Exploring Denver: Free Things to Do in Denver

Welcome to our Exploring Denver Series where we cover the best places around Denver to enjoy the culture of the Mile High City—follow this series to stay up to date on the hottest spots in our beautiful city. In this article, we cover the best free things to do in Denver.

Denver is home to so many vibrant places and activities, it can be easy to spend most of your paycheck exploring all that this city has to offer. Luckily, you don’t have to. As much fun as many of these expensive activities are, Denver also has a flurry of things to do that don’t cost a thing. Follow along as we cover the best free things to do in Denver.

Now that you’re saving money exploring these free activities, you might find yourself looking for even more deals. With the right timing and expert insight, you can find jaw-dropping deals on luxury apartments all over Denver. Reach out to AptAmigo to get your own personal apartment expert who can help you find discounts on your next home. Learn more about how it works.

Related: Best Studio Apartments in Denver

Explore Denver’s Parks

On any given weekend, you can find most Denverites in one of the many green spaces this city has to offer. In fact, 90% of Denver locals live within a 10 minute walk of a park! You can find a total of 314 parks sprinkled throughout the Mile High City, but a few local favorites include Wash Park, City Park, and Confluence Park.

You’ll find locals walking their dogs throughout the green spacious fields and picnicking on blankets with loved ones. Speaking of dogs, Denver has a lot of them. Consequently, our love of parks and dogs combine to put us in the 75th percentile of dog parks per 100,000 people compared to the top US cities. 

Whether it’s a day of lounging, grass volleyball, or Jazz in the Park, spending time outside is probably the most popular free Denver activity. Locals get their fix of sunlight, exercise, and social interaction all by heading over to their local park.

Interested in living near some of Denver’s most popular parks? Check out our neighborhood guides covering the vibe, top spots, and things to know in all these popular park-centric neighborhoods: especially Washington Park, City Park, and City Park West; Cheesman Park, and Platt Park.

Outdoor Fitness

Red Rocks Amphitheater

Denver is known for being an extremely active city, so naturally, there are many free opportunities to stretch your body and get some exercise. Head southwest to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for sprints up the elongated steps surrounded by striking red stones.

Red Rocks also hosts Yoga on the Rocks, an early morning yoga class with hundreds of participants. (At $15 per ticket— it isn’t necessarily free, but it is popular enough that we still wanted to include it!)

Downtown/Urban Trails

There are many trails within Denver and in the surrounding areas that offer hikes for all experience levels. The Cherry Creek Trail runs through downtown Denver and provides a calming oasis of flowing water, wildlife, and colorful artwork.

Confluence Park is located in LoDo at the joining of Cherry Creek and the Platte River, and is always filled with dogs frolicking in the water, people working out, and lots of picnics. 

Hikes Near Denver

There are dozens of great hikes within a 45 minute drive of downtown Denver. We recommend the AllTrails app, which will give you pictures, maps, ratings, and information on nearby trails. With varying degrees of difficulty, you can get in a high-intensity workout, or simply stretch your legs. 

Regardless of weather, you can find people taking advantage of the spectacular trails laid out in Denver— although you will definitely experience more crowds on one of Denver’s 300+ days of sunshine.

If you’re itching for some outdoor energy or can’t motivate yourself on an indoor gym treadmill, Denver’s trails provide a wonderful space to get your heartrate up while enjoying nature.

Free Tours

Denver has many opportunities to fill up your weekends cost-free. Who doesn’t love an informative tour at no cost? They give you an opportunity to learn something new and maybe even catch some behind-the-scenes insight. Here are a few of our favorites.

Hammond’s Chocolate Factory Tour

At Hammond’s Chocolate Factory, you can see how lollipops and other candies are made. This complimentary tour of the candy factory details the labor-intensive pulling, twisting, and shaping that goes into making their delicious goodies.

You’ll learn all about their history in Denver as well as getting an up-close and personal look at the process that goes into making their world-renowned candy. (The same process they’ve used since 1920!) You’ll even leave with a free delicious treat fresh from their bakery!

Coors Brewery Tour

Arguably one of Denver’s most popular tours, the Coors Brewery tour hosts visitors from all over of the world. Learn about the malting, brewing, and packaging process that goes into creating the iconic Coors beer. You can learn about the brewing process and enjoy free samples of their famous beer.

This up close and personal brewery experience will be sure to provide entertainment at zero cost. Technically located in Golden, which is about 15 minutes from downtown, the Coors Brewery provides an exciting and easy day trip. Golden has a quaint and charming downtown area with great food and local boutiques.

Street Art

Create your own self-guided tour of Denver’s hottest street art. We made a list of our favorite public art pieces to get you started.

Take a Scenic Drive

Located just 20 minutes from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Denver has some amazing scenic drives not far from downtown. So many, that we actually wrote an entire article on it! So if the altitude has got you feeling low-energy, just rent a car or hop in your own and take a drive for the day.

You’ll find picnic benches, scenic overlooks, and little mountain towns along the way. You might even find a nice hike on the AllTrails app! So bring some hiking shoes, a picnic, and your dog, and explore the mountains for a day.

Find Your Dream Denver Apartment

We hope you enjoy the many free activities that Denver has to offer! If you’re looking to move to this beautiful city, reach out to AptAmigo and we will help you find a place with zero stress and VIP service. We love Denver, and we know you will too! 

All you have to do is reach out to us here and one of our local experts will contact you ASAP to learn more about your needs. Simply tell us what you’re looking for, and our team will get to work on your apartment search. We will help you find the best deals, the best location, and the best apartment for you. The best part? It’s all completely free.