The mile-high city dates from the Pike’s Peak gold rush in the late 1850s. But, with the rise of technology, the city benefited from its position a mile up “to offer a ‘one-bounce’ real-time satellite uplink to six continents in the same business day” (Wikipedia). As a result many telecommunications companies make Denver their home.

Denver has a thriving downtown area with a performing-arts complex, and a wide variety of shops, more than 2,000 restaurants, and night spots. Numerous micro-breweries and brew pubs are within walking distance of each other downtown. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, these walks can be most pleasant. Outdoor activities flourish in the nation’s largest city-park system, golf courses, and 650 miles of paved bike trails. The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception hosted Pope John-Paul II’s two masses here. For sports enthusiasts, there are teams from four major sports: the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, and the Denver Nuggets.