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Denver Cocktails & History Tour

133 Reviews 4.97 out of 5 stars Based on 133 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 99% of reviewers
99% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
|
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards. Denver, USA
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from $95 per person

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Delicious Denver Food Tours
Delicious Denver Food Tours
Delicious Denver Food Tours
Delicious Denver Food Tours
Delicious Denver Food Tours
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 36 (21) days in advance.
2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
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Overview

Visit some of the best cocktail bars in Denver on this roving adventure through the heart of downtown.

From a light and crisp spritz to a smooth and serious Butter Pecan Old Fashioned, there's something for everyone on this boozy Denver cocktail tour.

Visit three of the best cocktail bars and restaurants in the city and sample four cocktails paired with small plates at two stops.

You’ll start at the iconic Union Station, heading next to the city’s oldest hotel. You’ll end on the Dairy Block, one of Denver’s newest, coolest micro-districts. At each stop, you’ll sample a craft cocktail (or two!), learn about Denver’s growing food and cocktail scenes and mix and mingle with fellow foodies.

Your experienced local guide will share fun cocktail history and stories about Denver’s prohibition days as well as our recent culinary renaissance, putting Denver on the map for foodies and drink enthusiasts across the country.

What's Included

  • Italian Marinated Olives
  • 2 Craft Cocktails Made Daily
  • Brachetto Spritz from James-Beard Award-Winning Restaurant
  • Gratuities
See 2 moreSee 1 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

1701 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202, USA

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

1850 Wazee Street
Denver, CO 80202, USA

The tour will end inside the Maven Hotel on the Dairy Block. This is just 2 blocks from the starting location, and tour guides are happy to provide directions back to the start.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Denver Union Station

We begin the Denver Cocktails Tour inside Union Station, one of Denver’s most beautiful and historic spaces. Originally built in 1881 and completely restored in 2014, this Beaux-Arts landmark now serves as the city’s social hub — a place where travelers, locals, and visitors all cross paths. Beneath its soaring ceilings and chandeliers, the Great Hall buzzes with energy from the bars, cafés, and restaurants that have turned the station into a showcase of Denver’s food and drink culture.As guests gather here to meet their guide, you’ll hear the story of how Union Station helped shape the city — from its railroad beginnings to its rebirth as a centerpiece of downtown life. The tour starts here because it captures the essence of Denver: classic architecture, warm hospitality, and a spirit of reinvention. After introductions and a quick orientation, we’ll step out into the city to explore the cocktail bars that define Denver’s modern mixology scene.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

The Crawford Hotel (pass by)

The Crawford Hotel is built into the upper floors of Denver Union Station, allowing guests to stay inside one of the city’s most important historic landmarks. It opened in 2014 as part of the station’s $54 million restoration and was named in honor of Dana Crawford, the influential preservationist who helped lead the project. Crawford also played a major role in saving and revitalizing Larimer Square, the Oxford Hotel and other historic Denver properties. The hotel’s rooms line the Great Hall and occupy spaces that once served as station offices, storage areas and attic rooms. Their designs reflect different periods in Union Station’s history, combining exposed brick, historic architectural details and railroad-inspired elements with modern amenities. The Crawford is a strong example of adaptive reuse: rather than turning Union Station into a museum, the redevelopment gave the building an active new purpose while preserving its identity.
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Tavernetta

Our first stop is Tavernetta, one of Denver’s most celebrated Italian restaurants and the perfect place to ease into the evening. Warm, elegant, and welcoming, it captures the relaxed sophistication of dining in northern Italy — complete with an open kitchen and a view of passing trains just steps from Union Station. Here, we start with a Brachetto Spritz, a refreshing twist on the classic aperitivo that blends lightly sparkling red Brachetto wine with citrus and a touch of bitterness. To pair, the kitchen serves housemade focaccia — golden, soft, and fragrant with olive oil — alongside a garlic conserva and mix of marinated olives. The result is simple but deeply satisfying: bright, herbal, and balanced flavors that wake up your palate for what’s to come. As your guide shares the story of Tavernetta’s James Beard Award–winning team, you’ll experience why this stop embodies the best of Denver’s elevated yet unpretentious dining scene — timeless hospitality with a local touch.
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25 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Lodo District Inc. (pass by)

Lower Downtown, commonly called LoDo, contains one of Denver’s largest concentrations of historic commercial buildings and warehouses. Its development was closely connected to Union Station and the railroad, which allowed businesses to receive and distribute products throughout the Rocky Mountain region. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, the neighborhood was filled with warehouses, hotels, saloons, wholesale companies and rail-related businesses. After World War II, many companies left downtown, passenger rail traffic declined and numerous buildings became vacant or deteriorated. Concern about demolition led Denver to establish the Lower Downtown Historic District in 1988. Historic designation encouraged property owners to preserve brick façades, heavy timber structures and other original features while converting buildings into restaurants, hotels, offices and homes.
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The Oxford Hotel

Our second stop brings us inside the Oxford Hotel, Denver’s oldest continuously operating hotel and a living piece of the city’s history. Opened in 1891, just a few years before the Brown Palace, the Oxford has hosted cowboys, railroad tycoons, and even the occasional movie star. As we step through its doors, your guide shares stories of the city’s early days — when Union Station had just opened across the street and this hotel was the height of frontier luxury.The lobby feels like a step back in time: rich wood paneling, art deco details, and century-old tilework that’s been carefully restored. Your guide paints the scene of 19th-century Denver — a booming, dusty town on the edge of the Rockies where whiskey and railroads shaped fortunes. This stop isn’t just about the drinks to come; it’s a chance to see how Denver’s cocktail culture began, in the same building where travelers once swapped stories over glasses of bourbon more than a hundred years ago.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Urban Farmer Denver

Our next stop is Urban Farmer, a modern steakhouse that reimagines farm-to-table dining in the heart of downtown Denver. Sleek yet welcoming, its bar feels both polished and relaxed — the perfect backdrop for our featured cocktail: the Butter Pecan Old Fashioned. This house favorite starts with bourbon infused with toasted pecans and browned butter, then stirred with demerara syrup and bitters to create a smooth, nutty twist on the classic. It’s rich but balanced, with a touch of warmth that fits perfectly in any season.As you sip, your guide explains how the Old Fashioned remains one of America’s most enduring cocktails — simple, adaptable, and deeply tied to craftsmanship. The drink reflects everything Urban Farmer stands for: respect for tradition with a modern, local sensibility. It’s a moment to slow down, taste the layers of flavor, and appreciate how Denver’s cocktail scene blends creativity with classic roots.
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20 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Cruise Room Bar (pass by)

Located inside the Oxford Hotel, the Cruise Room is one of Denver’s best-known historic cocktail bars. The narrow, red-lit room is decorated with Art Deco panels depicting international destinations and was designed to evoke the glamorous lounges of early-20th-century ocean liners. The bar opened the day after Prohibition ended in December 1933, giving it a particularly memorable place in Denver drinking history. Its streamlined design, indirect lighting and travel imagery reflect the optimism and fascination with modern transportation that characterized the Art Deco era. Although the space has undergone restoration, its distinctive appearance has been preserved. The Cruise Room also complements the Oxford Hotel’s connection to Union Station: both places evoke a period when long-distance travel was treated as an elegant experience rather than simply a way to reach a destination.
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Wazee Street (pass by)

Wazee Street developed as an important warehouse and commercial corridor because of its proximity to Union Station and Denver’s railroad network. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surrounding buildings stored and distributed food, machinery, household products and other goods arriving by rail. Many structures were built from brick with heavy timber framing, large windows and loading areas designed for carts, wagons and freight deliveries. As trucking replaced rail distribution and businesses moved away from downtown, numerous warehouses became underused. Preservation and redevelopment eventually gave them new purposes as restaurants, shops, offices, hotels and apartments. Walking from the Oxford Hotel toward Dairy Block, visitors can still see the repetitive windows, masonry façades and broad interior spaces that identify these buildings as former warehouses.
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The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block

Our next stop is inside The Maven Hotel, a sleek, art-filled boutique property that anchors the Dairy Block. The Maven isn’t just a place to stay — it’s a celebration of Denver’s creative spirit. As we step into the lobby, surrounded by bold murals, reclaimed wood, and sculptures from local artists, your guide shares how this building helped redefine the city’s downtown hospitality scene. The name “Maven” itself means an expert or connoisseur — a fitting stop on a cocktail tour built around craftsmanship and connection.The hotel’s airy lobby opens into a network of bars and eateries that highlight Denver’s collaborative culture. You’ll hear stories of the artists, chefs, and bartenders who helped shape the block into the lively destination it is today. The Maven perfectly bridges the city’s past and present — industrial roots polished with modern creativity. It’s a brief stop to soak in the energy, design, and personality that make this part of Denver so unique.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Dairy Block

From the Oxford Hotel, we make our way to the Dairy Block — one of downtown Denver’s most vibrant destinations for food, drink, and art. Once home to the Windsor Dairy, this historic block has been transformed into a modern micro-district filled with cocktail bars, restaurants, and local shops, all connected by a lively alleyway strung with lights and murals. As we walk, your guide shares how this redevelopment helped spark the city’s transformation into a culinary hub while honoring its industrial past.Inside the block, every detail tells a story — from the preserved brick walls and iron beams to the artisan stalls serving small-batch goods. It’s a place where locals gather after work, travelers discover hidden bars, and chefs experiment with flavor and form. The Dairy Block perfectly captures the spirit of the tour: old Denver bones with new Denver flavor. Here, we’ll pause to explore a few favorite spots and enjoy the next stop on our cocktail journey.
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15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Windsor Farm Dairy Building (pass by)

The Windsor Farm Dairy Building is the historic structure that gave Dairy Block its name. The building was designed by the Denver architectural firm Fisher and Fisher and constructed in 1916. Windsor Farm Dairy had been founded by H. Brown Cannon and grew into one of Denver’s largest dairy businesses, reportedly serving thousands of households with milk delivered by horse-drawn wagons. Its downtown location allowed the company to process and distribute dairy products near Denver’s railroad and commercial networks. In 1928, the operation was acquired by Meadow Gold’s parent company, Beatrice Foods, which continued dairy production at the site. As industrial activity moved away from LoDo, the building eventually lost its original function. The structure was later incorporated into the modern Dairy Block development, preserving its brick exterior and commercial character.
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Poka Lola Social Club

We end our Denver Cocktails Tour at Poka Lola Social Club, a vintage-inspired bar tucked inside The Maven Hotel. With its marble bar, patterned tile, and playful nods to soda fountains of the past, Poka Lola feels both classic and modern — a place where craftsmanship meets fun. Here, the bartenders curate two craft cocktails exclusively for our group, each one reflecting the season and showcasing the creativity that defines Denver’s mixology scene. No two visits are quite the same; the menu evolves with local ingredients, trends, and inspiration.
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25 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Show 11 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Minimum drinking age is 21 years
  • Vegetarian tastings are available

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Denver Cocktails & History Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (MST).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-62532P3

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.97
133 reviews

Average 4.97 out of 5 stars based on 133 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
130
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
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1 star
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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 36 (21) days in advance.
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Balloon Tours customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Denver Cocktails & History Tour?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (MST).
  • This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Italian Marinated Olives.
  • 2 Craft Cocktails Made Daily.
  • Brachetto Spritz from James-Beard Award-Winning Restaurant.
  • Housemade Focaccia.
  • Butter Pecan Old Fashioned.
The following is NOT included:
  • Gratuities.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

The minimum age to participate is 21..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the Denver Cocktails & History Tour is as follows:

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Denver Cocktails & History Tour will be included in your confirmation email from City Balloon Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • Italian Marinated Olives
  • 2 Craft Cocktails Made Daily
  • Brachetto Spritz from James-Beard Award-Winning Restaurant
  • Housemade Focaccia
  • Butter Pecan Old Fashioned
  • Gratuities

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Minimum drinking age is 21 years
  • Vegetarian tastings are available
  • Mocktails are available upon request
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Report Product Issue

Activity name