Denver is the Mile High City — gateway to the Rocky Mountains with a booming food, beer, and outdoor culture that makes it America's adventure capital.
Denver is the Mile High City -- exactly one mile above sea level at the 13th step of the State Capitol building. It is the gateway to the Rocky Mountains with a booming food, craft beer, and outdoor culture that makes it America's adventure capital. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the Denver Art Museum, and 200+ craft breweries define a city that balances urban sophistication with easy access to world-class hiking and skiing. Denver gets 300 days of sunshine per year and has one of the fittest populations in the US.
June through September offers warm weather for hiking and outdoor festivals like the Great American Beer Festival in September. Winter (December-March) is ski season with flights pricier on weekends. April-May and October-November are shoulder seasons with comfortable temperatures and lower prices. Ski season peaks December-February with higher hotel rates. Denver's 300 days of sunshine make any season pleasant. January is the coldest month at -5 to 7 degrees C.
United uses Denver as a major hub with extensive domestic networks covering 200+ destinations. Southwest operates heavily from DEN with budget options. Frontier Airlines is headquartered in Denver with ultra-low-cost routes. Delta and American serve Denver from their hubs. British Airways offers seasonal London service. WestJet connects to Calgary. JetBlue offers flights from the East Coast. Frontier's base in Denver means some of the cheapest domestic US fares.
Denver International Airport (DEN) is 40 km from downtown with the A Line commuter rail reaching Union Station in 37 minutes for .50. The airport is the largest in North America by area at 137 square km with a distinctive tent-like roof designed to evoke the Rocky Mountains. The Jeppesen Terminal houses both check-in and baggage claim. Ride shares have designated pickup areas. The airport has excellent connections to light rail and bus services.
Frontier Airlines offers some of the cheapest domestic fares from Denver -- watch for flash sales. The RTD day pass is .50 for light rail and bus. Red Rocks Park is free to visit (concerts cost extra). The Denver Art Museum has free first Saturdays. Craft brewery tours often cost nothing -- just tip the bartender. The 16th Street Mall free shuttle bus runs the length of the pedestrian mall. The free Denver Cruiser bike ride happens weekly in summer.
Denver's RTD public transport includes the light rail with A, B, E, G, H, L, N, R, and W lines covering the metro area. The A Line connects the airport to Union Station in 37 minutes. Single fares are .25 for local service and a day pass costs .50. The free MallRide shuttle runs along the 16th Street Mall connecting Downtown attractions. Denver is a bike-friendly city with B-Cycle bike sharing. Uber and Lyft are widely available. The city is relatively flat and walkable in downtown and LoDo (Lower Downtown) areas. A car is essential for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park and the mountains. Winter driving can be treacherous on I-70. The Bustang regional bus service connects Denver to mountain towns.
Downtown and LoDo offer central location near Union Station with hotels from $100-300 USD per night. Capitol Hill provides a charming historic district with affordable options from $70-150 USD. Cherry Creek offers upscale shopping and hotels from $100-250 USD. RiNo (River North Art District) has trendy breweries and boutique hotels from $120-200 USD. Budget travelers check hostels in Capitol Hill from $10-40 USD. Hotels near the airport are cheaper at $100 USD with shuttle services.