Overview

Denver, Colorado is known as the Mile High City, with an elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level; there's a brass cap acknowledging this fact on the 15th step on the west side of the State Capitol Building. Native Americans once roamed this area (where snow-peaked mountains can be seen on the horizon year-round) and they warned settlers not to build; the city was destroyed twice in its early years, once by fire and once by flood. Not to be deterred (mainly due to gold being found in the vicinity), the first permanent structure to be built was a saloon in the mid 1800's, and from then on, the city persevered, eventually becoming one of the most important cities in the west due to its important role in the agricultural industry.

Now, it is considered the Wall Street of the West, and is home to eight professional sports teams including the Broncos (football), Avalanche (hockey), Rockies (baseball) and the Nuggets (basketball). The Denver Zoo is considered one of the most popular zoos in America, showcasing 685 species with its 3,500 animals. The Arts thrive in this city, so you can expect to see extraordinary shows running the gamut from comedy clubs to ballet to theater.

Location

Denver is directly within the Front Range Corridor, sandwiched between the Rocky Mountains to the west and the High Plains to the east.

Services/Amenities

This metropolis holds over 2.5 million people and it offers every type of service and/or amenity imaginable. For a real taste of the city, spend the day roaming the 16th Street Mall or the affluent Cherry Creek Shopping District, or walk through LoDo, which is what the locals call 'lower downtown'; this area has historic architecture to gaze upon, along with trendy restaurants and boutiques to peruse and enjoy. Coloradans are known to be fit (according to a 2010 Forbes.com report, Denver is the 6th fittest city in the state!) so you can guess that there are plenty of ways to exercise and stay healthy within its wide open spaces.

Activities

Stroll through the Botanic Gardens, Butterfly Pavilion or the Children's Museum since they're open year-round, or catch a sporting event at the Pepsi Center, Coors Field or Invesco Field. Indulge in the sweet sounds of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, or watch the Colorado Ballet ballerinas twirl. If you're on the move, jog down the Platte River Path or through Washington Park, or for a real thrill, run the Denver Marathon, where the entire route is contained on a single street , Colfax Ave. - it is the longest continuous street in the United States. Museums, amusement parks, golf courses, spas - you name it, Denver's got it!

Getting Here

From Denver to Winter Park: Take US-6 W and then take the exit onto I-70 W toward Grand Junction (or if you're in a position to skip 6th, then just take I-70). Drive I-70 for about 29 miles until you see exit 232. Take exit 232 and merge onto US-40 W toward Empire/Granby. Stay on US-40; this will take you over Berthoud Pass and directly into the Winter Park area. Estimated driving time is 1 hour, 20 minutes and the distance is about 66 miles.