Denver · Colorado, USA
Things to Do in Denver: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Denver, ranked by real traveller reviews: drive Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park, stand in the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, summit Pikes Peak and walk the Garden of the Gods, climb the highest paved road in North America up Mount Blue Sky, then come back down for RiNo’s breweries and Union Station. Compare 150+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
403 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Denver
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Denver
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Denver by interest
Whatever brings you to Denver — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Denver
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Rocky Mountain NP
Alpine peaks.
60+ toursView tours
Red Rocks
Amphitheatre.
50 toursView tours
Garden of the Gods
Red spires.
40 toursView tours
Mount Blue Sky
Alpine summit.
30 toursView tours
State Capitol
Golden dome.
30 toursView tours
RiNo Breweries
Craft beer.
30 toursView tours
Union Station
Historic hub.
30 toursView tours
Georgetown Loop
Scenic railroad.
20 toursView tours
3 days
Denver in 3 days
- 1Day 1: city & Red Rocks
- 2Day 2: Rocky Mtn NP
- 3Day 3: Pikes Peak
- 4Breweries
~90 min awayRocky Mountain NP
Trail Ridge Road & Bear Lake.
from $130View trips
~30 min awayRed Rocks
Park & amphitheatre, free on non-show days.
from $43View trips
~1.5–2 hrs awayPikes Peak & Garden of the Gods
14,115-ft summit & red spires.
from $165View trips
~1 hr awayMount Blue Sky
Highest paved road, late May–Sept.
from $130View trips
~1 hr awayGeorgetown & Idaho Springs
Loop Railroad & mining towns.
from $75View trips
In the city awayRiNo breweries
Taproom tours & tastings.
from $60View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Denver visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Mild and green below, snow lingering on the peaks.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and sunny — peak season for the mountains.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Crisp air and golden aspens — ideal.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Cold and snowy, with nearby skiing.
For high roads
Trail Ridge Road and Mount Blue Sky open late May to October.
Best overall
June to September for full mountain access.
One day
The city and Red Rocks.
Two days
Add Rocky Mountain National Park.
Three days
Add Pikes Peak.
For nature
The national park and scenic drives.
For the city
Downtown and the breweries.
With kids
Red Rocks and the cog railway.
On foot
Downtown, LoDo and the 16th Street Mall are walkable.
Light rail
RTD trains link the airport, downtown and suburbs.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours are easiest for the national parks and peaks.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft are widely available in the city.
Where to stay
Stay in LoDo or downtown for walkability and dining.
US dollar
Denver uses the US dollar; cards are accepted everywhere.
Book park tours
Rocky Mountain National Park tours sell out — reserve ahead.
Mind the altitude
At a mile high, take it easy and drink plenty of water.
Sun protection
The high-altitude sun is strong — bring sunscreen and layers.
Try the breweries
Explore RiNo and LoDo for Denver’s famous craft beer.
Check road openings
High alpine roads only open in summer — check before you go.
Aspen season
Visit in late September for golden aspen colour.
Rocky Mountain tours
National Park day tours sell out — book ahead.
Pikes Peak
Cog railway and Pikes Peak tours fill up — reserve early.
Red Rocks
Red Rocks tours book out — reserve ahead.
Brewery tours
Craft-beer tours fill up on weekends — book early.
Scenic railroads
Georgetown Loop and cog trains sell out — reserve ahead.
Summer
July and August are busiest — book everything ahead.
Rocky Mountain tour
Around $120–200 for a full-day national park tour.
Red Rocks tour
About $60–100 for a Red Rocks and foothills tour.
Pikes Peak
Roughly $130–220 for a Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods day.
Brewery tour
Around $60–110 for a guided brewery tour.
City tour
About $40–75 for a downtown city tour.
How to save
Join group tours and combine city sights on foot.
When to visit
Denver through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Apr–Jun
- Best for
- Green & quieter.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Snow up high.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Jul–Aug
- Best for
- Full access.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Peak.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Aspen gold.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal.
Winter (Nov–Mar)
Nov–Mar
- Best for
- Snow & skiing.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold.
People also ask
Denver travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Denver?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) a Rocky Mountain National Park day tour, 2) Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 3) Pikes Peak by cog railway or road, 4) the Garden of the Gods, 5) the Mount Blue Sky scenic byway, 6) a RiNo or LoDo brewery tour, 7) the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 8) Union Station and Larimer Square, 9) the Georgetown Loop Railroad, 10) the Denver Art Museum and the Clyfford Still Museum.
How many days do you need in Denver?
One day downtown to acclimatise, then a day each for Rocky Mountain National Park, Red Rocks with Mount Blue Sky or the Georgetown Loop, and Pikes Peak with the Garden of the Gods. Three to four days is ideal; add Boulder for a fifth.
What to do in Denver for free?
Red Rocks on non-concert days, the State Capitol tour and mile-high step, the US Mint tour, the RiNo murals, Union Station’s Great Hall, the 16th Street free shuttle, Washington Park and Cheesman Park, Dinosaur Ridge’s trackway near Morrison, the Garden of the Gods (free park, free visitor center), Confluence Park and the Cherry Creek Trail, and the Denver Art Museum on its free days for Colorado residents.
What are the best day trips from Denver?
Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park (90 minutes), Red Rocks and Evergreen (30 minutes), Mount Blue Sky’s summit road (an hour, late May to September, timed entry), Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (90 minutes), Georgetown and Idaho Springs with the Loop Railroad (an hour), Boulder and the Flatirons (40 minutes) and Breckenridge for a mountain-town day (two hours). See our day trips page for bookable tours.
What to do in Denver at night?
A concert at Red Rocks (April to October — check the calendar and book early), the RiNo brewery and cocktail scene, Larimer Square and LoDo bars, Rockies baseball at Coors Field, comedy at Comedy Works, a ghost tour of downtown, and Union Station’s Terminal Bar. Stargazing tours run in the foothills on clear nights.
What is there to do in Denver in winter?
Ski — Loveland and Winter Park are 90 minutes, Breckenridge and Keystone two hours, all reachable by shuttle. Rocky Mountain National Park stays open for snowshoeing around Bear Lake though Trail Ridge Road closes; Red Rocks and the Garden of the Gods are dramatic in snow. In the city: the Museum of Nature and Science, the Art Museum, breweries, Zoo Lights (December) and Blossoms of Light at the Botanic Gardens. Denver gets 300 sunny days a year, so winter days are often bright.
What are the best things to do in Denver with kids?
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoo, the Downtown Aquarium, the Children’s Museum, Elitch Gardens theme park in summer, the Georgetown Loop steam train, Dinosaur Ridge, the Butterfly Pavilion, Red Rocks’ steps and trails, and a Rocky Mountain National Park tour with elk and marmots for older children. Take the altitude slowly and drink water.
When is the best time to visit Denver?
June to September for open mountain roads and hiking; mid to late September for golden aspens with fewer crowds; December to March for skiing. Spring is unpredictable, with snow possible into May. Mount Blue Sky’s road and Trail Ridge Road open around Memorial Day and close in October.
Is Rocky Mountain National Park worth a day trip from Denver?
Yes — it is the highest-rated experience in Colorado. A full-day small-group tour covers Trail Ridge Road above the treeline, Bear Lake, Estes Park and wildlife stops with a picnic lunch for about $130–190, and handles the timed-entry permits that are hard to get on your own between late May and mid-October.
403 Denver experiencesfrom $59 · free cancellation
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