Denver

Mile High City In The Rocky Mountains

Denver, Colorado calls itself the Mile High City. It's situated on the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains.

The Native Americans were already here.  When it was founded, there were seasonal encampments of Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans across from the site of the original town.

As an American city it's young by anyone's standards...

It was founded in 1858 as a mining town during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush.

Colorado only became a state in 1876.

Cities have personalities...

This Rocky Mountian city is definitely all part of the wild west of America...

Denver - Cowboy Town and Sophisticated City

In its early days, this was definitely a frontier town with cowboys and cattle, miners and saloons.... and Indians.

Today it's a town of cowboys and sophisticates, it's a great place to visit when you're looking for a combination of outdoor and big city experiences.

The Denver Art Museum and the Colorado History Museum have excellent exhibits of contemporary and historical native art and artifacts.

Native American Culture

Native Americans celebrate their heritage now with the Denver Pow Wow. It's an enormous yearly event usually in March.

It features three days of traditional dancing and singing as well as a large marketplace of native American goods and foods.

Breweries

If you're a beer lover, the Mile High City is home to a large number of local and national breweries.

Many restaurants have on site breweries.

Some of the larger breweries, including Coors and the New Belgium Brewing Company, offer tours.

The city welcomes visitors from around the world when it hosts the Great American Beer Festival.

Sports

Great American cities all love their sports teams, and Denver is no exception... there are teams representing all of the major sports in America.

Gateway To The Rocky Mountains

While you can find plenty to do in the city, it's probably those Rocky Mountains that you will want to get into.

You can visit to ski or snowboard at some of the famous resorts nearby or come to hike in the summer and enjoy the view.

Explore some of the parks and towns nearby.

When my sister lived there, we even found old steam trains to ride.

Boulder

Boulder is located in the foothills of the Rockies just about 35 miles northwest of Denver. It's a great little college town surrounded by trails and open spaces.

Estes Park

Estes Park is a small town that is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Park itself is a spectacular wilderness that has been maintained in as near a totally natural state as possible. It's a great place for hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountaineering and all kinds of winter sports.

Commercial activity inside the park is limited... as in not a lot of hotels in the Park.

Stay in Estes Park if you're not up for camping.

Skiing

If you're a skier, there are famous ski areas nearby.

Winter Park Resort is the closest; only about 70 miles away.

There are many other areas... from Aspen to Vail. Skiers go wild for that Rocky Mountain powder.

See Wild West History

For a taste of the old Wild West, visit the Buffalo Bill Museum and grave in Golden about 30 minutes west of the city.

After a life of herding cattle, working on wagon trains, and mining for gold, it was his Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows that people remember him for.

If you want your vacation to include a little of the American Wild West, or you would love the peace and serenity of the mountains, include this Rocky Mountain town in your itinerary.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! Judy and Mark

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Thanks, Judy and Mark

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