Things to do in Denver

29 activities, venues and outings in Denver, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Archery Games Denver
Play archery dodgeball with bows and foam-tipped arrows at this indoor arena.
$30
Do
Bluebird Theater
A beautiful old World War I-era silent movie palace on Colfax Avenue, now repurposed as a music hall where concerts in a variety of genres (primarily rock, but also blues, country, bluegrass and the like) are presented in an intimate setting.
Do
Colorado Avalanche
In 1995, the erstwhile Quebec Nordiques landed with a bang in Denver, winning the Stanley Cup in their first season in their new home city, following it up with another championship in 2001, and most recently winning it all in 2022. They've had their ups and downs since then, but they're always solid playoff contenders in the National Hockey League. Will this be the year they go for number four? Head to Ball Arena just outside of downtown and find out.
Do
Colorado Ballet
Founded in 1951, this internationally acclaimed company presents classical and contemporary ballets.
September–April
Do
Colorado Mammoth
They may have only won one Champions' Cup, in 2006, but the Mammoth are a perennial force to be reckoned within the National Lacrosse League. They play at Ball Arena, and tickets are easy to come by (and a relative steal, starting at $10 for single seats).
Do
Colorado Rapids
A charter member of Major League Soccer, the Colorado Rapids are a consistent draw despite generally middling success on the field. The biggest games of the season see the Rapids face off against their hated rivals, Real Salt Lake.
Do
Colorado Rockies
Denver's Major League Baseball team plays in Coors Field, one of the most beloved ballparks in the major leagues and the most hitter-friendly park as well, thanks to Denver's dry air and high altitude. Tickets range from the $4 "Rockpile" bleachers behind center field to $60 for a seat behind home plate. Behind-the-scenes tours of the ballpark are available.
Ballpark tours at noon and 2PM on Mon-Sat non-game days during the season and Mon Wed Fri Sat during the off-seasonTickets $4-60, Ballpark tours $9 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children
Do
Colorado Symphony
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra established in 1989, as the successor to the Denver Symphony.
September–June
Do
Comedy Works
Laugh it up with local comedians and big name acts. 21 and up.
$10-30 tickets
Do
Convergence Station
Meow Wolf
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
Do
Denver Barbarians Rugby Club
The lower-profile but more successful of Denver's two rugby union teams, competing in the U.S. Rugby Super League since 1967 with three championships to their name.
Do
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are among the most successful teams in the National Football League, making frequent playoff runs and winning three Super Bowls, most recently in the 2015 season. They have had a number of famous quarterbacks, most notably John Elway, who won two Super Bowls as the Broncos quarterback in his final two seasons as a player and now manages the franchise; and Peyton Manning, who played his final four seasons in Denver after being let go by Indianapolis, with the Broncos' most recent Super Bowl win coming in his last game.
Do
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Spend an evening at the theater watching anything from revivals to world premieres. The center hosts a Tony Award-winning professional resident company, and touring productions.
Year-round
Do
Denver Nuggets
After decades of disappointment, Denver's National Basketball Association team finally saw a measure of success for a couple seasons in the late 2000s, when superstars Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony led them to back-to-back first-place finishes in the league (followed by quick implosions in the playoffs). After a few years in the bottom of the league, the Nuggets rose to contention in the early 2020s, led by two-time league MVP Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, and capped it off with the team's first NBA title in 2023. Win or lose, Denverites reliably turn out to matches at Ball Arena, for a long time hoping this was the year they either turned things around or took the next step toward a championship, and now hoping they can add to their title collection.
Do
Denver Pioneers
The University of Denver (DU), which plays NCAA Division I sports, mostly in the Summit League. With no football program, the highest-profile sports are men's basketball, men's ice hockey (in which it is a traditional powerhouse, playing in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference), and men's lacrosse (an emerging national power in the Big East Conference).
Do
Fillmore Auditorium
Capitol Hill is where you'll find what may be the epicenter of Denver's live music scene. This cavernous space is famous for its dual Minors with Adults Liquor License, so if you're underage, you're not necessarily segregated into crappy seats.
Do
Great Divide Brewing Company
This celebrated local microbrewery is helping make Denver an international destination for beer-lovers. Learn firsthand how they do it. Tours happen Monday-Saturday.
Free
Do
Lakeside
A throwback from Denver's past, Lakeside is an amusement park like they used to make; without all the corporate branding and commercialism. While it may have a somewhat seedy exterior, Lakeside is still a staple of local kids' upbringings, and remains a fixture of Denver culture as well as a much cheaper alternative to Elitch Gardens. Coaster buffs will squeal with glee over the Cyclone, the park's original 1940 Edward Vettel-designed wood coaster.
call for hours
Do
Larimer Lounge
You can't miss this hipster-friendly club and concert hall in RiNo, with huge, brightly painted Op Art murals covering the whole front of the building. Catch mostly local rock, country, and electronica acts, with a few national touring artists to mix things up, in an ambience that's a lot cleaner and less skeevy than some of the dives around town.
Do
Let's Roam Denver Brewery Tour
Guided walking tour in downtown Denver's famed Brewery district LoDO. The tour is a fun pub brawl crawl combined brewery tour.
365 days a year, starts at 6PM$15/person
Do
Lion's Lair
Famous, or should we say infamous, dive bar in Colfax that's been a gathering place for Denver-area punk, hardcore, and thrash fans since the 80s. The drinks are cheap, the lights are dim, and the ambience is grungy - and that's meant in a good way.
Do
Mercury Cafe
Highly recommended. This popular restaurant/cafe/event center is a must for any lovers of poetry, theater, or counterculture. Live music almost every night, salsa classes, and more. Particularly recommended Sundays nights, when it hosts Denver's best poetry slam. Often, you might run into well-known names like Andrea Gibson. Check out their schedule for more information.
Tue-Sun 5PM-midnight
Do
Ogden Theatre
Like the smaller Bluebird, the Ogden Theatre is another old silent movie house and vaudeville hall that's been repurposed as a music venue. Whatever your favorite genre - rock, hip-hop, R&B, electronica, country - you can probably find a show you like at this affable midsize venue.
Do
Opera Colorado
This young company performs classic operas in their downtown venue.
November–May$30-160
Do
Oriental Theater
Yet another movie palace turned music venue, the Oriental is the Berkeley neighborhood's destination of choice for everyone from rock and rollers to stand-up comedy fans to arthouse cinephiles.
Do
The Southwest Rink at Skyline Park
Skating rink in downtown Denver open from late November to mid February.
Skate rental $8 adults/$6 kids, or bring your own skates
Do
hi-dive
A small, scruffy bar with character to the hilt, hi-dive is mostly a place to go if you want to check out Denver's local music scene. But it's also made a name for itself as a place rising stars play just before they make it big, so come out to a show here and maybe you can say you "saw them when...."
Do Not mapped
Denver Microbrew Tour
Guided walking tour in downtown Denver’s historic LODO (lower downtown) area. The tour includes a brewery tour, beer samplings at several microbreweries, everything you want to know about beer, and local Denver history.
Year round, Fri-Sun 3-5:15PMFrom $40
Do
Elitch Gardens
A huge amusement park with rides and family entertainment.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Denver (CC BY-SA 4.0).