Trip highlights
- 1Rocky Mountain National Park
- 2RiNo arts district
- 3Craft brewery tours
- 4Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- 5Larimer Square
Daily spend
Where you're going
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In pictures
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & RiNo Arts District
Monday, July 19
Est. spend
$165
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Denver International Airport (DEN)
Denver International Airport
The A Line commuter rail connects the airport directly to Union Station downtown in about 35 minutes.
The A Line train is far cheaper and often faster than a taxi given DEN's distance from downtown.
☀️ Afternoon
RiNo (River North) Art District
RiNo Art District, Denver
A former industrial zone transformed into one of the largest open-air street art collections in the US, packed with murals, galleries, and breweries.
Join a free or low-cost mural walking tour to learn the stories behind the larger pieces.
🌙 Evening
Dinner and craft beer in RiNo
RiNo Art District, Denver
RiNo is home to one of Denver's densest concentrations of craft breweries, several with excellent food trucks parked outside.
🍽️ Meals
Airport or hotel breakfast
American · $12
RiNo café lunch
American · $16
RiNo brewery dinner
American · $35
Rocky Mountain National Park Day Trip
Tuesday, July 20
Est. spend
$180
per person
🌅 Morning
Drive to Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
A roughly 90-minute scenic drive northwest of Denver to one of America's most spectacular national parks, home to alpine lakes and the Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the US.
Reserve a timed-entry permit online in advance — the park limits vehicle entries during peak summer season.
☀️ Afternoon
Bear Lake hike and Trail Ridge Road
Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
An easy, scenic loop trail around Bear Lake followed by a drive along Trail Ridge Road, cresting above 3,600 metres with sweeping alpine views.
Altitude can hit hard and fast — drink plenty of water and take it slow if you're not acclimatized.
🌙 Evening
Return to Denver for dinner
Denver
Drive back into the city for a relaxed dinner after a full day in the mountains.
🍽️ Meals
Early breakfast before departure
American · $10
Packed lunch in the park
American · $15
Denver dinner
American · $35
Red Rocks Amphitheatre & Larimer Square
Wednesday, July 21
Est. spend
$165
per person
🌅 Morning
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Morrison
A legendary outdoor concert venue carved naturally into towering red sandstone monoliths, with hiking trails open to the public when no event is scheduled.
Check the event calendar — if a concert coincides with your trip, it's one of the best live music experiences in the country.
☀️ Afternoon
Larimer Square and Union Station
Larimer Square, Denver
Denver's oldest and most historic block, now home to boutiques and restaurants, plus the grand restored Union Station with its food hall.
🌙 Evening
Craft brewery tasting flight
Downtown Denver
Denver has one of the highest brewery densities per capita in the US — sample a tasting flight at a few downtown taprooms.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
American · $12
Union Station food hall lunch
American · $18
Brewery dinner
American · $28
Denver Art Museum & Departure
Thursday, July 22
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum
A striking architectural building housing one of the largest collections of American Indian art in the world alongside contemporary works.
☀️ Afternoon
Final souvenir shopping at 16th Street Mall
16th Street Mall, Denver
Denver's pedestrian shopping corridor, with a free shuttle bus running its length, good for last-minute gifts.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to DEN Airport
Denver International Airport
Allow at least 2.5 hours before an international flight given the airport's distance from downtown and TSA wait times.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
American · $12
Downtown lunch
American · $16
Airport food
American · $16
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
June-September offers the most reliable access to Rocky Mountain National Park's high-altitude roads and trails, with warm, dry days.
🛂 Visas
International visitors from visa-waiver countries (most of Europe, UK, Australia, and others) need ESTA pre-authorization before flying to the US; other nationalities require a B1/B2 tourist visa arranged in advance.
💱 Currency
US Dollar (USD). Cards are accepted almost everywhere; tipping 18-20% at restaurants is standard and expected.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 911
ambulance: 911
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Reserve a Rocky Mountain National Park timed-entry permit online well before your visit — summer entries are capped and sell out.
- Denver sits at over 1,600 metres altitude — give yourself a day to acclimatize before strenuous hikes, and drink more water than usual.
- Check the Red Rocks Amphitheatre event calendar before booking your trip — catching a concert there is a bucket-list experience.
- Denver has one of the highest concentrations of craft breweries per capita in the US — a brewery tasting flight crawl is a quintessential local activity.
- The 16th Street Mall shuttle bus is free and runs the length of downtown's main pedestrian corridor.
One thing worth not skipping
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