The Mile High City is teeming with must-visit sites, from parks to museums to sprawling
gardens. Here are our picks for how to spend three perfect days.
Day 1: Up, Up, Up
8:00 AM
Head to City Park to get some exercise on the Mile High Trail, which follows a 3.1-mile route along the city’s 5,280-foot contour line — so you’re working out at exactly a mile high!
www.denvergov.org/parks
2:00 PM
See the three Mile High Markers: Allen True water murals, Women’s Gold Tapestry, and the Colorado General Assembly Chambers at The Colorado State Capitol. Free tours are available Monday through Friday, and the 13th step of the staircase is a great place to take a group photo.
www.colorado.gov/capitoltour
5:00 PM
Ride to the top of the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center for a drink in the Peaks Lounge, where wall-to-wall windows offer views of the city and the mountains.
denverregency.hyatt.com
Day 2: Mile-High Museums
10:00 AM
Stop in at the Byers-Evans House Museum, an Italianate house built in 1883 and restored to the 1912-1924 period. This gem of a museum highlights the lives of two pioneering Colorado families.
www.historycolorado.org
2:00 PM
The Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art, on Pearl Street, was called “Denver’s most interesting museum” by the Denver Post. The collection showcases the work of Colorado native Vance Kirkland, as well as more than 3,300 pieces in styles including arts and crafts, art nouveau, Vienna workshop, Bauhaus, and pop art.
www.kirklandmuseum.org
6:00 PM
Dinner at the Buckhorn Exchange Steakhouse is an ideal way to cap off a day of museum-hopping. Housed in a National Historic Landmark building, this restaurant serves up Colorado specialties like elk, buffalo, and Rocky Mountain oysters, in addition to classics like prime rib.
www.buckhornexchange.com
Day 3: Get Outside
9:00 AM
Navigate Confluence Park’s chutes; nearby Confluence Kayaks offers guides, lessons, and rentals.
www.confluencekayaks.com
1:00 PM
Stop by Coohills Restaurant in Denver’s trendy LoDo neighborhood for some French comfort food. Specialties include steak tartare, oysters, and savory crepes.
www.coohills.com
3:00 PM
The 23-acre Denver Botanic Gardens are an oasis in the city. There are 45 gardens with some 33,000 plants, as well as a conservatory. Don’t miss the nature trails and wildlife observation area!
www.botanicgardens.org