businesstraveller.com OCTOBER 2017
Q Hire a car and head about half an
hour west to the naturally formed Red
Rocks Amphitheatre (open 7am-7pm
April-Oct, 8am-4pm Nov-March;
free; redrocksonline.com), the striking
9,000-seat location of U2’s Under a
Blood Red Sky concert video. Tens
of thousands come here every year
to work out, hike, visit the museum,
or simply to relive meaningful musical
moments. The long view back
to the city and airport beyond is
extraordinary.QOn the way, drive the twisting,
climbing Lariat Loop road to the
Buffalo Bill Museum (9am-5pm daily
May-Oct, Tue-Sun Nov-April; US$5;
buffalobill.org). Well-presented galleries
tell the story of the army scout,
buffalo hunter, cowboy showman
and western pioneer. His grave is
nearby on Lookout Mountain. The
Colorado Sightseer provides half-day
tours to both of the above (US$50;
coloradosightseer.com).QFor the ultimate outdoor adventure, head to
the spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park,
115km northwest of Denver. The vast 1,075 sq
km park has countless peaks, alpine lakes, deep
glacial valleys, pine forests, 565km of trails, and
wildlife such as eagles, elk and even moose; it’s
like Switzerland – on a very good day. Aspire offers
scenic day trips (US$115; aspire-tours.com).Weil is said to have coined the phrase “The West is
not a place, it’s a state of mind”. Denver today may
be a hip, forward-thinking city, but it’s still very much
connected to that history and belief. It’s a state of mind
that, even for a weekend, is well worth entering.
Q For more information on Denver, including the
Mile-High Culture Pass to various attractions (US$30
for three days), see visitdenver.org and colorado.com
Weekend in... Denver I 61It’s only when you leave the city that you realise the sprawling
metropolitan area is but a speck in the monumental Midwestern
landscape: to the west is the soaring backdrop of the magnificent
Rocky Mountains, while to the east lie the big skies and slow, flat,
endless slide of the Great Plains. Here are three ways to get a whole
new perspective on the Mile-High City:Denver's great outdoors
From top:
Red Rocks
Amphitheatre;
Buffalo Bill
Museum; and
Emerald Lake,
Rocky Mountain
National Park