A plan for Denver

Denver sits in a broad valley where the High Plains meet the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5280 feet (one mile or 1609.344 m), hence its nickname. In 2020, the City and County of Denver had a population of 715,522, while the 12-county Denver Metropolitan Area had a population of 3,623,560.

Metropolitan Denver does have its growing pains. Urban sprawl has been a problem, with the metropolitan area sometimes growing faster than its infrastructure can handle, especially with public transportation. Denver is generally a driving city, and some problems with pollution and traffic are a part of everyday life. Extensive mass transportation and freeway expansion projects have been completed.

Colorado is on Mountain Standard Time (UTC-07) in the winter and on Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-06) in the summer. The 105th Meridian West, the reference for the Mountain time zone, passes directly through Denver Union Station.

Climate

Because it lies in the lee of the mountains, Denver has a milder climate than most surrounding areas. Denver residents enjoy a dry climate with abundant sunshine and four pronounced seasons.

Heavy snowfalls can occur between October and March, often alternating with days of high temperatures and sunshine. About once a year, a snowfall of over a few feet occurs. Winter is also when the Denver area gets pounded by a phenomenon known as the "Chinook". That's when air flows over the mountains to the west and sinks on the leeward (eastern) slopes of the foothills and warms up. This raises air temperatures dramatically, which can last for several days. If you're planning to visit Denver during the winter, be prepared with full winter gear just in case, but also pack a light sweater and T-shirt; the weather is usually very sunny and mild.

Spring in Denver is pleasant, though generally rather brief. Trees begin budding by late March and are in full leaf by mid April to mid May. March, on average, is Denver's snowiest month.

Denver is a vibrant city with plenty of attractions for visitors, plus a diverse collection of neighborhoods that can be attractions in themselves. Many of Denver's older areas are the perfect density for exploration; you'll find an interesting mix of apartments and homes with flowery front gardens, wide flagstone sidewalks, bright green lawns and big, shady trees. Capitol Hill, Highlands, Baker, Berkeley, Uptown, Sloan's Lake, Cheesman, Washington, City and Congress Parks are just some of the neighborhoods bustling with people and places to see.

Denver has many beautiful parks that are full of colorful gardens, meandering paths, crystal clear lakes, abundant wildlife and recreation opportunities. The city has a rich pioneer history, and there are plenty of museums where you can learn all about it. It's also a very environmentally conscious city, with one of the nation’s first municipal “Green Fleets”, public transit vehicles using hybrid and alternative fuel and a city tree-planting initiative. Hop on a green bus, grab a bike or just walk around to discover Denver.

Museums and architecture

1 Black American West Museum & Heritage Center, 3091 California St, ☏ +1 720-242-7428. Fri Sat 10AM-2PM. Set in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado's first Black woman doctor, this museum is dedicated to the contributions of Black pioneers in the Old West. The 19th-century building was moved 12 blocks to become a museum. Adults $17, seniors $15, youth 6-17/college ID/military ID $12, children 5 and under free. (updated Mar 2025)

2 Center for Colorado Women's History (Byers-Evans House Museum), 1310 Bannock St, ☏ +1 303-620-4933, CCWH@state.co.us. Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM, Sun noon-4PM (guided tours at 10:30AM, 11:30AM, 12:30PM, 1:30PM, 2:30PM and 3:30PM). One of Denver's great historic homes, built in 1883 by Rocky Mountain News publisher Williams Byers and elegantly furnished with original turn of the (20th) century pieces. Tour the house or catch featured exhibitions in the gallery. Adult $7, senior (60+) $5, child (18 and under) free. (updated Mar 2025)

Late spring and early autumn are excellent seasons to do things outdoors in Denver. Besides the city's various lush green parks, there are plenty of outdoor festivals, sports, and gondola rides. (Yes, gondola rides.) In winter, the snow-peaked mountains in the distance and the crisp air on your cheeks make it the perfect time to tour Denver's famous breweries or check out the downtown arts scene.

1 Convergence Station (Meow Wolf), 1338 1st St, toll-free: +1-866-636-9969. A labrynthine, immersive, surreal, confusing explosion of creativity in this five-floor installation by the Meow Wolf art team. "Convergence Station" is the official name for this location at Denver, but it is often referred to as "Meow Wolf". The narrative is that this is a station transporting you to other worlds. Your "tram" drops you off at an upper floor, and you percolate down to the ground floor and exit. There is a restaurant off the lobby, and a bar tucked away in one of the astral planes. General admission is for a specific date and time, but paying more buys flexibility. Be aware you will need to wait outside, in the weather, until that time arrives. $39 for fixed entry times, $51 for flexible entry, children 4-12 years less, children under 4 free. (updated Jul 2025)

2 The Southwest Rink at Skyline Park, 511 16th St, ☏ +1 303-825-6787, rink@downtowndenver.com. Skating rink in downtown Denver open from late November to mid February. Skate rental $8 adults/$6 kids, or bring your own skates.

Mexican food is abundant and satisfying and takes a local Denver flavor. Green chili is the order of the day: a brown, chunky and spicy sauce made from pork and Pueblo or Hatch green chilies that works well on everything from chorizo and eggs to tamales. Denver is also known for "western" food using ingredients such as angus beef, buffalo, rattlesnake, cutthroat trout and Rocky Mountain oysters. The city also embraces its cultural diversity with a wide range of ethnic restaurants. Southeast Asian restaurants are especially abundant with a multitude of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants in every style and price range. Like other large cities, Denver has most types of cuisine, and several restaurants have been noted in top food publications. Smoking inside bars and restaurants is prohibited statewide; however, some places with outdoor patios still allow smoking there.

The restaurant section of the weekly independent newspaper Westword (available for free every Thursday at newsstands and locations across the city) is a good place to find the food you are interested in for your price-range and location. Below is a sampling of some consistently good choices.

Food markets

1 The Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St. (updated May 2022)

Budget

Snarf's Sandwiches, multiple locations, ☏ +1 720-389-7920. Celebrated local chain of off-beat sandwich shops offering a variety of store-made ingredients, including their signature hot pepper giardiniera, in both traditional deli-style and more adventurous combinations. Founded in Boulder and now a Colorado-wide mainstay, with a dozen locations around the Denver area alone. Ask about their "Not-on-the-Menu Menu". (updated Dec 2025)

Around the Union Station

2 Illegal Pete's, 1530 16th St #101, ☏ +1 303-623-2169. A local favorite hangout with great, cheap burritos. Its patio is directly on the 16th St Mall, making it a great place to people watch. (updated May 2022)

3 Olive & Finch, 1701 Wynkoop St (In Union Station, just north of the main entrance), ☏ +1 303-944-8811. Daily 7AM-9PM. A small deli counter indoors serves grab and go coffee and sandwiches for the train commuters, while a dozen tables on the patio allow for more relaxed dining. Order at the counter, and staff bring you the food. lunch $15–25 per person. (updated Jul 2025)

Colorado produces more beer by volume than any other state and Denver ranks first for US cities. In fact, former Colorado governor (and former Denver mayor) John Hickenlooper was a microbrewer before running for office. Notable breweries in Denver and environs include:

1 Great Divide Brewing Co., 2201 Arapahoe St, ☏ +1 303-296-9460. Offers 30-minute tours on the hour M-F 3-5PM, Sa Su 2-6PM

2 Wynkoop Brewing Company.

3 Bull & Bush.

4 Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, 200 S Kalamath St (1/2 block north of Alameda, NE corner), ☏ +1 303-296-7440.

5 Rail's End Beer Company, 11625 Reed Ct. Unit B, Broomfield, ☏ +1 303-353-8121. Food trucks frequent this location. Parking lot is limited, but there is plenty of street parking. (updated May 2021)

6 Rock Bottom. A national chain of brewpubs.

The effects of alcohol are magnified at higher elevations, so people may find themselves inebriated more quickly and with greater effect than they would at lower altitudes. Moderation is probably a good idea until you understand your body's reaction to alcohol and can acclimatize to its effects at higher elevations.

That said, the following are some of the best bar-hopping locales in the city:

Bars in Lower Downtown (LoDo)

LoDo is the name Colorado locals have given the Lower Downtown district of Denver. It's a great place for meals, entertainment, and nightlife, where restored Victorian buildings now house more than 90 sports bars, brew pubs, jazz clubs, and restaurants.

7 The Cruise Room, 1600 17th St, ☏ +1 303-825-1107. 1930s Art Deco martini bar inside the Oxford Hotel. Best martinis in Denver! You can also order fresh seafood from McCormick's Fish House.

Numbered avenues run east-west in the north half of the metro area, including suburbs. Ellsworth Avenue is the "equatorial" street. Numbered streets increase as you travel north and are generally called avenues. Avenues south of Ellsworth are also named avenues.

Named streets run north-south. Broadway is the "meridian" street. Ordered alphabetically going up as you travel east or west away from the city center, though not alphabetical closer to the city center. Addresses on named streets correspond to intersecting numbered streets, so "1701 Broadway" is at 17th and Broadway. North-south streets are generally called streets, not avenues.

Downtown streets: The diagonal layout of the downtown area can be tricky, especially for first-time visitors. North of Colfax and west of Broadway, the streets are canted 45 degrees from all other streets in the city. The transition between the two systems is confusing even for locals. Southeast-northwest streets are numbered, while southwest-northeast streets are named. As this was the original grid system of Denver, some vestiges of it exist outside of downtown, creating diagonal cuts in certain parts of the city. Some of those streets include Park Avenue, Speer Boulevard and Morrison Road.

By car

Tolls

Denver has a system of toll roads. There are two types, the Express Lanes and full toll roads. The Express Lanes take a lane on existing highways and are divided from regular traffic by double white lines. Crossing over these lines will be subject to a fine of up to $250 from 1st January 2025. Make sure to use the designated entry and exit zones if you choose to use them.

Denver is quite safe for a city its size. Use common sense when traveling, particularly in downtown and some of the other inner-city neighborhoods. Denver does have a visible population of people experiencing homelessness, but the city has strict laws about accosting for money. In general, panhandlers don't harm anyone. Downtown has a fairly active 24/7 population, especially in LoDo, so it's generally safe.

Still, it may be a good idea not to travel alone at night in some of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Although the inner-city neighborhoods are not as bad as those in some other cities, they have higher rates of crime than the rest of the city. The rest of Denver is safe, though.

Emergencies

Like the rest of the United States, the emergency number in Denver is 911. This will connect you to the local emergency services (police, medical, and fire). If you need to report a crime to the police, such as a burglary (not in progress), minor assault (no injuries and not in progress), car theft, etc. Dial ☏ +1 720-913-2000 and request for police assistance.

The Denver Police is the main police force for the Denver Metro area. Most police officers are polite and trustworthy individuals, so if you need assistance, approaching a police officer is a good idea.

Altitude sickness

Altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness is an ailment that potentially anyone can have when they visit areas with higher altitudes than they are used to, due to decreases in barometric pressure (though not oxygen content). Denver is called the Mile High City for a reason—at an altitude of a mile (1600 m) above sea level, one can start to experience some of the effects of altitude sickness, though this condition generally becomes more pronounced at elevations around 8000 ft (2500 m) and above. Some normal changes may occur when people travel to higher altitudes that are not altitude sickness. These include the following: