So, readers, do I have a secret for you! You know how we’re all always hearing about how totally wacky, weird, and rockin’ Austin is? Or, Portland, bragging about its restaurants per capita stat or whatever. New Orleans: so unique, wonderful, and full of history. The list goes on: Seattle (artsy and Puget Sound-y), Savannah (that ol’ southern charm), and the other Portland (lighthouses! lobstermen!)

What do you think of when you think of Denver?

Crickets, probably. Mile-high city. Um…Rockies? Aaand, rocky mountain oysters? If you are also a House Hunters fanatic, you might add, “Full of fit-looking people who really need somewhere to store their mountain bikes.”

See what I mean? We have no idea.

Because, Denver? Is holding out on us. It is one impressive city, and they’re keeping it all to themselves.

Downtown Denver is full of charming old, brick buildings; with streets reminiscent of Manhattan’s meatpacking district, full of people all day and night.  Its museum and arts complex rivals the Smithsonian for square footage. While San Franciscans and New Yorkers are patting themselves on the back for their new bike share pilot programs, Denver has already had one in place for two years now. And there are nearly 850 miles (MILES) of paved, off-road bike paths that act like a bike highway network to get you across the city, complete with exit/entry ramps. Terrific food and beer scene, with a farm-to-table, rustic Colorado vibe that is authentic because we’re actually in Colorado. Things get even more precious once you venture out into the tree-lined, century-old neighborhoods.

It’s easy to understand why this city is so…functional. Urban planning seems to be a part time hobby here. Two mothers, out for brunch, drifted into conversation about plans to develop Lincoln Park, fretting about whether it would harm the businesses along the 16th street pedestrian mall, a short walk away; after a brief pause, they moved on to the $900 million redevelopment of Union Station and how it was attracting businesses to northeast Denver. Strangers bragged to me about the actually-insane number of dedicated bike paths. The city seems united under a common cause to continuously try and make their community even better. 

On top of this, you have the Rocky Mountains just miles away, with skiing, hiking, white water rafting, dinosaur hunting, and achingly cute towns in between. The Sierra Nevadas, the Cascades, the Olympic Mountains, the Appalachians (stop laughing) have nothing on these 14,000 ft snow capped peaks.

So, here’s my list of what to do and where to eat, when you find yourself in Denver. (Links will go live as I publish each article.)

1. Tips for Getting Around Denver, and Bonus: How to get to Vail for the Weekend

2. An Education in Modern Art at the Clyfford Stills Museum

3. Exploring Colorado’s Dinosaur Past  at the Denver Nature and Science Museum

4. Mouths on Fire at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Distillery

5. Untitled: Last Fridays at the Denver Art Museum

6. How to Be a Badass Without Even Trying: Whitewater Rafting on the Colorado

7. Vail, Colorado —  Hiking the Historic Missouri Lakes

8. Where We Ate: Denver and Vail Edition