17 Great Things to do in Denver in March
March is the snowiest month for Denver, but that doesn’t stop anyone from having a lot of fun! From indoor warmth to outdoor adventures, there are plenty of things to do in Denver in March. So get your green on and test your luck with these fun activities and events for your next March visit to Denver.
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What to do in Denver in March- Here are the top activities!
1. St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Denver is the largest of its kind in the western US. Nearly half-a-million people gather to watch floats and entertainment make its way down a few streets in Denver, while the majority of the route is on Blake St.
The official parade site notes that the best place for families to watch is between 23rd and 27th on Blake St.
The parade is a big party that celebrates Irish culture. It welcomes hundreds of thousands of people and takes over 300 volunteers to run.
The parade has been going since 1962!
2. Olde Town Arvada St. Patrick’s Day Festival
This is outside the downtown area, but if you don’t have a car, you can still ride the rail or bus to Olde Town Arvada.
The Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, Old Town Arvada throws a great, family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day celebration. They bring in nearly 100 vendors, live music and bagpipes, and more.
It’s free admission and the whole family is invited. The kids will love the kids zone and the whole family will get there pick of nourishment with all the food trucks.
3. Restaurant Week in Denver
If you’re in Denver in March, you’re sure to have a great foodie experience if you land during Restaurant week.
Restaurant week runs 10 days, weekend-to-weekend, so if you have a few days in Denver, it’s worth trying to get a reservation and experience these great menus.
During this time, participating restaurants will offer unique, delicious menus to restaurant week participants. There are options for to-go, but it’s best to make a reservation and enjoy the entire experience.
Choose from gourmet food halls that source local ingredients and powerful flavors to sit-down seafood restaurants where the food is flown in daily.
There are restaurants all over the Denver area, including the tech center (DTC) and Cherry Creek. The foodie week has grown to over 200 participating restaurants.
Find your flavor to plan out your week.
4. 303 Day
303 Day is a bit of a random, unofficial day of celebration in Denver. The main area code for Denver and surrounding areas is 303, making March 3rd significant.
Local radio stations will host concerts by local musicians and help locals celebrate Denver on this day.
5. Denver March Powwow
Another celebration in Denver in March is the Denver March Powwow. This has been going on for nearly 5 decades and celebrates Native American heritage.
For one weekend in March, people from 100 tribes and many many states (and even Canada) come to celebrate, sing, dance, story tell, and honor their Native American heritage.
Enjoy the Grand Entry that starts each day with raising the flag. Attendees can also join in with dancing to the drums and music.
This is a great cultural experience for families. It’s quite affordable, and children 6 and under are free.
Plan your Denver March Powwow experience.
6. Red Rocks Easter Sunrise
Easter doesn’t always fall in March, but sometimes it does. Regardless of it being in March or April, everyone is invited to join in the Red Rocks Easter Sunrise service.
Doors open early and worship begins around 5:30. By 6am, the service will begin. The sun will rise shortly after and attendees can experience a magical moment from the stunning Red Rocks Amphitheater.
The event is free to attend, and parking is free as well (making it a great free thing to do in Denver with the family).
7. Go Sledding
For some fun, cheap outdoor adventures, grab a sled and head to a local hill for some family-fun sledding.
Here are a few local favorites when it comes to sledding hills:
- Ruby Hill Park (1200 W Florida Ave)
- Prairie Meadows Park (Prairie Meadow Dr and Uinta)
- Robinson Park (200 Fairfax St)
- Central Park (8801 MLK Jr Blvd)
8. Go Snow Tubing
If you don’t mind a little drive, you can head to a few places that provide full tubing experiences!
Hoedown Hill is just an hour north in Windsor. The place is versatile since you can snow tube or learn to ski. Hoedown Hill is home to the longest tubing run in North America- the Bushwhacker.
Colorado Adventure Park is an hour-and-a-half away up in the mountains of Fraser. It’s one of the more affordable places to tube, and it also offers snowshoeing and fat biking.
Echo Mountain is just under an hour away from the city. This makes it the closest place to snow tube near Denver. Echo Mountain has 6 lanes and offers night tubing on a couple days each week.
9-15. Indoor Attractions Around Denver
While you’ll still get plenty of sun in March in Denver, you’re likely to run into some wintery conditions as well.
All that means is that you may want to head to some indoor activities in Denver. Here are a few that will keep the whole family entertained!
Meow Wolf- an illusionary type of attraction, heavy on senses of sight and sound.
Downtown Aquarium– Plenty of sea life to discover, plus a tiger and mermaids! Makes sure to eat at the Aquarium Restaurant which is the coolest ocean atmosphere you’ve been to.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science– This is a favorite! We love seeing the mummies and learning all about space. My kids really love the hands-on activities and challenge course as well.
Molly Brown House- Molly Brown was a Titanic survivor, but she actually did so much more in the community.
Children’s Museum– Located just beyond the aquarium you’ll find the popular Children’s Museum. All ages will find something to explore and play with here.
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum– Witness the first hospital helicopter, how pilots navigated their way before GPS, a moon rock from the Apollo 15 mission, and more.
Colorado State Capital- Take a free tour of the capital building to admire its famous dome and hefty amount of Colorado Rose Onyx. Check out the Colorado supreme court area as well as house and senate chambers.
Save on many attractions in Denver with the CityPass!
16. Take a Winter Hike near Denver in March
Hiking isn’t just for summer. When you’re in Colorado, hiking is a year round adventure.
If the weather is agreeable, grab some sturdy hiking boots and find your way to a local hike.
For an easier stroll, head to Sloan’s Lake or Wash Park for a lake view on your walk.
For something a little more off-road, head to Red Rocks for easy, flat trails among red rock scenery.
And if you have snowshoes with you, take the drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park for a real treat in scenery.
Bonus: If you do head up to Rocky Mountain National Park, then check out the events going on in Estes Park as long as you’re up there. Events range from calm Art Walks on the first Friday to the bizzare Frozen Dead Guy Days on St. Partrick’s Day weekend. This usually involves a Polar Plunge as well.
17. Hit the Slopes
March brings some of the best skiing to Colorado. If you’re able to get out of the city, take the trip over to the ski resorts (some big resorts just an hour and a half away, like Breckenridge) and spend a day on the mountain.
With high levels of snow and a good chance at sunshine, skiing over spring break can be incredible!
Some of the closer resorts include Breckenridge, Keystone, A Basin, Loveland, Echo Mountain, and Eldora.
To avoid hitting ski traffic, consider making a little weekend trip into the mountains.
Weather in Denver in March
Average lows start the month in the low 20s and end the month in the high 20s. But those are the nighttime chills. While March may be the snowiest (averaging 11.5″ in the month of March), it still has plenty of fair-weather afternoons.
The average highs in Denver start at 50 and by the end of the month we see highs in the high 50s.
That said, those are averages. If you end up in Denver during a blizzard, make sure to dress warmly in layers. And if it does blizzard, don’t worry. You’ll see the sun soon enough.
Where to Stay
I always recommend the Grand Hyatt in Denver. It’s centrally located to a lot of attractions, 16th Street Mall, and close to public transportation if you’re heading to Denver without a car.
It has a beautiful lobby and a nice indoor pool, perfect year round!
Visiting Denver in March
While it may not be prime time, there are still plenty of fun activities and things to do in Denver in March. Enjoy great food during restaurant week, check out one of the local sledding hill or tubing establishments, head to a museum of attraction, or just enjoy hiking around the area.
Wear layers, drink lots of water, and enjoy your March trip to Denver.
Want to get away for a day? Check out the best Day Trips from Denver
Getting outside of Denver? Check out:
