Our visits: So far 4 visits in October 2012, October 2014, October 2018 and April 2022
Denver
Description: Denver is not only the capital of the state of Colorado, it is also the most populous. Beautifully located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains it is also called Mile High City , because it is located about one mile (1,609km) above sea level. The city was founded in 1858 when the first gold miners arrived in the area.
Our rating: So far, Denver has been more of a starting and ending point for our travels through the Southwest. Except for the Capitol and a few things in downtown, we have not really explored Denver yet. In our opinion, there are definitely more beautiful cities in the U.S., but that's obviously a matter of taste.
Update April 2022: As much as we haven't liked downtown Denver so far, we did find one part of Denver that we really liked. The RiNo District (see below).
Colorado State Capitol
Description: The Colorado State Capitol was designed by architect Elijah E. Myers and opened in 1884, after four years of construction. Then in 1904, the dome was gold-plated, in memory of the Colorado Gold Rush. Since 1974, the Capitol has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the GPS: 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80203
Our rating: When ever we have the opportunity, we enjoy visiting the state capitols. Most of them are very beautiful and impressive buildings. This is the same here in Denver. If you are interested in old buildings, you should make a short stop here. In our opinion it was worth it.
RiNo District
Description: The River North (RiNo) District is an emerging, hip neighborhood in the northeast of downtown Denver. In former industrial halls you can now find lots of restaurants, concert halls, fashion stores and modern apartment complexes. However, the RiNo District has become known for its many murals, which can be found on almost every building facade, especially along Laramie Street. These often very artfully designed paintings clearly characterize the image of the street. Very popular is the food , which can be found in the Denver Central Market. They offer fresh and often very creative culinary creations.
For the GPS: 2669 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205 (Central Market)
HOMEPAGE (Central Market) - here you can find all the information about the current food offers.
Our rating: Besides the many great murals, we especially liked the pleasant atmosphere in this part of town. Everywhere there were people on the street who either enjoyed the warm sunshine during a walk, or populated the numerous restaurants and enjoyed the delicious food. We can definitely recommend a trip here and hope that the charm of the streets will be maintained for a long time.
