Denver gets its ‘Mile High City’ label through its location on top of a mountain range, though this is not all it’s known for nowadays. As a growing urban center, a cosmopolitan nature can be seen in its burgeoning culinary and arts scene. While it can be said that a lot of people travel to Denver for the neighboring ski resorts, this idea is quickly changing as the city reasserts itself as a must-see destination in the West.
While the list of Denver’s natural wonders is seemingly endless, this is only the tip of iceberg. With a flourishing artisanal and craft food scene. Here is a short list of things to see & do in Denver:
Larimer Square
Under Larimer Square’s signature canopy lights are found some of the best food spots, bars, and boutique shops in the city. On top of all the businesses that permanently live on the block, you can expect pop-up events to be going on throughout the year for an even more unique Denver experience.
Larimer Square has a rich history dating back to 1858 when it was known just as Larimer Street. Through fires, rebuilding, expansion, Prohibition, near demolition, and so much more, Larimer Square has remained vigilant and thrived as Denver’s oldest block.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is an open-air theater that’s built into a rock structure and offers an inviting atmosphere, a surrounding parkland with relaxing walkways, and unforgettable live performances. The venue can seat up to 9,525 people, and the natural acoustics from the disc-shaped rock create sounds that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Massive curved rocks are on both sides of the theater, creating natural walls that direct the sound.
Whether you love music, impressive rock formations, or tranquil parks, you’ll enjoy a visit to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. While not every performance held on the stage is kid-friendly, plenty of them are, so you won’t have any trouble finding a suitable performance. Of course, the park area is open to everyone and offers plenty of walking paths and impressive geological formations throughout its total 659 acres of space.
Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum is one of the largest art museums in the country and home to over 70,000 wide-ranging and thoughtful works. Among these works is an enormous selection of American Indian art showcasing a diverse and rich cultural heritage. The museum is also known for The Petrie Institute of Western American Art, which manages the museum’s Western art collection.
The museum is located in the Denver Civic Center on the south side of downtown. Its origin can be traced back to 1893 with the founding of the Denver Artists Club, which became the Denver Art Association in 1917 and the museum in 1923.