Want to spend your summer fine dining, exploring the great outdoors, and enjoying some of the most breathtaking views in the world?
Then I have good news.
According to a tourism report commissioned by the city, 37.4 million domestic tourists visited Denver, Colorado, last year, and 20.5 million overnight visitors visited the city.
And just because I love nerding out over fun facts, I’ll give you another one!
The top 5 cities sending visitors to Denver were Los Angeles, Albuquerque/Santa Fe New Mexico, New York City, Dallas Fort Worth, and Houston.
So why should you join the crowds and visit Denver?
Food, Fun, And More Food
Denver is a wonderfully walkable city with blue skies, over 300 days of sunshine every year, and a fascinating and rich history.
Larimer Square, the city’s oldest block, features landmark 19th-century buildings. And the mansion that was once home to Titanic survivor, the infamous Molly Brown has been turned into a fascinating museum.
As its backdrop, you can enjoy breathtaking mountain scenery.
But where Denver really stands out from the crowd right now is its epic food scene. And if you live to eat (rather than eat to live) then that’s a great reason to visit the city.
In fact, in May, Denver was named the best U.S. city for foodies. If you like fine dining, the city is home to three Michelin-starred restaurants: Beckon, Brutø, and the Wolf’s Tailor. If you have the time (and a thick enough wallet!), they’re all worth trying.
Bison, one of Colorado’s most unique game meats, is an iconic Denver food that you’ll find on menus across the city no matter what kind of cuisine they serve.
Think bison steaks, bison meatballs, and even bison tacos!
When it’s time to wash it all down, Denver is also home to a clutch of world-class breweries.
You can take a beer trail across Downtown Denver to taste as many of the local flavors as possible.
The Visit Denver website has created a handy downloadable map for beer fans to find each spot and this map is free: you just need to pay for your own beer when you reach each brewery!
The Gateway To The Rocky Mountains
More than a third of visitors to Denver use it as an access point for the Rocky Mountains.
The Rocky Mountain National Park is a 64-mile drive away from Denver, a journey that takes around an hour and a half when traveling by car.
If you only visit one national park this summer, it’s a good one! Home to 355 miles of hiking trails, 147 lakes, and 77 mountains taller than 12,000 feet, it’s the best of American nature on an epic scale.
To enter Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll need a ticket, and Timed Entry Reservations are required during certain hours of the day.
If you plan to visit the Rockies for one day during your trip, then tickets are $15 per person on foot or $30 per private car (this ticket covers entry for all people inside the car, so it is the best value option if you’re traveling a part of a group).
Denver’s Top Tourism Attractions
Wondering what the other best things to do in Denver are?
Well, this time, you don’t have to just take my word for it!
Denver’s tourism board has crunched the numbers and found that the top-visited attractions for Denver tourists are:
- The Cherry Creek shopping center and neighborhood (ideal for a little retail therapy!)
- The Red Rocks Parks and Ampitheater
- The arts distract/art gallery neighborhood
- The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
- The Children’s Museum of Denver
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