5 Best Attractions to Explore While in Denver
Denver is a majestic city located in the American state of Colorado. It has been nicknamed the ‘Mile High City’ owing to its elevation, which is 5,280 feet above sea level. Set against the backdrop of Rocky Mountains, the city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine ever year. Denver offers visitors many attractions.
It is home to many beautiful parks, which include the Civic Center Park, City Park, and Washington Park. Today, Denver is one of the most popular cities to live in the United States. While getting around in the city, you’ll come across many fascinating attractions. Here we’ve listed some of them:
1. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater
This is one of the most famous attractions worth exploring if you’re in Denver. If you don’t have a car, you can take a shuttle to reach Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. This venue attracts a lot of music buffs every season and hosts live music events. You can also consider visiting the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. It will help you know more about the greatest musicians of Colorado.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is located about 15 miles from the city center. However, the commute will be worth the effort. The name of this place comes from the red sandstone rock formations that form the walls of the amphitheater.
2. Denver Botanic Gardens
Spread across a vast area of 23 acres, the Denver Botanic Gardens is located close to Cheeseman Park. It places a greater focus on the native plants and practices that are sustainable and environmentally responsible. You’ll find a variety of plants here that are from different parts of the world. The Denver Botanic Gardens was first laid out in the mid-20th century.
Consisting of 43 individual gardens, it is one of the country’s largest botanical gardens. Among the highlights are Marnie’s Pavilion, which has orchids, waterfalls, and ferns. You’ll also love exploring the Japanese Garden and Boettcher Memorial Conservatory.
3. Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Among the top cultural attractions in this city is the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In this museum, you’ll get to see the most fabulous exhibits. They include the remains of animals from the Ice Age and the imposing skeletons of dinosaurs.
You’ll also be delighted to see the collection of minerals that have come from the Coors family. Don’t miss one of Colorado’s largest gold nuggets during your visit to this museum. Also worth checking out is an IMAX theater and a Planetarium.
4. Denver Zoo
Denver Zoo was opened in the late 19th century. Owing to its rich history of conservation, it’s still considered one of Denver’s most popular attractions. This zoo has enclosures that have been created according to the needs of different species. One of the interesting things to see here are the stingrays, which can be found in the Stingray Cove.
The Toyota Elephant Passage will give you the chance to witness the African animals. If you wish to get closer to two wonderful Amur Tigers from Siberia, visit The EDGE. The Harmony Hill Bear Habitat in this zoo is home to the Grizzly Bear.
5. United States Mint
This is where the currency of the United States is created. The United States Mint is also the place for storing a part of the country’s gold reserves. You can get to this building once you go beyond the City and County Building. A free guided tour of the facility will allow you to learn the process of creating money. Souvenirs, commemorative coins, games and other items are available for sale at the on-site gift shop.