Denver is an eye-opener to first time visitors expecting a Sunbelt City of tract housing and bland high-rises; a mountain aerie; or windswept cowtown metropolis. The real Denver is a pre-World War II city with a dense urban fabric of brick houses, tree-lined streets, a shockingly mild climate, 75 neighborhoods (many originally laid out around streetcars), a world-class system of historic parks and parkways, bike-friendly 100+ miles of greenways, and happening arts and indie music scenes. Postwar the city languished and made the usual blunders of tearing down historic buildings and erecting freeways that only hastened suburban flight. Since 1990 the city has come back and even surged in population, largely thanks to New Urbanist infill projects like Stapleton, Riverfront Park and Highlands Garden Village. A growing rail- and bus-rapid-transit is being planned hand-in-hand with transit-oriented development that is bringing New Urbanism to suburban communities like Englewood, Broomfield and Boulder.
Awaken Your Senses in Denver
Denver is a vibrant city with 300 days of annual sunshine, year-round adventure and the breathtaking Rocky Mountains in its backyard. This city has it all - from nationally recognized chefs, exciting nightlife and world class attractions to a thriving arts and cultural scene, countless shopping options and abundant outdoor recreation found in the largest city park system in the country. Denver’s walkable downtown has been completely revitalized, featuring the second largest performing arts complex, a new opera house, a new aquarium, a new amusement park, three new arts museums, three new sports stadiums and a recently expanded convention center. Come join us at CNU 17 in the Mile High City!
Transportation
Mile High Transportation. Whether on foot, by car or by light rail, Denver is an easy city to get around. Downtown is very pedestrian friendly, but you can also hop on the free shuttle that runs along the 16th Street Mall. The Light Rail connects downtown to the suburbs; buses and taxis offer convenient transport. Denver’s grid-like design makes most routes easy to navigate by car using a map, and numerous options are available for disabled travelers.
Prepare for your visit to Denver by visiting http://www.denver.org/metro, and get a sneak peek at the host city here: Touring New Urbanism in Denver with Next American City.