Your ultimate guide to 24 hours in Denver

Are you visiting the Mile High City soon, but don’t have much time to spare? Here’s our insiders guide on how to make the most of your 24 hours in Denver.

Arrival

10 am
Hop on the train from Denver International Airport to Union Station ($10.50 per person and takes approximately 35 minutes). Upon arrival proceed into Union Station and snap those Instagram worthy photos of the Great Hall aka “The living room of Denver.”

Chow time

Make your way over to Mercantile and Provisions (inside Union Station) for a killer breakfast. Your taste buds will thank you as you dig into an amazing breakfast creation from local chef, Alex Seidel. Alex was awarded the James Beard Award for best chef Southwest 2018 and everything on their menu is out of this world. Congrats chef Alex!

Coconut Matcha Chia Pudding - elderflower, pineapple, kiwi, passion fruit curd, cashew crumble — **Coconut Matcha Chia Pudding** - elderflower, pineapple, kiwi, passion fruit curd, cashew crumble

Denver Local Tours Tip: skip Snooze - Most blogs and people you meet will advise that you must eat at Snooze. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great breakfast restaurant and the food is super tasty in a vibrant atmosphere, but it’s not worth the hour wait (especially if you only have 24 hours to spare).

Store your luggage: It’s early and since your hotel room or airbnb is probably not ready, store your bags with LugDen. It’s secure, convenient and cheap ($10 per day) and they will even charge your phone or give you a portable charger for the day. https://www.lugden.com

11am

Explore LoDo (Lower Downtown) and Downtown

Stop in the LoDo Wellness Center, located a block from Union station for a peek at their marijuana plants and grow operation. Hey, you’re in Denver after all! Even if you don’t partake in the action, it’s still a fun experience to see how a dispensary operates.

The 16th street mall offers a free mall shuttle ride that runs from Union Station to the Civic Center Park (near the capitol building). The free mall ride stops at every single block and is a great way to travel across the city. I recommend strolling up 16th street toward the Capitol building. There is an abundance of touristy shops and restaurants and it’s perfect for people watching. You will notice businessmen and women hastily scurrying to work, tourists taking in the sites, and you will experience the “feel” of downtown Denver.

As you roam up 16th make a pit stop over to Larimer Square, the oldest block in downtown Denver. You can peak in some of the great boutique shops or have a tasty bite in one of the award-winning restaurants.

Denver Local Tours Tip: If it’s a weekday be sure to stop in the Granite building at 1228 15th Street to check out old photos of Larimer Square and what it looked like in 1860’s to the 1900’s.

12pm

Free tour at the Capitol building.

During the weekdays from 10a-4pm the capitol building provides a wonderful free tour. Stand on the 13th step which is one mile high, and peer out to the foothills as you climb inside the golden dome.

Looking for a guided tour? Join us and experience Denver like a local.

Confluence Park

Denver is an active city and one of the best ways to explore the city is on a bike. Grab a Bcycle, Jump Bike, Lime/Bird/Lyft scooter and zoom over to the Cherry Creek bike path. Cruise your way down towards Confluence Park (It’s the site of where the first gold was discovered in Denver and there’s also an amazing REI flagship store). Take in the urban oasis of outdoors activities and it’s very likely you will see people kayaking, dogs playing fetch with their owners, kids playing in the river, and people fly fishing.

**Stand up paddle boarding at Confluence Park**

Chow Time: Snag lunch at My Brothers Bar which holds the title of the oldest bar in Denver. Its’ held a bar in the same building since 1873. Who wouldn’t want to eat in a place where Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy hung out? This joint just oozes wild west and Denver history.

Denver Local Tours Tip- order the JCB you won't be disappointed.

Explore LoHi (Lower Highlands)

After lunch stroll over to the Denver Beer Co for one of their signature brews and meet some new friends at the community tables.

Next make your way across the 1-25 footbridge to Avanti food hall for some of the best views of the Denver skyline from their massive outdoor patio.

Denver Local Tours Tip: If you have time make a quick pit stop at the Little Man Ice cream for the best ice cream in Denver. It’s worth the wait.

**Happy Hour Cocktail from the rooftop of El Five in LoHi**

3pm

Explore RiNO

Time to check-in to your accommodations. The Ramble Hotel in RiNo recently opened and is a great addition to the neighborhood.

Grab that bcycle, or scooter again and ride around RiNo and checkout all the amazing murals and street art.

Happy hour is BIG thing in Denver! With so many breweries and top-notch restaurants in the area, pop in for a few beer samples or craft cocktails as you explore the neighborhood.