Denver is flat and, with the Rockies just 15 miles (24 km) to the west, has a mild climate with more than 300 days of sunshine a year. Colorado weather is famous for its fluctuations, during any season and any day, which also means that most weather conditions are temporary.
Getting from the Airport to the City
The major airport which travellers will arrive at on flights to Denver is Denver International Airport (TUS). There are various transportation options from the airport to the city including public buses, hotel shuttles, mountain carriers and shared vans. Taxis are also readily available.
What is good to know if travelling to Denver?- The Colorado State Capitol has murals depicting the history of water in the state on the walls of the first-floor rotunda. On the first floor, the west lobby hosts revolving temporary exhibits. When you stand on the 18th step of the State Capitol, you are 1.6km (5,280 feet or one mile) above sea level.
- Two museums of interest are Museo de las Americas, showing the artistic and cultural achievements of Latinos in the Americas, and the Colorado History Museum, with exhibits including Ancient Voices, a look at Colorado’s ancient peoples through artefacts and film, and Soldiers on Skis, the story of WWII soldiers who trained for battle in the Colorado Rockies.
- One of the top five US botanical gardens is here. The Denver Botanic Gardens are 23 acres of local, Australian, African, and Himalayan flora.
- There are 80 different beers brewed in the Denver area. Coors Brewing Company offers free tours, with stops in the sampling areas. The tours are limited and conducted on a first-come first-served basis, so you may want to get there early. The brewery is in Golden, about 30 minutes from Denver.
- When you ask for directions, people usually instruct you to “turn west off of” or “then go south” and so on. Just remember that everything is Denver is relative to the mountains, and that the mountains are west of the city.
- For gifts to take back home, take a look at fossils. Fossils tend to cost less in Denver because they are more abundant here than in other places.
Denver airport overview
Denver International Airport (DEN) is one of the largest airports, both in the United States and in the world. It is also one of the top ten busiest airports worldwide. Denver International Airport’s beautifully constructed rooftops, which are said to resemble the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, are conveniently located just 40km (25 miles) from downtown Denver.
An airport the size of Denver International is sure to have ample shopping opportunities for both domestic and international travellers. Passengers using the airport who are not keen on shopping will find that there are many other activities and distractions at the airport, including beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains and a number of commissioned art pieces located throughout the terminal buildings.
United Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines and Frontier Airlines all use Denver International Airport as a hub. Flights to Denver International Airport are available from most airports across the United States, such as LA, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Chicago; and from many international destinations including London, Cancun, Toronto and Frankfurt.
An airport the size of Denver International Airport is sure to impress even those travellers who think they’ve seen it all. However, it seems that this airport goes one step further. Not only does the design of the airport highlight the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, but it also has an environmental management system in place that aims to make the airport itself a more environmentally-friendly place – perfect for travellers wishing to keep their carbon footprint in mind.