Its skyscrapers marking the final transition between the Great
Plains and the American West, DENVER stands at the threshold of the
Rocky Mountains . Despite being known as the " Mile High City ," and
serving as the obvious point of arrival for travelers heading into the
mountains, it is itself uniformly flat. The majestic peaks are clearly
visible, but they only begin to rise roughly fifteen miles west of
downtown, and Denver has, during the last century, had plenty of room to
spread out.
Mineral wealth has always been at the heart of the city's prosperity,
with all the fluctuations of fortune that this entails. Though local
resources have been progressively exhausted, Denver has managed to hang
on to its role as the most important commercial and transportation nexus
in the state. Its original "foundation" in 1858 was by pure chance; this
was the first spot where small quantities of gold were discovered in
Colorado. There was no significant river, let alone a road, but
prospectors came streaming in, regardless of prior claims to the land -
least of all those of the Arapahoe , who had supposedly been confirmed
in their ownership of the area by the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851.
Various communities had their own names for the settlement; with the
judicious distribution of whiskey, one faction persuaded the rest to
agree to "Denver" in 1859. The hope was to ingratiate themselves with
the governor of the Kansas Territory, James Denver, but it turned out he
had already resigned. The newspaperman Horace Greeley passed through in
the early days, and described the place as a "log city of 150 dwellings,
not three-fourths completed nor two-thirds inhabited, nor one-third fit
to be."
There was actually very little gold in Denver itself; the infant town
swarmed briefly with disgruntled fortune-seekers, who decamped when news
came in of the massive gold strike at Central City. Denver survived,
however, prospering further with the discovery of silver in the
mountains. All sorts of shady characters made this their home; Jefferson
"Soapy" Smith, for example, acquired his nickname here, selling bars of
soap at extortionate prices under the pretence that some contained $100
bills. When the first railroads bypassed Denver - the death knell for so
many other communities - the citizens simply banded together and built
their own connecting spur.
These days, Denver is a welcoming and enjoyable, though conservative
city. Tourism is based on getting out into the wide open spaces rather
than on sightseeing in town, but somehow its isolation, a good six
hundred miles from any conurbation of even vaguely similar size, gives
its two-million population a refreshing friendliness; and in a city
which is used to providing its own entertainment there always seems to
be something going on
The City
Though oil money brought a spate of high-rise construction in the early
1980s, creating the "17th Street canyon," downtown Denver remains
recognizable as the Gold Rush town of the 1860s. It's very easy to pick
out the oldest
Though oil money brought a spate of high-rise construction in the early
1980s, creating the "17th Street canyon," downtown Denver remains
recognizable as the Gold Rush town of the 1860s. It's very easy to pick
out the oldest sections on a map; though an endless regimental grid
stretches for miles in all directions, at its heart one small area of
tightly packed streets stands at a sharp angle to the rest. Much of the
day-to-day activity centers on the shops and restaurants of 16th Street
, which but for its free buses is a pedestrian zone; there's also a
range of galleries, brewpubs, shops and lofts in the revitalized
district bordered by 14th and 20th, and Wynkoop and Larimer streets,
known as LoDo , or Lower Downtown. It was in the Larimer Square district,
around Market Street between 14th and 15th, that William Larimer built
Denver's original log cabin. That burned down in a general conflagration
within a few years, whereupon a city ordinance decreed that all new
construction should be in brick. Restored to its late Victorian
appearance, Larimer Square provides another lively focus for shops, bars
and restaurants.
For a quick appreciation of Denver's geographical position, head for the
State Capitol at Broadway and E Colfax Avenue. The thirteenth of the
steps up to its entrance is exactly one mile above sea level; turn back
and look west, and you get a commanding view - zealously protected by
building regulations - of the Rockies swelling on the horizon. The
capitol is a rather predictable copy of the one in Washington, DC, but
the free tours (Mon-Fri 9.30am-3.30pm) are pleasantly informal, and you
can climb its dome for an even better view. The world's entire available
supply of red onyx was used to make its wainscoting.
Civic Center Park , right in front of the capitol, is flanked by two of
Denver's finest museums. The glass-tile-covered Denver Art Museum at 100
W 14th Ave (Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; $4.50, free Sat; ) has a
solid collection of paintings from around the world, but is most
noteworthy for its superb examples of Native American craftwork, with
marvelous beadwork by Plains tribes and some finely detailed Navajo
weavings. Some of the pre-Columbian art from Central America -
particularly the extraordinary Olmec miniatures - is also spectacular.
The most interesting features of the Colorado History Museum at 1300
Broadway (Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, Sun noon-4.30pm; $4.50; ) are to be found
in the downstairs galleries. Several dioramas, made under the auspices
of the WPA in the 1930s, show historical scenes in fascinating detail,
starting with the Ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde, following up with
trappers meeting with Indians at a "fair in the wilderness" in the early
1800s, and a model of Denver in 1860. An exhaustive archive of photo
graphs of the early West showcases the work of W.H. Jackson, who died in
1942 at the age of 99.
Free tours of the US Mint , a short walk northwest at 320 W Colfax Ave (Mon-Fri
8am-2.45pm; every 20min; ), reveal millions of fresh coins gushing from
the presses in a flurry of flashing metal; avaricious fantasies are
checked, though, once you notice the machine-gun turrets on the
exterior, mounted in the depth of the Depression.
The Molly Brown House , 1340 Pennsylvania Ave (June-Aug Mon-Sat
10am-3.30pm, Sun noon-3.30pm; Sept-May same schedule, closed Mon; $6; ),
was home to the "unsinkable" Molly Brown, who is most famous for
surviving the sinking of the Titanic (she'd already lived through a
typhoon in the Pacific) and raising money for the survivors and their
families. Interestingly, "Molly" is a moniker picked up after her death
- she was known as Maggie during her lifetime. A poor Irish girl who
went West to marry a millionaire, she ended up mixing with high society
in Denver; after the Titanic brought her notoriety, she went on to
become a suffragette and eventually ran for senator. Sadly, the house
tours concentrate more on what the Browns owned and what the
preservationists have managed to authenticate than on illuminating her
extraordinary life.
Denver's black community is most prominent in the old Five Points
district, northeast of downtown, created to house black railroad workers
in the 1870s. The Black American West Museum at 3091 California St (summer
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun noon-5pm; rest of year Wed-Fri 10am-2pm, Sat
& Sun noon-5pm; $3; ) has intriguing details on black pioneers and
outlaws. Perhaps the most interesting section is on cowboys, which
debunks a lot of Western myths: one-third of all cowboys are thought to
have been black, many of them slaves freed after the Civil War who left
the South and found work as cattle hands.
Two or three miles east of downtown en route to the airport, the
enormous City Park is home to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science ,
2001 Colorado Blvd (daily 9am-5pm; museum and planetarium $6, IMAX $6,
all three for $9; ). As with many such museums, its brief extends beyond
the (very good) dinosaur exhibits and wildlife displays to include
anthropological material on Native Americans, which, though fascinating,
does seem rather out of place. There's also a large zoo nearby (daily:
April-Oct 9am-6pm; rest of year 10am-5pm; $8; ), whose four thousand
inmates include a couple of huge lowland gorillas in a large, thickly
wooded sanctuary.
Denver's Six Flags Elitch Gardens theme park, on the western edge of
downtown at 2000 Elitch Circle (summer Sun-Thurs 10am-10pm, Fri & Sat
10am-11pm; rest of year hours vary; $33 aged 6 and above; tel
303/595-4386, ), is not only unusual for being so close to the city
center (accessible by a cycle path along Cherry Creek or on the Cultural
Connection Trolley), but also in having a state-of-the-art water park
attached. There are some great white-knuckle rides here, including the
Mind Eraser, that catapults you at 60mph through terrifying corkscrew
loops; the Tower of Doom, a freefall vertical drop of 70ft; and the
Sidewinder, which spins you round an impossibly tight loop and then,
sadistically, does it again - backwards.
If you're looking for something a little quieter, the glitzy Cherry
Creek Mall , a few miles southeast of downtown, is second only to the
16th Street mall as Denver's most popular shopping center. Opposite its
main entrance is one of the best bookstores in the US, the Tattered
Cover Bookstore at 2955 E First Ave (tel 303/322-7727), which spreads
over four extremely well-stocked floors. Even more tranquil is the
Denver Botanical Gardens , 1005 York St (daily 9am-5pm; $3; ), where an
excellent array of beautifully displayed plant life thrive, including a
rock alpine garden featuring local mountain flora.
Finally, twenty miles west of downtown, high above the Coors Brewery
town of Golden, Buffalo Bill's Memorial Museum and Mountain Parks on
Lookout Mountain (May-Oct daily 9am-5pm; Nov-April Tues-Sun 9am-4pm; $3)
is the final resting place of William Cody, famed frontiersman, buffalo-hunter,
army scout and showman, who died in Denver in 1915. Though now
surrounded by huge electricity pylons, the gravesite offers great views
in both directions, over the city and out to the mountains. The adjacent
museum does a thorough job of outlining Buffalo Bill's past, and one of
the more gruesome elements on display is a pistol whose handle has been
fashioned from human bone.
Arrival Information
The colossal, ultra-high-tech Denver International Airport lies 24 miles
northeast of downtown, out on the plains beyond Stapleton. Regular
SkyRide buses can take you downtown ($6 one-way, $10 round-trip) and to
Boulder ($8 one-way, $13 round-trip). Buses are available outside exit
506 in the East terminal and 511 in the West terminal. There are also a
number of independent shuttle service options, which can be arranged
within the terminal.
Amtrak trains arrive on the northwest side of downtown Denver at the
beautiful old Union Station on Wynkoop Street, and the Greyhound bus
terminal is every bit as close to the action at 1055 19th St.
The best place to pick up information about the city is the visitor
information center, which can be found in the Tabor Center , 1668
Larimer St (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm; tel 303/892-1112, ), though
there's also an informal morning-only advice center for travelers
arriving at the Greyhound terminal. The main downtown post office is at
951 20th St (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; zip code 80201).
The Colorado Division of Parks and Recreation (tel 303/866-3437) has
information and maps for cycling in the city and the mountains, while
GrayLine (tel 303/289-2841, ) operates bus tours of Rocky Mountain
National Park and the surrounding area (mid-May to mid-Oct).
City Transportation
Downtown Denver is fairly easily negotiated on foot, with the occasional
help of the very regular free buses that run for a mile up and down the
16th Street pedestrian mall at its heart (daily 6am-1am). RTD buses (Mon-Fri
6-9am & 4-6pm, $1.25; other times 75¢), with frequent services to
Boulder, sports arenas and the airport, leave from the underground
Market Street Station at Market and 16th streets. They are supplemented
by a light rail tram line that runs five miles through downtown from
I-25 and Broadway, across the 16th Street mall and up to Five Points in
the northeast (same fares as buses). From June to September, you can
also buy a hop-on, hop-off day pass on the Cultural Connection Trolley (every
30min 9.30am-10pm; $3), which links Denver's main points of interest.
For information and detailed schedules of the entire RTD network, call
303/299-6000 or visit .
Numerous direct bus services run from Denver airport to many of
Colorado's most popular resorts , making it unnecessary to rent a car if
you're based in just one place. Note that these should be booked as far
in advance as possible.
Eating
As well as plenty of Western-themed steak and barbecue places, Denver
has a cosmopolitan selection of international restaurants. Of the
several distinct restaurant districts, the Larimer Square area is the
most easily accessible on foot and has a wide selection. Several of the
city's famed brewpubs serve good quality meals, too.
Casa Bonita 6715 W Colfax Ave tel 303/232-5115. Absolutely wild Mexican
place, seating 1200 diners, a long way out on Colfax. Gunfights, cliff
divers, abandoned mines to explore & the only weak link is the food
itself, but it's all a lot of fun (especially for kids) and far from
expensive.
Cherry Cricket 2641 E 2nd Ave tel 303/322-7666. Excellent burgers and
Mexican food served up in a generally dingy sports-bar ambience make
this a great place (near Cherry Creek Mall) to nurse a hangover - or
even work on getting one (120 different beers on offer) while watching
televised sports. Open 11am-2am.
Delhi Darbar 1514 Blake St tel 303/595-0680. Relaxed haunt with decent
Indian food and a well-priced lunch buffet.
Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar 2955 E 1st Ave tel 303/322-1824. Relaxed
American restaurant gracing the top floor of the Tattered Cover
Bookstore, with overstuffed couches and chairs. Sunday brunch served
with live music.
Kapre Lounge 2729 Welton St tel 303/295-9207. Exceptionally good
Southern-fried chicken in an old, established Five Points soul-food
restaurant.
Mercury Café 2199 California St tel 303/294-9281. A lot of healthy
choices, many vegetarian, but with some meat options as well. A good
value.
The Palace Arms 321 17th St tel 303/297-3111. This small and classy
restaurant tucked in the Brown Palace Hotel is the ultimate splurge in
town, with a menu of mostly seasonal game specialties, and decorated
mostly in antiques from the Napoleonic period - including a pair of
Napoleon's dueling pistols.
Racine's 850 Bannock St tel 303/595-0418. Just south of downtown, this
large, laid-back place is a Denver institution. Housed in a former auto
showroom, the inexpensive restaurant serves excellent egg-based
breakfasts, with imaginative pastas, reliably good sandwiches and spicy
Mexican entrees later in the day.
Rocky Mountain Diner 1800 Stout St tel 303/293-8383. Continental food
served up in a festive Western-style atmosphere.
St Mark's Coffeehouse 1416 Market St tel 303/446-2925. The small
frontage of this trendy café hides a huge, art-filled room where
regulars play chess and hang out day and night - from 7am to midnight.
Brews excellent espresso.
Tom's Diner 601 E Colfax Ave (and Pearl). Wonderfully gritty and
authentic 24hr diner, providing cheap deals on big portions of stock
diner food at the seedy end of town.
Vesta Dipping Grill 1822 Blake St tel 303/296-1970. Attractive
restaurant in a renovated LoDo warehouse serving tasty food in unusual
combinations, based around the "art" of dipping. You can personalize
each entrée - including a range of kebab-style meat or veggies - in a
spectrum of flavors (Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican).
Wazee Supper Club 1600 15th St tel 303/623-9518. Well-established LoDo
dining room, serving good cheap burgers, deli sandwiches and superb
pizzas, plus a full range of beers, in a retro, art-deco atmosphere. One
of the few places open really late (1.30am most nights).
Nightlife & Entertainment
Though business still booms for Denver's numerous downtown
brewpubs, an onslaught of sports bars in the LoDo district, particularly
near Coors Field, have mostly taken over as the city's liveliest
nightlife area. And if sports bars don't appeal, there are plenty of
other more stylish or relaxing places to drink here, too. Most places
close around 1am. For news of musical happenings, consult Wednesday's
free Westword , the hip free monthly Freestyle , or the "Weekend"
section in the Denver Post .
The remarkable Red Rocks Amphitheater (tel 303/694-1234, ), twelve miles
west of downtown Denver, has been the setting for thousands of rock and
classical concerts; U2 recorded Under a Blood Red Sky here. This 9000-seater
venue is squeezed between two 400-foot red-sandstone rocks that seem to
glow in early morning and late evening. The park is open free of charge
during the day.
Denver's pride and joy, the modern Denver Performing Arts Complex on
14th and Curtis streets (tel 303/893-4100 or 1-800/641-1222, ), is home
to the Denver Center Theater Company, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Opera
Colorado and the Colorado Ballet, and hosts performances nightly.
Facilities in the complex include eight theaters , as well as the
Symphony Hall (which is in the round, giving it superb acoustics).
In the hunt for tickets , both Ticketmaster (tel 303/830-8497) and
Ticketman (tel 303/430-1111) can usually help. You can also try the
Ticket Bus, parked on 16th and Curtis, in person (daily: 10am-6pm),
where you'll often find last-minute deals on shows that have yet to sell
out.
Breckenridge Brewery 2220 Blake St tel 303/297-3644. Atmospheric brewpub
opposite Coors Field, you can watch the beers being brewed on site.
Serves good pub grub as well.
Brendan's 1624 Market St tel 303/595-0609. Small basement pub in the
LoDo with regular live blues; big-name acts pop by a few times a month
and cover is rarely more than $10.
Comedy Works 1226 15th St tel 303/595-3637. Right off Larimer Square,
Denver's major comedy venue is the most likely place to find visiting
big-name stand-up acts. Closed Mon.
Cruise Room Bar The Oxford Hotel , 1600 17th St tel 303/628-5400. This
place is a replica of the Art Deco bar on the Queen Mary ocean liner.
Worth a stop for the atmosphere alone.
El Chapultepec 20th and Market sts tel 303/295-9126. Tiny, popular LoDo
venue near Coors Field, with nightly live jazz and occasional big names.
The Church 1160 Lincoln St tel 303/832-3528. A dance club inside a
gutted cathedral, combining a downtown nightlife landmark, a wine bar,
sushi bar and three invariably busy dance floors. Plays mostly hard-house
or garage. $5-15 cover.
Grizzly Rose 5450 N Valley Highway tel 303/295-1330. Celebrated Country
and Western venue a ten-minute drive north of downtown on I-25 (exit
215). The massive venue has bands every night and attracts famous names
regularly. Cover $5-10.
Herman's Hideaway 1578 S Broadway tel 303/777-5840. One of Denver's
favorite rock clubs, in a homey little bar just south of I-25, with live
music from Wed-Sat.
Mercury Café 2199 California St tel 303/294-928. When there's not jazz
on here, there's swing dancing, poetry readings or some other form of
entertainment. The club is combined with a good-value restaurant, which
serves lots of healthy choices, many vegetarian.
Polly Esthers 2301 Blake St tel 303/382-1976. Enormous and consistently
popular club with '70s and '80s hits playing on two floors. Cover $5-10.
The Soiled Dove 1949 Market St tel 303/299-0100. Hugely popular bar with
an often rowdy rooftop overlooking Market Street. There's an eclectic
variety of live music almost every night; from local to national names
and from jazz to rock.
The Stampede 2430 S Havana St and Park Road tel 303/337-6909. The
massive antique saloon bar is the centerpiece of this Country and
Western pick-up joint in suburban Aurora.
Wynkoop Brewing Co 1634 18th St tel 303/297-2700. Good home-brewed beers
and bar food in the state's first brewpub, in LoDo opposite Union
Station. There's an elegant pool hall upstairs, and live entertainment
in the comedy lounge.
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