The Park on the Plaza at Denver International Airport-Exploring the Tranquil Oasis

Relax and unwind at Denver International Airport’s Park on the Plaza. The open-air public garden offers travelers and their families a tranquil, outdoor oasis. It’s easy to find because it’s immediately south of the main Jeppesen Terminal and just north of the on-airport Westin Hotel. Visitors can soak up some sunshine or find some shade; lounge on comfy seats, stretch out on grass-like turf, enjoy native plants and flowers, take in the views, watch departing and landing aircraft, and even play games of cornhole before or after a flight. Best of all, it’s free to use!

At 82,000 square feet (about 7,620 square meters) the Plaza gives stressed-out travelers a welcomed, roomy escape from security lines and full airplanes. Or, visitors can just stretch their legs before traveling on to downtown Denver or other metro area locales with Eddie Limo, or perhaps on to Vail, Beaver Creek, or other mountain resorts with Mountain Car Service.

Is The Park on The Plaza Open in Summer 2023?

According to airport officials, The Park on The Plaza is open through Oct. 2, 2023. The Plaza is just steps from the terminal, so visitors don’t have far to go when they need to get to ground transportation or to return to the airport gates.

The Park on the Plaza also is very near several airport restaurants, so grab something to eat or drink, too. Of course, the Plaza has conveniently placed tables to hold a laptop or lunch plate and beverage.

What exactly is The Park on the Plaza at DEN?

The open-air plaza makes good use of the otherwise space (called “field of air” on some online maps) between the terminal and the hotel. It’s meant to be a friendly, relaxing public area at one of Colorado’s most recognizable travel locations.

In summer, it provides a park-like ambiance where visitors can enjoy Denver’s famous sunshine while also partaking in refreshments or moderate exercise.

In winter, it transforms into an outdoor ice-skating rink. A temporary shop provides skates for free hourly or daily use.

Then early next summer, look for The Park on the Plaza to host a miniature golf course and jazz concerts as well as its other amenities.

Is The DEN Park Open to the Public?

The Plaza is outside of the airport’s secured area, so the public can visit it, too. That means that families, friends, business associates, and hotel guests can share time before or after flights. Security is nearby, though, so visitors can feel safe.

Like the rest of the Denver airport, the Plaza complies with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, so it’s friendly and convenient for wheelchair users and families with children in strollers. Travelers can just roll their wheeled luggage right onto the Plaza, and keep it next to their loungers and other comfortable seats.

There’s no charge to enter the Park on the Plaza but to enjoy it, visitors still need to get to the airport, which is located about 25 miles from downtown Denver. Let Eddie Limo or Mountain Car Service take you to Jeppesen Terminal, from where you can easily access the Plaza.

Denver’s Airport Plaza Joins Worldwide Trend

The open-air rest area at Denver’s airport reflects a growing trend at many of the world’s best airports. Inspiration for Denver’s Park on the Plaza came when a Denver airport executive visited Munich, Germany, and saw the airport’s Playground. Efforts to transform the Denver airport’s old Field of Air into the Park on the Plaza began in 2018, with the park opening in 2019.

Other relaxing, outdoor spaces at U.S. airports can be found at:

• JetBlue T5 Rooftop at JFK, New York, New York;
• Delta’s Sky Deck at JFK, New York, New York;
• Star Alliance Lounge at LAX, Los Angeles, California;
• Delta’s Sky Deck at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia.

Internationally, additional airport outdoor areas include:

• Amsterdam Schiphol’s Airport Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands;
• Larry Berg Flight Path Park at Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, Canada;
• Terrace at Sydney International Airport, Sydney, Australia;
• Pool lounge and observation deck at Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore;
• Sky Deck at Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong; and
• Virgin Atlantic’s Virgin Heathrow Clubhouse, London, UK.
• The Playground at Munich Airport, Munich, Germany.

What Makes the DEN Park So Special?

But Denver’s Park on the Plaza is unique because of its location and amazing views, including those of the “purple mountains’ majesty” west of the city. The wonderful song “America, the Beautiful” was written on a Colorado mountain (Pike’s Peak), which can be seen from the Denver airport on a clear day.

What’s more, according to Denver’s tourism boosters, the metro area receives about 300 days of full or partial sunshine, so the Park on the Plaza offers a sunny reprieve and fresh air for travelers who have been cooped up in airplanes and concourses. Nice shady areas can be found on the Plaza, too, thanks to thoughtfully placed canopies, so even on warm afternoons, the park remains an inviting, outdoor oasis.

Activities at the Park on the Plaza at the Denver Airport

The Park on the Plaza feels like a neighborhood public garden, complete with flowers, comfortable chairs, useful tables, places to nap, and even outdoor games. It serves as a vibrant outdoor haven for travelers and their families. 

The park will host its final jazz concert of the season in August, but the live music will return early next summer, along with a miniature golf course and other activities. This winter, expect to see an outdoor ice-skating rink, including a place the whole family can borrow free skates for a few hours.

Restaurants inside the terminal are open year-round. And since they’re outside the secured area, travelers and their guests can always get a bite to eat or a beverage to enjoy, and then take their snacks onto the Park on the Plaza to enjoy.

Conclusion

The Park on the Plaza a great place to relax, get some fresh air and unwind. It’s certainly worth a visit by all travelers and their guests at the Denver International Airport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Park on the Plaza at Denver International Airport?

It’s located outside, just south of the main Jeppesen Terminal, and north of the on-airport Westin Hotel.

Is it far?

No! It’s just steps from the terminal, so it’s very easy to get to during layovers and before or after a flight.

Does it cost anything to visit the Park on the Plaza?

No. The park is free to the public.

Can my family and friends meet me there even if they don’t have an airplane ticket to enter the airport’s secured areas?

Yes. The Park is outside the secured area so your family, friends, business associates, and other guests can meet you there for relaxation or even a meal.

But is there security nearby?

The airport’s security teams keep an eye on the Plaza, just as they do other locations in, on, or near the airport.

Is the Park on the Plaza wheelchair accessible? What about baby strollers? Wheeled luggage?

Yes, the Park is accessible. Denver International Airport complies with the federal Americans with Disability Act, so the Park is convenient for wheelchair users and others.

What is there to do at the Park on the Plaza?

Activities change with the seasons. In late summer, hear a jazz concert, play a game of cornhole, enjoy the mountain views, watch landing and departing airplanes, soak up some sunshine, relax in the shade, or even nap in the lounge chairs or on the grass-like turf. In winter, the Plaza area converts to an ice-skating rink — free skates again will be available from the nearby, temporary skate shop.

Next summer, expect to see a miniature golf course, more live music concerts, and other activities at the Park on the Plaza.

Can I get something to eat or drink?

Yes, several restaurants are located inside the terminal and are outside the secured area, so you and your guests can buy a meal and beverage, and enjoy it on the Plaza.