20 Things to Do in Denver in Your 20s

Denver is a vibrant and thriving city that is chock-full of unique and amazing things to do. Your twenties are a great time to explore all that the city has to offer. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to 20 things to do in Denver in your 20s. Get ready to plan your next adventure.

We cover hidden gems and can't-miss, iconic experiences. Whether you’re a thrill seeker, an arts aficionado, or someone looking for world class relaxation, we’ve got something for everyone.

1. Eat and Shop at Union Station

Union Station is a historic train station in the heart of Denver. Now it houses a collection of shops and restaurants. You can also spend a night at the luxurious Crawford Hotel, which is located on the upper floors of Union Station. Come for the historic architecture and stay for the great food and special events.

2. Rent a Swan Pedal Boat at City Park

There’s something whimsical and romantic about taking a pedal boat out on a lake. The iconic swan pedal boats on Ferril Lake at City Park really add to the fun. For an extra treat, book one of their night rides featuring LED-lit swan boats. The Denver Zoo and Denver Museum of Nature and Science are also located in City Park. So the fun doesn’t have to stop once you bid adieu to the swan boats.

3. Attend the Great American Beer Festival

The GABF is America’s largest beer festival and a truly iconic event. Hundreds of breweries from all over bring thousands of beer. If you’re a beer lover, you’ll want to go to the festival at least once (if not every year). It’s a great way to check out the latest trends in beer and sample an amazing variety of all types of beer.

4. Go Ice Skating

One of the best ways to enjoy winter in Denver is by going ice skating. There are lots of rinks to choose from, but it’s hard to beat the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park. There’s something special about ice skating outdoors in the middle of the city on a chilly winter day. Because this is an outdoor rink, it’s only open for a limited portion of the year.

5. See the Colorado Symphony

The Colorado Symphony is the region’s only full-time professional orchestra. They perform over 150 concerts each year. The Colorado Symphony doesn’t just perform typical orchestral repertoire. They also perform live film scores with the movies projected on screens, and they feature a variety of soloists from the worlds of popular and art music. Their home is the beautiful Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Center (DPAC).

6. Relax at Oakwell Beer Spa

Oakwell Beer Spa is an award-winning day spa that pairs unique spa treatments along with local craft beer. Beer Bath Hydrotherapy is their signature spa treatment. Relax in a spa filled with bubbling water mixed with beer ingredients and a rotating blend of herbs and aromatics. They also offer Infrared Saunas and Zero Gravity Massage chairs. They have a special Couple's Retreat and party packages.

7. Shop at Tattered Cover Book Store

Nothing beats a great bookstore. Tattered Cover Book Store is one of the largest bookstores in Colorado. They have multiple locations in the Denver area. Not only do they have a great selection of books, they also host many author events and readings. There’s truly something for everyone.

8. Watch a Movie at Landmark’s Mayan Theatre

Built in 1930 in the Art Deco Mayan Revival Style, the Mayan Theatre is a beautiful place to catch an independent or foreign film. It’s a great place to see limited runs of classic and obscure movies that you won’t see anywhere else along with new releases. There are very few remaining Mayan Revival theaters, so it’s worth going to for the architecture and design elements alone.

9. Visit Rocky Mountain National Park

It’s no secret that the area around Denver is notated for its natural beauty and scenic vistas. One of the best places to take in majestic views is at Rocky Mountain National Park. The park is about an hour and half from downtown Denver, but it’s well worth the trip. There are tons of hiking trails, places to camp, and scenic drives. And don’t forget about winter activities. Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

10. Go to a Farmers’ Market

No matter what neighborhood you’re in, you’re never too far from a farmers’ market. Denver has around two dozen farmers’ markets. Most are open from spring into the fall. There are multiple farmers’ markets open on most days of the week. Not only do they offer selections of local produce and fresh baked goods, many of these markets feature live entertainment, booths with local artisans, and handcrafted goods.

11. Experience Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station

What exactly is Meow Wolf? It’s part art museum, part immersive experience, part performance space. Convergence Station features the work of over 350 local artists spread across four floors. It’s eclectic, experimental, kitschy, psychedelic, and so much more. It’s an experience as much as it is an art installation.

12. Take a Beer Tour

Denver is one of the best cities in America for beer lovers. But with so much great beer in one city how can you experience it all? Taking a beer tour is a great way to start. These tours allow you to sample a selection of award-winning beers from some of Denver’s best breweries. On a beer tour you’ll do more than just drink. You’ll also learn about art, history, and beer.

13. Attend the Dragon Boat Festival

The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is the largest dragon boat festival in the US. It’s an annual celebration of Asian and Asian American culture. Each year around 200,000 people come to Sloan’s Lake Park to participate in the festival. Aside from the dragon boats races, there are Asian food vendors, an Asian marketplace, crafts, and performances.

14. Solve a Murder at Adams Mystery Playhouse

Adams Mystery Playhouse is Denver’s only dedicated murder mystery dinner theater. Eat a meal and solve a crime over the course of an evening. The playhouse puts on hilarious shows with professional actors. An interactive detective allows you to help solve the mystery. The playhouse is in a historic mansion conveniently located near downtown. This is a truly unique experience.

15. Go Skiing

Colorado has some of the world’s best skiing. Much of it is just a short drive outside of Denver. Echo Mountain is only 36 miles from downtown Denver. It’s not the biggest ski resort, but it is the closest to Denver. Iconic places like Breckenridge, Vail, and Beaver Creek are all within two hours of Denver. One of the great advantages of Denver is that it has all the amenities of a big city, but it’s still close enough to some amazing outdoor recreation.

16. Watch the Rockies Play

With 81 home games each year, there are plenty of opportunities to see the Colorado Rockies play at Coors Field. It has by the far the highest elevation of any ballpark in the MLB. (It’s called the Mile High City for a reason.) What better way to take in a glorious summer evening than at the ballpark?

17. See a Show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of the country’s most iconic concert venues. Many of the biggest names in music play Red Rocks every year. Located just outside of Denver, the stage is framed by majestic red rock formations that create a natural amphitheater. The park around the amphitheater has hiking trails, an old trading post, and a visitor center.

18. Explore the Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum is one of the finest museums in the region. It has an expansive collection of art from across the world, though their holdings in Indigenous North American and Latin American art are especially impressive. The museum itself is a work of art, comprised of boundary-pushing buildings designed by Gio Ponti and Daniel Libeskind.

19. Go to Denver PrideFest

For the last fifty years, Denver PrideFest has been celebrating love, diversity, and equality. It’s the biggest pride festival in the Rocky Mountain region, drawing over half a million visitors each year. There’s a parade, performances, and tons of exhibitors. It’s held over a weekend in June every year in Civic Center Park.

20. Watch the Sunset at 54thirty Rooftop

The highest open-air rooftop bar in Denver, 54thirty has some of the best views you can get anywhere. The bar is perched atop Le Méridien Denver Downtown giving you breathtaking views of the sunset over the Rockies in the distance along with great views of downtown. They feature a curated selection of finely crafted cocktails and small plates.

The Top 20 Things to Do in Denver in Your 20s

Your twenties are a great time to explore all the great things Denver has to offer. We hope this list inspires you to check out some of Denver’s most famous places along with a few off-the-beaten path gems that might surprise you. In a city this vibrant, there’s truly something for everyone.