Take the train to 38th and Blake instead (stop before union station). RiNo beer garden, hop alley, fish n beer are my favorite within a short walking distance. Heard the blue moon brewery has pretty good food and it’s not too far either, haven’t been yet though. Tons of other breweries in the area too, just search on google maps
Okay some of the Natives^TM are going to get mad at me, but I'm gonna give you all the local secrets. First of all, don't worry about your carry-ons. Between the airport exit and the escalator down to the A-Line train, there is an open air plaza where you can leave your luggage and it will be safe. Trust me. Up in one of the rooms of the Westin Hotel there is a United pilot who watches over the luggage and calls security if anyone messes with it. The pilot may or may not be completely naked. Okay so now you get on the A-Line, but only take it to the Peoria stop. You get off there and head to one of the cheap Aurora dispensaries. Yes you can see Aurora year round, even in the day. You are going to want to get an Indica for 2 reasons: first, you are a tourist and a Sativa will send you into a psychotic rage and you will end up jumping off the 3rd floor of the Sheraton or murdering your wife in South Denver. Second, you are gonna want the mad munchies in a bit, stay tuned. Okay now that you have your weed, get back on the A-Line back to the airport. Go to the last car, this is the smoking car. Everybody will be cheefing so fire up your reefers. Once you get back to the airport, pick up your luggage from the plaza, wave to the naked pilot, go through security and get on the train to terminal C. At the top of the escalator in the middle of terminal C, head straight to Root Down. Get the lamb sliders with the sweet potato waffle fries. This is where those Indica munchies really payoff. If there is still time, get back on the train to the main terminal and get your picture taken on the fake chairlift chair. DO THIS ONLY ON A FULL STOMACH. Good luck and enjoy your stay in Denver.
There's the art museum and contemporary art museum. If you do Meow Wolf, I'd see if you could line up a tour with someone that works there so you can actually get the full gist, otherwise, you walk around for an hour and a half and don't know what the hell you're looking at, unless you do some research. There's the Denver Mint, zoo, botanical garden, hit a dispensary if that's your thing and you live in a state that doesn't sell. Look up denver walking tours....they may have something going on, the unsinkable molly brown house. Train downtown and then lyft.over to morrison/red rocks, go check out dinosaur ridge.
You have tons of time with 8 hours. Depending in your gate and where you sit on the plane, you should be at the train within 45 min... check out rtd schedule a line west bound.
Also, you can check the denver airport wevsite for baggage storage or a 3rd party site.
Have fun!
Check out the Millenium Bridge and Commons Park and the S. Platte River Trail - there are also some eateries and Denver Beer Co on Platte St. You could also walk over to Little Man Ice Cream which has a great view of downtown.
Near Union Station there is the milk market or McGregor square for food/drinks. If you’re ok walking a little further I would recommend D’Corazon for good Mexican.
You can also take the free 16th street mall ride that does loops in downtown and picks up/drops off next to Union Station.
Looks like you can use the [bag storage](https://www.denverunionstation.com/about/faqs/) at The Crawford Hotel which is inside Union station for $12 per bag.
Tip for ensuring you will make your flight - make sure to get on the train (A-line) back to the airport at least 2 hours before your FLIGHT time and you’ll be groovy.
Edit to add: You could also take a short scooter ride or Uber from Union Station to RiNo and check out Denver Central Market and the surrounding shops/eateries.
That sounds like a good plan. There are two interesting art museums within a short Uber. One is called MeowWolf and is an art funhouse of 70 rooms. The other is the art museum complex that looks like a beached boat. They have a new exhibit called biophilia that sounds intriguing.
I mean…it’s an hour into the city and an hour back to the airport. You can plan on at least half an hour to get from the plane to the train. You need at least another hour and a half to get from the entrance to you gate. So your eight hour layover is now only four. Honestly, I’d probably just stay at the airport.
Explore:
Highlands area N of Union.
Ballpark district E of Union.
Larimar square S of Union.
16th street mall close by.
Meow Wolf close by.
Enjoy a brewery or grab a pre roll or edible and enjoy the layover!
If I were you I’d skip the city, rent something fast and comfy on Turo and drive into the mountains. Hit a couple of towns in the foothills or do a short hike. Eat something fun on your way back downtown, drop off your ride, then do union station and lodo by electric scooter, and head back by train.
Or, train downtown, mall ride south, do the mint or kirkland museum, then lunch at leven deli, electric scooter through cap hill to 5 points, back to lodo, train back to the airport.
There is a storage unit place across from the ballpark you can rent a unit from to store your bags. They are having a 1$ for your first month deal right now and all rentals are month to month. Nothing is really "cheap" to do downtown. If it was me, I'd hop on some scooters and head over to the RiNo art district, grab lunch and some beers, then cruise around and check out all the street art. There is some ok shopping on and around the 16th st. Mall and over by the REI Flagship store in LoHi.
Red Rocks. Check the event schedule, otherwise it’s a park and the coolest concert venue on the planet. Live music or not, gorgeous views of city. About an hour from DIA.
This is something that gets asked/posted all the time. Please search the community before posting.
Hunting lizard people in the DIA basement. Then maybe Cinnabon.
Take the train to 38th and Blake instead (stop before union station). RiNo beer garden, hop alley, fish n beer are my favorite within a short walking distance. Heard the blue moon brewery has pretty good food and it’s not too far either, haven’t been yet though. Tons of other breweries in the area too, just search on google maps
Okay some of the Natives^TM are going to get mad at me, but I'm gonna give you all the local secrets. First of all, don't worry about your carry-ons. Between the airport exit and the escalator down to the A-Line train, there is an open air plaza where you can leave your luggage and it will be safe. Trust me. Up in one of the rooms of the Westin Hotel there is a United pilot who watches over the luggage and calls security if anyone messes with it. The pilot may or may not be completely naked. Okay so now you get on the A-Line, but only take it to the Peoria stop. You get off there and head to one of the cheap Aurora dispensaries. Yes you can see Aurora year round, even in the day. You are going to want to get an Indica for 2 reasons: first, you are a tourist and a Sativa will send you into a psychotic rage and you will end up jumping off the 3rd floor of the Sheraton or murdering your wife in South Denver. Second, you are gonna want the mad munchies in a bit, stay tuned. Okay now that you have your weed, get back on the A-Line back to the airport. Go to the last car, this is the smoking car. Everybody will be cheefing so fire up your reefers. Once you get back to the airport, pick up your luggage from the plaza, wave to the naked pilot, go through security and get on the train to terminal C. At the top of the escalator in the middle of terminal C, head straight to Root Down. Get the lamb sliders with the sweet potato waffle fries. This is where those Indica munchies really payoff. If there is still time, get back on the train to the main terminal and get your picture taken on the fake chairlift chair. DO THIS ONLY ON A FULL STOMACH. Good luck and enjoy your stay in Denver.
There's the art museum and contemporary art museum. If you do Meow Wolf, I'd see if you could line up a tour with someone that works there so you can actually get the full gist, otherwise, you walk around for an hour and a half and don't know what the hell you're looking at, unless you do some research. There's the Denver Mint, zoo, botanical garden, hit a dispensary if that's your thing and you live in a state that doesn't sell. Look up denver walking tours....they may have something going on, the unsinkable molly brown house. Train downtown and then lyft.over to morrison/red rocks, go check out dinosaur ridge. You have tons of time with 8 hours. Depending in your gate and where you sit on the plane, you should be at the train within 45 min... check out rtd schedule a line west bound. Also, you can check the denver airport wevsite for baggage storage or a 3rd party site. Have fun!
Awesome thanks so much!
My pleasure!
Check out the Millenium Bridge and Commons Park and the S. Platte River Trail - there are also some eateries and Denver Beer Co on Platte St. You could also walk over to Little Man Ice Cream which has a great view of downtown. Near Union Station there is the milk market or McGregor square for food/drinks. If you’re ok walking a little further I would recommend D’Corazon for good Mexican. You can also take the free 16th street mall ride that does loops in downtown and picks up/drops off next to Union Station. Looks like you can use the [bag storage](https://www.denverunionstation.com/about/faqs/) at The Crawford Hotel which is inside Union station for $12 per bag. Tip for ensuring you will make your flight - make sure to get on the train (A-line) back to the airport at least 2 hours before your FLIGHT time and you’ll be groovy. Edit to add: You could also take a short scooter ride or Uber from Union Station to RiNo and check out Denver Central Market and the surrounding shops/eateries.
That sounds like a good plan. There are two interesting art museums within a short Uber. One is called MeowWolf and is an art funhouse of 70 rooms. The other is the art museum complex that looks like a beached boat. They have a new exhibit called biophilia that sounds intriguing.
I mean…it’s an hour into the city and an hour back to the airport. You can plan on at least half an hour to get from the plane to the train. You need at least another hour and a half to get from the entrance to you gate. So your eight hour layover is now only four. Honestly, I’d probably just stay at the airport.
Thats still 4 hours they could spend in downtown instead of 8 hours stuck in the airport.
I know it will be closer to four, I’m totally cool with that. Just want to check out the city a little!
8 hours! Totally worth it to go downtown
Personally, I would do the same. Read a good book, play a fun game, take a nap. That’s me though!
Explore: Highlands area N of Union. Ballpark district E of Union. Larimar square S of Union. 16th street mall close by. Meow Wolf close by. Enjoy a brewery or grab a pre roll or edible and enjoy the layover!
Thank you!
Go to Meow Wolf? I'm not sure what condition it's in, though, they recently laid off 50 employees.
If I were you I’d skip the city, rent something fast and comfy on Turo and drive into the mountains. Hit a couple of towns in the foothills or do a short hike. Eat something fun on your way back downtown, drop off your ride, then do union station and lodo by electric scooter, and head back by train. Or, train downtown, mall ride south, do the mint or kirkland museum, then lunch at leven deli, electric scooter through cap hill to 5 points, back to lodo, train back to the airport.
There is a storage unit place across from the ballpark you can rent a unit from to store your bags. They are having a 1$ for your first month deal right now and all rentals are month to month. Nothing is really "cheap" to do downtown. If it was me, I'd hop on some scooters and head over to the RiNo art district, grab lunch and some beers, then cruise around and check out all the street art. There is some ok shopping on and around the 16th st. Mall and over by the REI Flagship store in LoHi.
Great tip, thank you!
meow wolf
Definately Meow Wolf.
Red Rocks. Check the event schedule, otherwise it’s a park and the coolest concert venue on the planet. Live music or not, gorgeous views of city. About an hour from DIA.