Did you know you can kayak in downtown Denver? Explore more than 850 miles of paved, off-road bike trails? And let’s not get me started on the fabulous hotels, ranging from the luxurious Ritz-Carlton to the historic Brown Place to brands like Grand Hyatt Denver and Westin Tabor Center — oh and my favorite the hip and funky Hotel Monaco! Denver is also gaining quite a reputation for its culinary offerings.

All this and more is included in my recent article in the Business Traveler, entitled “Summer in Denver.”  See below for an excerpt and here’s a link to the article:

Summer in the City

Diana Rowe finds that summers in Denver are action-packed too When the Democratic National Convention (DNC) selected Denver as its host city, and some 50,000 delegates and visitors descended on the city last summer, many speculated that the seven-county metro area couldn’t carry it off. But the success of the pivotal four-day convention has helped put this old mining town back on travelers’ maps.
    Says Mayor John Hickenlooper, “Denver is the largest city in a 600-mile radius, so we have become the cultural, sports, shopping and nightlife capital for a vast region of the country. The DNC allowed us to showcase our great city.”
    Traditionally, travelers think of Denver as a winter destination, and they should—the majestic, snow-capped Rocky Mountains are less than an hour away. The landscape beckons even city slickers, but it’s more than a state filled with skiers and scenery. With 300 days of sunshine per year—that’s more than Miami or San Diego—Denver is a brighter place to visit year-round.
    The Mile High City’s mild climate is its best-kept secret, with low relative humidity and summertime averages at just 86 ˚F. Locals anticipate the summer almost as much as the snowpack. In fact, many transplants will say, “I moved here for the winter, but stayed for the summer.”
    Perhaps that’s why the streets of Denver bustle with a constant flow of business and jogging suits—the perfect blend of work and play. Hickenlooper notes that Denver “has the nation’s largest city park system, with more than 850 miles of paved, off-road bike trails to explore. It’s not surprising then, that Denver is continually named America’s thinnest and fittest city.”Until next time — and hopefully sooner!  (Where has the time gone…)Diana