May Overview
- High temperature: 72°F (22°C)
- Low temperature: 45°F (7°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 10 hours
- Water temperature: 1°F (0°C)
May is the wettest month in Denver with 11 days seeing rain on average. High temperatures start to reach a very pleasant 72°F. Average low temperatures remain at a quite cool 45°F so do bring a jacket. May is also the windiest month in Denver. The days get noticeably warmer throughout the month and there are now 10 hours of sunshine each day. At the start of the month, there is still a slight chance of snow and some ski resorts in the mountains nearby can stay open until May. The Arapahoe Basin Ski Area typically has the longest ski season and can even remain open into the summer.
With the warmer weather, May is an ideal time to explore the surrounding area particularly if you’re into hiking and enjoy breathtaking views. You could also catch a baseball game at Coors Field , home of the Denver Rockies, or visit the Denver Botanic Gardens. Overall, May is a fantastic time to visit Denver as the temperatures are pleasant, there are fewer tourists than in the peak summer season and you should be able to find some great hotel deals.
Best Time to Visit Denver
Denver Denver is a great place to visit at any time of the year especially if you’re looking to be active outdoors. From hiking in the spring and fall to skiing in winter and sightseeing year round, Denver has it all!
Winters can be very unpredictable with the potential for particularly cold or mild weather on any given day.
Summer sees the most rainfall and can feel quite hot, although the humidity remains low in summer, so late spring or early fall are good in terms of consistency of the weather. Highs in spring reach up to 72°F with overnight lows in the 30s F. In fall, there’s the potential for an Indian summer with highs of up to 75°F.
Things to know about Denver
Denver is the capital city of Colorado and lies just east of the Rocky Mountains in a valley at an altitude of 5280 ft, or one mile exactly, which is why it’s known as the Mile-High City that brings along some weather pecularities.
The LoDo (short for lower downtown) district is very trendy and whilst being a historic district, today sees lots of shops, restaurants and clubs. It’s home to the historic Denver Union Station which itself features several shops, bars and restaurants. 16th Street Mall and Latimer Square are next to LoDo and are also trendy areas to visit. In addition, 16th Street Mall offers a free shuttle.
It’s worth checking if there’s a concert on at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre which is located just outside of Denver and is one of the most unique concert venues in the world. It’s essentially a rock (in the geological sense, not the music type) structure that’s been made into an outdoor arena. It has a capacity of close to 10,000 and has seen the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, U2, Depeche Mode and The Grateful Dead all play there.
The Brown Palace Hotel is one of the longest operating hotels in Colorado and offers public tours to highlight its place in history and outline some of its notable guests over the years. Tours are particularly popular in October with “ghost” tours conducted that feature unexplained events that have been collated over the years. You could always join a free walking tour that takes you through downtown and points out the main sights, which there are:
- Denver Art Museum and
- The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
- City and County Building and
- Civic Center Park
- Pepsi Center and
- Colorado State Capitol
