Should You Go to Denver for Spring Break
Americans are notorious for not having enough time for vacations. Summer break, Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas Holidays always feel like a rushed experiences. Then, there’s Spring Break, for many people it’s an opportunity to go to tropical destination and escape the cold if you’re in a colder location. But, what if you’re toying with idea of visiting a slightly unexpected Spring Break destination: Denver. You’re probably asking yourself-should you go to Denver for Spring Break? My answer is “yes” and here is a guide to planning your time in town.
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When is Spring Break
Typically, Spring Break happens around mid-February through the first week of April. That is if you’re specifically referring to college breaks. But, there are a lot of folks who are planning a getaway sometime during early-mid spring for whatever reason.
What is the Weather Like in Denver
Given the wide range of months within the official Spring Break season (mid-February through the first week of April) you’re going to experience a wide variety of weather. This is very inexact, but I’ve lived in Colorado since I was 7 years old. Flights can be delayed during this time of year. Here’s what you could likely expect.
- February-Those last two weeks of February typically are cold and windy. But, the winds (called chinooks) is actually keeping things warmer than they would be without it. It is usually sunny out despite the chilly weather. Bundle up and expect it to be cold AF.
- March-This month is very unpredictable. Anything and everything can happen. It has been awhile since we’ve had a major snowstorm (3ft) in March so I feel like we’re way overdue. It can be hot, cold, windy, snowy, sunny and cloudy. You’ve been warned. That said, March is when we start partying again. Make sure to check out the St. Patrick’s Day Parade if you get the chance.
- April-The first week of April always feels…moody. If we get rain, and we don’t usually get a lot, this is the week and month that you would see it happen. People are still skiing in the mountains and things are starting to warm up in the plains (Denver Metro area). Opening Day and a ridiculous number of other events like Matt Rife’s Comedy Tour are happening during the first week of April.
Regardless of the weather, Coloradans are rarely phased by the frequent changes (unless they just moved to the state).
Time to Book Your Trip
It’s time to book your trip. You’re going to have a great time and Denver is a fun city to visit. There’s plenty to do within the City. I do want to prepare you that the 16th Street Mall is under construction but I can’t imagine that you would only hang out the entire trip on one street. There’s too much to do and that the city has to offer for you to do that. I’ve also linked to an article that helps you work through how to enjoy the mall during the remodel.
Where to Stay
To keep things simple, I recommend staying close to Denver’s Union Station. You can take the train from the plane (airport) direct to Union Station. It’s the last stop. Then, you can walk or talk a free mall shuttle or Lyft to your accommodation depending on how far it is from Union Station.
Here are a few suggestions.
- The Source Hotel
- You would actually exit the train at the 38th and Blake stop (one stop before Union Station)
- Espadin
Add Some Ski Days
No Spring Break trip to Denver would be complete without some days in the mountains and on the slopes. For simplicities’ sake, I recommend going to one of the following mountain towns: Breckenridge or Vail.
Why?
Because you can take the bus there leave the driving to someone else. Take the Bustang bus up to the Frisco and then take the free Summit Shuttle to Breckenridge. Or, you can stay on the Bustang and exit the bus in Vail.
Book a Car
If you would prefer to drive, I strongly recommend using Discover Cars to compare the different car rental companies in town and book the best car for your budget.
Denver, Pavilions (Photo Credit: Square State CO)
Schedule a Tour
I highly recommend booking a tour because it takes some of the planning off of your hands. Here are a few tours that I think you may enjoy.
Here are some tour suggestions below:
- Spend a half day in Rocky Mountain National Park (love this park and Estes Park so much)
Fun Events and Experiences in the Downtown Denver City Center
Right now, experience the 16th Street Mall can feel a little intimidating even for locals. With that in mind, I’m sharing some cool experiences that can be found downtown so that you don’t have to spend a ton of time researching where to go and what to do.
- Check out all of the murals in the Five Points/RINO neighborhood
- Workout with The November Project Denver Chapter (it’s free and fun)
- Make your way through all of the speakeasies…
- Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
- Denver Center for the Performing Arts
- Union Station
- McGregor Square
- Dairy Block
Activities and Events in Denver During Peak Spring Break Season
I thought it would be helpful to share some activities and events that will be happening in town during the Spring Break season. I think it will make it easier to plan around a fun experience or event and then fill in your trip with other experiences while you’re in town.
- End of February
- Denver Nuggets Basketball
- Monster Jam
- Colorado Avalanche Hockey
- Each team plays through April
- Eat your way through the Bib Gourmand and Michelin Restaurants
- March
- Cirque du Soleil: Crystal
- Colorado Mammoth-Lacross
- Denver Nuggets Basketball
- Colorado Avalanche
- Madonna Concert
- Bad Bunny Concert
- Ski Joring-This is a huge party. Basically, a person on a horse pulls a skier behind them through the middle of town. It’s a whole vibe.
- Leadville
- Frozen Dead Guy Days (I’m serious)-I think it’s time I wrote another (?) post about this event. It’s 3 days of partying, coffin races, costumes, frozen turkey bowling and more.
- Estes Park
- Shrek the Musical-Denver Center for the Performing Arts
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- April
- Tim McGraw Concert
- Opening Day at Colorado Rockies
- Matt Rife-Comedy
- Denver Nuggets Basketball
- Colorado Avalanche
- End of Season Ski Resort Parties (this are so much fun)
- MJ Broadway Musical-Denver Center for the Performing Arts
- 420 Festival (might squeek into the tail end of Spring Break)
- CU Buffs Black and Gold Day Scrimmage-Date TBA
I will add more to the list as we get closer to Spring 2024 and more events, etc. are scheduled.
Should You Go to Denver for Spring Break
Yes. I think it’s a great Spring Break destination with a variety of activities and experiences to enjoy. From sipping on beers during a beer tour, checking out Meow Wolf, going to a live show, watching a Nuggets game and hitting the slopes-there’s plenty to do while you’re in town.