One Day in Denver: A Complete Itinerary for a Perfect Day

If you have one day in Denver, use this itinerary to enjoy the best activities with insider tips from locals. Colorado's capital city is filled with history, attractions, and dining that you'll want to explore.

While Denver is an excellent destination for a fun vacation, there are many ways to enjoy a memorable 24 hours. From delicious food and a vibrant beer scene to picturesque scenery and relaxation experiences, this one-day guide covers it all.

We’ll also discuss helpful tips for exploring the Mile High City, including how to get around and where to stay.

How Can I Spend One Day in Denver?

An incredible day in Denver includes excellent food, culture, scenery, and relaxation. Below, we’ll share a quick list of how you can spend your day. Then, we’ll go into more detail with helpful recommendations for an amazing day!

• Have breakfast and check out Union Station - 1-2 hours
• Hang out at Confluence Park - about 1 hour
• Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art - about 1 hour
• Grab lunch and explore River North Art District (RiNo) - 2-3 hours
• Relax at Oakwell Beer Spa - 2 hours
• Enjoy dinner and a night out in Uptown - the rest of your evening

Morning: Brunch and Lower Downtown (LoDo)

Start your day in Denver by exploring its oldest neighborhood, LoDo. LoDo is a buzzing area filled with stylish shops and restaurants. You can also find Victorian architecture and local events. It’s the perfect place to walk around, take pictures, and get a good feel of the city.

It’s also a great area to eat at one of the best Denver brunch spots. Some of our favorites are Snooze, Thirsty Lion Gastropub, and Onefold. 

Check out Union Station

After brunch, we recommend checking out Union Station, a historic train station filled with restaurants, bars, and shops. Snooze and Thirsty Lion are both actually in Union Station. Union Station is known as ‘Denver’s living room,’ and it’s the ideal place to get an authentic feel of Denver’s vibrant energy!

Allow: 1-2 hours

Hang out at Confluence Park

Half a mile from Union Station is Confluence Park, a peaceful outdoor space. It’s situated where Cherry Creek and the South Platte River meet in LoDo. 

You can find miles of walking paths, places to sit and relax, views of the city, and street art. Confluence Park is also a fun place to ride scooters around, which you can rent throughout the city.

Allow: 1 hour

Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art

After hanging out at the park, take a short walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art. We love this Denver museum because of its diverse collection of unique, contemporary art. It’s also the first dedicated home for contemporary art in Denver. 

Allow: 1 hour

Afternoon: Lunch, RiNo, and Spa

For the afternoon of your fun day in Denver, grab some lunch, explore RiNo, and relax at the spa.

We recommend having lunch before you leave LoDo, or check out one of the great Denver lunch spots in RiNo: Cart-Driver, Stowaway Kitchen, or RiNo Beer Garden.

Explore River North Art District (RiNo)

There’s something for everyone to see and do in RiNo! You can find art galleries, brewpubs, cocktail lounges, and lots of murals. We definitely suggest taking a self-guided tour or joining a guided tour for the best of RiNo and street art.

Allow: 2-3 hours

Relax at Oakwell Beer Spa

After you’ve done lots of exploring in Denver, you’ll likely be ready to relax. Oakwell Beer Spa in Denver, just a mile and a half from RiNo, is the perfect place to unwind. 

Oakwell Beer Spa is a unique day spa with a cozy taproom that serves local craft beer and other beverages, including wine, cider, and tea. You can also enjoy rejuvenating spa treatments, including Beer Bath Hydrotherapy, an Infrared Sauna, and Zero Gravity Massage.

Book your spa day online or walk in to enjoy a drink and massage.

Allow: 2 hours (for the full spa experience)

Evening: Uptown for Dinner and a Night Out

Finish your day in Denver with a delicious dinner and night out. While there are many places to spend the evening in Denver, we recommend checking out Uptown. 

About a mile and a half from Oakwell Beer Spa is Uptown, or North Capitol Hill. This bustling neighborhood is filled with trendy restaurants, cocktail lounges, casual dive bars, and performance venues – everything you need for the perfect night out in Denver.

Some of the best Denver dinner spots are located in Uptown on Restaurant Row, a stretch along 17th Ave. A few places worth checking out include Ollie & Park's, Pho & Bar, and Stoney’s Uptown Joint.

If you’re looking to have a fun night out in Denver, Uptown has several performing arts centers, including the eclectic Curious Theatre Company. Retrograde is also a cool cocktail bar worth a visit! 

Allow: the rest of your day

Tips for the Perfect One Day in Denver

It’s easy to enjoy a day in The Mile High City, but here are some top tips to make the most of your experience.

Other Things to Do in Denver

If you’re looking to customize your one-day Denver itinerary, here are a few more of our favorite places and activities:

• City Park - a large, tranquil green space with picnic areas, playgrounds, lake, trails, and sports courts; also home to the Denver Zoo
• Four Mile Historic Park - a 12-acre historical park with a museum and barn
• Microbrew Tour - a guided tour by Denver Microbrew Tour that takes you on an adventure to taste craft beer, explore street art, and learn local history
• Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater - a historic concert venue, amphitheater, and park with trails surrounded by stunning rock structures

When to Visit Denver

Denver is amazing all year, but each season offers a different experience. For the best weather, we recommend visiting in summer or fall. If you enjoy the snow, you might like winter or spring.

Denver’s peak travel season is during summer between June and August. The weather is incredible, and there are tons of activities to enjoy. Keep in mind that this is the busiest season, so prices may be higher.

Fall in Denver offers pleasant weather and fewer crowds. This is also a great time to get outdoors and appreciate fall colors.

Spring and winter are snowy in Denver. Winter gets pretty chilly, and it starts to warm up in late spring. This time of year is ideal if you want to enjoy snow activities.

How to Get Around Denver

Getting around Denver is relatively easy and there are many transportation options. The most common ways to get around are by foot, public transportation, car, and rideshare services.

• Walking - Many areas in Denver are very pedestrian-friendly, including stops we recommended above. You can easily walk around LoDo, RiNo, and Uptown. 
• Biking or scooters - You can also rent electric bikes or scooters throughout the city.
• Public transportation - For affordable travel to different areas of the city, check out Denver’s public transportation system. Hop on the light rail or bus to get to your destination, including to and from the airport.
• Driving - Denver’s also drivable if you want to explore by car or rent Uber or Lyft.

Where to Stay

End one day in Denver with a night at one of its great hotels. Denver has many excellent places to stay. There are accommodations for all kinds of travelers, including hotels, inns, hostels, and vacation rentals.

Our favorite places to stay are The Crawford Hotel and Halcyon. The Crawford Hotel is conveniently located in downtown Denver above Union Station and is close to many restaurants and shops. Meanwhile, Halcyon is in the center of Cherry Creek's shopping district and offers a cozy home base and rooftop deck pool.

Enjoy Your Perfect Day in Denver

Denver is a fantastic place to have fun, relax, or both. It’s easy to have fun in Denver, exploring its delicious food and drink scene, unique shops, and beautiful scenery! We hope this itinerary has inspired you to treat yourself to a day trip or staycation in the Mile High City.

Book your Oakwell Beer Spa experience if you’re ready to start planning your ideal one day in Denver.