Know Before You Go: About Denver
Though you may come to Denver to ski the nearby Rocky Mountains, the fun doesn't end once you leave the slopes
The mountain range provides a majestic backdrop to the city, where you can easily enjoy the region's outdoor, family-friendly attractions. Head downtown to explore the Mile High City's cosmopolitan side, including top-notch theaters and museums and make memories to write home about.
Come Rain or Come Shine
Prepare for anything when packing for Denver. The city is known for its 300 days of annual sunshine, even during the winter when it's snowing and temperatures fall to the 40s and below. The unpredictable weather continues into the spring, where the day-to-day forecast can alternate between snow and warm temps. Dry air and 90-degree weather is common during the summer but the skies can still open at any moment with rain and thunder. Layer up in September or October—the days might be an enjoyable 70 degrees, but the nights can easily drop to near freezing.
Inspiration Awaits
Seek inspiration at the ballet, opera or one of the frequent touring Broadway shows in town at the enormous Denver Performing Arts Complex. Lose yourself in fine European or Western American art at the Denver Art Museum. Stop to smell the roses at the 23-acre Denver Botanic Gardens, pause for people watching in Larimer Square or pop into a shop along the 16th Street Mall. Kids can wander the 2-mile trail through the Denver Zoo's Toyota Elephant Passage—a 10-acre exhibit filled with roaming elephants, leopards and rhinos—or examine mummies and dinosaur fossils at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
High Revenue Meets Mile Hile City
The Rocky Mountains help generate some serious revenue. Energy companies flock to the area in the hopes of tapping the range for natural resources and minerals. Fossil fuels and clean technology thrive in Denver, putting 50,000 locals to work. Aerospace is another big industry in the region, accounting for nearly 20,000 jobs in Denver and its nine surrounding counties. Workers in this field earn paychecks from the 120 aerospace companies in the area, including research institutions and learning facilities. Twenty minutes southeast of downtown, the Denver Tech Center is an 850-acre complex that houses offices for more than 1,000 companies, including major corporations like Oracle and IBM.
Bikes, Trolleys, and Trains
Denver’s public transportation system, highlighted by comprehensive bus and light-rail routes, is easy to use. Get in a workout with your family and pedal your way through town with the public bike share program, B-Cycle. Hitch a ride aboard the open-air Platte Valley Trolley, which travels through downtown and along the Platte River. Allow plenty of time if you’re traveling in or out of Denver International Airport, a mammoth facility outfitted with 95 gates, located 25 miles from the city. Amtrak’s California Zephyr, with starting points in Chicago and Northern California, chugs through town from each direction, twice daily. Greyhound buses constantly roll into the city from all across the country. Planning a road trip? Cars arrive in Denver via major interstates, including north-south I-25, east-west I-70 and northeast-bound I-76.
Ready to travel? Find hotels in Denver.
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