Though it’s 100 miles north of Pueblo via the I-25 freeway, Denver (pop. 554,636) has the biggest, newest, and coolest airport in the Rockies, which may make it a handy starting or stopping point. The airport, which opened in 1996, is in the middle of nowhere, 25 miles northeast of town. The main lobby has a soaring fabric roof that from the outside looks like a Plains Indian encampment; inside is a pair of artworks, called “America: Why I Love Her,” which trace artist Gary Sweeney’s childhood memories of road trips to see the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine” and other all-American icons.
Other reasons to visit Denver include the U.S. Mint (Mon.-Fri.; free), right downtown at 320 W. Colfax Avenue, where you can watch and hear coins being pressed into shape; Coors Field (303/762-5437), lively home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team; and Lakeside Park (303/477-1621), off I-70 at 4601 Sheridan Boulevard, a nifty old summer-only amusement park with art deco architecture, a wooden Cyclone roller coaster, and other rides dating back to 1908.
In downtown Denver, eat at Dixon’s Downtown Grill (303/573-6100), a family-friendly haunt serving great breakfasts, afternoon sandwiches (try the Reuben), and drinks all night long in a historic building at 1610 16th Street. There are the usual range of hotels and motels in and around Denver, plus one unforgettable classic dating from 1890s: President Dwight Eisenhower’s favorite hotel, the Brown Palace ($150 and up; 303/297-3111), 321 17th Street. The lobby is worth a look even if you stay the night somewhere else.
For details on these or anything else to do with Denver, contact the visitors bureau (303/892-1112 or 800/645-3446), located at 1555 California Street.
