Answer: Denver really is a mile high: Known as the Mile High City, the 15th step of the State Capitol is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. If you want to get a little higher (altitude-wise, of course), climb the 93 steps to the top of the dome, and get a great city view.

Denver is not in the Rockies: Built on the plains, most of the city is flat, although you can usually see the Rockies looming in the west.

Denver is rarely cold or snowy: Because most precipitation is trapped by the Rockies, the weather is usually dry and sunny, with winter temperatures often in the 50s or even 60s.

Founded in 1858, Denver's early growth came from Colorado's gold and silver mines; its most recent boom began in the 1960s, when historic Larimer Square was spared the wrecking ball. In 1970, the Molly Brown House was saved from demolition; and in 1980, downtown's main shopping route--16th Street--was transformed into a pedestrian mall. Today, the city is thriving: the neglected warehouses of LoDo (Lower Downtown) are now restaurants, clubs, galleries, shops, and offices; the rundown mansions of Capitol Hill and Uptown have regained their original elegance.

Denver offers the visitor a rich palette of activities, from its major cultural institutions--the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Natural History, the Colorado History Museum, and the Art Museum--to such fascinating slices of Western history as the Molly Brown House and the Black American West Museum (did you know that nearly a third of the cowboys who helped build the west were African-Americans?) Don't miss the U.S. Mint or the Ocean Journey aquarium. Shoppers will enjoy 16th Street and the Denver Pavilions, Larimer Square, and South Broadway. More information from Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

B&B Inns: One of the last grand homes to be built before the Great Silver Crash of 1893, the Capitol Hill Mansion has an exterior of ruby sandstone, high turrets, balconies, soaring chimneys, and a grand curved porch. Inside, patterned plaster, golden oak paneling, a grand staircase and stained, beveled glass windows complement the eight immaculately decorated guest rooms, combining uncluttered period charm with all modern conveniences. Innkeepers Wendy and Bill Pearson provide attentive, friendly, helpful service, plus tasty breakfasts. Restored with uncommon European elegance, Haus Berlin offers four guest rooms in an 1892 Victorian home, artfully decorated with a mixture of antique and modern furnishings and artwork from Europe and South America. Innkeeper Christiana Brown cooked one of the very best breakfasts we've ever had. More inns...

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