Denver is the capital of Colorado and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. Offering a wealth of museums, natural sites and more annual days of sunshine than Miami, ‘The Mile-High City’ sits in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains which offer great ski resorts, hiking trails and wildlife viewing.
In 1858, gold was discovered in the Rockies, resulting in a surge of new mining towns – one of which was Denver. To take a deep dive into Denver’s gold-tinted past, head to the History Colorado Center which contains exhibits on the city’s foundation and the pioneering achievements of the American West. You can also head back to 1894 at the Molly Brown House Museum, a Victorian mansion that was home to a human rights activist who survived the sinking of the Titanic.
One of the most popular things to do in Denver is shopping or grabbing a bite to eat in LoDo – the city’s oldest neighbourhood. Many boutique stores and chef-owned restaurants can be found in LoDo’s Larimer Square, as well as trendy cafés. Other local highlights include the flora-filled Botanic Gardens, the Denver Art Museum or the breweries along the Denver Beer Trail. You can also reach the spectacular scenery of the Rocky Mountain National Park in an hour and a half by car.