things-to-do
Denver's Union Station: What to Do at the Restored LoDo Landmark
The 1914 station in Lower Downtown reopened in 2014 as a transit hub, hotel and dining destination.
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Denver Union Station anchors the Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood and has served as the city's rail gateway since 1914. After a major public renovation, it reopened in July 2014 as a combined transit hub and social destination, according to VisitDenver and the station's operators.
The centerpiece is the Great Hall, the station's grand indoor waiting room, which now doubles as an open lobby lined with restaurants, bars and shops. Visitors can sit on the historic wooden benches beneath the hall's tall windows, grab a coffee, or settle in for a meal without needing a train ticket.
The building also houses the Crawford Hotel, whose rooms are set within the restored station. On the transit side, the station connects Amtrak's California Zephyr long-distance service, Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter and light rail lines, and the A Line train that runs to Denver International Airport.
Because it sits at the edge of LoDo, Union Station is an easy starting point for exploring downtown Denver on foot. The surrounding blocks include the shops and restaurants of the Dairy Block, the ballpark district around Coors Field, and the tree-lined stretch of Wynkoop Street. The station's outdoor plaza regularly hosts seasonal events and a summer fountain that draws families.
For visitors planning a trip, the station is open to the public daily and is straightforward to reach by rail, rideshare or on foot from much of downtown. It works well as a first stop for orienting yourself in the city, whether you are catching a train, meeting friends for dinner, or simply taking in one of Denver's most recognizable historic buildings.
Union Station's central location also makes it a practical reference point for visitors learning the layout of downtown Denver, since several neighborhoods radiate out from it. Locals use the Great Hall as a meeting spot and a place to wait out weather, and the surrounding streets are flat and walkable. Because the building combines public transit, dining and lodging under one roof, it tends to stay busy from early morning through the evening, and it is worth allowing extra time simply to look at the restored interior details before moving on to other parts of the city.