Denver, Colorado!

Whether you are looking for something to occupy an afternoon, or for reasons to stay through the weekend after the conference, Denver has something to appeal to every preference.

Denver has 300 days of sunshine a year. With a mild dry and sunny climate, Denver has more hours of sun than Miami Beach. Remember to bring your sunscreen and moisturizer!

Denver’s history is colorful. The Gold Rush brought some of the wildest events in the country’s history to Denver. This fascinating period lives again in museums, old gold mining villages and elegant Victorian buildings throughout the city.

Denver has the largest city park system in the nation. There are more than 200 parks within the city and 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains. With 70 golf courses and 27 formal flower gardens and one of the nation’s largest urban trail systems, Denver residents and visitors have countless ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Denver is a cultural city. Denver citizens contribute more public funding for the arts per capita than any other U.S. city. The Denver Performing Arts Center has nine theaters and is second only to New York’s Lincoln Center in size. Visit www.denvercenter.org to see the events scheduled during your visit.

Denver loves its sports. Denver has seven professional sports teams! In addition to football, basketball, hockey, baseball and soccer, Denver has lacrosse and arena football – a dream come true for the sports fan.

Denver really is exactly one mile high. By an amazing stroke of good luck, the 13th step on the State Capitol is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level.

Denver has the 10th largest downtown in America. Denver has a definitive, exciting and walk-able downtown – within a mile radius are three major sports stadiums, the Denver Performing Arts Center, three colleges, an assortment of art and history museums, a mint producing 10 billion coins a year, a river offering white water rafting and over 300 restaurants.

Denver is near the mountains, not in them. Located on high rolling plains, Denver is 12 miles east of what locals call the “foothills,” a series of gentle mountains that climb to 11,000 feet. Just beyond is the Front Range, formidable snowcapped peaks rising to 14,000 feet that can be seen from practically everywhere in the city. Be sure to bring a camera.

Denver brews more beer than any other city. On an average day, Denver brews over 80 different beers and is the “Napa Valley” of beer. Brewers use the great taste of Rocky Mountain spring water as their key ingredient.

Denver is a great base for day trips. Whether you are in the mood to visit a casino, see a narrow gauge railway or tour the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, all are available within 80 miles of Denver. Rocky Mountain National Park is only 71 miles (114 km) northwest of Denver. It features 400 square miles (1,036 sq km) of scenic beauty, including Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the world, which traditionally opens Memorial Day weekend. The park has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, tranquil lakes, waterfalls, wildlife and horseback riding. Bring binoculars as well as a camera.

Denver, Colorado!