Denver has become one of the most desirable places to live in over the years — not just to people living in Colorado, but to people all over the country. Millennials, in particular, are moving to Denver in droves. The reasons aren’t too difficult to figure out. First, Denver has a lot of jobs, especially in the tech sector. Secondly, Denver is located in a beautiful part of the country, making it very attractive to outdoor enthusiasts. Finally, Denver is a big city full of cultural attractions. Here’s a sampling of things to do in Denver from A to Z.
Animal Life
Animal lovers will feel right at home in Denver, especially once they visit the Denver Zoo. The Denver Zoo consists of 80 acres that house more than 3,500 animals. There are so many different types of animals living at the zoo that you’ll have to visit multiple times to get the most out of it. Additionally, there are many events that you can enjoy throughout the year.
Besides exploring the massive zoo, Denver also happens to be very dog-friendly. There are numerous dog parks throughout the city, including the Railyard Dog Park, the Fuller Park Dog Park, and the Berkeley Lake Dog Park. There are plenty of regular parks where you can take your dog for a walk as well.
Beer And Brewery Tours
People in Denver love their beer — especially craft beer. There are dozens and dozens of craft breweries throughout the city worth checking out, including the Copper Kettle Brewing Company, Prost Brewing, Factotum Brewhouse, the Denver Beer Company, and many more. There are so many highly regarded breweries in Denver that it can become a bit overwhelming, which is why we recommend taking a brewery tour.
There are a handful of brewery tours that you can sign up for that will take you to several breweries within specific neighborhoods. For instance, the Denver Brew Tour is a three-hour custom bus or walking tour that will guide you through several breweries in the Lower Highland and Sunnyside Neighborhoods.
Coors Field
Opened in 1995, Coors Field is where the Colorado Rockies play their baseball games. Any fan of baseball will tell you there’s no better way to enjoy a gorgeous summer afternoon than with friends and family at a game. The stadium is located in lower downtown, just a few blocks from Union Station. If baseball isn’t your thing, that’s okay — Coors Field also hosts concerts and other events throughout the year.
Dinosaur Ridge
Dinosaur Ridge is one of the most famous fossil locations in the world. Located just west of Denver in the Morrison Fossil Area Natural National Landmark, Dinosaur Ridge is where many well-known dinosaurs were first discovered, such as the Stegosaurus and the Allosaurus. There’s a lot to do here if you are interested in dinosaurs (and who isn’t!), from the museum and the trail to the actual dinosaur tracks and trace fossils. In addition to public tours, there are many special events held at Dinosaur Ridge as well.
Empower Field At Mile High
Not only do sports fans in Denver have Coors Field, but they also have Empower Field at Mile High, where they can watch the Denver Broncos during football season. The stadium opened in 2001 after it was built to replace the original football stadium, the Mile High Stadium. The venue hosts many other events outside of football as well, including high-profile concerts.
Fillmore Auditorium
There are so many places to catch live music throughout Denver. Not only can you go to a concert at either of the city’s two professional sports arenas, but you can also visit the famous Fillmore Auditorium, which has been around for over a century and is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The auditorium holds the most seating of any indoor venue in the state. Some of the most famous music groups in history have played here, including Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Beastie Boys, Oasis, Coldplay, and more.
Golfing
Considering Denver’s location and the beautiful views that the city is known for, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of places to go golfing. If you enjoy hitting the green from time to time, you’ll find plenty of options. Some of the best golf courses in and around Denver include the Arrowhead Golf Club, the Fossil Trace Golf Club, Bear Dance Golf Club, and Green Valley Ranch.
Hiking Tours
If you like enjoying the outdoors while getting a little exercise, then consider hiking. You can find plenty of hiking trails in some of Denver’s biggest parks as well as right outside the city that are well worth your time for their glorious scenery. Not only can you find numerous hiking trails within 30 minutes outside of Denver, but you’ll also have no trouble finding trails of various levels of difficulty. For example, the Bear Creek Trail at the Lair O’ The Bear is an easy 1.6-mile trail, while the 9.2-mile Bergen Peak Hike is much more challenging.
iFly Denver
Are you seeking a few thrills in a safe environment? Head over to iFly Denver to go indoor skydiving! Here, you’ll be able to enjoy the thrill of skydiving without actually having to jump out of an airplane. It’s an absolute blast and fun for the whole family. iFly Denver even hosts special events, including birthday parties and corporate team building events.
Jobs
While there’s a ton to do in terms of culture and entertainment, it’s also worth noting that Denver has excellent jobs as well. You need a way to afford all that Denver has to offer, after all! Not only is the city’s job market increasing year-over-year, but future growth is also expected to be higher than the national average. In particular, Denver’s tech sector has experienced a real boom. The Denver Metro area was ranked ninth amongst metros throughout the U.S. for tech-job growth last year. The jobs available in Denver are one of the primary reasons why Denver has been attracting more and more new residents over the years.
Kirkland Museum Of Fine & Decorative Art
Denver residents who appreciate art should visit the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art. There, they can view 400 different collections consisting of more than 30,000 works. If that’s not enough to scratch your art itch, the Denver Art Museum is located right next door. Here, you’ll find over 70,000 pieces of art from throughout time and across the world. The impressive museum is one of the most prominent art museums between Chicago and the West Coast.
Larimer Square Shopping And Dining
There are hundreds upon hundreds of stores and restaurants throughout the city. While we could go on and on about which stores and restaurants you should check out, there’s one place in particular that you should be sure to visit: Larimer Square. Larimer Square is packed to the brim with some of the city’s best restaurants, shops, and bars, which means you can spend all day and night here. We recommend eating at Bistro Vendome or Ocean Prime and having a drink at Green Russell or the Cru Wine Bar.
Museum Of Nature And Science
Art museums aren’t the only type of museums to be found in Denver. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is also well worth visiting. It’s a massive museum that’s been open for over a century and contains over a million objects. Some of the collections you can view include Expedition Health (focusing on the human body), the Space Odyssey, the Prehistoric Journey, Birds of the Americas, the Wildlife Halls, Egyptian Mummies, and much more.
Nightlife Bars And Clubs
Any big city is likely to have decent enough nightlife. Denver is no exception and boasts plenty of great bars and clubs in the city to enjoy. Denver’s nightlife is undoubtedly a selling point to many young professionals moving to the area due to its job market. If you’re looking to explore the Denver nightlife, check out Howl at the Moon Denver, RISE Comedy, the Church Nightclub, and Club Vinyl.
Outdoor Arts
In the mood to view some art on a beautiful day? Go to the Museum of Outdoor Arts, which is open all year long. You’ll be able to enjoy beautiful outdoor sculptures, landscaping, architecture, and murals on any sunny afternoon. While the main attraction is the outdoor area, the Museum of Outdoor Arts also has an interior section worth going through.
Parks
Arguably one of the biggest perks that Denver provides its residents is the ability to escape city life — without even having to leave the city! There are countless parks spread throughout the Denver city limits where you can go to enjoy nature. Many of these parks have large lakes, such as Sloan’s Lake Park, City Park, and Washington Park. Many of the parks include picnic tables, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and more, which means that you’ll find plenty to do outside of having a picnic or merely going for a pleasant walk.
Quarters Bar + Arcade
While there are lots of bars to choose from, Quarters Bar + Arcade is, in our opinion, the most fun. Not only do they have 20 beers, wines, and hard ciders on tap (all of which are self-serve), they have 19 different arcade machines with over 120 different games to choose from. What better way to enjoy a beer than while playing video games? In addition to their videogame arcade cabinets, they also have several pinball machines. You can even rent out the entire bar and arcade for a birthday party if you want to — and at a very reasonable rate.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a historic music venue located ten miles outside of Denver. It is well worth checking out as it’s easily one of the most unique outdoor venues in the country. The reason it’s so special is that the amphitheater is surrounded by the famous rock formations that Colorado is known for. Any event that you’ll see here will be one to remember due to the stunning scenic surroundings.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Okay, so we’re adding another “R” here. We could easily add multiple entries for every letter on our list, but there’s no way we could omit either the Red Rocks Amphitheatre or the Rocky Mountain National Park! Encompassing 415 square miles, this park is massive — and it’s only a 30-minute drive outside of Denver, tops. Even if you’re not an outdoor enthusiast, you have to visit at least once. There are so many things to do in the park as well, like photographing the wildlife, camping, fishing, hiking or climbing, or even horseback riding.
Skiing
Once winter comes around, many Denver residents love to go skiing. Denver is not far from the Colorado Rockies, which means that going skiing isn’t difficult. There are many places where you can ski within a few hours’ drive of the city, including Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Keystone, and Echo Mountain, to name a few.
Tennyson Street
Tennyson Street is not unlike Larimer Square in that it’s another hub in the city for shopping and dining. Located in the Berkeley neighborhood, Tennyson Street is home to countless restaurants, local breweries, shops, boutiques, spas, and galleries. You’ll never run out of things to try out here. We recommend the Noshery and Berkeley Untapped.
Union Station
Tried all the restaurants and shopped at all the stores at Larimer Square and Tennyson Street? While we doubt it, you can always go to Union Station in the heart of downtown for even more shopping and dining options. Not only is Union Station a beautiful, historical landmark, but it’s also home to over a dozen restaurants and stores. We recommend breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Mercantile Dining & Provision, which belongs to James Beard Award-winner Chef Alex Seidel. Stoic & Genuine, Terminal Bar, and the Cooper Lounge are all worth the trip as well.
VR Arcades
Yes, we’ve already recommended an arcade on this list. However, VR arcades are a very different experience. If you’ve never played VR videogames before — or you’ve never experienced virtual reality in general — then we highly recommend spending some time at one of Denver’s VR arcades. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget! Some of the more popular options include Virtual Reality Social and KaboomVR.
Whiskey Tours
Although there’s no shortage of craft beer breweries, Denver has its share of whiskey distilleries as well. If whiskey is your drink of choice, we recommend taking a tour at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, the Denver distilleries, or Laws Whiskey House. The tours are a great way to see how they produce their whiskey, and you can enjoy a whiskey tasting afterward.
Xtreme Challenge Recreation Center
Denver has so many things to do and see that we didn’t even have to skip “X.” The Xtreme Challenge Recreation Center is an excellent option if you’re looking to host a birthday party for your kid. It’s essentially a gym full of fun and safe obstacles. There are countless activities and challenges that your kids will love. However, it’s not just for kids. You can also use the Recreation Center to great effect for team-building events.
Yoga on the Rocks
Remember how we suggested that you see a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre? While some of the concerts held there are worth seeing just for the music, it’s partly due to the incredibly unique scenery that makes it so impressive. If you’re looking to get a little exercise in but don’t want to go for a hike, we recommend joining Yoga on the Rocks. Essentially, it’s a yoga class held at the amphitheater
Ziplining
Finally, if you’re looking for a real thrill, head 30 minutes outside Denver to go ziplining in the Rocky Mountain Nature Park. There, they have zip lines that are between 800 and 1,900 feet long. Even though you can reach up to 60 mph, these zip lines are incredibly safe due to the advanced equipment and certified guides.
From A To Z, Life In Denver Has You Covered
As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to do around Denver. If you’re thinking about moving to Denver, you’ll find that there are plenty of things that appeal to your hobbies and interests, whatever they may be. We’d argue that the city’s cultural attractions and entertainment options are a big reason why Denver continues to grow in population every year.
