Denver Walking Tours

Q: Which Denver tour is right for you?

• First time in Denver? Start with our Free Denver Walking Tour or a private Best of Denver Tour for an introduction to Denver's history, architecture, landmarks and local culture.

• Looking for a free Denver tour? Our signature Free Denver Walking Tour uses a pay-what-you-wish model, so you decide what the experience was worth to you after the tour.

• Interested in Denver's darker side? Choose Denver After Dark for ghosts, legends and local lore, or Twisted History for true crime, scandal and some of Denver's stranger stories.

• Love street art? Our RiNo Art District Tour explores murals, street art and hidden stories in Denver's River North Art District.

• Want a private experience? Our private Denver walking tours can be customized for families, friends, corporate groups, conferences and special occasions. Choose a start time and starting location that works best for you.

• Prefer sightseeing without walking the whole time? Explore Denver on one of our sightseeing bus tours or book a step-on guide for your group.

• Traveling with kids or students? Our youth tours and field trips are designed for school groups, scouts, community groups and families.

• Want to explore independently? Our Audio Adventure self-guided tours let you discover Denver on your own schedule.

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Q: What is the best walking tour in Denver?

Our Free Denver Walking Tour is a popular introduction to Denver for first-time visitors, combining history, architecture, public art and major downtown landmarks. For a private experience, our Best of Denver walking tour covers many of the city's most famous sights and can be customized for your group, from start time to starting location.

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Q: What kinds of tours does Denver Walking Tours offer?

So many tours! Defintiely something for everyone: Denver Walking Tours offers free pay-what-you-wish walking tours, private walking tours, Denver history and sightseeing tours, ghost and after-dark tours, true-crime tours, RiNo street-art tours, food tours, public-art tours, youth tours and field trips, holiday lights tours, self-guided Audio Adventures and sightseeing bus tours.

 

Q: Are there private walking tours in Denver?

Yes. Denver Walking Tours offers a variety of private walking tours for families, friends, corporate groups, conferences, school and community groups, and special occasions. Private tours can be customized based on your group's interests and schedule.

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Q: When should I take a Denver walking tour?

A walking tour is a great activity early in your Denver visit because your local guide can introduce you to the city's major landmarks, history, neighborhoods and local recommendations. Tours are available at different times and frequencies depending on the experience and season.

 

Q: Are the Denver free/pay-what-you-wish walking tours really free?
Denver Walking Tours does not charge an up-front price for the free/pay-what-you-wish tours. We operate on a pay-what-you-wish gratuity model, meaning you decide what the experience was worth to you and tip your guide directly at the end of the tour.

Our pay-what-you-wish model exists because we believe experiencing Denver should be accessible to everyone, regardless of budget. Your guide hosts the tour for gratuities only, which means they go the extra mile to ensure you have a genuinely great experience. If you loved your tour, simply tip your guide what you feel their time, talent, and local expertise were worth. Please note that our third-party booking platform does charge a small $2 booking fee per guest at the time of reservation — this fee goes to our ticketing system, not to Denver Walking Tours or your guide. The tour itself has no set price and if you choose not to tip, that's okay too, we still hope you had a great experience.

Q: How long are each of the tours offered by Denver Walking Tours?

 

• All of our small group, public tours are about 2 hours in duration. This includes our free/pay-what-you-wish tours, our Twisted History tours, our Denver After Dark ghost tours, and our Denver Street Art & Graffiti tours. Each tour has a dedicated page on our website with more information on duration and walking distance

• Private tours vary, are up to each group booking a private tour and are 1-4 hours in duration.

• The free/pay-what-you-wish Denver Walking Tour runs 2 to 2.5 hours and covers 1.7 miles at an easy, flat walking pace with plenty of stops along the way. 

Q: Where do the Denver Walking Tours start?
 

• Free/pay-what-you-wish Denver Walking Tours depart from the front steps of the Colorado State Capitol, facing west toward the mountains and Lincoln Street. The Capitol address is 200 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80203.

• Twisted History tours depart from the flagpole in front of Union Station. The flagpole is located at the intersection of 17th & Wynkoop Streets. The address of Union Station is 1701 Wynkoop St.

• Denver After Dark ghost tours depart from SE corner of W. 13th Ave. & N. Gilpin St. This location is on the north end of Cheesman Park.

• Denver Street Art & Graffiti tours depart from The Denver Central Market Parking Lot. The address is 2669 Larimer St.

• Private tours - various departure locations, including from the location of your choice, you hotel, meeting locaiton, etc.

Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your departure time so you can meet your guide, check in, and introduce yourself. Tours depart on time. Your guide will be wearing a neon yellow Denver Walking Tours shirt. 

Q: What neighborhoods do Denver Walking Tours visit?
 

• The Free/pay-what-you-wish Denver Walking Tours covers the heart of downtown Denver, moving from Capitol Hill through the Civic Center and into LoDo — Lower Downtown — finishing at Union Station.

• The Twisted History tours cover the top sights and landmarks in LoDo (Lower Downtown)

• Denver After Dark ghost tours are located in the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood

• Denver Street Art & Graffiti tours are located in the RiNo (River North) Arts District, one of Denver's hottest, most colorful neighborhoods

• Private tours are located in various neighborhoods and can be customized for each group who books one.

Q: Do I need to book in advance for Denver Walking Tours?

Yes, reservations are required for all Denver Walking Tours, including the free/pay-what-you-wish 10 a.m. tour. We accomadate walk-up guests whenever possible, but we can't guarantee a spot if the tour is at capacity

Booking in advance through our website takes just a few minutes and comes with several benefits: it keeps group sizes smaller and more personal, allows us to schedule additional guides on busier days so you're not turned away, lets you sign the liability waiver digitally at checkout, and means your guide has your cell phone number to text you the morning of your tour to confirm everything. It also gives our team a way to reach you if the starting location needs to change due to an event, or if there is an emergency change to your departure time or guide. Please note that the walking tours also requires a minimum number of guests to operate. In the rare event a departure does not meet this minimum, guests will be contacted two hours ahead of the tour start time with alternate options.

Q: Are the Denver Walking Tours good for kids?

Yes! All ages are welcome on most all of our Denver Walking Tours, with two exceptions:

• The Twisted History Tour is ages 16+ due to adult content (please reach out prior ot booking or book a private tour if you have a guest less than 16 years old who wants to participate)

• The Denver After Dark Ghost Tour is recommended for ages 10+ due to its spookier, mature historical content but we trust you know your kids best and we have had kids younger than 10 on the tour.

The tour routes are all flat, stroller and wheelchair accessible, and guides are trained and experienced in working with youth of all ages.

Whether your kids will enjoy the tour really depends on their individual curiosity and attention span — the walking tours are 2 to 2.5 hours of standing, walking and storytelling, with stops at landmarks. Guides are skilled at keeping commentary engaging for mixed-age groups, and there is plenty of time for questions and photos at each stop.

Youth ages 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.