September 2005
Ten years ago, Denver was a place people passed through on their way west to the Rocky Mountains. But an extreme makeover has turned it into a hip city with European flair. In the heart of downtown, there's a mile-long pedestrian path lined with trees, park benches, and outdoor cafés. Lower downtown (LoDo) is a historic district, formerly full of abandoned warehouses, now restored and home to several fine rooftop cafés and brewpubs. You can explore the area on foot or hop on the Cultural Connection trolley. Speaking of culture: The Denver Performing Arts Complex, the world's largest performing arts center under one roof, just opened a $92 million opera house.
Make a plan: Climb the steps of the state capitol to reach Denver's official mile-high elevation. For a more challenging ascent, head to Rocky Mountain National Park and drive on Ridge Road, which at an elevation of 12,183 feet puts you above the tree line in Alpine tundra. Intrepid travelers can head to Royal Gorge Bridge and Park (719-275-7507) to walk across wooden slats on the world's highest suspension bridge, 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River.
Spend an afternoon antique shopping in Georgetown, an old silver mining town with colorfully painted Victorian homes and storefronts. Check out nearby Silver Plume, a semi-ghost town of weathered buildings from the 1870s, and pop into Sopp and Truscott Bakery (303-569-3395) for cinnamon fruit bread. Extra flour and higher temperatures aren't the only tricks to baking at a 9,000-foot elevation. Although owner/baker Gail Buckley cautiously guards her secret, you can always ask.
Kitchen smarts: A new recreational cooking school in LoDo, mis en place (303-293-2224) offers evening classes taught by some of Denver's top award-winning chefs. You can give your table a stylish makeover with help from Homefest (303-741-3920), a store in Denver suburb Greenwood Village that sells everything from Simon Pearce hand-blown crystal to Le Jacquard Français linens for the table.
Good food: For American cuisine, there's glamorous Adega Restaurant Plus Wine Bar (303-534-2222) and Vesta Dipping Grill (303-296-1970), which adds sizzle to dishes with 30 different dipping sauces, such as mango poblano salsa and saffron aioli. Go to Rioja (303-820-2282) in Larimer Square, Denver's historic first block, for Mediterranean-inspired dishes from Chef Jennifer Jasinski, a Wolfgang Puck protégé.
Call it a night: From boutique hotels to sprawling resorts, Denver area lodging options run the gamut. Choose from more than 2,000 restaurants, some of which serve local specialties, such as rattlesnake tails.
For a prime LoDo location and turn-of-the-century charm, check into Hotel Teatro ($185 to $395; 303-228-1100, www.hotelteatro.com), whose name salutes its next-door neighbor, the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Downtown, the eclectic Hotel Monaco ($159 to $465; 800-990-1303, www.monacodenver.com) is pet-friendly.
Buffalo Hunt: Lower in calories and fat than chicken, and higher in iron than beef, buffalo is served at Denver's oldest restaurant and saloon, The Buckhorn Exchange (303-534-9505, www.buckhorn.com). Here, authentic Old West ambience and buffalo specialties, including tenderloin steak, prime rib, and smoked sausage, are served. Ensconced in a 19th-century sandstone building, The Rocky Mountain Diner (303-293-8383, www.rockymountaindiner.com) has a funky vibe with an antique jukebox and Colorado comfort food, including burgers and buffalo meat loaf. Buffalo steaks and burgers are also served at The Wynkoop Brewing Company (303-297-2700, www.wynkoop.com), the largest brewpub in the United States, owned by Denver mayor John Hickenlooper.
