10 Exciting Activities to Do in Denver, Colorado

I recently went on a Cousin’s Trip to Denver, Colorado.

My husband and I were hosts of the trip. We all stayed at this beautiful house in Arvada, 20 minutes away from Denver. We invested in a red carpet style decoration, ordered Chick-fil-A, at-home Karaoke and photo booths, and more! To top it off, we had an at-home bartender who was just marvelous and had a magician!

We had a game night for the remainder of that night, and my husband and I cooked a four-course soul food-based meal. We are from Louisiana, so we wanted a taste of home while staying in Denver.

However, before the trip started, we did countless amounts of research on what to do in Denver. We created an incredible itinerary for everyone so they can get the most out of Denver. On top of that, after everyone left, my husband and I stayed behind and explored more.

Our cousins really enjoyed the itinerary, so I thought, why not share it with you? If you are planning a trip to Denver, I would want you to have the best time of your life!

Disclaimer: We did not get the chance to visit the Red Rock Amphitheater (which I would recommend visiting at sunrise or during an event), but that is a unique staple in Denver that you need to add.

 

 

1. Visit Cherry Creek Shopping Mall

The mall offers a variety of budget-friendly stores as well as luxury stores. There are many stores to choose from, and if you do not feel like shopping, hang out in the food court. Also, if you have kids with you, there is a nice-sized play area for kids to have the time of their life. There is a restaurant in the mall called Tokyo Joe that I would highly recommend. It was nicely decorated, and the food was terrific.

 

 

2. Go to the Rooftop of the Le Meridien Hotel.

The rooftop bar at the Le Meridien Hotel is called the 54 Thirty Bar. It is the best rooftop bar in Denver (according to Tiktok). Kids are also allowed to visit the rooftop before 6 p.m. The rooftop offers a beautiful view of Denver and the mountains. Who wouldn’t want to see that? I will warn you, though; it is a first come, first serve option. Also, the wait list can have you waiting hours. Get there as soon as you can, or put yourself on the waitlist as soon as possible. We honestly missed out on this opportunity because of the waitlist. However, it would be best if you did not miss this chance.

 

 

3. Visit the RiNo Art District

The RiNo Art District is full of 100s of Murals that multiple artists created from all around. It also features numerous restaurants, creative bars, and more. There are tours of the RiNo Art District if you are interested in more history of the area. That is also fine if you want to skip the bars and the nightlife. If you wish for a group-friendly bar, I recommend Bierstadt Lagerhaus, which has a giant Jenga, multiple card games, and more. Also, Beacon is a bar that has an immersive art experience. However, it would be best to have fun regardless of which Bar you visit. The Denver Marketplace is an excellent spot to see if you want to eat good food. It has more than ten restaurants inside that you can choose from.

One of the Murals In the Rino Art District

 

 

4. Tour the Rocky Mountains

Even though the Rocky Mountains are not in Denver, you can still explore it! We did an 8-hour tour of the Rockies, where we met at Union Station in Denver. You can find the excursion here. The excursion took us through a small historic town where we stopped to shop and get coffee. We proceeded to a gift shop and then to the lovely Rocky Mountains. No amount of pictures can truly capture how breathtaking the Rocky Mountains are. They were overwhelmingly gorgeous.

We were able to get to 12,000 feet elevation. It was a little harder to breathe, but it wasn’t horrible. We explored, hiked a little bit, and got a lot of information about the area. Whether through a tour or on your own, the Rocky Mountains must be added to your itinerary.

 

 

5. Interact with Art with Versed Denver

Versed Denver just opened back up recently, and it was a unique experience. It is a 40-minute VR (Virtual Reality) Experience where you interact with different worlds in a big room. We chose the animal world and had to pet, feed, and help the animals. There are multiple worlds to choose from, but overall, it was a fantastic experience.

 

 

6. Visit the Beer Spa

This was one of my favorite experiences in Denver. I HIGHLY recommend this activity for a couple or by yourself! When you get there, you will change into slippers that they provide. After, you will choose a beer to drink, and the beer is local! You will then be taken to a room with a sauna, a shower, and a hot tub. It is your room; you can have wine, a charcuterie board, and chocolates. All of those things are extra. Afterward, you will get a zero gravity massage that was out of this world. As you can see, it is a pretty intimate spa, but if you feel comfortable going with one of your friends, I hope all of you enjoy it! Don’t forget to take a picture in their tub!

 

 

7. Explore the Stanley Marketplace

If you are looking for a place to get a good workout, have your hair styled, have some excellent food, a nice outfit, and some home decor, the Stanley Marketplace is perfect for you. The Stanley Marketplace has around 50 businesses for you to explore. There are various places to visit, from restaurants, clothing stores, and workout rooms to hang-out spots. This is the perfect spot to hang out with friends or spend time with your family. We did not get the chance to stay as long as I would like, but I got a nice feel of the place. I would recommend the Denver Biscuit Co. because the food was good, and the drinks were tasty!

The DBC Club Sandwich at Denver Biscuit CO.

 

 

8. Visit Jing Restaurant

Jing is a fine-dining restaurant that specializes in Asian Fusion. The food was unbelievably amazing. The Kobe Hot Rock meal is a unique appetizer that we tried. It is a piece of steak that you dip in a sauce and have to cook for a few seconds on a rock. I was so shocked by how tasty it was. Everything on the menu is not Asian-based cuisine, so there are options if you want something else. The sushi that they brought out was to die for. The customer service was extraordinary; the workers were patient and knowledgeable about the menu items. They only have 3 locations ( Denver, Aspen, Las Vegas). So, if you are looking for a place to dress up and have a nice fancy dinner, Jing is your place!

The Kobe Hot Rock

 

 

9. Explore Union Station, Laminer Square, and Milk Block

Exploring this location (which isn’t far from each other) is essential to your time in Denver. Can I be honest with you? We did not get the chance to explore these locations. The only reason I say it is essential to go here is that I constantly saw that these locations were mentioned when you look up things to do in Denver on TikTok. We did go to Union Station, but only to meet up for our Rocky Mountain tour. When I go back to Denver, I will be exploring these locations.

 

 

10. Visit Bounce Empire

It is the World’s Largest Indoor Inflatable Park. There is plenty of fun for kids as well as adults. It does have a bar for the adults. If you are in the competitive spirit, there are multiple inflatable games to play with friends or your kids. It does have a place for you to eat some tasty food. This isn’t located precisely in Denver, but it is near Denver! No matter how old you are, you are never too old to bounce around and be a kid again.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Are there more things to do in Denver? Plenty. I wanted to touch on some of the highlights of Denver. Some places, such as The Garden of Gods, are another site to see. We did more activities such as Smash it Room, Escoplogy, and Sandbox VR. Eventhough those places were enjoyable, these locations are scattered throughout the United States. If you do visit Denver, please comment on what you have done. The more ideas, the better!