10 Free and Cheap Date Ideas to Try in Denver

Denver is a great city to explore via bicycle; there are miles of bike lanes throughout, making it safe and easy to pedal around the city. There are also plenty of urban parks and trails to explore. You can catch the Cherry Creek or Platte River Trail at Confluence Park. You can bring your own bicycles or rent a bike from Denver’s B-Cycle, which has bike stations all over the city; they all accept credit cards. Bike rentals are available for the day or in increments of 30 minutes if you’re looking for a shorter ride.

If the weather is warm, plan a romantic picnic in one of Denver’s many city parks. You can enjoy idyllic Washington Park, complete with its lakeside views. After your picnic, be sure to take a stroll through the flower gardens. Cheesman Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood offers plenty of green grass perfect for a picnic, as well as the stunning Walter Scott Cheesman Pavilion. Finally, City Park has vast amounts of space to find a private spot for you and your date, as well as lakes, statuary, and plenty of walking paths to stroll around holding hands.

Denver is certainly a beer city, and there’s no better way to take in the Denver vibe with your sweetie than to attend a tour of one of the many local breweries. The city’s first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Company, offers tours Tuesdays through Saturdays at 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm; they also have pool or darts for a bit of fun. Great Divide Brewing Company offers tours every day of the week, with no reservations required. You’ll love sampling any of the beers on tap or in bottles, and may even be lucky enough to try a Tap Room-only special release. Several companies, such as Denver Microbrew Tour, also offer walking tours that will take you to multiple breweries, sampling beers and learning a little bit of beer history along the way.

If you’re looking to explore some of Denver’s local art, take your date to First Friday Art Walk. The Art District on Santa Fe runs their First Fridays from 6–9 pm the first Friday of every month. You’ll have free entry into 30 participating galleries and artist studios; there will also be restaurant specials and food carts galore. The River North Arts District also hosts First Fridays, and you can expect to find plenty of special events, from art openings to live music.

For the bookworm, an afternoon browsing the shelves at one of Denver’s historic bookstores is a perfect date. Tattered Cover Bookstore has three Denver locations, including Colfax, LoDo, and Union Station, all worth visiting. It has a cozy feel, creating an ideal environment where you can spend some time sharing a book on one of the overstuffed sofas or sipping coffee in the café. Also, you shouldn’t miss the section that highlights local authors.

There’s no better way to spend some time walking around with one another and exploring Denver’s rich history than with Denver Story Trek. You can take self-guided tours on foot or by bicycle and use major Denver landmarks marked with Trek Connect signs as a guide. You’ll find routes that take you through the chronological history of Denver, as well as themed tours. You can also put together your own custom route and access audio recordings on your phone to learn about each site’s official history. It’s a fun do-it-yourself historic adventure.

If you’re in town during baseball season, consider visiting Coors Field to watch the Colorado Rockies play. The stadium has a special section of seating known as “The Rockpile,” where you can sit and watch a game for eight bucks. It’s like a party in the outfield, with some of the most enthusiastic fans around.

Outdoor summer movies in Denver are a big deal. There are parks all over the city that host free movies in the moonlight, making for a perfect romantic outing. Civic Center Cinema invites Denverites to come out on Wednesday evenings for free movies in Civic Center Park. Movies begin at dusk, and food trucks open at 6:30 pm for a cheap bite to eat. Picnics are also welcome.

Denver’s ice cream scene is on point, and there’s nothing better than sharing a few scoops of some of the best sweet treats around. One quirky option is Little Man Ice Cream in LoHi; it’s in the shape of a giant milk can. For fun daily flavors, Colorado ingredients, and vegan options, Sweet Action on South Broadway is a great choice. There is also the historic Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, where you can enjoy over 80 classic flavors.

There’s no better way to spend time together than exploring the Denver outdoors. You’ll find several great hiking trails just outside the city to give you a taste of Colorado’s amazing beauty. You can wander along Bear Creek Trail in Morrison and spend some time in Lair o’ the Bear Park. There is also Roxborough State Park near Littleton where you can explore several trails on your own or take a guided hike with a naturalist to learn about the park’s fascinating geological history. Red Rocks Park is another excellent locale and is home to one of the finest outdoor concert venues in the world.