1. DENVER IS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS, NOT IN THEM.

There are 200 named peaks visible from Denver, including 32 that soar to 13,000 feet and above. The mountain panorama visible from Denver is 140 miles long.

2. DENVER REALLY IS EXACTLY ONE MILE HIGH. 

There is a step on the State Capitol Building that is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. In Denver's rarified air, golf balls go 10 percent farther.

3. DENVER HAS 300 DAYS OF SUNSHINE A YEAR.

Located east of a major mountain range, Denver has a mild, dry and sunny climate with more annual hours of sun than San Diego or Miami Beach. In winter, Denver is dryer than Phoenix with an average daily high of 45 degrees in February. Golf courses remain open all year and have been played as many as 30 days in January.

4. DENVER IS A CULTURAL CITY WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST EDUCATED POPULATION IN AMERICA.

In its Old West days, Denver had a performance of Macbeth before it had a school or hospital. Today, the Denver Performing Arts Complex has nine theaters seating 10,000 people and is second only to New York's Lincoln Center. The seven-county metro area has a self-imposed sales tax and collects more money for the arts per capita than any other city in the country.

5. A GREAT CENTRAL LOCATION. 

Denver is just 340 miles from the exact center of the Continental United States - closer to the center of the nation than any other city our size. It’s the largest city in the U.S. with one bounce satellite technology to anywhere in the world.

6. DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DEN):

DIA is the 6th busiest airport in the nation and the 19th busiest airport in the world. With nearly 1600 daily flights there is nonstop service to more than 181 destinations worldwide. Fares to Denver International Airport have dropped nearly 42 percent in the last decade, the third steepest drop in the U.S.

7. A SPORTS FAN’S DREAM CITY. 

Denver is one of only two cities to offer seven professional sports teams. With 5 sports stadiums, Denver offers MLB baseball with the Colorado Rockies; NFL football with the Denver Broncos; NHL hockey with the Colorado Avalanche; NBA basketball with the Denver Nuggets; MLS with the Colorado Rapids; as well as two professional lacrosse teams.

8. ENJOY A TALL, FROSTY ONE.

Denver brews more beer than any other city with 200 different beers brewed in town daily and at the Coors Brewing Company - the largest single brewing site on earth. The world's largest beer festival is held every September, the Great American Beer Festival, with a Guinness World Record 2,800 different beers available for tasting in 2013.

9. BEAUTIFUL PARKS AND TRAILS.

Denver boasts 85 miles of bike trails, all part of the largest city park system in the nation. Denver has more than 200 parks within the city and 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains, including spectacular Red Rocks Park & Ampitheatre. In 2010, Denver launched the nation's first major bicycle sharing program, B-cycle, with 800 shiny red bikes available for sharing at more than 80 stations. The city has its own buffalo herd and every year plants more than 200,000 flowers in 26 formal flower gardens. The city owns its own ski resort – Winter Park.

10. SALOON TOWN.

The first permanent structure in Denver was not a hospital, bank or house—it was a saloon.

11. THE TRADEMARK OF A CHEESEBURGER.

Louis Ballast, who operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver, was the first person to trademark the cheeseburger.

12. HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST STOCK SHOW.

The National Western Stock Show, held in Denver in January, is the largest stock show in the world.

13. ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST CITIES IN AMERICA.

Denver was rated as the healthiest city in the country for pets by Purina, ranking high in categories like veterinarian to pet ratio and low number of fleas

14. STAY FIT IN COLORADO.

According to USA Today, Denver is one of America’s top 10 “thinnest” cities. The ranking is based on only 19.3% of its population being obese, which is low compared to other locations. 

15. BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE.

The 16th Street Mall in Denver was designed by master architect I.M. Pei, who also created the glass pyramid outside of the Louvre in Paris.