Denver has a reputation as one of the fittest places in the nation, and it just might have something to do with the combination of ample year-round sunshine and an incredible park and trail system at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Check out a few ways you can enjoy the outdoors with a new home in the Denver Metro area.

Trail Systems
A sprawling network of biking and walking trails crisscrosses the metro area, running through the heart of Denver, along waterways like the Platte River and Cherry Creek, and extending out to surrounding cities and counties. These are your off-road highways to shopping districts, parks, the foothills and more. Popular routes include the Cherry Creek Trail, the Greenway Trail, the High Line Canal Trail, the Bear Creek Trail and the US 36 Bikeway.

City Parks
The Denver Metro area boasts several idyllic parks with jogging/biking paths, sports fields, picnicking areas and more. City Park boasts 330 acres with gardens, lakes, mountain views and easy access to the Denver Zoo, the Museum of Nature & Science and a public golf course. Confluence Park sits at the joining of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, and offers kayaking, access to the Denver Trolley, and close proximity to Elitch Gardens, the Pepsi Center and Union Station. Other local favorites include Washington (“Wash”) Park, Cheesman Park, Sloan’s Lake Park and Civic Center Park.

Protected Areas
These wild landscapes reside at the core of Colorado’s outdoor character—and they’re all just a short drive from downtown Denver.

• Roxborough State Park in Roxborough
  Wildlife viewing, hiking, cross-country skiing
• Chatfield State Park in Littleton
  Camping, hot-air ballooning, biking, wildlife viewing, hiking, ice fishing, horseback riding
• Barr Lake State Park in Brighton
  Wildlife viewing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, archery
• Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora
  Camping, model airplane flying, wildlife viewing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, boating
• Standley Lake Regional Park in Westminster
  Paddling, boating, camping and tipi rentals, fishing and wildlife viewing
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City
  Bison pasture, wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing
• Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in Golden
  Hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, wildlife viewing

From world-renowned music venues and top-notch educational facilities, to a colorful variety of shopping, dining and more, the Denver Metro area has no shortage of rich cultural experiences to offer for the whole family. Here are just a few worth checking out.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Internationally famous music venue built right into natural red rock formations, with some of the best natural acoustics of any amphitheatre in the world. 738 acres of natural wonder surround the concert area, boasting several recreation options amid stunning natural scenery.

Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison
This fossil hotspot is located near Red Rocks. And if you’ve never seen a dinosaur bone protruding from the side of a mountain, this is your place. Tours at this National Natural Landmark can be done on foot or by guided bus.

Denver Botanic Gardens
With three exceptional sites—one in Denver’s Cheesman Park neighborhood, one adjacent to Littleton’s Chatfield Park, and an alpine garden in Evergreen—the Denver Botanic Gardens is well regarded for its variety of internationally inspired gardens, summer concert series, art exhibits and more.

Larimer Square
Lights strung over Larimer Street give this outdoor shopping district a magical evening glow. Here, you can indulge in some of downtown Denver’s finest dining, shopping and nightlife. It’s also a great place to catch your favorite standup comic at Denver’s Comedy Works.

Casa Bonita
Besides being popular for its sopapillas, this Lakewood institution is the only restaurant in the metro area where you can watch indoor cliff divers while eating your meal. It also features an arcade, puppet shows, a cave experience and a gift shop in a cavernous 52,000-square-foot domed building topped by a pink tower.

16th Street Mall
You can explore this mile-long downtown mall on foot or by free mall shuttle. Along the way, you’ll find eateries, shopping, a movie theater and seasonal outdoor entertainment like an ice rink. The eye-catching granite walkway was designed by famed architect I.M. Pei, who arranged the stone in a red, white and gray pattern resembling a diamondback rattlesnake.

Denver Art Museum
With striking architecture and over 70,000 works of art—including rotating exhibitions—this is a must-see for art lovers. The museum also features interactive play spaces for little ones.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science
From the moment you step in the entrance and crane your neck up at a towering Tyrannosaurus rex, you’ll know that this museum goes big. With an IMAX theater, planetarium, a kids discovery zone and two stories of temporary and permanent exhibitions, you’ll almost certainly need more than one trip to experience all this local gem has to offer.

Colorado State Capitol
Colorado’s capitol building was designed with a memorable gold dome by Elijah E. Myers, who also worked on the Michigan and Texas capitol buildings. The surrounding Civic Center Park area features green space, a Greek amphitheater, fountains and the city’s largest lineup of food trucks.

Union Station
With a restored 100-plus-year-old terminal building, this transportation hub features a magnificent vaulted great hall with shops and eateries, a second-floor hotel and access to light rail, Amtrak, commuter rail to the airport and an underground bus concourse.

Amusement Parks
The Denver Metro area has no less than three fun-packed amusement parks to choose from. Lakeside, the oldest original amusement park in Denver, debuted in 1908 and has been wowing families with rides and beautiful views ever since. Elitch Gardens in downtown Denver is named after the original historic Elitch Gardens amusement park that once inhabited northwest Denver. The new iteration sports a full-fledged theme park and separate water park, with plenty of rides for thrill seekers like the Mind Eraser and Tower of Doom. Water World in Federal Heights is one of the country’s largest water parks, and includes every kind of splashy ride you could imagine—including a cavernous raft adventure with animatronic dinosaurs called Voyage to the Center of the Earth.

Denver Performing Arts Complex
Encompassing 12 blocks and four acres, this complex is home to multiple buildings with a combined 10 performance spaces, all connected under one 80-foot-tall glass roof. Whether you’re into opera, Broadway plays, avant-garde productions or the ballet, this is the place to be. Resident companies include the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony, Opera Colorado and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Denver loves its sports. Football, basketball, baseball, hockey and more all have devout followings and beautiful venues to play in. Here are a few notable places to catch a game.

Mile High Stadium
It used to be Invesco field at Mile High, then it was Sports Authority Field at Mile High, then it was Broncos Stadium at Mile High. But no matter the name that precedes it, local fans refer to this venue by one beloved name: Mile High Stadium, home of the three-time Super Bowl champ Denver Broncos. The stadium also hosts concerts and other special events.

Pepsi Center
Home of the Denver Nuggets NBA basketball team, the Colorado Avalanche NHL hockey team, and the Colorado Mammoth NLL Lacrosse team, this multi-purpose arena is also a popular place to catch a concert or Cirque du Soleil show.

Coors Field
Standing majestically on the corner of 20th and Blake streets, this stadium is just a short walk from Union Station and many other hotspots, making it a fun and accessible place to catch a game and an iconic part of the downtown cityscape. And if you get the right seat, you’ll also enjoy a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountain skyline.

DICK’S Sporting Good Park
Home of the Colorado Rapids MLS soccer team, this multi-purpose stadium in Commerce City is surrounded by multiple other soccer fields available for rent, including two synthetic turf fields. Concerts and other events are also hosted here.

• Buckley Air Force Base

• Tim Allen (actor)
• Jack Swigert (astronaut)
• Karl Rove (former White House Chief of Staff)
• David Fincher (director)
• Chauncey Billups (former NBA basketball player)
• John Eisenhower (diplomat and son of President Eisenhower)
• Don Cheadle (actor)
• Margaret “Molly” Brown (philanthropist and Titanic survivor)
• Bill Frisell (musician)