A gold strike sparked the founding of Denver almost 150 years ago. More than a cow town, even though the national stock show is held every January, the city boasts spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains to the west and has become a cultural and scientific center for the surrounding six-state area. The Denver metropolitan area has about 2.6 million residents; roughly 550,000 live within the Mile High City itself. No trip to Denver is complete without getting a taste of its modern culture, Old West frontier influences, and the surrounding Rocky Mountains.
Make sure you return to the Denver Art Museum after the Tuesday evening gala to explore the new titanium-clad building designed by Daniel Libeskind. During June, temporary exhibits include Japanese art, contemporary art from the collection of Vicki and Kent Logan, and contemporary American Indian art (denverartmuseum.org). [See “Experience the New Denver Art Museum,” page 9.]
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (denvercenter.org), the second largest performing arts center in the U.S., features two shows during the June APsaA meetings: The Taffetas: A Musical Journey through the Fabulous Fifties and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Make reservations now because tickets go quickly.
Photo: Ron Ruhoff for Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science () has the usual dinosaurs and wildlife dioramas, but also features unique exhibits on gems and minerals (found both locally and globally), North American Indian cultures, and the Hall of Life (which includes interactive exhibits about physical health and performance). Moreover, it sports a planetarium and an Imax theater with ever-changing programs.
Check out the Denver Botanic Gardens (), one of the top-ranking botanic gardens in the world. Western Panoramas, Sacred Earth, and the Heirloom Garden focus on characteristic Western themes. The Roads Water-Smart Garden, Dryland Mesa, and the Laura Smith Porter Plains Garden provide drought-tolerant gardening models. The Tropical Conservatory and Japanese Garden showcase plants from around the world.
Spend time strolling through downtown Denver, one of the nation's most walkable cities, and stop in at the Tattered Cover Book Store (), Denver's favorite independently owned bookstore. Find a book and a comfortable armchair and read.
For family fun, visit the Denver Zoo (), Water World (America's largest family water park (), the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center (), the Children's Museum (), and the U.S. Mint ( for advance reservations).
Shopping: In downtown Denver visit the 16th Street Mall, especially the Denver Pavilions, and historic Larimer Square. Within a 15-minute cab drive from the Marriott City Center is Cherry Creek Mall, which includes Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's.
Across the street from the mall is Cherry Creek North, where you can walk through blocks of unique boutiques, artisan shops, sidewalk cafes, and art galleries.
Stop in RockMount Ranch Wear and say hello to “Papa Jack,” who at 106 is the oldest working CEO in the world. He opened the company in 1946 and first sold and popularized the snap button Western shirts that have been favorites with everyone from Clark Gable and Elvis to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. A free museum tells the RockMount story and the history of Western apparel in America ().
If you are from the Northeast or California, take a tour of the houses in Hilltop, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, Denver Country Club, and Cherry Hills. For the price of a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, you can own a mansion here.
Do you want to experience a taste of the old frontier in Denver city itself? Go to Four Mile Historic Park (), just four miles from downtown Denver, which was once an inn and stage stop. The park also includes Denver's oldest standing structure.
Remember the Titanic? Visit the Molly Brown House Museum (). The last tour of the day starts at 3:30 p.m.
Photo: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
See a buffalo herd from I-70 exit 250, and learn more about Buffalo Bill Cody () at his namesake museum on nearby Lookout Mountain.
Finally, climb the steps almost to the top of the recently renovated, gold-domed Colorado State Capitol Building (303-866-3521; e-mail: for more information on tours).
Take extra time to visit the mountains. Pikes Peak with its cog railway is an hour-and-a-half ride from Denver. Drive up the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, less than an hour from Denver. Then park and hike one-quarter mile to the top of Mount Evans at 14,264 feet.
For an easy trip, take the train 157 miles west of Denver () to Glenwood Springs and soak in “the world's largest improved hot springs pool” () for one or two nights. You can also swim laps, ride the water slide, or steam in the nearby Yampah Vapor Caves. Other highlights of Glenwood Springs include ghost tours at the Hotel Colorado, biking, rafting on the Colorado River, and spelunking in the Glenwood Caverns and Fairy Cave.
Admire and even climb into the astonishing cliff buildings at Mesa Verde National Park, which is an eight-hour drive from Denver.
Hike in the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which is open 24 hours a day. Watch how the blue Medano Creek meets the tan, desertlike landscape. Step into the refreshing water, if it is flowing.
For further information, go to , , and . Read more about adventures in Colorado in an article from the Jan. 21, 2007, issue of the Denver Post, “Top 10 Things to Do [in Colorado] Before You Die,” .