What's New

The Latest and Greatest in the Mile High City in 2025

Denver is an outdoor city with spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains and plenty of urban adventures for all ages. Explore the Mile High City’s farm-to-table cuisine, local craft breweries and unique live music venues like the famous Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. Visit the Denver Art Museum with its famous Indigenous art and Western art collections, see the giant blue bear public art sculpture, shop at Cherry Creek or get an authentic western shirt at the iconic Rockmount Ranch Wear. The opportunities are endless!

New & Notable Rankings

In July 2025, Denver International Airport (DEN) received the Airport of the Year award from the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC).
Denver was named the fourth best cycling city in the United States in a study by Buycycle. (June 2025)
In May 2025, Denver's city parks ranked No. 10 in the nation by Trust for Public Land's 2025 ParkScore Index.
Denver was named the No. 10 Top Meeting Destination in North America in May 2025.
In March 2025, The Westin Denver International Airport was voted No. 3 for Best Airport Hotels by readers of Newsweek.
In April 2025, TODAY named Denver as one of the best spring break destinations for 2025.
According to Airports Council International (ACI), Denver International Airport (DEN) ranked as the third busiest airport in North America for the fourth year in a row and the sixth busiest airport in the world for the second year in a row. (April 2025)
Misterb&b’s Queer Safety Index ranked Denver No. 7 in the Top 30 Safest Cities for LGBTQ Travelers in 2025. (April 2025)
Denver ranked No. 6 in Betway's Top 10 Coolest Cities in the United States. (April 2025)
In April 2025, WalletHub ranked Denver No. 7 among the healthiest cities in the United States.
The Populus Hotel was named one of Time’s World’s Greatest Places in March 2025.
In March 2025, Visit Denver was recognized as Convention & Visitor Bureau of the Year by ConferenceDirect and acknowledged as the “BEST Convention & Visitors Bureau to work with.”
Great American Beer Festival was ranked No. 4 in USA Today's 10 Best Beer Festivals in March 2025.
In March 2025, Denver ranked No. 10 in USA Today’s 10 Best Beer Cities.
River North (RiNo) Art District was ranked No. 9 in the country in USA Today’s 10 Best Art Districts in February 2025.
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been named the Overall Winner at the Routes Americas 2025 Awards, as well as triumphing in the Over 20 Million Passengers category in February 2025.
In December 2024, Billboard Magazine named Red Rocks Amphitheatre the most attended amphitheater in the world and the most attended outdoor venue in the United States.
Denver was ranked No. 8 among the best cities for digital nomads by CoworkingMag in December 2024.
The Denver Christkindlmarket was ranked No. 4 in the country in USA Today’s 10 Best Holiday Markets in December 2024.
In December 2024, Denver’s Mile High Tree Presented by Xcel Energy & Xfinity was ranked No. 5 in the country in USA Today’s Best Public Holiday Lights Displays.
WalletHub ranked Denver No. 13 among the Most Fun Cities in America in December 2024.
Denver was voted No. 1 for Best in Beer 2024 by the readers of Craft Beer & Brewing in November 2024.
In October 2024, Empower Field at Mile High was ranked #3 for Best NFL Stadium and #5 for Best NFL Stadium Food by USA Today.
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival was awarded the Gold Grand Pinnacle award by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) in October 2024.
In October 2024, Meetings Today named Visit Denver one of the best CVB's/DMO's in the West. They also named the Colorado Convention Center (CCC) one of the best convention centers in the United States.
Denver was ranked the 15^th most sustainable city in the U.S. by Coworking Café, recognized for its large number of green buildings and eco-friendly coworking spaces. (August 2024)
Google revealed its top 20 destinations that travelers have taken an interest in for any warm weather getaways, with Denver ranking #17. The list reflects people in the U.S. searching on Google Flights for travel anytime between June 1 through August 31, 2024. Google gathers insights from mid-January to mid-March from U.S. users to find out what travel-related queries are top of mind ahead of summer (April 2024)
The Events Industry Council announced that Visit Denver has achieved PLATINUM Level certification to the EIC Sustainable Event Standards. Denver is the first destination to achieve the highest level of certification (November 2023)
Kelly and Erika Whitaker, co-founders of Id Est Hospitality Group were awarded Outstanding Restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation in June 2024. Id Est Hospitality Group owns and operates six Denver-area restaurants, including Michelin-star winners Brutø and The Wolf’s Tailor.
In Men’s Journal’s 2024 Travel Awards, Denver took the No. 25 spot on a list of the "50 Best U.S. Vacation Destinations" (April 2024)
Denver ranked No. 10 in the 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best City for Street Art (June 2023)
Resonance Consultancy named Denver the No. 14 destination on its America’s 100 Best Cities list (June 2023)
Travel + Leisure proclaimed Denver the cheapest place to travel in “20 Cheapest Places to Travel Around the World in 2024” (January 2024)

Hotels

In April 2024, the Michelin Guide revealed a brand new list of One, Two and Three Key hotels in the United States. Three Denver hotels were among properties in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, New York and Washington DC that received this distinction:

Populus at Civic Center Park, a new downtown hotel inspired by nature opened in Oct. 2024. The 265-room, 13-story hotel features an event space, multiple food and beverage venues, a rooftop deck and bar. The Populus was noted as one of Times Magazine's World Greatest Places of 2025 and Esquire Magazine's Hotel of the Year 2025.

Opened in summer 2024, Kimpton Claret Hotel is situated in the heart of the fast-developing Belleview Station along the growing South Denver Corridor. The 19-story, new-build hotel features 190 guest rooms, 10,000 square feet of meetings and events spaces and two distinct dining outlets, including a 19^th floor rooftop bar offering dramatic, 180-degree views of the Rocky Mountains.

Urban Cowboy, in the historic George Schleier Mansion in the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, is the newest western outpost for the national hotel brand. With current locations in the Catskills and Nashville, this boutique hotel offers a luxurious western experience with a historical nod to Denver’s roots.

Culinary Scene

Michelin recognized 26 Denver restaurants in the second year of their Michelin Guide Colorado. The famously anonymous Michelin Guide inspectors honored a diverse range of restaurants across the city that exude culinary excellence. Denver joins Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, the Town of Vail and Beaver Creek Resort in the Colorado Michelin Guide. More information about these restaurants and the Michelin Guide program are available on the Visit Denver website.

One Michelin Star:

Alma Fonda Fina (NEW!)
Beckon
Brutø
The Wolf’s Tailor

Michelin Green Star:

Brutø
The Wolf’s Tailor

Bib Gourmand:

Ash’Kara
The Ginger Pig
Glo Noodle House
Hop Alley
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal
MAKfam (NEW!)
Mister Oso
Tavernetta

Denver’s 2024 Recommended restaurants:

A5 Steakhouse
Barolo Grill
Brasserie Brixton (NEW!)
Dio Mio
Guard and Grace
Hey Kiddo
Kawa Ni (NEW!)
Marco’s Coal Fired
Mercantile Dining and Provision
Olivia
Q House
Safta
Smok
Temaki Den

Michelin Special Awards:

Michelin Outstanding Service Award: Allison Anderson - Beckon
Michelin Young Chef/Culinary Professional Award: Johnny Curiel – Alma Fonda Fina

Kelly and Erika Whitaker, co-founders of Id Est Hospitality Group were awarded Outstanding Restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation in June 2024. Id Est Hospitality Group owns and operates six Denver-area restaurants, including Michelin-star winners Brutø and The Wolf’s Tailor.

Two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef/Owner Alon Shaya is opening Ceci! Italian Lounge in 2025. This will be his second restaurant located in The Source Hotel.

Michelin-starred Chef/Owner Johnny Curiel opened Alteño in March 2025 at The Clayton Hotel. Curiel’s newest creation pays homage to his Jaliscan Highland roots and traditions, incorporating a mix of heritage flavors and rustic preparations that spotlight the cuisine and culture of the iconic Los Altos de Jalisco.

Coming fall 2025, F1® Arcade Denver is opening a new food, drink and simulator racing experience in Denver's RiNo Arts District. It will cover more than 15,000 square feet and feature an outdoor terrace, as well as an island bar.

Rose & Thorn, an upscale, dual-concept bar and restaurant located within The Penrose in Denver’s River North Arts District, opened its first phase to the public in July 2025. The venue blends two distinct experiences in one location: Rose, a rooftop bar and restaurant with sweeping views and a reservation-only pool, debuting in July 2025, while Thorn, a sultry underground cocktail lounge, is set to open late summer 2025.

Pig and Tiger will be opening in summer 2025 in RiNo, showcasing the cuisine of Taiwan through traditional classics, modern favorites, and new interpretations combining flavors and techniques, all while using local Colorado products.

Leven Deli Co. is opening two new concepts in 2025:

Leven Supply is a new counter-service restaurant, grocer and gift shop, now open in the Wash Park Supply retail center (300 E. Alameda Ave.)
Leven Downtown aims to expand Leven’s offerings into a full-service experience with a wider array of lunch and dinner options as well as a full bar and thoughtful wine service curated by Leven owner and sommelier Anthony Lygizos. Opening in winter 2025, Leven Downtown will occupy the large ground-level retail space at Block 162, located in the Central Business District.

LoDo's Denver Milk Market unveiled it's extensive refresh in August 2024, including new food concepts, the addition of a game room, a major mural by a local artist and more. This summer, Denver Milk Market welcomes four new concepts:

Konjo Ethiopian Food was created by longtime friends Fetien Gebre-Michael and Yoseph Assefa, who both come from Ethiopia. Konjo provides healthy, fast, and delicious Ethiopian food with genuine hospitality.
Lucky Bird Fried Chicken is Colorado’s premier fried chicken concept, serving hand crafted chicken tenders, sandwiches, salads and wraps.
East3 ensures freshness comes first, while highlighting flavors from Thailand, Japan, and Philippines - all in one bowl.
YumCha Noodles & Dumplings is inspired by Chef Lon Symensma’s travels around Asia. YumCha will serve creative Asian street food.

Co-owners of the Michelin-recommended Restaurant Olivia, Ty Leon, Austin Caron and Heather Morrison, are opening a second concept at 3615 Delgany St. on the ground floor of The Current. Emilia, opening later this year, will celebrate the flavors of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Bar Amorina, located at Michelin-awarded Clayton Hotel & Members Club in Cherry Creek, embraces the Italian tradition of gathering with friends over delicious cocktails, spritzes and wines accompanied by seasonal, refined small plates.

Mamas & Papas Hospitality Group, the team behind Dio Mio and Redeemer Pizza, opened Little Johnny B's Woodfired Pizza in the Urban Cowboy Public House Bar on April 21, 2025. The same Mamas & Papas Hospitality Group also plans to open Johnny Bechamel's, which will serve both pizza and pasta in the West Wash Park neighborhood

Named after the 1999 U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) that took home the FIFA Women’s World Cup, 99ers Sports Bar opened in Denver this December and is city's first Women's sports bar. Women’s games are celebrated and the space is dedicated to empowering all people who may not feel welcome at a traditional sports bar, including the LGBTQ community.

Town Pump Provisions, a new development in Cherry Creek North, plans to open later this year and will consist of a New York-style bodega, aptly named Town Pump Bodega, a fast-casual restaurant concept dubbed Town Pump Eatery and Little Man Ice Cream Cherry Creek.

Kizaki a new concept from acclaimed chef Toshi Kizaki, who co-founded Sushi Den with his brother, Yasu Kizaki is now open on South Pearl Street serving edomae-style sushi.

Magna Kainan is the new RiNo project from Portland chef Carlo Lamagna and Denver's Culinary Creative Group, serving variety of Filipino staples like lumpia and adobo fried rice alongside modern twists on classic dishes.

Chef Frank Bonanno’s debuted Dumplin’ this winter in the Highlands. Dumplin’ includes an Italian riff on the Asian fare with cacio e pepe ramen and wagyu beef with grated truffles and parmesan dumplings, dipped in balsamic vinegar or Calabrian chile oil.

Champagne Tiger - housed in the old Tom’s Diner building the French-American diner serves up oysters, caviar and Champagne in addition to burgers, BLTs, and old-school Grasshoppers with entertainment throughout the week, including a “Piano and Pasta” night every Wednesday and drag brunch on Sunday.

The fourth location of Olive & Finch, a “fine-casual” eatery from chef Mary Nguyen, is now open in Denver's Performing Arts Complex for dinner, happy hour, lunch and breakfast. It offers a robust selection of grab-and-go options, including its own proprietary line of cold-pressed bottled juices, sandwiches, salads, freshly baked pastries and more. Olive & Finch can also be found in Uptown, Cherry Creek and Denver's Union Station.

Le Colonial, the upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant concept, made its Denver debut this November in Cherry Creek North. Known for its elegant colonial-inspired decor and fusion of French and Southeast Asian flavors, Le Colonial brings a taste of 1920s Saigon to Colorado's capital.

Located on the ground floor of Populus, Pasque, opened October 2024, is an all-day dining destination featuring seasonally driven, nature-based cuisine.

Nestled within the Aspen tree “canopy” of Populus, Stellar Jay, opened October 2024, offers a lively rooftop dining experience, featuring shared plates and live-fired cuisine overlooking Denver’s downtown skyline, parks, and iconic Rocky Mountains. Opened in early August 2024, Ajax Downtown is the newest dining concept from Aspen One and the only urban restaurant in its portfolio. Located in the heart of Denver’s Union Station neighborhood, Ajax Downtown serves modern American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner that is Chef-driven and responsibly sourced from local purveyors.

Ambler opened in August 2024 as Denver’s newest destination for craft cocktails and elevated comfort food. Inspired by the leisurely spirit of Jack Kerouac, Ambler offers a warm and inviting atmosphere where guests are encouraged to take it easy and enjoy the journey.

Alma Fonda – what was formerly Truffle Table in LoHi is now chef Johnny Curiel’s - who has previously worked under local renowned chefs including Richard Sandoval, Dave Query and Troy Guard – newest solo concept. The intimate space offers Mexican dishes deriving from Curiel’s upbringing.

Museums & Attractions

16^th Street Renovations - Built in 1982, the 40-year-old 16th Street is finishing up a major restoration. The renovated street features wider sidewalks, vibrant public spaces, expanded restaurant patios, a new tree canopy, outdoor furniture, free electric shuttle buses, interactive art and family-friendly play structures all in a car-free environment that meeting planners look for. 16th Street’s transformation prioritizes walkability, connectivity and community engagement.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts/Denver Performing Arts Complex – The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) boasts an impressive calendar of performances and events in 2025, including Mean Girls, The Wiz, & Juliet and more,

The New National Western Center – Renovations at the Denver Coliseum will result in a 246-acre campus to preserve the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo as Denver’s largest event for the next 100 years and add state-of-the-art spaces to hold concerts and festivals, farmers’ markets, sporting events, trade shows and conventions, as well as office space, business incubators, classes, public art, cultural events, family activities, shops and more. More than 2.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor space is being developed, including 20 acres of public plazas and flexible stockyards.

Denver Art Museum – The Denver Art Museum (DAM) completed an extensive renovation project and revealed new permanent collection galleries in its Frederic C. Hamilton Building on May 14, 2023. The completed project resulted in the museum’s African Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art and Arts of Oceania collections on display to the public for the first time since construction kicked off in 2016. Reinstallation of the Hamilton Building contributes to the DAM’s mission to represent a broad array of art in an inclusive and thought-provoking environment.

Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art and Denver Art Museum have agreed to a transformative merger that will enhance the cultural landscape of Denver and beyond. Kirkland Museum will become Kirkland Institute of Fine & Decorative Art at the Denver Art Museum, adding its renowned collection of decorative arts, specific focus on Colorado artists, and extensive holdings of artist Vance Kirkland to the DAM’s world art collection and widely recognized program serving a broad spectrum of audiences. The process of aligning the two organizations will take 12-18 months.

Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (MCA) – The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Denver now offers a viewing experience for color blind visitors. After acquiring Technicolor-inspired glasses made by EnChroma, MCA Denver became one of the first museums to offer an experience in color to those who are used to seeing art in black and white. MCA Denver has acquired the Holiday Theater, located in the Lower Highlands neighborhood at 2644 W 32nd Ave. The space is open for programming including panels, performances and more to uplift the creative community and further contribute to the museum’s mission in advancing contemporary art.

Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) – The Denver Museum of Nature & Science announced the discovery of a dinosaur fossil under the Museum’s parking lot in City Park. For a limited time, the fossil will be on display on the Museum floor in the “Discovering Teen Rex” exhibition. Also, DMNS unveiled the Infinity Theater early 2023, featuring improved audio and visual accessibilities, including a hearing induction loop, updated closed captioning, new programming and both 2D and 3D capabilities. The space can be used for a variety of purposes, including conferences, private events, performances on stage and infinite possibilities to showcase movies, films, videogames, concerts, live streaming and much more.

History Colorado Center – History Colorado Center's permanent exhibit, The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal that Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever tells the tragic history of the U.S. Army attack on a camp of mostly women, children, and elders at Big Sandy Creek in southeastern Colorado. The soldiers murdered more than 230 peaceful people, marking the deadliest day in Colorado history.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) awarded Denver the league’s 16th franchise that is set to begin play in the 2026 season. Denver NWSL announced in March 2025 its plan to build a purpose-built stadium and recreational district for professional women’s soccer in Denver’s urban core. The state-of-the-art, 14,500-seat stadium will be built at Sante Fe Yards (Broadway and I-25) in the heart of Denver and is expected to open in the spring of 2028.

Meetings and Conventions

The Colorado Convention Center expansion was completed in December 2023. New features include 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and ballroom space, plus 35,000 square feet of pre-function space and a jaw-dropping 20,000-square- foot outdoor terrace, all of which will be located on the roof of the existing building.

Transportation News

United Airlines filed two new international routes from Denver International Airport, with the carrier adding flights to Mexico City and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, both operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The flights will be operated daily starting on October 26. This marks a return of United Airlines’ Denver -- Mexico City route after a several-year break.

In April 2025, DEN celebrated the expansion of service by Mexico-based Volaris with the launch of nonstop flights to Monterrey, Mexico (MTY). Flights are scheduled to operate three days a week, year-round.

Viva, Mexico’s ultra-low-cost carrier, will launch new international service connecting Denver (DEN) to Mexico City (AIFA) beginning Nov. 20, 2025.

Contour Airlines now connects Denver to Moab and Vernal, Utah. These will be Contour’s first-ever flights to Denver, and with the new service.

April 2025 also saw the first-ever flight into Denver by the Airbus A380 plane, operated by Lufthansa Airlines between Denver and Munich. With a whopping 509 seats – a capacity increase of nearly 75% over the previous plane – the flight will operate daily between April 30 – Sept. 30, greatly increasing the city’s ability to host overseas guests.

May 1, 2025, marked United Airlines first-ever nonstop service between Denver (DEN) and Rome, Italy (FCO).

On May 15, United Airlines launched flights to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (YQR). New domestic service to Peoria, Ill. (PIA) started in late March, and flights to Buffalo, N.Y. (BUF), Redding, Calif. (RDD) and Wilmington, N.C. (ILM) began in time for the Memorial Day holiday.

On June 2, 2025, Frontier Airlines began twice weekly service to to Seattle/Paine Field, Wash. (PAE).

On June 25, 2025, Contour Airlines began service to Page, Ariz. (PGA). The flight operates twice weekly through Aug. 30.

On June 26, 2025, Contour Airlines also began service to Taos, N.M. (TSM. The flights are currently scheduled to operate thee times per week through Dec. 8 and a seasonal extension is expected.

United Airlines will begin daily, year-round service to Columbia, Mo. (COU) on Sept. 25. Columbia becomes the fifth destination in Missouri connected nonstop to DEN.

Denver Union Station underwent renovations in spring 2024. The updates to the Great Hall and The Crawford Hotel’s larger lobby were unveiled in July 2024.

Ranked in the top 10 busiest airports in the world for the second year in a row, Denver International Airport (DEN) is Colorado’s largest economic engine, bringing in $42 billion annually.

In 2024, DEN’s international network reached 31 nonstop destinations in 17 countries around the world, and in 2025 will expand to encompass 33 nonstop destinations in 18 countries, the most in DEN history.

Turkish Airlines now flies direct between DEN and Istanbul International Airport (IST) as of June 2024. This service marks the first-ever flights between Denver and Istanbul.

As of May 17, 2024, Aer Lingus flies direct from Denver International Airport to Dublin four times a week.

With 9,750 average daily active bus stops, RTD maintains the largest fleet of electric buses in the nation (26) to service 16th Street.

Travelers who wish to experience an awe-inspiring train journey through the Southwest United States can now book on Canyon Spirit (formerly known as the Rocky Mountaineer). The Rockies to the Red Rocks route will fall within the Canyon Spirit company. Additionally, in 2026, visitors will have the opportunity to travel on the stunning new three-day route option between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. This will operate in addition to the current two-day route option, between Denver and Moab, Utah. Canyon Spirit, and the Rocky Mountaineer journeys in Western Canada, will both fall within their new parent brand: Armstrong Collective.

The Winter Park Express Ski Train returned for the 2025 season with service starting in January, taking travelers from Denver to Winter Park every weekend. The ski train – which runs from Denver Union Station in the heart of downtown right to the base of the ski slopes – is the perfect way to make Denver the basecamp for experiencing Winter Park Resort’s many seasonal activities, from skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing, tubing and more.

Sustainability

The Westin Denver International Airport was awarded 4 Green Keys by Green Key Global for their sustainability efforts in April 2025.

Denver International Airport (DEN) remains dedicated to energy efficiency and the environment. Programs like the Environmental Management System, wastewater reduction, airport solar program, single-stream recycling and a partnership with the Colorado Green Business Network support the airport’s goals to reduce its impact on the environment.

The RTD A Line offers a “green” way to travel to and from the airport.

Colorado Convention Center (CCC)’s commitment to sustainability include the Waste Management Program, Energy and Water Conservation efforts, Air Quality policies and sustainable catering with the goal to make all events held in the space sustainable. The CCC has been a LEED Existing Building at Operations and Maintenance Level GOLD since 2010.

Through the months of July and August 2023, RTD offered zero fares across its system as part of the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative. This collaborative, statewide initiative, made possible by Colorado Senate Bill 22-180, in partnership with the Colorado Energy Office, was designed to reduce ground-level ozone by increasing the use of public transit.