Denver

Its substantial ensemble of glittering skyscrapers marking the final transition between the Great Plains and the American West, DENVER stands at the threshold of the Rocky Mountains. Though clearly visible from downtown, the majestic peaks of the Front Range start to rise roughly fifteen miles west, and the “Mile High City” (at an elevation of 5280ft) is itself uniformly flat.

Denver was founded in 1858, near turgid Cherry Creek and the location of Colorado’s first gold strike. Prospectors swiftly moved on, but Denver has remained the state’s most important commercial and transport nexus and today’s artsy, liberal population coexists happily with a dynamic business community.