Whether you were born here, recently moved here, or are just passing through, you can’t help but notice that the Mile High City is a happy, bustling metropolitan area where the possibilities are endless. We truly have it all here in Denver! From food and culture to sports and the great outdoors, our city provides anything your little heart could possibly desire, and here are just a handful of the many, many things Denverites do best.
1. For the second year in a row, our beloved Mile High City took the No. 1 spot in Forbes' Best Places for Business and Careers 2016.
We know where da gold at!
2. Denver also ranks No. 1 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 2016 Best Places to Live.
3. We knock parks and recreation out of the ballpark.
The Denver Parks and Recreation system goes back to 1868, when the first park was created and now spans over 20,000 acres of urban and mountain parkland.
4. We know how to build stuff.
The American Institute of Architects has doled out loads of awards and accolades for architecture and design in the Mile High City, including Denver Union Station and The Crawford Hotel, seen here.
Pro tip: You can see three award-winning buildings Downtown in one block - Denver Central Library (seen here), Clyfford Still Museum, and the Denver Art Museum’s Frederic C. Hamilton Building.
5. We excel at public art.
Denver’s Public Art Program stipulates that a percentage of any capital improvement project over $1 million must be set aside for the inclusion of art, and over the past 20 years more than 150 works of art have been installed under the program.
6. We also excel at street art.
Every year Denver welcomes hundreds of new creations by street artists that brighten up our urban landscape.
7. Our public transportation system is legit.
RTD provides more than 150 bus routes and eight light rails to move you swiftly through and around the metro area.
8. Our Mexican food is also legit.
9. And don't even get me started on how superior our green chile is.
Whether you slurp it, smother it, or dip mini chili rellenos in it, the Mile High City boasts the best green chile in the land.
9. Did you know the first Chipotle Mexican Grill opened in Denver in 1993?
The first Chipotle opened in a former Dolly Madison Ice Cream store at 1644 East Evans Avenue near the University of Denver.
10. Denverites also brew some mighty fine beer.
In fact, at this year's Great American Beer Festival, Colorado brewers took home 38 medals - including 13 golds - which was the second-highest medal haul at the festival. Eight of those medals were awarded to Denver breweries, with many more handed out to others in the region, including Aurora, Boulder, Broomfield, Golden, Longmont, Louisville, and Loveland.
11. Win or lose, our blood runs orange and blue.
Jocelyn Saurini/Flickr
We support our sports teams no matter what. That's right, we're DYE hard - no fair weather here. After all, we've been to seven Super Bowls and won three.
Even our furry friends are DYE hard.
12. We're proud of our city, our state, our history, and our heritage.
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