Denver Planning & Tips

Getting There and Around
Denver International Airport is about 25 miles from downtown; many hotels offer free shuttle service from the airport, or you can take a taxi to your accommodations. Amtrak trains pull into historic Union Station in lower downtown. Denver's public transportation system includes buses and Light Rail trains (303-299-6000), which can get you pretty much anywhere in the city and into the adjacent suburbs. Bus drivers do not carry change, so you'll need the exact fare. For the Light Rail, you purchase tickets from kiosks at various stations. Visit the website for maps, fares and schedules.

If you're staying in a downtown hotel, there's really no reason to rent a car. Especially since downtown parking is pricey, whether it's in a covered garage or a street lot (plus most downtown hotels charge for parking, even if you're staying there.) A pedestrian-friendly downtown encourages visitors to explore by foot; but if little legs get tired along the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, it's easy to hop on the free trolley that runs up and down the thoroughfare for 15 blocks. Otherwise, taxis (plentiful downtown) can take you outside the downtown area.

If you are traveling to Denver by car, perhaps on a cross-country road trip, you might look at staying in a hotel that's not downtown. Properties in the suburbs and out by Denver International Airport generally don't charge for parking.

The Art of Smart Timing
When the kids break from school for summer vacation, it's a great time to visit Denver; that's when you can take full advantage of the fabulous blue-sky days. Fewer families visit in the winter months (they all fly into Denver and then make a beeline for the nearby ski resorts), so crowds decrease at family-friendly attractions if you visit during snow season -- except during Christmas vacation and Denver schools' spring break in March.

No matter in which month you visit, there's likely some sort of festival or special event happening. January brings the National Western Stock Show, two weeks of rodeos and livestock exhibits; May is the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the nation; the Cherry Creek Arts Festival is usually the first week of July, offering kids' art projects, street performers and live music; and late November or early December features the 9News Parade of Lights, with floats, local marching bands, humongous inflatables and horse-drawn carriages that make their way through the city.

Kids can slide down a fire pole, try on firefighting equipment, and pretend to put out fires at the Denver Firefighters Museum (1326 Tremont Place, 303-892-1436).

Take a scenic ride on the Platte Valley Trolley (303-458-6255) along the Platte River from the REI flagship store to Invesco Field.

Pick up souvenir Jibbits charms for the holes in your rubber-sandal Crocs (a Colorado company) at various Denver attractions, including the Denver Zoo, Downtown Aquarium and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

Visitor Bureau
Denver Visitor's Bureau