Things to do nearDenver Union Station

Denver Union Station opened in 1881 and was substantially rebuilt in its current Beaux-Arts form in 1914, making it one of the most architecturally distinguished buildings on the Front Range. The station served as the primary gateway to Colorado during the era of rail travel, welcoming miners, settlers, and dignitaries alike through its grand arched entrance. After decades of declining rail use, a major restoration completed in 2014 returned the building to its original splendor while adapting it for modern life.

Today visitors come to admire the restored terra-cotta facade, the original terrazzo floors, and the luminous main hall anchored by its iconic neon sign reading "Travel by Train." Amtrak and regional rail services still operate here, so the station retains a genuine sense of transit and movement that many historic landmarks have lost. The surrounding Lower Downtown district, known locally as LoDo, places the station within easy reach of Coors Field, the South Platte River trail, and a dense concentration of galleries and restaurants.

The food and drink scene inside Denver Union Station is a genuine draw in its own right. Local operators have filled the concourse with options ranging from a proper sit-down oyster bar to casual coffee counters, all set against the backdrop of the station's original architecture. The Terminal Bar at the center of it all is a beloved institution, drawing both commuters and visitors throughout the day.

Denver Union Station is worth visiting for the rare way it honors its past while remaining genuinely alive in the present, functioning simultaneously as a transit hub, a neighborhood living room, and one of Colorado's finest examples of early twentieth-century civic architecture.