There’s much more to Denver than its outdoor pursuits. The city offers everything from a rich history to fantastic mountain vistas to craft breweries to plentiful street art. Discover the best of the Mile High City on a guided tour, which takes visitors by bus, bike or on foot to see Denver like a local. After consulting both expert input and traveler sentiment, U.S. News picked the best 10 tours to add to your itinerary.
Mile High Bike Tours – Bike and Brew Tour
Price: From $84
Duration: 3 hours
On this 9-mile bike tour, travelers see top sights in Denver, including Union Station, Coors Field and local street art in the River North (RiNo) district. Along the way, the guide will point out different Denver breweries you should try and will take you to their favorite one after the ride. Participants say the tour is a great way to spend an afternoon and praise their guides’ knowledge of the city (and their choice of brewery).
Tours, which are limited to nine riders, start daily at noon or 1 p.m. Ticket price includes the use of a bike and a helmet as well as a bottle of water. Beer and food at the brewery stop are not included in the cost of the tour. Tourgoers also have the option to ride an e-bike for an additional fee. Participants must be 21 or older to drink alcohol, but minors are welcome to attend with an adult. Mile High Bike Tours also operates a few other bike tours, including one that explores the downtown area.
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Delicious Denver Food Tours – Downtown Food Tour
Price: Adults from $75; kids from $60
Duration: 3 hours
Reviewers say the treats sampled along this tour are delicious and varied. Foodies also commend their insightful guides. During this tour, guides will take curious travelers to different local restaurants for five tastings that could include pizza, hot dogs and empanadas. In between stops, you’ll walk less than a mile through downtown Denver and hear stories about the city’s history and architecture.
Adults have the option of purchasing three drink pairings for an additional fee. Tours, which are limited to 15 people, generally operate daily at 1 p.m. Occasionally, Delicious Denver Food Tours offers other tour times depending on the time of year. The company also runs beer and cocktail-themed tours of Denver.
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Historic Denver – Capitol Hill Walking Tour
Price: From $18
Duration: 1.5 hours
See one of the most historic areas of Denver on this guided walking tour that’s limited to just 10 participants. Knowledgeable docents take you through the Capitol Hill neighborhood to see 19th-century mansions that were once the residences of prominent citizens like senators and heiresses, as well as the home of Molly Brown, an American philanthropist best known for surviving the sinking of the Titanic. Travelers recommend this tour, and particularly enjoy learning about local history from the expert guides.
Trips are offered at 11:30 a.m. on Sundays from May through October only; during the summer months, tours also run on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays at 1:30 p.m. The tour is not recommended for children due to its content and length. Historic Denver offers additional walking tours of LoDo and Larimer Square, among other options.
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Colorado Adventure Center – Clear Creek Intermediate Rafting Trip
Price: From $89
Duration: Time varies
If you’d like to try your hand at whitewater rafting while in Denver, head about 40 miles west of the city to Clear Creek. The Colorado Adventure Centers offers a variety of rafting trips on Clear Creek, but its most popular is the intermediate tour, which traverses Class III and IV rapids with names like “Nomad,” “Fall River” and “Deliverance.” Tourgoers say the tour is a convenient option for travelers based in Denver and also applaud the professional, fun guides.
Rafting trips are available between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily during the season (generally May through August). Colorado Adventure Center also offers a version of this tour for beginners, as well as a trip for advanced riders that traverses Class IV and V rapids.
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Nightly Spirits – Denver Ghost Tour Pub Crawl – LoDo Neighborhood
Price: From $30
Duration: 2.5 hours
Listen to spine-chilling tales of Denver’s haunted past on this pub crawl of the LoDo neighborhood. You’ll follow your costumed guide through the old red-light district and hear stories about the city’s former brothels, its famous murders and general Denver history. Reviewers offer kudos to the informative, engaging guides and are also complimentary of the bar stops.
Tours run Wednesday through Sunday at 7 or 7:30 p.m., with additional departure times on Fridays and Saturdays. Participants must be at least 21 years old to attend the tour. Tickets, do not include any alcoholic beverages. Tourgoers are welcome to purchase drinks at any of the pub stops. Nightly Spirits also offers a walking food tour, as well as a haunted pub crawl through the South Broadway (SoBo) neighborhood.
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Aspire Tours – Rocky Mountain National Park Tour
Price: From $169
Duration: 8 hours
Spend a full day inside Rocky Mountain National Park on this guided excursion. After departing from Union Station at 9 a.m., you’ll drive through Boulder and up to Estes Park before entering the national park. Along the way, you’ll be treated to stunning alpine views from the 14-passenger van’s panoramic windows. The trip includes opportunities for short hikes, wildlife viewing and photo-ops along with a picnic lunch. Reviewers describe this tour as the best part of their Denver trip and say the memories will last a lifetime. They particularly appreciate the ample photo opportunities and their well-versed guides.
Participants must be 8 or older. Tours are available daily. Aspire Tours also operates a daylong hiking tour of Rocky Mountain National Park, a fly-fishing tour and whitewater rafting, among other adventures.
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Denver Microbrew Tour – LoDo Craft Beer Tour
Price: From $55
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Learn why Denver is considered the “Napa Valley of beer” on this 1.5-mile tour that strolls through downtown Denver, LoDo and the Ballpark neighborhood. During the walk, you’ll make four stops to learn about the brewing process, the history of beer and Denver history. Tourgoers call the guides amazing and applaud the variety of beers sampled at each brewery.
Tours are available Friday through Sunday at 3:15 p.m. There is also an additional noon tour on Saturdays. Tickets include beer samples at each stop, plus a souvenir tasting glass at the end of the tour. If you can’t get enough of the city’s beer scene, consider signing up for the company’s beer and street art tour through the River North Art District (RiNo).
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Best Tours of Denver – Twilight Ghost Tour
Price: Adults from $26; Kids from $22
Duration: 2 hours
Prepare to be spooked on this ghost tour that passes by some of Denver’s most haunted sites, including the Grant Street Mansion, Poets Row and the Molly Brown House Museum. Reviewers are complimentary of the entertaining guides and say that even travelers who don’t believe in the paranormal will enjoy this tour thanks to the wealth of historical information shared.
Tours, which are capped at 20 participants, are offered daily at 8 p.m. This tour is not recommended for children 5 and younger. The company also runs ghost tours of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, as well as a historical walking tour of downtown Denver.
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Colorado Sightseer – Red Rocks, Evergreen, Echo Lake
Price: From $89
Duration: 5 hours
Reviewers recommend this tour for travelers who want a taste of Colorado’s wild side or for those who are short on time. During this tour, you’ll visit Red Rocks Park, Echo Lake, the charming town of Evergreen and much more as you marvel at spectacular mountain vistas along the way. Travelers are also complimentary of the enthusiastic, friendly guides.
Tours are generally available daily at 8:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and are capped at 12 participants. The company offers several outdoor tours near Denver, including trips to Rocky Mountain National Park and Breckenridge.
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Denver Local Tours – LoDo Walking Tour
Price: Adults from $25; Kids from $10
Duration: 2 hours
Discover the best spots to eat and drink on this guided walking tour of Denver’s oldest neighborhood, LoDo. While walking about 1.5 miles, travelers learn about the city’s history, passing top sights like Union Station, Coors Field, the 16th Street Mall and Larimer Square. Participants say the guide is friendly and the tour gives a good overview of local spots to visit later on your own. Reviewers are also impressed with the amount of local history shared.
Tours begin at 11 a.m. daily and are capped at 15 participants. The company also runs a whiskey, history and outlaws tour in downtown Denver, among other tour options.
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