Have fun. Save money. Denver free days and free things to do in Colorado.

Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, Aurora (always free)

The beautiful Morrison Nature Center is a free park in Aurora, Colorado that is definitely worth checking out when you are in the area.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge | always free

The free Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado (near Denver) is a beautiful and pristine National Wildlife Refuge, representing an impressive cleanup and conversion of a former weapons and rocket fuel processing facility. The views of the mountains from this perfect spot on the plains are quite impressive.

Western Welcome Week, Littleton (Aug 8-17, 2014)

Western Welcome Week is a festival in Littleton Colorado that celebrates our western tradition of community cooperation. This is the premier event in the Denver area for clubs, charities, and other non-profit organizations. Instead of the typical endless line of vendor booths, you will find tents set up to gain your interest and participation in various non-profit organizations. Finding a new hobby or charitable cause to get involved with is one of the rewarding things to do at Western Welcome Week.

Mountain Fest

Mountain Fest. It’s as fun as it sounds.

Enjoy an afternoon of mountain-centric activities and discover all the exciting benefits of Colorado Mountain Club membership from noon to 4pm Saturday, March 25. This FREE event will be held at the American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th Street in Golden, Colorado. The festivities will kick off at noon featuring your 1st drink free from Upslope Brewing Company and Stem Ciders. Mountain Fest is the perfect way to get motivated and learn new skills and for spring and summer mountain adventures. This year’s event will feature, outdoor skills clinics, tours and a Beacon clinic in the American Mountaineering Museum, gear demos, open climbing , and CMC membership deals.

The highlight of the afternoon will be an expo featuring the CMC’s schools and courses: Wilderness Trekking School (WTS), Basic Mountaineering School (BMS), Fly Fishing School, Advanced Crevasse Rescue, Alpine Scrambling School, Intro to Hiking Safety, and Backpacking School. Volunteers will be on hand to give personal accounts about participating in CMC’s educational activities. Expo booths will also showcase CMC’s programs and initiatives: CMC’s Adventure Travel Program, Conservation, Youth Education Program (YEP), CMC Press, Denver Trails and how to get started Volunteering in the CMC. The membership booth will feature membership deals.

Free presentations and clinics will include: How to Properly Fit and Purchase Footwear by Adidas- Mountain Fest lead sponsor; Compass demo and clinic presented by Brunton- Mountain Fest sponsor; Climbing the 14ers; Rock Self Rescue; Avalanche Education; Wilderness First Aid; Ten Outdoor Essentials and Mountain Safety; Know Before You Go Avalanche Education; and a Highlight of the CMC’s Adventure Travel Trips from all over the world!

For a full schedule, please visit the CMC website at www.cmc.org/mountainfest

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the CMC for yourself or introduce friends and family to all the adventure the Club has to offer.

Denver Cinco De Mayo Festival (May 3-4, 2014)

One of the best ways to experience Denver's rich Hispanic heritage is to visit the annual free Denver Cinco De Mayo Festival, one of the best things to do in Denver on a May weekend.

Parker Oktoberfest

The 8th Annual Parker Oktoberfest will be held in O'Brien Park in Old Town Parker Colorado on September 14th & 15th, 2013.

Punkin Chunkin Colorado | Aurora Jack-O-Launch (annually, 2nd Saturday in October)

This October festival has become a Denver tradition.

Zengo (Downtown Denver)

The first thing that hits you when you enter Zengo near the 16th Street mall in downtown Denver is the atmosphere. The low lighting, the expansive bar and the couches in the lounge all say one thing- "I am hip and young in Denver." 

Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden (free days)

The top Colorado attraction for train enthusiasts also has free days! A few free days are held each year at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. This museum features a diverse collection of trains, some restored and some not, located outdoors. You can climb aboard some of them. There are also indoor museum exhibits and a huge indoor miniature train layout that is operated by quarters.

Avery House, Fort Collins (free Saturday and Sunday)

The Poudre Landmarks Foundation has some of the best Fort Collins attractions for history buffs. Their historic Avery House in Fort Collins offers free tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm. The tour guides provide a wealth of information about the city's early days, and what life was like in the front range in the late 1800's. This is one of the great historical things to do in Colorado, as Fort Collins has a rich and colorful early history in the settling of Colorado.

When:
Year-round Saturday and Sunday
1pm to 4pm
For 2014, the Poudre Landmarks web site is incomplete and it is unknown whether Avery House tours are still taking place. Hopefully they will release an updated schedule soon. Call them to check on the latest situation: 970-221-0533

Where:
328 West Mountain Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Avery House Web Site:

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder (always free)

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has created a beautiful nature preserve on their property on Table Mesa Drive in Boulder, at the base of the Flatirons.

Lookout Mountain Nature Center (always free)

This free nature center on top of Lookout Mountain in Golden is one of the top things to do in Colorado with the kids.

Budweiser Tour in Fort Collins (always free)

The Budweiser tour in Fort Collins ranks right up there with the Coors tour in the battle of the Colorado beer tours. Anheuser-Busch has offered very professional and detailed tours of their Fort Collins brewery for many years and the popularity continues to grow.

Patsy's Candies Tour in Colorado Springs (always free)

Patsy's Candies in Colorado Springs takes the making of chocolate candy to a whole new level. Free tours of their factory demonstrate the handcrafted nature of Patsy's Candies and highlight the artisanship present in their high quality candies.