Skip to content
visitorfun

City guide · Colorado, USA

Things to do in Denver & the Front Range

A mile-high city with the Rockies for a backyard

  • Sport & Outdoor
  • Museums
  • Attractions
  • Sightseeing
  • Nearest airport: DEN, about 19 miles
Denver & the Front Range skyline

Start here

Three to see first in Denver & the Front Range

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Free

A natural sandstone amphitheater in the foothills, free to hike by day and home to legendary concerts by night.

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Garden of the Gods

Free

Towering red sandstone formations rise against Pikes Peak in this free Colorado Springs park.

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain

Under $25

Drive, ride the cog railway, or hike to the 14,115-foot summit that inspired 'America the Beautiful.'

Everything we cover

Everything in Denver & the Front Range, on the map

Filter by the kind of day you want. Tap a card to open the place, or a dot on the map to find it in the list.

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Free

A natural sandstone amphitheater in the foothills, free to hike by day and home to legendary concerts by night.

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Garden of the Gods

Free

Towering red sandstone formations rise against Pikes Peak in this free Colorado Springs park.

Sport & Outdoor
Iconic

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain

Under $25

Drive, ride the cog railway, or hike to the 14,115-foot summit that inspired 'America the Beautiful.'

Museums
Rainy-Day Pick

Denver Art Museum

Under $25

A striking titanium-clad building holding one of the country's best Indigenous American art collections.

Museums
Family Favorite

Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Under $25

Dinosaur skeletons, a planetarium, and a gems-and-minerals hall overlooking City Park.

Sport & Outdoor
Local Gem

Denver Botanic Gardens

Under $25

23 acres of themed gardens and a glass conservatory in the middle of the city.

Attractions
Family Favorite

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

$25–$50

A conservation-focused zoo in City Park with thousands of animals across naturalistic habitats.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Union Station Denver

Free

A restored 1914 railway depot turned grand hall of restaurants, bars, and a boutique hotel.

Sightseeing
History Buff

Colorado State Capitol

Free

A gold-domed 1894 capitol building exactly one mile above sea level, with free public tours.

Museums
History Buff

Molly Brown House Museum

Under $25

The Victorian home of Titanic survivor Margaret 'Molly' Brown, restored to its 1910s appearance.

Tours
Outdoor Adventure

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park

$25–$50

Daily cave tours through limestone chambers above Manitou Springs, plus zip lines and a canyon swing.

Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor Adventure

Chautauqua Park & the Flatirons

Free

The trailhead for Boulder's iconic tilted Flatiron rock formations, with a historic dining hall on-site.

Shopping
Local Gem

Pearl Street Mall

Free

Boulder's four-block pedestrian mall of shops, buskers, and patio dining below the Flatirons.

Eat & Drink
Quirky Fun

Casa Bonita

$25–$50

A cliff-diving show, arcade, and Mexican food buffet inside a pink stucco Denver-area landmark.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

16th Street

Free

Denver's mile-long downtown promenade, freshly rebuilt with wider walks and a free shuttle.

Tours
Family Favorite

Georgetown Loop Railroad

$25–$50

A narrow-gauge train that loops through the Colorado Rockies past a historic Silver Rush mining town.

Museums
History Buff

Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum

Under $25

Walk through relocated Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and browse Native American artifact exhibits near Pikes Peak.

Sightseeing
Outdoor Adventure

Colorado Springs

Free

Plan a trip to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region, home to Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.

Sightseeing
Outdoor Adventure

Aurora

Free

Colorado city with parks, trails and a reservoir for hiking, paddleboarding and horseback riding near Denver.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Manitou Springs

Free

Historic mineral-spring mountain town near Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, with walkable arts and dining.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Loveland

Free

Colorado's Sweetheart City near Rocky Mountain National Park, known for public art, trails and lakes.

Shopping
Local Gem

Outlets At Castle Rock

Free

Colorado's largest open-air outlet mall with more than 100 brand-name stores between Denver and Colorado Springs.

Sightseeing
Iconic

Denver

Free

Colorado's capital city and Rocky Mountain gateway, with museums, breweries, parks and a walkable downtown.

Attractions
Outdoor Adventure

Mighty Argo Cable Car

$25–$50

Year-round gondola from downtown Idaho Springs to a mountain summit with hiking, biking, and views of the historic Argo Mill.

Museums
History Buff

Edward C. Rochette Money Museum

Under $25

Museum of coins, paper currency and monetary history operated by the American Numismatic Association.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Downtown Colorado Springs

Free

Visitor guide to downtown Colorado Springs, home to more than 180 independent shops, restaurants and services.

Eat & Drink
Local Gem

Edelweiss Restaurant

$25–$50

Family-owned German restaurant in Colorado Springs serving schnitzel, bratwurst and other Old World dishes since 1967.

Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor Adventure

Open Road Rentals

$50+

Rent motorcycles, scooters, and adventure bikes near Garden of the Gods for self-guided rides.

Tours
Foodie Favorite

Rocky Mountain Food Tours

$50+

Join a guided walking tour with tastings at five local restaurants, breweries, and kitchens.

Shopping
Local Gem

Zinn Cycles

Free

Custom-fit road and gravel bikes built and sold at Lennard Zinn's boutique bicycle shop.

Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor Adventure

Colorado Adventure Center

$50+

Zipline, ropes course and whitewater rafting basecamp in Idaho Springs, 35 miles west of Denver.

Museums
History Buff

Dinosaur Resource Center

Under $25

Fossil museum with 40-plus mounted dinosaur and marine reptile skeletons plus a working fossil lab.

Shopping
Local Gem

Garden of the Gods Trading Post

Free

Colorado's largest gift shop and Native American art gallery at the edge of Garden of the Gods park.

Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor Adventure

Performance Tours Rafting

$50+

Family-owned whitewater rafting outfitter running guided trips on the Arkansas and Blue Rivers.

Museums
Iconic

US Olympic & Paralympic Museum

$25–$50

Interactive museum in downtown Colorado Springs honoring American Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Attractions
Family Favorite

Flying W Ranch

$50+

Chuckwagon dinner and Western stage show on a working cattle ranch in the Pikes Peak foothills.

Sightseeing
Free

Pikes Peak Region Attractions Association

Free

A tourism association representing 29 Pikes Peak region attractions with free trip-planning guides.

Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor Adventure

Clear Creek Rafting Company

$50+

Guided whitewater rafting trips on Clear Creek near Idaho Springs, Colorado.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Colorado Springs Visitor Information Center

Free

The city's official visitor center, offering maps, brochures and trip-planning help for Colorado Springs.

Loading map…

About

About Denver & the Front Range

Denver works as two vacations in one: a walkable downtown of museums, breweries, and ballparks, and the Front Range rising straight off its western edge. Concerts at Red Rocks, day trips to Boulder and the peaks, and a craft-beer scene that takes itself seriously without acting like it. Bring layers; the sun is closer up here.

Plan the day

Three ways to turn this list into a day