Denver Highlights Tour: City Sights, Art & Local Stories

4.57

(147 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

You know that feeling when you first step into a new city and everything just feels a little different? That was me in Denver — we’d barely buckled up for the city highlights tour before our guide started pointing out Larimer Square. It’s not just “the old part” of town; she told us about the first city hall, the first block, even the first house. I could almost picture dusty boots on those old stones. There was this faint smell of coffee drifting from somewhere (maybe one of those indie shops she mentioned?), and I remember thinking: okay, this is already more than just mountains in the distance.

We cruised past the Denver Mint (I had no clue how much history was packed into that building), then stopped near Civic Center Park for photos. The gold dome of the Colorado State Capitol caught the sun just right — honestly, it looked like someone had polished it that morning. Our guide rattled off facts about the Gold Rush but also snuck in tips on where to grab tacos or local beer later. She waved at a guy walking his dog who waved back like he knew her — maybe he did? The whole thing felt pretty relaxed, not scripted.

The drive through Capitol Hill got me thinking about Molly Brown (yes, “unsinkable” Molly Brown — her house is still there). I tried to snap a photo but mostly ended up with my own reflection in the window. Cheesman Park surprised me with its marble memorial and these wide skyline views; I caught myself zoning out staring at the peaks behind downtown. We rolled through River North (RiNo) after that — so much street art it almost felt like the buildings were talking. Someone in our group tried to pronounce “Confluence Park” with a French accent for some reason; our guide cracked up.

I didn’t expect to leave a two-hour Denver city highlights tour with so many random notes in my phone: favorite murals, where to get Ethiopian food, something about jazz history in Five Points. It wasn’t all perfectly timed or rehearsed — which made it feel more real somehow. I still think about those skyline views from Cheesman Park when I hear someone mention Denver now.