Denver Itinerary – Three Days

Denver, CO - VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, has itinerary ideas for every occasion. Below, you will find a three-day itinerary in Denver, with a Rocky Mountain daytrip included. Please go to visitdenver.com/what-to-do/itinerary for more ideas.

Day One:  Option 1 – Walking Tour

      Downtown Denver:

• 16th Street Mall: Built in 1982, the 16th Street Mall is a mile-long pedestrian promenade that runs through the center of Downtown and is lined with outdoor cafes and retail shops. Free shuttle buses cruise the mile-long Mall about 90 seconds apart and stop at every intersection so it's easy to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.  (The official Denver Visitor Information Center is located at 16th and California Street.)
• I See What You Mean "The Big Blue Bear" by Lawrence Argent:  14th & California St.  Created by Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent, this delightful 40-foot sculpture, peers curiously into the building, injecting a sense of fun and playfulness into the Convention Center. Take a photo or two of this Only-In Denver icon – he looks good from all angles. 

www.denver.org/what-to-do/museum-art/lawrence-argent-blue-bear

• Colorado State Capitol: Modeled after the U.S. Capitol, this magnificent landmark is topped by a dome containing more than 200 ounces of real gold. The 13th step on the west side is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level. 7:30a-5pm Monday -Fridays

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CGA-LegislativeCouncil/CLC/1200536135302

      Lower Downtown Denver:

• Larimer Square:  Denver's urban shopping and dining district is the city's oldest and most historic block. Complete with glittering lights strung over the entire block, the area is at once charming and elegant with a nightlife that defines hip urban renewal. Victorian buildings house specialty boutiques and unique chef-driven restaurants. Larimer Street between 14th and 15th  www.larimersquare.com
• Rockmount Ranchwear:  A true Western icon, ROCKMOUNT introduced the first western shirts with snaps and helped popularize Western wear as legitimate American fashion throughout the US and abroad. The Rockmount building is a historic landmark built in 1909. 1626 Wazee Street, Open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm; Saturday 10am-6pm www.rockmount.com 
• Tattered Cover Book Store:  An independent community bookstore with lots of nooks and crannies offering the intimacy of a smaller bookshop, and an ample supply of sofas and chairs, readers are sure to feel at home. 16th & Wynkoop Street, Open Monday-Friday 6:30am-9pm; Saturday 9am-9pm  Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm  www.tatteredcover.com   
• Union Station: At its height, 70 trains a day passed through Denver.  Not quite as many trains pass through Union Station these days, but the beautiful building (originally constructed in 1881) still attracts visitors with its Breaux Arts-style design and stone clock tower.  Renovation has begun to transform this historic building to include a multi-modal transit hub with retail, restaurants and a boutique hotel.
• Coors Field: Located in the heart of Lower Downtown, this magnificent landmark and home to the Colorado Rockies baseball team. Tours of Coors Field are available Monday through Saturday during the season and then Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the offseasonand provide a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier ballparks in Major League Baseball.  2001 Blake Street http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/ballpark/tours/index.jsp
• REI Store:  REI is a quality outdoor gear and clothing retailer located in the restored 1901 Denver Tramway building.  100,000 square feet of recreational equipment, including a 45-foot high rock climbing wall and everything you need for winter or summer outdoor adventures. 1416 Platte Street, Open Monday-Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 10 am - 6 pm. www.rei.com/stores/18

Day One:  Option 2 – Arts & Culture in Downtown

• ·         Denver Art Museum: 100 W 14th Avenue Parkway  See the famous collection of Native American art and explore the bold art inside and out of the new Frederic C. Hamilton building, designed by world famous architect, Daniel Libeskind. Free general admission on the first Saturday of every month.  200 E. Colfax Avenue, Open Tuesday-Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday 10am-8pm; Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm   www.denverartmuseum.org    
• Clyfford Still Museum:  The museum will showcases the work of Clyfford Still, considered one of the most important painters of the 20th century and among the first generation of Abstract Expressionist artists. The museum was founded to promote the late artist's work and legacy. Still's estate - 2,400 artworks - has been sealed off from the public since 1980.  Free tours Wednesday's at 1pm.  Open Tuesday-Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm www.clyffordstillmuseum.org  
• MCA DENVER - Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is an innovative forum for contemporary art that inspires and challenges all audiences, creating understanding and dialog about art of our time. As Denver's first institution devoted entirely to contemporary art, MCA DENVER is housed in a environmentally sustainable facility designed by David Adjaye. 1485 Delgany, Tours daily at 11:30am and 3:00pm. Tuesday–Thursday 12pm–7pm; Friday 12pm-8pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am–7pm www.mcadenver.org 

Day Two: Option 1 – Exploring the Rockies

Take a day trip by car, taxi or with a sightseeing company to see some of the nearby attractions.

• Denver Buffalo Herd:  Located 20 miles west of Denver at I-70 Exit 254. The city of Denver maintains a herd of buffalo in a natural setting. The buffalo are direct descendants of the last wild buffalo herd left in America.
• Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave:  Enjoy the ongoing and permanent exhibits and displays at the Buffalo Bill's Museum and Grave. The exhibits include memorabilia from Buffalo Bill's life and Wild West shows, Indian artifacts, antique firearms and other Old West artifacts. The historical complex on Lookout Mountain includes the Museum, Buffalo Bill's grave, the Pahaska Tepee gift shop, and a children's activity area. Open Daily 9am-5pm (4pm Nov-April)   www.buffalobill.org 
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre & Visitor Center:   Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a naturally formed, world-famous outdoor venue just fifteen miles west of Denver and is the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheatre in the world.  The Visitor Center features interactive educational displays, a short film documentary on the geologic and musical history, a Performer's Hall of Fame and delicious food at Ship Rock Grille.  Red Rocks is recognized for its star-studded concert roster, natural acoustics and ambience, as well as its awe inspiring hiking and biking trails. Visitor Center open: May- September 8am-7pm; October-April 9am-4pm   www.redrocksonline.com  
• Coors Brewery Tour:  Come see and taste traditional brewing in the Rocky Mountains! The legendary Coors Brewery in Golden can brew up to 22 million barrels and package up to 16 million barrels annually, making it the biggest single-site brewer in the world.  A tour highlighting the malting, brewing and packaging processes, ending with a sampling of Coors fine products and shopping in the gift shop!  Open June 1-early September Mon-Sat 10am-4pm.  Sun noon-4pm; Winter Early September –May 31: Thursday-Monday 10am-4pm  Sunday noon-4pm http://www.millercoors.com/golden-brewery-tour.aspx
• City of Golden: Located at the base of the foothills, Golden was the territorial capital until 1867 and remains one of the most historical towns in the state. An arch spanning the street proudly proclaims that Golden is “Where the West Lives!”

Day Two:  Option 2 – Shopping

• Cherry Creek Shopping Center:  More than 160 stores and restaurants including, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Abercrombie & Fitch, Stuart Weitzman, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss and favorites like Gap, Banana Republic, Express, H&M and Forever 21. 3000 E. 1st Ave., Open 10am- 9pm Monday through Friday, 10am-8pm Saturday.  www.shopcherrycreek.com 
• Cherry Creek North Shopping District:  A charming 16 block outdoor shopping and dining neighborhood that is home to galleries, boutiques, restaurants, spas and more. Located across from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center five between 1st and 3rd Streets, and is a must see for the savvy shopper, art lover, or foodie begging for a thrill! www.cherrycreeknorth.com
• Denver Pavilions: An outdoor entertainment and shopping destination, located on the 16th Street pedestrian mall in the heart of Downtown Denver.  Featuring 40 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues including a movie theater and a bowling alley, this two city blocks, three stories high, open-air mall offers convenient underground parking.  16th Street between Welton & Tremont Streets.  Open10am-8pm Monday-Saturday; Noon-6pm Sundays   www.denverpavilions.com
• Larimer Square:  Denver's urban shopping and dining district is the city's oldest and most historic block. Complete with glittering lights strung over the entire block, the area is at once charming and elegant with a nightlife that defines hip urban renewal. Victorian buildings house specialty boutiques and unique chef-driven restaurants. Shop one-of-a-kind stores with distinctive fashion and exclusive offerings. Special events and a vibrant atmosphere year-round. Larimer Street between 14th and 15th Streets.  Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5p.m.  www.larimersquare.com

Day Two:  Option 3 – Family Attractions

• City Park:  Denver's premier regional park contains the Denver Zoo; the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and IMAX; tennis courts; horseshoes; baseball, football and soccer fields; two lakes; historical monuments and statuary; picnic sites and two playgrounds. 17th Ave. & Colorado Blvd. 
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science:  Explore the Space exhibit, Exhibition Health, gems & minerals exhibit and the Dinosaur exhibition.  Also offering IMAX and a planetarium. 2001 Colorado Blvd., Open every day 9am-5pm  www.dmns.org  
• Denver Zoo:  It spans over 75 acres and is home to over 4,000 animals including rare amur leopards, okapi, black rhinoceros, elephants, vampire bats, orangutan, Komodo dragons and more! See the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit and learn about their biomass gasification technology, which will convert more than 90 percent of the zoo's waste into usable energy to power the exhibit. 2300 Steele St., Open every day 9am -5pm  www.denverzoo.org
• Denver Botanic Gardens:    This oasis in the middle of the city has 45 different gardens (some 33,000 plants), as well as one of the nation's top 10 conservatories. Relax in the Japanese Garden, climb through the Rock Alpine Garden and explore the Mordecai Children's Garden. 1005 York St.,  Everyday 9am-5 pm  www.botanicgardens.org
• Downtown Aquarium:  The Downtown Aquarium mixes family fun, upscale casual dining and spectacular marine life.  Explore the Aquarium Adventure Exhibit with more than one million gallons of extraordinary exhibits. Dine in the Aquarium Restaurant seated around a 150,000-gallon aquarium while you feast on a variety of delicious selections. 700 Water St.,  Sunday-Thursday 10am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 10am-9:30pm   www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver  
• History Colorado Center:  The center includes exhibits and programs that tell the stories of Colorado and engage visitors in the past, present and future of our state! Enjoy interactive exhibits like a virtual ride in a real Model T; testing your skills on a ski-jump simulator; and setting off dynamite in a 1880s hard-rock mine.  1200 Broadway, Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday noon-5pm   www.historycolorado.org 

Day Three: Take a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, Mount Evans or Colorado Springs.

                    http://www.denver.org/what-to-do/colorado-day-trips

      Option 1:

• Rocky Mountain National Park:  Located 71 miles (114 km) northwest of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park features 400 square miles (1,036 sq km) of scenic beauty, including Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the world crossing the Continental Divide at over two miles above sea level. The park has two information centers, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, tranquil lakes, waterfalls, wildlife and horseback riding. Estes Park is a resort town on the edge of the park with restaurants and shops.

      Option 2:

• Mount Evans: Mount Evans has the highest paved auto road in North America snaking its way to the 14,260-foot (4,346 m) summit. The road ($10 for a three-day pass) is open only from the Friday before Memorial Day through the first Monday in October, and frequently has snow on it, even in August. (The road closes at Summit Lake after Labor Day, preventing you from reaching the top). The view from the top takes in the entire Front Range. The summit is 60 miles (97 km) from downtown Denver. On your way up the mountain, be sure to stop at M. Walter Pesman Trail (maintained by Denver Botanic Gardens) for a wildflower hike; you won't see anything like the rare flowers and 1,500-year-old bristlecone pine trees anywhere else in the world. The trail winds through subalpine and alpine areas where wildflowers and animals of the fragile tundra live.

      Option 3:

• Pikes Peak Country and Colorado Springs: Pikes Peak Country is located 60 miles (97 km) south of Denver and features more than 40 attractions centered around 14,000-foot (4,267 m) high Pikes Peak and the city of Colorado Springs. Things to see include the Air Force Academy, one of three United States military colleges; the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame with its exhibits on this exciting professional sport; and Garden of the Gods which has gigantic 500-foot (152 m) high red sandstone rock monuments at the base of Pikes Peak.