Denver's Top Tourist Attractions

More than 250 million years in the making, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre features natural acoustics for outdoor concerts and spectacular views for hiking trails. Red Rocks Park is open daily and free of charge, except on concert days. Red Rocks is located 15 miles west of Denver in Morrison. For more information on hours and how to get there, visit the official Red Rocks website.

The iconic 1880 building reopened in 2014 with a full slate of restaurants and shops, in addition to serving as a transit hub. Stay overnight at the Crawford Hotel or just enjoy a drink at the Terminal Bar while people watching. During the summer, the fountains outside Union Station also provide a respite from the heat for children of all ages. During the summer months, you can catch free cooking demonstrations at the Farmer's Market that happens outside of Union Station.

The Denver Zoo covers 80 acres in City Park, and more than 1.6 million people visit each year. The zoo opened its doors in 1896 with the donation of an orphaned black bear named Billy Bryan. Today, the zoo houses almost 4,000 animals from across the world. A plus is a newborn giraffe, Dobby, who was born in 2017.

The Denver Art Museum opened its sleek new wing, the Hamilton Building, in October 2006. The spare, modern space contrasts with the medieval fortress of the old museum, now referred to as the North Building. World-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind designed the Hamilton Building.

Formerly known as the Natural History Museum, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers educational fun for all ages. The Museum was founded in 1900 by Denver naturalist Edwin Carter. Today, the collection houses more than one million objects from around the world.

Colorado's dry climate challenges gardeners across the state, but the Denver Botanic Gardens always provide inspiration. The gardens contain more than 32,000 types of plants, as well as xeriscape gardens that require little water.

Take a stroll through Denver's 16th Street Mall, an outdoor shopping and dining center in the Mile High City. Dozens of restaurants and boutiques join chain stores such as Barnes & Noble and the Gap for a one-stop attraction. Lucky Strike bowling alley, United Artists movie theater, and Coyote Ugly bar also provide nighttime entertainment.

Designed in the 19th century by architect Elijah E. Myers, the Colorado State Capitol Building echoes the classical lines of the nation's capitol. The capitol is exactly one mile high at 5,280 feet, lending Denver its nickname of the "Mile High City." Free 45-minute tours of the building take place daily.

Elitch Gardens, a Denver institution since 1890, takes its name from the lush gardens at its original location on the West side of Denver. The theme park moved to its downtown location in 1994, which allowed for more rides but fewer gardens.

Washington Park, one of Denver's finest parks, is known as Wash Park for short. The park covers 165 acres and features one of the most popular running trails in Denver. Two scenic lakes and the city's largest flower garden add to Wash Park's bucolic charm. The running and biking trails of Washington Park draw fitness enthusiasts from across the Mile High City.

Coors Field baseball stadium opened in 1995, adding a venue for baseball to the Mile High City. Home base for the Colorado Rockies, the stadium seats 50,455 fans. The Rockies, part of the National League, are one of the youngest teams in Major League Baseball. There's a row at Coors Field where you'll be perched at exactly 5,280 feet​ or a Mile High.