Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
The 6-day plan, rearranged for 3 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A large museum beside City Park with dinosaur fossils, a hall of gems and minerals and a planetarium. Pick a few halls and leave the rest.
Go when Morning, then eat and rest before the afternoon.
Local tip Choose the dinosaurs and one other hall, and keep the afternoon open. Children tire faster than the plan expects.
The old railway station in lower downtown, with a grand hall of seats, shops and cafes. A calm place to begin while everyone settles into the altitude.
Go when Morning, before the day gets busy.
Local tip Sit in the great hall for a few minutes with a drink of water. It is a good way to ease into a day a mile above sea level.
Green chile is a Colorado favorite: a hearty stew of roasted peppers and pork, eaten with a warm tortilla. A filling lunch that the whole table can share.
Local tip Ask for it mild if anyone is unsure about spice, and share a bowl.
One of the oldest blocks in the city, with brick buildings and strings of lights hung across the street. Walk it slowly and look up.
Go when Late morning, or around sunset (about 7:08 PM) when the lights come on.
Local tip Look up as you walk. The strings of lights over the street are the thing to see, and they show best at dusk.
A zoo in the middle of the city, with paths that wind past animals from many parts of the world. Walk the loop that suits the youngest in the group.
Go when Midday to afternoon, taking it slowly.
Local tip Pick a few animals the children care about and head there first. The zoo is big, and there is no need to see it all.
A gold-domed building on a rise above the park, where one of the steps carries a marker for one mile above sea level. A good photograph for the whole group.
Go when Early evening, with the sun on the gold dome.
Local tip Look for the step marked as one mile above sea level and stand on it for a photograph. Walk up slowly, because the air is thin.
Lower downtown, the old warehouse streets around the station, has many restaurants within a short walk of one another. Choose one by the menu in the window.
Local tip Eat early with young children, before the evening crowds.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
An open-air theater set between towering slabs of red sandstone. Walk the rows and the paths when there is no show, and check ahead for what is on.
Go when Morning, when the light is soft and the rows are quiet.
Local tip The steps are steep and the air is thin, so take them slowly and stop to look back at the plains. Check ahead for shows and closures.
A calm lake with a flat path around it and a view of the snowy peaks beyond. Easy walking for little legs, and a good place for a picnic.
Go when Midday, with a picnic by the water.
Local tip The path around the lake is flat and easy, and the view of the peaks across the water is worth a long look.
Pack sandwiches, fruit and plenty of water, and eat on a bench beside the water. There is little to buy inside the park, so bring what you need.
Local tip Take your trash with you and keep food away from wildlife.
A small town at the foot of the mountains, with a creek running through the middle and a paved path along it. Easy for a lunch stop and a stretch of the legs.
Go when Midday, with a walk along the creek.
Local tip The path by the creek is flat and shaded, a good stretch for the legs between two stretches in the car.
Boulder's pedestrian street, with street performers, shops and places to eat. A lively open afternoon for a group of mixed ages.
Go when Afternoon, when the performers are out.
Local tip Walk the car-free blocks slowly and let the children choose a performer to watch. An ice cream is the usual reward.
The side streets around the mall hold restaurants from many cuisines, so a mixed group can usually find something that suits everyone.
Local tip Eat early if you want to drive back to Denver before dark.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A small lake ringed by peaks, with a short loop path around the water. Go early, because the parking fills, and check ahead for any entry rules.
Go when Early morning, before the parking fills.
Local tip Take the short loop around the water. Entry rules, such as timed entry, can change, so check ahead with the park before you go.
The high road across the park, climbing above 12,000 feet over open tundra. It is seasonal and can close for snow, so check ahead. Take it slowly and stop at the pull-outs.
Go when Morning, once you have checked that the road is open.
Local tip The road climbs high and can close for snow, even in early autumn. Drive slowly, use the pull-outs and go back down if anyone feels unwell.
Pack a lunch before you climb, since the high stretches have few places to buy food. Eat at a pull-out with a view.
Local tip Bring warm layers, because the wind on the tundra is cold even on a sunny day.
A wide meadow in a glacier-carved valley where elk gather, especially around dawn and dusk. Watch from the roadside and keep a safe distance from the animals.
Go when Around sunset (about 7:08 PM), when elk move through the meadow.
Local tip Watch from the road or a pull-out, and keep a safe distance from the elk. In autumn the males are loud and can be unpredictable.
The main street of Estes Park is lined with restaurants, so a table is rarely far away. Choose by the menu and the line of families at the door.
Local tip Eat early after a day outdoors, because everyone will be tired.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, April to May and September to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Denver. This plan is built for late September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 3 days in Denver, planned for late September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 7.8 to 113.4 miles between its stops, and 137.9 miles in all across 3 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
3 days of red dirt and big views in MoabAbout 250 miles away
4 days in Santa Fe and TaosAbout 270 miles away
5 days in Yellowstone and Grand TetonAbout 410 miles awayOther guides with a page about Denver. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageDenver, the free travel guideCondé Nast TravelerDenver travel guideTime OutThings to do in DenverThe GuardianDenver travel featuresThe InfatuationRestaurant guide to DenverPhoto: Sarbjit Bahga, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Mitul0520, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Darkshark0159 at English… on Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Pdubs.94, CC BY 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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