Q: How do the Denver Audio Adventure self-guided tours work?

Denver Audio Adventure self-guided tours work entirely through your smartphone — no app download is required before you purchase, and no guide or group is involved. After you buy your tour online, you immediately receive two emails: the first email is a receipt and the second email contains step-by-step instructions and a unique six-letter passcode. Follow the instructions in that email to download and open the tour app, enter your passcode, and you are ready to begin. The app functions like GPS, providing turn-by-turn walking directions between stops along with narrated audio commentary recorded by one of Discover Denver's local guides. You can start your tour any time, on any day, with no reservation needed. Just begin walking from the tour's starting point whenever you are ready. If you would prefer not to rely on cellular data while exploring, the app allows you to download the full tour content in advance for offline use.

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Quick "How It Works" overview:

1. Purchase tour

2. Receive passcode by email

3. Download the app

4. Enter passcode

5. Follow GPS turn-by-turn directions at your own pace

 

Q: Do I need to download an app for the Denver self-guided tour?

Yes — a free app is required to take a Denver Audio Adventure self-guided tour, but you only need to download it after you have purchased your tour, not before. Once you buy a tour, you will receive an email with a direct link to download the app along with your unique six-letter access passcode. The app works on any smartphone and provides GPS-guided, turn-by-turn walking directions paired with narrated audio commentary at each stop. If you are concerned about using cellular data while walking, the app allows you to download your tour's content in advance so it works fully offline. No additional software, equipment, or prior tech setup is required beyond a smartphone and the free app.

 

Q: How many self-guided Denver walking tours are available?

Discover Denver Tours currently offers four self-guided Audio Adventure walking tours, with a fifth route returning soon. The four available now are Mile High City Highlights (covering the State Capitol, Civic Center Park, and the Molly Brown House), Best of Denver (covering downtown Denver and LoDo, including Larimer Square and the Cherry Creek Trail), Discover Denver's Hot Spots + History (covering LoDo, the 16th Street Mall, and the Brown Palace), and Denver's Public Art Unplugged (covering some of the more than 400 public art installations across downtown Denver).

 

The RiNo Street Art & Graffiti self-guided tour is being updated with new murals and will be available again soon. A Haunted Denver Audio Adventure is also in development and coming soon. Each tour runs 60 to 75 minutes and covers 1.0 to 1.5 miles at an easy, flat walking pace.

 

Tours are priced individually at $9.99 per device, or as a 3-pack for $19.98 — buy two, get the third free.

 

Q: Can I do a self-guided Denver tour at night?

Yes — Discover Denver's self-guided Audio Adventure tours are available on demand, any time, with no fixed departure schedule, which means you can begin a tour in the evening or at night if you prefer. Each route is in a well-lit, well-trafficked downtown Denver neighborhood — Capitol Hill, LoDo, or the RiNo Art District — and covers an easy, flat 1.0 to 1.5-mile walking distance. That said, several stops are best appreciated in daylight, particularly the Public Art Unplugged tour and the RiNo street art route, where seeing the color and detail of the murals and sculptures is part of the experience.

 

For tours focused primarily on architecture, history, and storytelling rather than visual art, an evening walk works well, and Denver's downtown core is generally active and well-lit after dark. As with any self-guided walk at night, we recommend staying aware of your surroundings and walking with a companion when possible.

 

Q: What is the best self-guided Denver walking tour for first-time visitors?

For first-time visitors, the Best of Denver self-guided walking tour is the best starting point. It covers the heart of downtown Denver and LoDo, including Larimer Square, the Denver Center for Performing Arts, and the Cherry Creek Trail, giving you an efficient orientation to the neighborhoods you are most likely to return to during your trip.

 

If you want a deeper dive into Denver's history and government district, Mile High City Highlights is an excellent second choice, covering the Colorado State Capitol, Civic Center Park, and the Molly Brown House. Many first-time visitors choose to do both: Discover Denver recommends starting with Mile High City Highlights and following with Best of Denver, since the two routes connect geographically and flow naturally from one into the other.

 

If you complete one tour and want to keep exploring, the 3-pack pricing — buy two tours, get a third free — makes it easy and affordable to see Denver's downtown, art scene, and hidden history all in the same visit.