8 Best Outdoor Activities to Enjoy in Denver

As the capital city of Colorado, Denver is surrounded on all sides by some of the most beautiful and varied landscapes. Touching the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, Cherry Creek, and the South Platte River, Denver is the perfect oasis for nature enthusiasts and anyone looking to experience a breath of fresh air and gorgeous scenery. Owning Denver real estate means that you have the beautiful Denver landscape in your backyard. Read this list curated by real estate agent Lisa Taylor to learn about the eight best outdoor activities to enjoy around Denver.

Located in the heart of this popular city is the Denver Botanic Gardens, which was voted one of the World’s Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens. Across twenty-four acres of land, you can find a variety of different gardens, which are represented in almost every corner of the world. Visit the Gardens of the West and see eighteen gorgeous and aromatic flowers that thrive in the climate of Colorado. There are also gardens inspired by South Africa, Japan, and China, bringing the flowers native to those parts of the world to Denver. For the summer days, there are shady water gardens, which provide substantial shading and beautiful water views. Because it is easy to access many of the gorgeous homes for sale in Denver, you can easily make a day weekend trip with the family.

Another site that is a fun weekend getaway for the entire family is the Denver Zoo, which is located minutes away from the Denver Botanic Gardens. It was even nominated as the Best Zoo in America in May 2022, as voted by fans and readers. With dozens of wild animals, you can get an up-close look at some of the most fascinating animals, such as the Siberian Tiger, Bald Eagle, Frilled Lizard, and Grizzly Bears. There are several different events hosted throughout the year for both adults and children to allow you to explore the zoo more fully than you’ve ever experienced before.

At the intersection of two famous Denver landmarks, Cherry Creek and South Platte River is the beautiful Confluence Park. Primarily made up of rapids and sandy banks next to paved walkways, you can walk, bike, or simply enjoy the sweeping views of downtown Denver. You can also kayak the rapids, ride down chutes, or simply watch the many kayakers. On hot summer days, you can sunbathe or even wade in the shallows. Confluence Park is a great oasis of nature in downtown Denver.

Denver offers another urban park, which is aptly known as the City Park. The City Park is a wide, open space with walking trails and scenic views of the surrounding lake. There are even small animals and many lush trees. You can hike around the beautiful lake and enjoy all that nature has to offer at the City Park. It is a peaceful oasis and a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Just outside the city limits of Denver is the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Across several acres of property, you can find wild animals that you can visit in their natural habitat. Hike along the manmade walking trails with your tour guide and you will see hundreds of animals, such as tigers, lions, bears, wolves, horses, and many more. As one of only three Wild Animal Sanctuaries across the United States, this is truly your opportunity to see these majestic animals up close while enjoying nature.

Travel outside the city limits of  Denver and you will find the breathtakingly beautiful and majestic Clear Creek Canyon. Clear Creek Canyon is a part of Colorado’s Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. For residents of Denver real estate, it is cherished for its close proximity to the city. With rocks of varying sizes, climbers of every skill level can come and climb up the mountain. With walking trails, mountains, and rapids, this area provides many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors without having to travel too far outside of Denver. Whether you are hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, running, or simply breathing in the fresh air, this is one place that you must visit for its natural beauty and peaceful ambiance.

Located less than two hours from the center of Denver is the Rocky Mountain National Park. If you are in the mood for some mountain scenery, there is no better place to explore. In fact, it was even voted the fourth most popular national park in the country. It is at the Rocky Mountain National Park that you get to see one of the most diverse sets of mountains over more than 250,000 acres of land. There are 300 miles of incredible hiking trails that you can take, as well as numerous campgrounds for families to stay in the mountains. There are rock climbing opportunities as well. With the majestic mountain as your backdrop, there is certainly no limit to the things that you can do at the Rocky Mountain National Park.

One of the best ways to experience the beautiful landscape in Denver is by riding a hot air balloon. Between the city of Denver and the small town of Estes Park, you can hop on a hot air balloon. From high above, you will get the most enchantingly beautiful and surreal look at the Denver landscape, including the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plains. You might even get to see some wildlife as well.

Located close to beautiful landscape scenery, there is no shortage of outdoor activities to do in Denver. Whether you are hiking at a city park in downtown Denver, or up the Rocky Mountains, there is so much you can do to experience the full depth of all that Denver and its surrounding areas have to offer. If you are interested in exploring more of Denver’s incredible outdoors, then start looking at Denver real estate today. Realtor Lisa Taylor will help you find your perfect home in Denver, Colorado.