Denver Holiday Lights Tour Itinerary

1. Tour Start: Union Station (meet your guide at the flagpole on the corner of 17th & Wynkoop)

2. The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

3. Colfax Avenue's bustling action

4. Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light

5. Cherry Creek Winter Wonderland Night Lights (through 12/24)

6. 16th Street's lights, sights, and action and the Parade of Lights holiday floats

7. The Daniels & Fisher Tower, illuminated for the holidays

8. Union Station's extravagant Denver lights (through 12/26)

9. ​The historic Oxford Hotel's holiday window displays

10. LoDo's famous Larimer Square, decorated for the holidays

11. The Denver Center for Performing Arts

12. The Denver City and County Building lights (photo stop) — Colorado's most spectacular holiday light display, covering the entire facade of the historic 1932 building at Colfax and Bannock. The animated light show doesn't occur on Mondays, but the full building illumination is active nightly.

13. The beautiful, interactive Mile High Christmas Tree (optional photo stop)

14. The Christkindl Market (through 12/23; optional photo stop. Closes at 7 p.m. Sun-Wed on these dates: 11/22-12/14. We recommend visiting before the tour on these days.) 

15. Tour End: Denver's holiday headquarters: Tivoli Quad (a few blocks from tour start)

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Cancellation/Refund Policy: No refunds are available for our Holiday Lights bus tours & tickets are not transferable to other dates unless a Flex ticket is purchased.

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FAQs:

Q: When does the Denver Holiday Lights bus tour run?

The Denver Holiday Lights Bus Tour runs nightly from the Friday after Thanksgiving through December 30, with one exception: there are no tours on the first Saturday in December due to the Denver Holiday Lights Parade. Tours depart at 5pm or 6pm from the flagpole in front of Union Station at the intersection of 17th Street and Wynkoop Street. The tour is 1 hour and 45 minutes and ends at the Tivoli Quad at 1000 Larimer Street, a few blocks from the starting location. Tours operate rain, snow, or shine. In the rare event of an active blizzard or unsafe road conditions, guests will be contacted at least two hours before their scheduled departure time with rescheduling or cancellation information. The Holiday Lights Bus Tour is a limited-run seasonal experience with a maximum of 14 guests per departure — spots sell out nightly, particularly on weekends and the week of Christmas. Advance booking is strongly recommended.

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Q: What lights and sights does the Denver holiday bus tour visit?

The Denver Holiday Lights Bus Tour visits 15 illuminated sights and landmarks across downtown Denver, LoDo, Capitol Hill, Cherry Creek, and the Botanic Gardens neighbourhood in 1 hour and 45 minutes. The full itinerary includes: the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Colfax Avenue, the Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light display, Cherry Creek Winter Wonderland Night Lights (through December 24), 16th Street and Parade of Lights holiday floats, the Daniels & Fisher Clock Tower, Union Station's holiday lights display (through December 26), the historic Oxford Hotel holiday window displays, Larimer Square decorated for the holidays, the Denver Center for Performing Arts, the Denver City & County Building holiday light show (optional photo stop — the light show does not occur on Mondays, though the building remains beautifully lit), the interactive Mile High Christmas Tree (optional photo stop), the Christkindl Market (through December 23, optional photo stop), and the Tivoli Quad — Denver's holiday headquarters and the tour's ending location. Your local guide shares Denver holiday stories, Christmas lore, and insider knowledge throughout the experience. Guests should dress warmly in layers as two stops include time outside the bus.

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Q: Is the Christkindl Market included in the Denver holiday tour?

Yes — if you're looking for a Denver Christkindl Market tour, the Holiday Lights Bus Tour drops guests at the Tivoli Quad — home of the Christkindl Market — at the end of every evening through December 23, giving you time to browse the market after the tour wraps up.

 

The Tivoli Quad serves as Denver's holiday headquarters and the home of both the Christkindl Market and the Mile High Christmas Tree. The Christkindl Market closes at 7pm on Sundays through Wednesdays for dates between November 22 and December 14 — guests booked on early departure tours on those evenings are recommended to visit the market before the tour rather than after, as the tour may arrive close to or after closing time.

 

The market runs its full hours on Thursdays through Saturdays. After December 23 the Christkindl Market closes for the season, but the Tivoli Quad, the Mile High Christmas Tree, and the surrounding holiday lights continue through the end of the tour's run on December 30. If the Christkindl Market is a priority for your visit, book a tour date between November 27 and December 23 and choose the 5pm departure to allow the most time at the market after the tour ends.

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Q: Does the Denver Holiday Lights tour go to the City and County Building light show?

Yes — the Denver City and County Building holiday light show is one of the most spectacular stops on the Holiday Lights Bus Tour and is included as an optional photo stop where guests can step off the bus. The City and County Building at Colfax Avenue and Bannock Street is transformed each holiday season into one of Denver's most iconic illuminated landmarks, with thousands of colored lights covering the entire facade of the historic 1932 building. One important note: the full light show does not occur on Mondays. On Monday evenings the building is still beautifully and fully lit, but the animated or sequenced light display element is not active. If seeing the complete light show is a priority for your group, book any departure from Tuesday through Sunday. The photo stop at the City and County Building is one of two outdoor stops on the tour, so dress warmly in layers — the stop is brief but the Colorado night air can be cold in December.

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Q: How much does the Denver holiday lights bus tour cost?

The Denver Holiday Lights Bus Tour starts at $39 per guest for most dates. A limited number of premium dates — including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and select additional holiday evenings — are priced at $44 per guest. Children under 6 are not permitted on the bus due to Colorado state regulations and car seat laws. Every guest

must have their own ticketed seat — lap children are not permitted. The tour accommodates a maximum of 14 guests. Please note that tickets for the Holiday Lights Bus Tour are non-refundable and non-transferable to other dates unless a Flex ticket is purchased, so book with confidence that your plans are confirmed. The tour sells out on most evenings, particularly weekends, the week of Thanksgiving, and the week of Christmas — early booking is strongly recommended. Gift cards from Discover Denver Tours are valid for holiday lights tour purchases.

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Q: What makes the Denver Holiday Lights Bus Tour different from other Denver Christmas tours?

The Denver Holiday Lights Bus Tour is the only guided Denver Christmas lights experience that keeps you warm, covered, and comfortable for the entire tour. Here is how it compares to the walking tour alternative:

You stay warm the whole time. Denver in late November and December can sometimes drop to overnight lows between 15 and 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or lower. The Holiday Lights Bus Tour is conducted in a climate-controlled 14-passenger shuttle, meaning you are warm and comfortable for the full 1 hour and 45 minutes — with two brief, optional outdoor photo stops at the City and County Building and the Mile High Christmas Tree for guests who want to get outside for photos. The walking tour alternative is outside for the entire experience.

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You cover more of Denver in less time. Because you are traveling by shuttle rather than on foot, the Holiday Lights Bus Tour visits 15 illuminated stops across a much wider geographic area than any walking tour can cover — including the Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light, Cherry Creek Winter Wonderland Night Lights, the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, and Capitol Hill landmarks that are simply too far from Union Station to reach on foot in a 1 hour 45 minute tour. A walking tour is geographically limited to stops within a walkable radius of the starting point.

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You get the full Christkindl Market experience at the end. The bus tour ends at the Tivoli Quad — home of Denver's Christkindl Market and the Mile High Christmas Tree — meaning you arrive at Denver's holiday headquarters at the end of your tour with time to browse the market, grab a warm drink, and enjoy the atmosphere at your own pace. Walking tours that end in LoDo or near Union Station require additional transportation to reach the Tivoli Quad independently.

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You are with a maximum of 14 guests. Both the bus and walking tours are small-group experiences, but the bus format means every single guest has a seat with a clear sightline and can hear the guide clearly throughout — no straining to listen over the wind or traffic noise while standing outside in the cold.

The bus tour is the right choice if:

• You are visiting Denver in late November or December and want to enjoy the holiday lights without spending two hours in freezing temperatures

• You are travelling with older guests, young children ages 6 and up, or anyone who finds extended cold weather uncomfortable

• You want to cover the broadest possible range of Denver's holiday light displays — including those too far apart to walk between — in a single evening

• You want to end the night at the Christkindl Market with energy left to enjoy it

The walking tour is the right choice if:

• You genuinely enjoy being outside in cold weather and want a more active experience

• You prefer to travel on foot and explore at street level

• You are visiting on a milder evening earlier in the season

 

Both tours are led by the same passionate local Discover Denver guides and depart from Union Station. If you are unsure which is right for your group, email our team at info@discoverdenvertours.com and we will help you decide.