One Day in Denver Colorado: Explore Downtown Denver and Local Neighborhoods

Planning a trip to Colorado? Check out the ultimate 24-hour schedule for an awesome day in Denver, Colorado’s blossoming metropolis. Sure, Denver sits a mile above sea level but the Mile High City is an easy-going place that feels more like just another city than a mountain metropolis. Everything you want to see and visit in one bite-size Denver itinerary for just 24 hours.

One of the most appealing things about Denver is its unique mix of an impressive arts culture, fantastic dining options and incredible outdoor opportunities.

To me, Denver deserves more than just one day — presumably a given if your Colorado trip permits any extra time. But I realize that many visitors are excited to check out the other great towns, resorts and national parks in Colorado surrounding Denver. Therefore, I have broken down the best of the sightseeing into an in-depth one-day itinerary to get you as much Denver as possible. While getting an early start is suggested, you can see a lot with just one day.

This itinerary can also be take at a more leisurely pace over two days if you have any longer than 24 hours in Denver. Plus tons of ideas for more places to see in Denver and nearby.

1 in Denver Itinerary: Your Complete Guide to the Top Sights and Experiences

Read on as we offer some tips for checking out the highlights of Denver in a single day! The itinerary takes you through the highlights of Denver and provides a logical route on how to use your time in this city.

You will discover Denver’s lovely neighborhoods, walk the 16th Street Mall casually wander through an art museum of your choosing among a variety from which you can take time to appreciate some and stroll amongst historical monuments at Civic Center.

Morning

1. Breakfast

Start your Denver journey with breakfast from Root Down or Snooze. Our last stop for the day is located in LoHi at 33rd street and just a quick five-minute drive to RiNo.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diners love Root Down Focussing on sustainability, their farm to table menu offers diners the freshest ingredients – with much of it grown in house at their urban garden. Start with the pastry of the day (the lavender-lemon scone is a must) and follow that up by tucking in to an incredible omelette or breakfast burrito.

Another good option is snooze. There are several outposts of this classic diner in Denver, but the one by Union Station is perfectly located for our itinerary. Get here early, you will likely have to wait.

Snooze’s menu has those staple egg-centric dishes, but also pancakes and version of fancy avocado toast. Snooze has got something for you whether you want sweet or will like to start your day with good.

2. RiNo Neighborhood

Begin your day in the city at River North, or RiNo advertising neighborhood situated to the north of Denver. Daylight hours also showcase street art that can be taken in during the wandering you do each day as well.

It is an area that had its start in industry and has moved into being a blossoming artist community. Once the industrial heart of the North Texas region, now it is a teeming showcase for artistic expression and home to dozens of galleries and artists’ studios.

And this is where you will also find an ever-growing list of hipster cafes, craft breweries and underground speakeasy bars. Or sip a craft beer while listening to tunes, or try some sampling bites from the Central Food Market. All photos by Molly Gore Pros: The Source is set in a historic brick building that has made room for some unique sources of sustenance.

RiNo is one of the city’s best destination to see street art murals.Get on board for a graffiti art tour To learn about further activities throughout RiNo, simply head over to the neighborhood site. Denver hosts the Crush Walls, and each September new murals go up in a program that refreshes or replaces existing artwork.

If you have come without having your breakfast and want to refresh yourself, stop by at Crema Coffee House for one of the best cups.

3. Visit Union Station

While a transportation hub might not seem like an obvious stand-out, the gorgeously restored Union Station is. This, often called Denver’s “living room,” sits in the heart of LoDo (Lower Downtown). Though nowhere near the grandeur of Washington D.C.’s Union Station, a Beaux-Arts architectural gem nevertheless lures crowds.

There are one or two long library tables, and grand high ceilings in the lobby which make it feel very welcoming. The station has numerous shops with a typical vintage touch. A few of the highlights include Bloom (happy gift & home), The Tattered Cover Bookstore, which is a smaller-scale sibling to the iconic Denver book seller for passionate readers. Pigtrain Coffee Company and Milkbox Ice Creamery also call this part of Union Station home.

I visited on a Saturday, which meant that there was the Denver Farmer’s Market right in front of the station from 8 am to 1 pm.

4. Dairy Block

Dairy Block Must go to location in LoDo only a walk away from Union Station, the Dairy Block. This is a tinder boash and exploration area that would be great for your fit outdoor tables.

A charming alley at the Dairy Block with white string lights that become snowflakes when it is winter. The region is rich in shops to suit all tastes, also art galleries; eateries from bars and cocktail lounges, upmarket wine bars and the bustling food hall aptly termed The Milk Market.

The alley features street art, complementing the overall artsy vibe. One end of the trail will take you to a big, jovial milk spill sculpture that is great for memorable photos.

5. Larimer Square

On the National Register of Historic Places, Larimer Square is another delightful block in LoDo.

This is one of the Most popular social place in Denver. Historic red brick buildings have been restored and now line the block, while a signature canopy of twinkling lights provides an ethereal feel. There is a wonderful selection of boutique shops, restaurants and nightlife options. Notable shops: Buckley House of Flowers, Element Home, Garage Sale Vintage, Milly Rose and Scarpaletto.

If you are going to be attending cocktails and dinner in Larimer Square later on, then it might become natural just for your itinerary of elements to look at within Denver.

Afternoon

6. 16th Street Mall

If you take a slight side trip to 14th Street, visit the Denver Convention Center and see “I See What You Mean,” also known as Big Blue Bear by Lawrence Argent that stands over 40 feet tall.

A pedestrian-friendly promenade, the 16th Street Mall is a mile-long stretch through downtown Denver. The mall stretches from Union Station to Civic Center Park and it has some of the sparkly ambiance you might get on Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

Home to cafes, stores restaurants and it even has constant street performers throughout the mall. There are sculptures like this one of cows and other animals, street art murals. And during the winter, there’s a Mile High Christmas tree to get you in the spirit.

Whatever you do, don’t skip out stopping by Tattered Cover Bookstore. The shop is a reading sanctuary, warm and inviting with armchairs, rockers and chaise lounges where you are encouraged to sit in any one of the hundreds of book-lined nooks from which Vagabond brows ke reek.

7. Lunch

While you’re at the mall, take advantage of the variety of lunch options available. Consider stopping by Burger Bar, Bleu Agave Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, or Deep Roots Winery & Bistro for a satisfying meal.

8. Choose a Museum

Continue along the 16th Street Mall to the Civic Center Cultural District, also known as the Golden Triangle. There are several museums to explore, but with just one day in Denver, you’ll likely have time to visit only one.

Here are some options:

Denver Art Museum: It’s a one of the kind museum in that area. The entire museum was reopened after a sprawling renovation in October 2021. The building itself is an eye-catcher with a facade inspired by the raw peaks of the Rocky Mountains and a modern design.

So many museums from around the world house such varied works, and this museum specifically includes a little bit of everything: Indigenous Art Asian art Contemporary French Impressionism Monet, Van Gogh and John Singer Sargent are there. The museum shop was huge with a wide range of art-inspired gifts, souvenirs and ceramics by local designers as well as jewelry that must have been inspired from the paintings in the museum!

Appliance Museum: We live in a culture that becomes gradually drenched like the human body in spa water, and we’re too leery of dying to notice. Some of them were unfortunately not available since the museum was under construction, but I fortunately got to visit some day when it was over and see his masterpieces at their best, which Bernett Miller says is himself a unique challenge. Because parts of the ceiling look like an abstract waffle iron with windows set into each cube in random places so that light filters through unevenly onto Stills humongous painted canvasses. The museum has over 3,000 of his works in its collection and rotates the exhibits regularly.

Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

A quick jaunt from the other museums, is one that provides a change of pace: The Kirkland Museum. Like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston — it is installed salon-style with decorative arts settings that put fine art paintings front and center. An eclectic collection includes everything from Andy Warhol paintings to Frank Lloyd Wright furniture, and spotlights the work of Colorado’s iconic painter Vance Kirkland. You can explore the artist original studio, which is included in to museum.

Byers-Evans House

Anyone desiring a bit of Colorado History should check out the Byers-Evans House Museum. You can also stand on the grounds of this 1883 Italianate mansion and gaze out at all that Denver once was in two other building museums about some notable Colorado families. It is one of the best preserved and most authentically restored examples in Colorado, operated as a museum by History Colorado under the name Center for Colorado Women’s History at Byers-Evans House.

9. Colorado State Capitol

While you are more than likely have a full day in Denver, if by chance time allows please visit the Colorado State Capitol to take in some history. The building, made from New Hampshire white granite and finished in the late 19th century after being modelled on a smaller version of the U.S. Capitol at Washington D.C., was all but destroyed by fire that raged for hours before it could be finally contained. It features a distinctive dome once purposed with gold leaf donated by Colorado miners.

Once every two hours Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM – 3 PM, the tours are limited to groups of eight so guests can maintain six feet between them. You can preview the map layout first to have an idea. Inside, don’t forget to glance up toward the rotunda ceiling for a load of stained glass Hall of Fame (with 16 famous Coloradans). The not to be missed feature is the opportunity to climb the Grand Staircase and witness in person those Water Murals.

10. Denver Public Library

Who can resist a great library? Opened in 1995, Denver’s beloved library boasts an impressive 47 miles of bookshelves. In addition to its vast collection of books, the library also features a noteworthy collection of art and photography.

Evening

12. Dinner

There are plenty of fun places to eat on patios in Denver.

Head to Larimer Square for dinner – as evening falls, it twinkles under overhead lights. Or pick a hip destination such as with Asian-inspired fare in LoDo, or tapasand scenery. As a craft beer lover, one can never go wrong with taking a tour of any brewery in LoDo. Oh, and the city has a Beer Trail Map to get you from here to there.

If in Denver, this southerly city is also perfect for a food tour that give you an flavour of what the city has to offer.

13. Evening: Show or Game

End your day in Denver with a show or game. Anyone who loves theater should check out the great shows at The Denver Center for Performing Arts, with Broadway plays frequently performing at the Buell Theater.

Denver If you are a sports person, then Denver is the place for you. Watch the Rockies at Coors Field, or watch a Broncos game in Mile High Stadium; better yet join us for an Avalanche Hockey Game!

Brewery tours If you’re all about Denver’s awesomely crafty brews, take a tour of one the city’s hop stops. You can alternatively choose a haunted ghost walking tour to delve into the spookier side of this city.

Tips for Spending One Day in Denver

Here are some essential tips for making the most of your day in Denver.

How to Get to Denver

From Denver International Airport: The cheapest way to get downtown from the airport (and back) is via light rail. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes.

Taxis are also available and will set you back by about $60 to the city centre. Please also note that taxi fares are quite high compared to other cities here in Denver.

Concourse C has a Root Down for a quick nosh before you hit the city.

How to Get Around Denver

Denver has everything you would want to visit all in walking distance. One free way to get around is the Mall Ride, which operates on tram-like buses that run up and down 16th Street Mall.

Denver additionally has a light rail system and bike / scooter share options. I wouldn’t suggest doing a ton of driving around the city, especially downtown where street parking is limited. For a day-trip you are better of parking your car and doing things by foot, or using rideshare services like Lyft or Uber when needed.

Jump on a bicycle tour around the city A history and architecture tour could be an interesting addition to your itinerary in order to understand what happened in Denver, the city where DPJL is located.

Where to Stay in Denver

You will find the best hotel choices in Denver with many fresh and ultra-chic hotels to choose from.

One of the best choices is The ART, a hotel where art isn’t just an accent, it’s the essence.

Also an excellent choice, the Maven Hotel at Dairy Block. It is excellently positioned; there are arranged meals at the Denver Milk Market.

LoDo If you are looking for a boutique option, the chic Hotel Teatro in LoDo is ideal or if history is more your thing walk to the nearby Brown Palace Hotel and Spa located right in Denver’s business downtown.

This one-day itinerary for Denver has been as helpful and enjoyable, I hope.