Whether you’re in Denver alone on business or with coworkers, you should make some time to experience the city. Make the most of your breaks and downtime by exploring the top must-see attractions. These hot spots deserve a place of honor on any itinerary.
LoDo Historic District
LoDo (lower downtown Denver) is home to a lively variety of brewpubs, rooftop cafes, and restaurants as well as galleries, stores, and Coors Field. The mixed-use neighborhood consists of 25 square blocks, with the brick buildings and Union Station adding a historic feel to the city’s oldest neighborhood. Spend an afternoon taking a self-guided walking tour, cheering at a home baseball game for the Colorado Rockies, or sampling the exquisite foods and beverages at a few of the 100 restaurants in the district.
Union Station
The gorgeously restored Union Station is a Beaux Arts train terminal and foodie favorite in the LoDo area, all while bustling as an active transit station. Join locals and visitors for farm-to-table favorites at Mercantile or an ice cream cone at Milkbox. If you like to read, pick up a book or two at the famed Tattered Cover bookstore. Union Station has plenty of entertainment and other reasons to visit, including concerts and a seasonal farmers’ market.
Source: Adobe Stock
Denver Art Museum
Get a dose of culture at the Denver Art Museum, which prides itself on being one of the most comprehensive and largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast. With 70,000 works from pre-Columbian to contemporary, museum exhibits include African art, textiles, photography, American Indian art, European paintings, and more. Part of the fun is admiring the building’s exterior. The North building was designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti and is the only U.S. building he completed. Daniel Libeskind designed a second building 35 years later, almost doubling the museum’s capacity.
Source: Adobe Stock
City Park
If you’re looking for a good place to go for a walk or run, head to City Park. The urban park, with its Sopris garden, Ferril Lake, and Spanish-style pavilion, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Source: Adobe Stock
Denver Botanic Gardens
In addition to showcasing plants and flowers that are native and adaptive to Western gardens, the Denver Botanic Garden offers water, ornamental, and internationally-inspired gardens. It also hosts sculptural exhibits featuring artists like Dale Chihuly and Alexander Calder. If you enjoy spending your free time communing with nature, this is an ideal stop.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre isn’t actually in downtown Denver, but the short trek 15 miles west is worth it if you have the time. If you love the scenic outdoors, the landscape is impressive, with breathtaking vistas along hiking, biking, and running trails. From April to October the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which is carved out of its landscape, provides numerous opportunities to take in a concert or outdoor movie, with options ranging from sophisticated symphonies to Paul Simon and Dave Chappelle.
Source: Adobe Stock
Take some time to have some fun on your next Denver business trip. Check out other city hot spots on our Twitter page.