than 100 prints along with several drawings and paintings from his career spanning from 1625 to 1665. The museum frequently hosts special lectures by leaders in their fields as well as classes for all levels and hosting creative programs.

Buckhorn Exchange

10/16

No trip to Denver is complete without stopping at this historic staple of western dining. Denver's original steakhouse, The Buckhorn Exchange, is located in the city's oldest neighborhood, just 5-minutes from downtown Denver. Prime grade beef steaks, buffalo prime rib, elk, salmon, quail, game hen and succulent baby-back pork ribs are just some of the marvelous offerings on the Buckhorn menu. Exotic appetizers such as alligator tail and buffalo sausage are available, and no dinner is complete without the house specialty, Rocky Mountain Oysters.

Union Station

11/16

Denver's historic Union Station is an awesome place to meet in the morning for coffee or breakfast if you get there before 8 A.M. to beat the crowd. While there, check out Snooze, it's the best breakfast place in town.

Red Rock Park / Amphitheater

12/16

Take in a concert at the one and only Red Rocks-a geologically formed, open-air amphitheater that is not duplicated anywhere in the world. The Amphitheatre consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) that provide acoustic perfection for any performance. Red Rocks Amphitheatre has become a popular site for runners and those looking for a challenging workout at 6,400 feet.

Denver Central Market

13/16

The Denver Central Market is a gourmet marketplace with a variety of local vendors including a bakery, coffee shop, fish market, butcher, rotisserie, chocolate shop, ice cream, wood-fired pizza, salad and sandwiches. Take home Denver's finest selection of dry goods; from fresh bread to olive oil to spices.

Biju's Little Curry Shop

14/16

Stop in Biju's Little Curry Shop for fast and friendly service where true southern style ingredients are combined with a little spice to give it a kick. Add some protein or keep it vegan, it's your call, but they'll make sure your visit is full of flavor.

Ace Eat Serve

15/16

If you find yourself wanting to challenge your friends to some Ping-Pong, Ace Eat Serve is the place! It features three unique spaces, housed in the old Storz Garage space at the corner of 17th & Pennsylvania. Repurposed and recycled materials are used throughout the space to create an industrial design and comfortable setting that compliments the history of the building. An energetic atmosphere, bar seating and casual dining ensures everyone has a great time.

Denver Convention Center & Blue Bear

16/16

Don't miss this 40-foot-high bear, which injects a welcome sense of fun and playfulness into the convention center experience. Installed in 2005, this has quickly become a bona fide Mile-High City icon and a can't-miss photo op for tourists and locals alike.

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