Must See Denver
We’ve collected 10 reasons why Denver should be on top of any traveler’s itinerary.
1. MUST-SEES AT THE DENVER ART MUSEUM
The Denver Art Museum has been bringing phenomenal exhibitions to The Mile High City for decades now. But in 2014 they may have outdone themselves. The delights in store include:
2. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK - ONE OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S "BEST TRIPS 2014"
The editors at National Geographic chose wisely when they selected Rocky Mountain National Park as one of their "Best Trips 2014." After all, this almost 100-year-old national park, just 70 miles from Denver, is one of the world's greatest outdoor experiences: 400 square miles (1,036 sq km) of unspoiled scenic beauty, including Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the world crossing the Continental Divide at over two miles above sea level. The park has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, tranquil lakes, waterfalls, wildlife and horseback riding. It's a dream come true. Find out what National Geographic thinks are Rocky Mountain National Park's high points.
3. DENVER IS SPORTS CITY, USA
Home to seven pro sports teams, Denver is a pro sports paradise during any given year. The NFL's Denver Broncos, led by NFL record-setting QB Peyton Manning, thrill sold out crowds at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies hit homers in downtown's Coors Field. The NBA's Denver Nuggets and the NHL's Colorado Avalanche battle the competition at the Pepsi Center. But these teams are just the beginning of the fun for sports lovers this year. In 2014, The Mile High City will host:
4. BIG HAPPENINGS AT THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE
While the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) has been exciting imaginations of all ages since 1900, 2014 may well be the most exciting in its history, with the addition of a brand new wing with 126,000 square feet and five levels of discovery to the Museum, providing even more space to engage and delight. 2014 will see the opening of the Morgridge Family Exploration Center: three above-ground levels of new exhibit space with a beautiful glass expanse that connects the Museum with City Park. There will be more room for world-class traveling exhibitions, a new, hands-on Discovery Zone for kids aged 3-5 (opening June 7), and a multi-level Science Atrium providing space for interactive experiments, science demonstrations, evening events and more. As if that isn't enough, the DMNS will also be hosting several must-see temporary exhibitions this year, including:
5. THE CRAFT BEER CAPITAL OF THE WEST
Beer has been booming for a while in Denver - and it doesn't look like the boom is going to end anytime soon. In the past year, Denver has been recognized as one of America's top beer cities by USA Today, Travel + Leisure, Condè Nast Traveler, GQ, Esquire, CNN and others. From longtime craft beer favorites like Great Divide and Breckenridge Brewing to adventurous upstarts like Denver Beer Co. and Renegade, Denver's craft beer scene continues to grow at an exponential rate. Denver brews more beer than any other American city and is home to Coors Brewery - the largest single brewing site in the world. More than 200 named beers are produced and served every day in Denver's tap houses, brew pubs, breweries, and gastro pubs, with new pubs opening every week including Crooked Stave, Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew, Epic Brewing, Black Shirt Brewery, Black Sky Brewery, and many more.
Growing side-by-side with beer brewing is Denver's distillery scene. Fifteen years ago, there was not a single distillery in Colorado - today there are more than 40 producing whiskey, brandy, vodka, gin and rum. And Denver also has wineries, with Infinite Monkey Theorem in the hip new neighborhood of RiNo gaining a national reputation for their sparkling wine served in cans.
6. THE INCOMPARABLE RED ROCKS PARK & AMPHITHEATRE
In 2013, Buzzfeed said: "Red Rocks might be the most perfect music venue on the planet," and Rolling Stone named the venue "the best outdoor amphitheatre in the U.S." Maybe it's time to see what the buzz is about? Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, a gorgeous 9,000-seat venue, just a short drive from downtown Denver, hosts a spectacular summer concert series from May through September - a show here is on every music lover's bucket list. In 2014, Red Rocks will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles 1964 performance, the first time a rock group had performed at "the Rocks," and the only concert on the Beatles 1964 tour to not sell out, in part because of local outrage over the high priced, $6.60 tickets. How times have changed!
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre is open year-round, with hiking trails that weave around the massive red sandstone rock formations that surround the amphitheatre, not to mention a free Performers' Hall of Fame. Can such a great place get even better? You bet: the Colorado Music Hall of Fame is moving into the Red Rocks Trading Post in the summer of 2014, paying tribute to Centennial State favorites like John Denver and Judy Collins.
7. FARM TO TABLE FOOD AND SUPERSTAR CHEFS
There's never been a better time to eat in Denver. For years, Mile High City chefs have been working directly with local farms, utilizing Colorado's bountiful harvest of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and organically raised meats to create dishes that are eco-friendly, innovative and - most importantly - delicious. In Denver, local is always better. The Mile High City's superstar chefs are regulars on everything from The Food Network to Top Chef and make frequent appearances at the famed James Beard House in New York City.
Some of the city's best eateries are mobile - during the summer, head to Civic Center Park every Tuesday and Thursday for Civic Center EATS, an ever-expanding collection of gourmet food trucks.
Perhaps the best time to experience The Mile High City's food scene is during Denver Restaurant Week (Aug. 23-29), during which more than 300 restaurant offer great meals for the bargain price of $60 for two or $30 for one. Start exploring the flavors of Denver.
8. OPEN AIR ART
Great art isn't just in museums in Denver. All over the city, you'll find gorgeous murals, whimsical sculptures and other kinds of public art that will delight and inspire. Denver's Public Art Program directs 1 percent of any capital improvement project over $1 million be set aside for the inclusion of art in the design and construction of these projects. As a result, Denver has installed more than 150 works of art all around town. There will be even more great art in the open air in 2014, including:
9. THE NEW, IMPROVED UNION STATION
Denver's Union Station is undergoing a massive restoration and redevelopment that will transform it in July 2014 into a transportation, dining, shopping and entertainment hub, all centered around a new 112-room hotel. The Crawford Hotel (named after Larimer Square developer Dana Crawford) will have two bars in the grand old 1914 waiting room, and will incorporate many architectural features of the station in each room, including giant beams, windows overlooking the tracks, and vaulted ceilings.
Four new Colorado restaurants are being added including a seafood restaurant owned by recent James Beard Award winner for the Best Chef Southwest, Jen Jasinski (owner of Rioja, Bistro Vendome and Euclid Hall) and Alex Siedel, Food & Wine's 2010 selection for Best New Chef and owner of the acclaimed Fruition restaurant. The restored station will also have two fast service restaurants, a craft beer bar, a cocktail lounge, an ince cream parlor, and ten local one-of-a-kind boutiques. Two new parks will grace the front of the station, which will also serve daily Amtrak trains and Denver's 124 miles of light and commuter rail, including a new line to Denver International Airport that will open in 2016.
10. DENVER IS AN OUTDOOR PARADISE
Denver is all about the outdoors. Whether sipping a craft beer at a café, rafting down a river, biking from park to park, or exploring the natural splendors of the nearby Rocky Mountains, few places offer more opportunities to commune with nature than The Mile High City. And with 300 days of sunshine a year (more annual hours of sun than Miami Beach or San Diego), Denver provides them with plenty of time to do it.
Exploring the city on two wheels has never been easier, thanks to Denver B-cycle, the city's pioneering bike sharing program. Sturdy, red Trek bikes are available at 83 convenient stations across the city for a small fee. Denver has 200 named traditional parks within city limits, offering tennis and basketball courts, jogging paths, paddle boats and picnic tables. But there's nothing traditional about the outdoors in The Mile High City. Denver Mountain Parks is a special division that operates 14,000 acres of rugged terrain in the nearby Rockies, including the highest paved road in North America, Mount Evans Scenic Byway.