DENVER - MILE HIGH CITY

Denver is certainly one of the more scenic big cities that you can find. Nestled among the majestic Rockies a mile above sea-level, Denver is made more enticing by its surroundings than by the city itself. That's not to speak negatively about Denver; as Colorado's capital it is the political center of the state, but it is also the largest city and therefore also has all of the amenities that big cities possess. 

The downtown core stretches west from the State Capitol to Cherry Creek and north to Coors Field. East of the Capitol lie interesting neighborhoods and a number of large city parks. The downtown area is busy, especially around 16th St pedestrian mall. This street is off-limits to vehicular traffic, except a free bus that travels the entire length of the street, stopping at every corner. This is the best free transit system I have seen and it is a great way to get from one end of the city to the other.

Downtown Denver

Denver City Park, in the northeast section of the city and quite a way from downtown, contains the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. As Denver has the largest park system in the nation, you can certainly find your fill of them around town. 

With expansion in baseball and a move in hockey, Denver is now one of the few cities with sports teams in all four major sports, including the 2001 Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche. 

Our impressions: People in Denver really enjoy being outside. Although it was hot, it wasn't that humid, and the streets were very busy downtown. Denver is a great city to walk around in; there are a number of interesting sights, and the free bus on 16th street helps you if you are a bit tired. Although the downtown core is smaller than average, Denver itself is quite big and you will need a car to get to some of the more popular attractions.

16th Street 

Denver is relatively easy to drive in, although there are some confusing parts on the edge of downtown, on the other side of Cherry Creek. Colfax Street is the main east-west thoroughfare and is not too crowded. East of the Capitol, it gets a little rundown, but it is generally safe. There is a lot of traffic on Denver streets in general, but nothing too frustrating. 

The area around Coors Field used to be the bad area of town, but it is currently undergoing a revitalization due to the presence of the ballpark and it is slowly improving.

The parks are OK, but there isn't much to do there. Cheesman Park was pretty empty when we drove through it. City Park is busier, but a lot of the roads were closed off. The Denver suburbs and neighborhoods should be explored too, especially Cherry Creek, just south of the city. The surrounding area is very beautiful and has a lot to offer. 

Overall, Denver is a good city but it has some problems as well. You can probably see the interesting parts of the downtown area in a day and then spend the rest of the time in the mountains or outside the city. Denver is definitely an outdoor city, and although there are some attractions, the best thing to do is remain outside and enjoy the weather, if it happens to be good.