24 Hours in Denver
A gold-domed Capitol, a rock formation older than the dinosaurs, and a green chile worth the fuss, one proper day in the Mile High City.
Denver packs an unusual amount into a single day, a genuinely walkable downtown, a natural amphitheatre unlike anywhere else in the country, and mountains close enough to see from nearly every street. Here’s how I’d spend 24 hours here.
Union Station and LoDo
Start at Union Station, a beautifully restored transit hub that doubles as a proper social hub, restaurants and a hotel built into the historic building itself. Walk through LoDo, Denver’s oldest neighbourhood, red-brick warehouses now home to bars, galleries and Coors Field.
The State Capitol
Walk to the Colorado State Capitol, its gold-leafed dome visible from across downtown, standing exactly one mile above sea level, marked by a step on the west entrance. Free tours run regularly, worth catching one for the history behind the building.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Head out to Red Rocks, a world-famous outdoor concert venue carved naturally into two massive sandstone monoliths, roughly 15 miles west of downtown. Admission to the park is free, and the amphitheatre steps and trails are worth the trip even without a show.
Getting there The Red Rocks Express shuttle from Union Station, or a short drive
Dinner and a green chile
End the day back downtown for dinner, green chile is widely a Colorado signature dish worth seeking out, smothered over nearly anything. RiNo, the River North Art District, offers a properly lively evening scene too, breweries and murals throughout.
Getting around
Downtown Denver is genuinely walkable, most of the day’s central sights sit within a comfortable stroll of each other. A shuttle or rideshare is worth it for Red Rocks specifically, a proper distance out from the city.
If you only have time for one thing
Make it Red Rocks. It’s free, it’s the single most distinctive experience the city has to offer, and standing among the sandstone monoliths is a proper introduction to Colorado’s landscape before you’ve even left Denver.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
