Visiting Denver for a Game?

Denver International Airport (DEN) is located approximately 25 miles from downtown, making it one of the farther major-city airports from its urban core. The most practical option for most traveling fans is the RTD A Line commuter rail, which runs directly from the DEN Transit Center (Level 1, south end of Jeppesen Terminal, adjacent to the Westin hotel) to Denver Union Station in about 37 minutes for $10 each way. If you are traveling with a group or heavy gear, rideshare via Uber or Lyft runs $35–45 under normal conditions, with surge pricing likely after night games.

Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) is genuinely sports-fan-friendly: the E and W Lines light rail connect Union Station directly to both Ball Arena (one stop, at the Ball Arena–Elitch Gardens station) and Empower Field at Mile High (two stops), and Coors Field in the LoDo neighborhood is roughly a 10-minute walk from Union Station. A car is unnecessary if you are staying downtown or in LoDo, and parking costs and traffic near stadiums on game days make driving a poor choice; stick to RTD or rideshare for event nights. Uber and Lyft are widely available throughout the metro, though expect surge pricing immediately after large Broncos or Avalanche playoff games.

Lower Downtown (LoDo) is the clear first choice for sports travelers: it puts you within walking distance of Coors Field and Ball Arena, and one light-rail stop from Empower Field at Mile High, with dozens of bars and restaurants perfect for pre- and post-game. Expect to pay roughly $150–$250 per night at mid-range hotels in LoDo or the Union Station area on non-event nights, with prices spiking to $300–$400 or more on Broncos home-game weekends. The Capitol Hill and RiNo (River North Art District) neighborhoods offer slightly cheaper options at $120–$180 per night with reasonable RTD access. Book well in advance for Broncos games and any Avalanche playoff runs, as the entire downtown hotel market tightens fast.

Denver is one of the best multi-sport cities in North America for a traveling fan: you can realistically attend an Avalanche or Nuggets game at Ball Arena on a Friday, a Rockies game at Coors Field on Saturday afternoon, and a Broncos game at Empower Field on Sunday, all within a mile-and-a-half radius of Union Station. The altitude (5,280 feet above sea level) is a genuine factor at Coors Field, where the thin air produces some of the most hitter-friendly conditions in baseball, and visiting fans should pace themselves with alcohol as it hits harder than at sea level. Denver's fan base is passionate and generally welcoming to visitors, though Broncos game days carry a serious home-crowd intensity, especially for AFC West rivals. Denver Summit FC (NWSL) at Centennial Stadium adds a newer pro soccer option that is gaining a strong local following and offers a more intimate, affordable game-day experience.