Denver
First-time visitors to Denver may be in for a few big surprises. Although one of its monikers is the "Mile High City," another is "Queen City of the Plains." Denver is flat, with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop; this combination keeps the climate delightfully mild. Denverites do not spend their winters digging out of fierce snowstorms and skiing out their front doors, though snow may arrive early and leave late. They take advantage of a comfortable climate (over 300 days of sunshine a year), historic city blocks, a cultural center, and sky's-the-limit outdoor adventures just minutes from downtown. All of these factors make this appealing city more than just a layover between home and the Rockies.
When to Go
Depending on what you're after, Denver is a year-round destination. The winter ski season (roughly November through March) lures snow bunnies from around the globe, while drier times see hikers, bikers and climbers heading up, down and around every bump worth bagging. Naturalists will delight in watching dry and comfy autumn paint the landscape with more rusty lemon-yellows than a junkyard in Detroit. And springtime, while typically windy and wet, sees Colorado's oceans of wildflowers burst into bloom.
What to See
Denver Museum of Nature & Science: One of the premier natural history museums in the country, this institution was founded at the turn of the century to house the collection of Colorado naturalist Edwin Carter. Museum scientists attracted international attention following their 1926 discovery (near Folsom, New Mexico) of distinctive spear points in association with bones of a bison species extinct for 10,000 years. The discovery proved the existence of humans in the New World about 8000 years earlier than previously assumed. Visitors can see dinosaur fossils like Stegosaurus stenops (the state fossil), a small-headed, armor-plated vegetarian that roamed the state 150 million years ago. Enormous remains of the Nebraska mammoth and long-jawed mastodon are also on display.
Denver Art Museum:This mammoth museum houses one of the largest Native American art collections in the world, with work on display from tribes throughout the country. Pieces from thousands of years ago to the present are arranged geographically, emphasizing the connection between cultures. American Western artists are also featured, as well as works from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific.
Larimer Square: This enclave of stylish shops, restaurants and brewpubs is where the gathering spot for the city's scenesters, running the spectrum from yuppie to punk. If the square's hip clubs keep you going all night, never fear: its cafes are sure to get you started in the morning.
16th Street Mall: Outdoor cafés, historic buildings, and tempting shops line this pedestrian-only 12-block thoroughfare, shaded by red oak and locust trees. You'll find Denver's best people-watching here, with more than 1,000 chairs set out along its length so you can take in the sights. The rose and gray granite mall is scrubbed clean every day. Catch one of the free shuttle buses that run the length of downtown.
Black American Western Museum & Heritage Center: “We tell it like it was” is the motto of the Black American Western Museum & Heritage Center. Although a few notable African-American pioneers arrived at the onset of Colorado's mining boom in the early 1860s, it was after the Civil War that most professional and working-class black people made their mark in the state. Black cowboys were particularly influential, making up almost a third of the Western range workers, but the museum also showcases the contributions of black soldiers, miners, lawyers and politicians. Dedicated to correcting versions of history, the museum is housed in what was the home of Dr Justina Ford, Denver's first black physician, who practiced in the state for half a century.
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