This was previously posted in the summer of 2019 before I had to restart the travel blog due to technical issues. Now, as things begin slowly starting to reopen from coronavirus lockdown, re-sharing this post is my way of looking forward to the return of concerts, sports, and travel in general! In fact, I’d already bought tickets for another Red Rocks show in 2020 before the pandemic arrived — it’s in September, so not cancelled (at least not yet).
There are countless things to see and do in the Denver area, but this short trip was all about one thing that Mom and I both considered a “bucket list” item – seeing a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater. It worked out that Josh Groban, who I’d also been wanting to see, was playing in August at Red Rocks along with the Colorado Symphony. Some people may think flying to Denver for a concert is crazy, but in my view, it was completely worthwhile!
Panoramic view of the rocks from our seats at Red Rocks Amphitheater before the sun went down.
The venue and the concert did not disappoint. It was an awesome show with amazing sound quality, and it is a one-of-a-kind setting under the stars and the massive red rocks that are the venue’s namesake.
You may still think its crazy to fly to Denver and back in three days, but non-stop Southwest flights from Nashville to Denver actually make it relatively easy to take this kind of short trip. We booked round-trip flights for just 9,388 Rapid Rewards points per person (and $11.20 in fees). The cash price would’ve also been reasonable at $158 each. With less than a three hour flight time, we took a mid-day flight from Nashville and arrived in Denver around 2:30 pm local time.
Upon arrival, my usual inclination is to take an Uber or Lyft from the airport to the hotel. However, if you’re staying in downtown Denver near Union Station, the best option is definitely to travel by train, as suggested by the iconic neon sign on the building. Train tickets from the Denver Airport to Union Station are $10.50 per person, while an Uber was going to cost around $40.00.
Downtown Denver is very walkable, and we had no trouble filling our free time with activities. In addition to the concert, we took in a baseball game at Coors Field, had some excellent meals at Mercantile and Denver Milk Market (both, I would highly recommend), visited the Tattered Cover bookstore, and did some shopping on 16th Street.
One more recommendation — CID Colorado’s Shuttles to Red Rocks was a great way to get from downtown to the concert; parking on your own seems it would be challenging. Also, a lesson learned — there is a sloped area under the seats at Red Rocks, and you will quite likely spill any beverage you attempt to place under your seat!
All-in-all, it was a great three days capped off by a concert experience that was absolutely worth the trip!
View of the Red Rocks Stage. 
Red Rocks before sunset. 
Red Rocks after dark. 
Union Station train terminal. 
Coors Field. 
Outside the Denver Milk Market. 
View of Denver from Coors Field.
