What to See in Durango, United States: Free Audio Guide

Wondering about the best things to do in Durango? This southwestern Colorado city combines railroad heritage, historic buildings, riverfront scenery and cultural attractions. Durango is also the administrative center of La Plata County, whose landscape extends from mountains in the north to hillier terrain farther south. Neywo has a free audio guide for Durango with 3 narrated places, available in 11 languages.

What to See in Durango

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is central to the city’s identity. Its historic downtown station marks the starting point for a steam-powered railway journey along the Animas River and through steep canyons toward Silverton.

The railroad reflects Durango’s connections with mining, transportation and regional development. Near the station, the railroad museum adds historical context to the railway and its role in the area.

Downtown Durango

Main Avenue is the heart of downtown Durango. Preserved historic buildings line the street, housing independent shops, cafés, restaurants and other local businesses.

The area is compact and walkable, making it a natural place to experience the city’s Old West character. Downtown also brings together Durango’s historic atmosphere and its contemporary food and shopping scene.

The Powerhouse

The Powerhouse, formerly known as the Durango Discovery Museum, is an interactive science museum focused on energy. It occupies the former Durango Light and Power Company plant, a building that began operating in 1892.

The plant was an unusually early alternating-current power station, and Durango had electric street lights before many large cities in the East. That history remains part of the museum’s identity, with energy themes running through its exhibits and outreach programs.

The building itself is a major part of the visit. Its renovated Mission-style design is recognized as both a state and national historic place. Located along the Animas River Trail, it also connects the museum with Durango’s riverfront. Inside, the original boiler room remains intact and now serves as the science center’s theater.

Animas City Theatre

Animas City Theatre is both a theatre and a movie theater in Durango. It adds a performing-arts and cinema venue to the city’s cultural offering, alongside its museums, historic sites and downtown attractions.

La Plata County

Durango is the administrative center of La Plata County, which also includes Bayfield, Ignacio and surrounding unincorporated areas. The county’s varied setting includes mountains in the north and more gently hilly terrain farther south.

The name La Plata means “the silver” in Spanish. The county takes its name from the La Plata River and the La Plata Mountains, connecting the area’s geography with its history.

The region also includes the Durango Rock Shelters Archaeology Site, identified as the type site for the Basketmaker II period of Anasazi culture. It offers another perspective on the area’s past beyond the better-known railroad and mining heritage.

Exploring Durango and Colorado with Neywo

Neywo’s free Durango audio guide includes 3 narrated places. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Download Neywo to explore Durango independently and hear its history while you walk through the city. You can also continue discovering the state with the Colorado guide, or explore other destinations including Ouray, Glenwood Springs and Boulder.