Denver the Mile High City

Denver is the capital of the US state of Colorado. Among the highlights here is the mansion of famed Titanic survivor Molly Brown. The city is also a jumping-off point for ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains. Denver was named the Mile High City because it sits at 5,280 feet above sea level or one mile high.

Red Rocks & Amphitheater is located about 15 miles from the center of the city and you can reach it by shuttle. It is a live music venue and a city park. It got its name from the red sandstone rock formations that stand along the trails and form the walls of the outdoor amphitheater. At the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, you can find out about Colorado's music greats.

The Molly Brown House Museum is also known as the House of Lions. It was the home of American philanthropist, activist, and socialite Margaret Brown. This well-known lady survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. She became known as the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”. The house is a Denver Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is among Denver's top cultural attractions. Here you can see dinosaur skeletons, the remains of Ice Age animals, the collection of minerals presented by the Coors family, and one of the largest gold nuggets found in Colorado. On-site are also an IMAX Theater and a planetarium.

The Denver Botanic Gardens were designed in the late 1950s and are among the largest botanical gardens in the US. You can delight in native plants and see gardens that have plants from all over the world. The botanical gardens feature 43 individual gardens.

Among the highlights here are the Japanese Garden, Marnie's Pavilion with orchids, ferns, and waterfalls and the Boettcher Memorial Conservatory with exotic tropical and subtropical plants.

The Denver Art Museum has a vast collection of artwork including American Indian, African, European, Asian, and Oceanic Art. Art collections also include Spanish colonial and pre-Columbian works. Of particular interest are the Native American galleries with a broad range of cultures and tribes from both the US and Canada. The modern and contemporary art collection includes well-known names and emerging talent. The is also a gallery dedicated to photography. The Denver Art Museum began housed in a building called the North Building that opened in 1971.

The Hamilton Building opened to the public in 2006 and has a unique design that was inspired by the peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

The Denver Zoo dates back to the late 1800s. There are many interesting exhibits among them Stingray Cove, the Toyota Elephant passage with two miles of trails in a natural habitat featuring African animals.

Harmony Hill Bear Habitat, is home to the zoo's resident Grizzly Bears, and the EDGE which is an enclosure letting you get within six inches of two lovely Amur Tigers from Siberia.

Colorado State Capitol sits on a low hill on the east side of Civic Center Park. It is crowned by a gilded dome 250 feet high and has a viewing platform offering spectacular views of the city's skyline. The 13th step on the west side of the capitol is exactly one mile above sea level.

The Denver Public Library opened in 1995. It is known for its western history and genealogical collections. Outside of the library is a 30-foot tall, red-orange steel sculpture which is often looked upon as a landmark for orientation.

Larimer Square has well-restored buildings dating from the Civil War period. It became Denver's first historic district and today is also a major entertainment district with art galleries, shops, and restaurants. You can also find live entertainment. The area is famous for being the place where Buffalo Bill lived.

The 16th Street Mall is a European-style pedestrian mall that stretches through the city center. It has shady trees, flowerbeds, and park benches. A free shuttle bus runs here. The streets are lined with department stores, boutiques, souvenir shops, stalls of street vendors, and restaurants.

Civic Center Park is designed in the Classical style with many monuments. There are principal administrative buildings all around the outskirts of the park. Along the north side is Colfax Avenue, which is the longest street in the US and runs for 26 miles east to west through Denver.

Cherry Creek North is the city's best-known shopping district with boutiques and luxury shops and art galleries. It stretches for 16 blocks and is laid out in a square. There are many restaurants that offer cuisine from all over the world. Cherry Creek hosts many different events all year long with the most popular being Cherry Creek Arts Festival held in July.