Welcome to Denver, the Mile High City
(The Denver skyline, courtesy of VISIT DENVER & Marcia Ward)
First-time visitors (and newbies to MBA Annual) may feel overwhelmed just getting to their Annual sessions, wandering through The Hub between events and reconnecting with colleagues during breaks. That’s OK. There’s plenty to see and do in Denver’s downtown that will keep you close to the conference for the times you can get out and about.
Exploring Downtown
From your hotel, you probably have a pretty good view of Denver’s modern skyline with skyscrapers such as the Republic Plaza (370 17th St.) and the Wells Fargo Center (1700 Lincoln St). You may also be within walking distance of Civic Center Park, a hub for events and gatherings, surrounded by notable landmarks like the Colorado State Capitol (200 E. Colfax Ave.), the U.S. Mint (320 W. Colfax Ave.), the Denver City and County Building (1437 Bannock St.), and the Denver Art Museum (100 W. 14th Avenue Pkwy).
Should you visit the state Capitol, be sure to climb to the 13th step on the building’s west side. There, you’ll be exactly one mile (5,280 feet or 1,609 meters) above sea level, hence the city’s moniker, the “Mile High City.” While it’s not the highest city in the United States–that would be Leadville in central Colorado (10,158–10,200 feet)–many places scattered throughout Denver will put you a mile above sea level.
Of course, downtown Denver also is known for its lively dining scene and nightlife. Visitors can find a variety of restaurants, bars, cafes and breweries offering diverse cuisines and local specialties. (Your hotel concierge will probably have a list of what’s nearby.) We particularly recommend hitting the 16th Street Mall (that’s also the address), a mile-long pedestrian-friendly mall packed with shopping, restaurants and attractions designed by famed architect I.M. Pei; the Brown Palace (321 17th Street), known for its afternoon tea and also for hosting The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and a number of other famous musicians; and ELWAY’S Downtown, one of several upscale eateries co-owned by John Elway, who played 16 seasons with the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
If you have a rental car, your options can expand quite a bit. You’re already close to the Rocky Mountains, the perfect place to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, skiing and mountain biking.
“Should you arrive in town a day or two before or after Annual and don’t mind an hour-long drive, head to Colorado Springs to see Garden of the Gods (see below) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center,” recommends Pete Butler, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Growth at Opus Capital Markets Consultants, LLC based in Denver. The Olympic training center in Fort Collins is where Team USA athletes train, although we imagine right now they’ll be taking a well-deserved rest.
For some “authentic” Denver cuisine in a real adobe building, Butler recommends The Fort in nearby Morrison (19192 CO-8, Morrison, CO, (303) 697-4771), about a 30-minute drive from Denver, where you’ll find tasty wild game dishes including buffalo, elk and quail.
If you don’t have a car check out Denver’s public rail and bus options, which can get you pretty much anywhere in town, often getting there faster than you’d be able to drive.
More of the Insider Scoop
For what to see and do in Denver, we asked Betty Knecht CAE, Executive Director of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association in Greenwood Village, and Tara Healy CMB, Chief Compliance Officer for NewFed Mortgage Corp. in Aurora and CMLA’s Legislative Committee Chair, as well as Butler for the recommendations they give to visiting friends and family.
Their ideas include the must-visit spots and hidden gems that showcase Denver’s unique blend of history, culture and natural beauty, including:
Walking City History Tours
There are guided walking, biking and e-biking tours through the streets surrounding the State Capitol, where the Who’s Who of Denver’s society built their mansions and made their mark in history. On the two-hour “generic” walking tour, you’ll visit Millionaire’s Row, the Molly Brown House Museum (she was a Titanic survivor and women’s rights advocate) and even the two “most haunted” homes in Denver. Given the season, you may opt for the adults-only haunted tour, limited to nine people, to visit the city’s “most scandalous” spots — from the former red-light district and courthouse to historic taverns and hotels. “I have actually taken out-of-town guests on this tour close to Halloween who wanted more of the ‘underbelly story’ and it was really fun,” Knecht said. (Info and pricing)
Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum, founded in 1893, is one of the largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast. Its art collections represent cultures around the world, with more than 70,000 works of art in 12 collections, including African art, architecture and design, art of the ancient Americas, Asian art, European and American art before 1900, Latin American art, Oceanic art, modern and contemporary art, photography, textile art and fashion, Indigenous arts of North America and western American art. During MBA Annual there will be daily tours of “Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum” and two exhibits only open until Oct. 30, “Giving Voice,” a program designed to empower youth living with disabilities and give voice to a social cause that is important to them and tours of the Sensory Garden from 11 am to 1 pm. (Info and pricing)
Mountain Adventures
If you’re able to come into Denver early or stay a day or two post-Annual, there are several day trips/tours worth doing. Healy recommends this roundtrip day visit in an air-conditioned van to Rocky Mountain National Park that includes a picnic lunch and visiting the Stanley Hotel, where Stephen King’s movie ‘The Shining’ was filmed.
During this tour you’ll enjoy panoramic views of stunning red sandstone formations at the Flatirons, and have the opportunity to take photos as you are driven down Trail Edge Road and through Estes Park. This tour lets you skip the hassle of having to arrange the payment of the park’s entrance fees, and you’re picked up and dropped off in town. The tour starts at the U.S. flag outside of Union Station in front of The Crawford Hotel (1701 Wynkoop St.). You’ll want to wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera and a reusable water bottle. (Info and pricing)
Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods
Along the same vein, both Healy and Butler have enjoyed taking out-of-town guests on a guided tour of the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, two of the most famous attractions in Colorado. Visitors will explore the giant red rock formations at the Garden of the Gods, a National Natural Landmark, and ride the Cog Railway to the highest summit in the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains at 14,115 feet. Waterproof shoes and wool socks are highly recommended for this excursion. This all-day tour starts and ends at Union Station (1701 Wynkoop St.,) at the large flagpole.
Although this tour is seasonal, it will be available throughout MBA’s conference dates in October, weather permitting. (Info and pricing)
One for Art and Music Lovers
Knecht recommends Meow Wolf for those “not afraid of sensory overload.” Meow Wolf is a four-story immersive art experience at Convergence Station (1338 1st Street). Convergence Station isn’t just Meow Wolf’s third (and largest) permanent exhibition, it’s “the first multiversal transit station serving Earth and home to one of Denver’s most unique performance and event venues,” according to its website. For those unfamiliar, Meow Wolf is an American arts and entertainment company that creates large-scale, interactive and immersive art installations.
On Oct. 27, there is a special event with “Dizgo,” a “funk, deep-groove soul, and psychedelic rock” band and Shwarma, a Denver-based band renowned for delivering an “eclectic musical experience.” Event tickets will allow you to visit the exhibit for up to two hours prior to the performance. (Info and pricing)
One for the Foodies
This three-hour five-star gastric tour is one you may need to book in advance as organizers say it fills up quickly. In essence, you’ll be eating your way through downtown Denver’s ever-changing dining scene on a walking food tour that lets you sample five of the best restaurants in town all in one afternoon.
The tour will include local favorites that may include authentic Neapolitan pizza, freshly baked empanadas from a family-owned shop and more (depending on what’s hot the week we’re in town). In between bites, you’ll hear about Denver’s Wild West history and see some of its landmarks, including the baseball field where the Colorado Rockies play and iconic Union Station. One thing is for sure: this tour will set you up for knowing where to eat during the rest of your stay! (Info and pricing)
Denver Patio Ride
Tired of the bus and Duck Tours? This is a unique way to have fun whether you’re traveling solo and ready to meet new friends or with a group. “Party bikes” can seat a maximum of 16 riders and you’ll need six or seven riders just to get going. These 100% pedal-powered vehicles can be taken on a pre-designed route or you can create your own route to tour downtown Denver’s LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver) or RiNo (River North Art District) districts.
A typical two-hour tour will make three bar stops, each for 20 minutes or so. If you don’t know your way around the city, or would like to try a few new places, Bike Bar Tour Drivers are very fun people to be around, and they will make sure your group has a great time. Pedalers are allowed to bring food and beverages on board, they have room for up to a full-size cooler. You need to be drinking from a re-sealable plastic container like a Nalgene, water, or Gatorade-style bottle to limit spilling while onboard. (Info and pricing)
Denver Ghost Tours
Back to a seasonal theme, Knecht shares that Denver has some famous haunted bars and with the timing of MBA Annual being so close to Halloween, we think this one’s to die for. Denver Ghost Tours hosted by Nightly Spirits (1400 Market St.) are meticulously researched ghost tours and haunted pub crawls that “peel back the layers of Denver’s veneer to showcase a side of the city you never knew existed, one where the echoes of the past meet the curiosity of the present.” (Info and pricing)
Making the Most of Your Time Here
We appreciate you traveling to Denver and spending some time with our leadership and your friends and colleagues. We hope you enjoy your time here and have a few moments to explore and find inspiration in the city’s storied past and vibrant present. Here’s to a successful MBA Annual meeting and a memorable experience in the Mile High City!
We’d also like to extend a special thank you to CMLA’s Betty Knecht and Tara Healy for their thoughtful and timely what-to-see-and-do recommendations during our time here.
