Denver, COBy ArrivLast checked
Plan a trip to Denver
A flat, walkable downtown that works as a base camp for the Front Range. Drink water. Give yourself a day at altitude before hiking anything serious, because the mile is real and it will find you on the first climb.
- Adventure trips
- Weekend getaways
- Hiking
- Road trips
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Denver at a glance
Two things decide a Denver trip: the month you go and where you sleep. Both are covered below, along with the four stops worth planning a day around and the way to get between them once you are there. Budget 3 to 5 days, and then move any of it around on the map.
- How long
- 3–5 days
- When to go
- June to September for hiking, and December to March for skiing. Spring is unpredictable, with heavy snow possible into May, though the bigger surprise is the altitude, which has you drinking more water than usual on day one.
- Getting around
- The A Line connects the airport to Union Station in about forty minutes. Downtown and RiNo are walkable. Rent a car for the mountains, and check the pass conditions before you set off in winter.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thirty minutes west, free to walk the venue on non-show days, though a concert there is worth planning a trip around.
- 2
RiNo Art District
Murals, breweries, and the best food in the city across about ten walkable blocks, which is the easiest evening here.
- 3
Union Station
A restored 1914 hall with bars and restaurants inside, which is where the A Line from the airport puts you down.
- 4
Rocky Mountain National Park
Ninety minutes northwest, and timed-entry permits apply late May through October, while Trail Ridge Road closes in winter.
Where to stay in Denver
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- RiNo
- Where to stay for food and nightlife, and a short walk or scooter from Union Station when you want a train. Browse stays in RiNo
- LoHi
- Patios with skyline views, close to downtown, though it is quieter at night. Browse stays in LoHi
- Cherry Creek
- Shopping and calmer streets, better for a slower trip, though it is far enough from the breweries that you will be taking a rideshare to dinner. Browse stays in Cherry Creek
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Itineraries close to Denver
Denver has no itinerary of its own yet. These are the nearest ones, and every stop is already mapped.
Denver planning questions
- How many days do you need in Denver?
- 3 to 5 days is the usual answer, and the low end works only if you skip one of the four stops. Three days covers the city plus one mountain day. Five is right if you are pairing it with Rocky Mountain National Park or a ski town, and either of those deserves a night up there.
- What is the best time to visit Denver?
- June to September for hiking, and December to March for skiing. Spring is unpredictable, with heavy snow possible into May, though the bigger surprise is the altitude, which has you drinking more water than usual on day one.
- Where should I stay in Denver?
- Three areas cover most trips in Denver, since where you sleep decides how much of the day you spend in transit. RiNo: Where to stay for food and nightlife, and a short walk or scooter from Union Station when you want a train. LoHi: Patios with skyline views, close to downtown, though it is quieter at night. Cherry Creek: Shopping and calmer streets, better for a slower trip, though it is far enough from the breweries that you will be taking a rideshare to dinner. If you want one answer without weighing it up, book RiNo and stop reading.
- How do you get around Denver?
- The A Line connects the airport to Union Station in about forty minutes. Downtown and RiNo are walkable. Rent a car for the mountains, and check the pass conditions before you set off in winter.
- What should I see first in Denver?
- The first thing to slot in is Red Rocks Amphitheatre, because once you have given it a morning the rest arranges itself around that. Thirty minutes west, free to walk the venue on non-show days, though a concert there is worth planning a trip around. After that, RiNo Art District, then Union Station, though the order between those two barely matters.
- Can I build a Denver itinerary automatically?
- Describe the trip and Arriv builds one. Length, pace, who is coming: that is enough to get a Denver itinerary of real venues on a map, and every stop is yours to move or delete. Free to run, and an account matters only once you want to keep it.