Destination of the Week: Denver

Photo courtesy of Visit Denver

This week, Daily Travel Source spotlights Denver — the Mile High City where urban sophistication meets Rocky Mountain adventure. From its thriving arts and culinary scenes to its sustainable spirit and creative neighborhoods, Denver offers travelers the perfect balance of culture and the great outdoors. We spoke with the team at Visit Denver about how the city continues to evolve as a dynamic, year-round destination for explorers, food lovers, and culture seekers alike.

Denver blends urban sophistication with Rocky Mountain adventure. How does the city balance its thriving arts, food, and brewery scenes with its outdoor, active spirit? 

Denver is the perfect base camp for adventure. With the Rocky Mountains right in the city’s backyard, it’s easy to experience the excitement of the city while also enjoying the great outdoors. During the summers, travelers can take a day trip to hike around Rocky Mountain National Park, come back to Denver for a Michelin dining experience and then make their way to see their favorite artist at the world-renowned Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Come winter, visitors can take the Winter Park Ski Express to enjoy one of Colorado’s famous ski mountains and make it back in time for a Colorado Avalanche or Denver Nuggets game at Ball Arena.

Denver is the perfect destination where visitors can have both a high-end luxury vacation and an outdoor adventure. Denver’s array of attractions are highlighted in various neighborhoods, as each has its own unique persona that allows for a variety of fun. To learn more, please visit Visit Denver’s Neighborhood Guide.

The Mile High City has become known for its creative neighborhoods — from RiNo to LoHi. How are these districts shaping Denver’s identity and appeal to visitors? 

Exploring Denver’s neighborhoods is the best way to discover the city’s unique charm. Each neighborhood offers its own twist on the city and presents a diverse variety of experiences for all while maintaining the walkability and connectivity that makes Denver special.

Downtown Denver is a cultural hub full of history and the arts. The newly renovated 16th Street provides a mile-long, pedestrian-friendly promenade that will connect visitors with great shopping, dining and attractions. The historic Denver Union Station is at one end of 16th Street with shops, restaurants, bars and a hotel. In addition to the history and fun of 16th Street, Denver is home to the largest performing arts complex under one roof in the U.S. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is where guests can see Broadway performances, the Colorado Ballet and other show-stopping cultural performances.

River North (RiNo) Arts District is where creativity comes alive in Denver. RiNo is the hip place to be, where every corner contains unique street art, and is bustling with thriving nightlife, multiple craft breweries and gourmet food halls. 

Cherry Creek offers a luxury experience just minutes from Downtown Denver. Boasting both Cherry Creek North and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, this is the perfect area to indulge in some retail therapy. Chery Creek has over 300 stores, 75 cafes and restaurants, 50 spas and salons and five hotels. 

Capitol Hill and the Golden Triangle Creative District are another hotspot for arts and culture. This area is home to some of Denver’s richest history, with several amazing history museums like History Colorado Center, Molly Brown House Museum and the Center of Colorado’s Women's History at Byers-Evans House Museum. For those interested in the arts, this area is home to the Denver Art Museum, Clyfford Still Museum and The Kirkland.

On South Broadway, travelers can find everything from vintage clothing and specialty hobby stores, to Denver’s underground music scene. Once called "the richest mile of retail west of the Mississippi," South Broadway is home to some of the best vintage shopping in Denver with nearly 100 antique stores packed into just 18 blocks. 

Sustainability is a growing focus for travelers. How is Denver leading in eco-friendly tourism and responsible urban development? 

Denver’s city leaders and residents share a deep understanding of the importance of preserving the environment for future generations. As a result, attractions, restaurants, hotels and other businesses across the Mile High City are working to integrate sustainable practices to protect the city’s natural beauty while enhancing the visitor experience, making it the ideal destination.

The city encourages visitors to explore Denver using eco-friendly transportation options such as public transit and bike-rental programs. From the moment visitors arrive at Denver International Airport they are directed to the A Line train that connects them directly from the airport to Denver Union Station in Denver’s compact, walkable downtown. From there visitors can proceed on foot or catch the FreeRide or connect with the city’s expansive regional buses, light rail or even catch a pedi-cab, all of which make it easy to explore the city without driving. 

The city’s commitment to sustainability made it a clear choice for a new innovative hotel concept by Urban Villages, Populus Hotel, which opened fall 2024. The hotel is inspired by nature and offers unique opportunities for guests to have an environmentally friendly trip to Denver such as their One Night One Tree initiative, sourcing food from regenerative farms and ranches as well as using an on-site biodigester to compost 100% of food waste.  

In addition to Denver’s several sustainable hotels, there’s also a trend of repurposing historic buildings to be useful once again. For example, the historic George Schleier Mansion built in the heart of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood in the 1880’s. The building was repurposed and opened in fall 2024 as Urban Cowboy Denver, the fourth location for the national hotel brand.  

What upcoming events, festivals, or openings should travelers have on their radar this season? 

The city has several upcoming events that travelers should have on their radar when planning a trip to Denver, especially as Mile High Holidays is just on the horizon.

The Mile High Drone Shows are bringing 41 nights of spectacular lights starting at 7 p.m. every night, beginning November 21 and running through New Year’s Eve. Optimal viewing will be from Tivoli Quad at Auraria Campus, as well as many other locations around downtown. Denver-based Brightflight Drone Shows has built a variety of scenes featuring holiday-themed animations and Denver icons, as well as scenes depicting Denver’s favorite winter moments and mountain activities.

Also at Auraria Campus’ Tivoli Quad, starting November 21 and running through New Year’s Eve, the Mile High Tree Presented by Xcel Energy and Xfinity will be returning to Denver, kicking off the holiday season. The seven-story, 110-foot-tall piece of immersive art features nightly free public light shows from 5-10 p.m. choreographed to multicultural holiday music, and can accommodate up to 140 guests at a time for an immersive viewing experience within the tree. 

The National Western Stock Show & Rodeo is returning for its 120th year January 10-25, 2026. The show celebrates Denver's rich Western roots and is the nation's premier livestock, rodeo and horse show. Visitors can enjoy rodeos featuring top-notch bull riders, horse shows, livestock competitions and auctions.

Denver is full of events year-round. In March 2026, Denver will host the 22nd year of Denver Restaurant Week. Additionally, in June 2026, Denver will host one of the largest pride festivals in the country, Denver PrideFest, one of the nation's largest Juneteenth celebrations, Juneteenth Music Festival and the Colorado Black Arts Festival. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival will be returning in July 2026, offering a chance to explore local and worldwide artists 

For the latest news, please visit Visit Denver’s What’s New page, and learn about all the new restaurant openings, events and more.  

For someone visiting Denver for the first time, what’s one experience — big or small — that truly captures the essence of the city? 

Denver truly does it all; however, one of the city’s shining stars is the music scene. When visitors come to town, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, owned and operated by the City of Denver, is a must-see attraction.

No matter if visitors are seeing a concert, doing a yoga/workout class or going for a hike, the naturally occurring geological phenomenon has to be on the itinerary. In December 2024, Billboard Magazine named Red Rocks Amphitheatre the most attended amphitheater in the world and the most attended outdoor venue in the United States. Additionally, Rolling Stone Magazine noted Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre as the No. 1 "Hottest Music Venue in the Country” in April 2023.