Will you ever be able to get enough of the Denver Metropolitan area? Imagine, fabulous outdoor adventures, thriving commerce, state of the art museums, artistic avenues, some of the finest dining in the country and a carefully-cultivated atmosphere that reflects upon the cherished history of an untamed territory and the future of modern metropolis.
RECREATION
Outdoor recreation
Today Denver is the largest metropolitan statistical area within 600 miles. There are 200 parks within the city limits and 20,000 acres of parks in the mountains. Now, that's a lot of play room. Hike, bike, ski, hunt, fish, take photographs or just relax in the breathtaking pristine environment that surrounds us.
Performing arts
If you have a taste for performing arts, you will feast on the spectacular array of performances offered here in the Denver Coliseum, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Ellie Calukins Opera House, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Boettcher Concert Hall, the Galleria, the Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre and many more venues throughout the region that highlight local, national and international talent.
Public art and cultural programs
Denver Metro Colorado civic leaders have banned together and worked hard to create "more diverse, vital, and nationally-recognized creative future," according to a carefully-laid plan publicized on Denver's website at www.denvergov.org.
The Denver office of Cultural Affairs constantly builds on the mile-high city's strengths to bolster an industry that employs more than 11,000 people. Public arts and cultural programs help make Colorado, and particularly the Denver Metro area, a fascinating and stimulating place to live. The community is committed to diversity and education and there is no better way to achieve both than through artistic expression.
Dining and nightlife
No matter where you are in the Denver Metro area, you will find an eclectic mix of diners and restaurants, bars and social clubs alive with the city's electric excitement. Take a client to lunch at a power lunch café. Eat a leisurely breakfast at a local bistro. Or, taste the delicious urban feel of our trendy eateries.
At night, visit one of our wine and martini bars. Looking for a little excitement? How about a hot salsa club? Relax on a rooftop patio and take in the view or commune with the locals at a neighborhood bar.
Pro sports
Denver Metro is a sports fan's paradise. Choose your favorite sports and feel the thrill of watching a live game!
Colorado is home to:
Zoos and Animal Attractions
If you have an animal attraction and are looking for a walk on the wilder side, consider visiting Denver's Downtown Aquarium, the Butterfly Pavilion Insect Center, or the Denver Zoo. At the Denver Zoo you can see almost 4,000 unique animals. The zoo houses 144 endangered animal species and three species that are extinct in the wild!
Museums
Colorado most certainly shares the fascinating history of the Wild, Wild West. Who represents that history more prominently than Buffalo Bill? You can learn all about Buffalo Bill at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. There you will be educated about the era, see memorabilia, learn about his life and can even see a Wild West Show.
Other museums that delight history buffs are:
There are many more museums throughout the great state of Colorado and particularly in the Denver Metro area.
TRANSPORTATION
Denver International Airport
Colorado boasts the largest international airport in the country. Denver International Airport offers flights to and from destinations all over the world. You can get there from here. The City of Denver owns and operates Denver International Airport. Under the city charter, the management, operation and control of Denver International Airport is delegated to the city's Department of Aviation.
Bus and Light Rail Transportation
You won't have any trouble getting around Denver and throughout the metro area thanks to a light rail system that offers 35 miles of track and six lines to destinations throughout:
- Downtown Denver
- LoDo
- Five Points
- Arapahoe Square
- Central Platte Valley
- Auraria and more
Combine the services of light rail with transportation offered by almost 60 bus routes and you can get just about anywhere you need to go.
Downtown Denver shuttles run the length of the 16th Street Mall. The shuttles offer connections to three major transit stations:
Union Station
Market Street Station
Civic Center Station
The shuttles also connect to all light rail lines.
Front Range Transit Service
Front Range Express is perfect for business men and women looking for a relaxing and comfortable ride with free wireless Internet service, comfy seats and easily accessible luggage racks.
This reasonably-priced method of transportation connects Fountain, Colorado Springs, Monument, Castle Rock and Downtown Denver.
COMMERCE
Metro Denver Economic Development has strived for and achieved a diverse economic base. The region has excelled on many plains "from aerospace to energy," according to the Metro Denver Economic Development's website.
"The region is fairing far better than the nation in the current recession with lower unemployment rates, and higher job growth and consumer confidence," according to Moody's Economy.com.
Brookings Institution, based in Washington, D.C., named Colorado's Front Range among five regions with growing business and social influence. The report sited good infrastructure and a growing population as positive aspects of the economy.
BOUNDARIES
Metro Denver is a large area geographically with a large population. The boundaries included in the metropolitan area are largely dependent on the organization defining them.
According to a Wikipedia report on Metro Denver, the following cities are included with larger areas previously considered a part of Metro Denver slowly breaking off to form their own unique metropolitan identities. Wikipedia identifies what is commonly referred to as the Denver Metropolitan Statistical Area as the "Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area."
Note, a CDP commonly referred to in this list is Census Designated Place and generally not incorporated.
Principal city
Places with over 100,000 inhabitants
- Arvada
- Aurora
- Lakewood
- Thornton
- Westminster
Places with 10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants
- Berkley (CDP)
- Brighton
- Broomfield
- Castle Rock
- Centennial
- Columbine (CDP)
- Commerce City
- Englewood
- Federal Heights
- Golden
- Greenwood Village
- Highlands Ranch (CDP)
- Ken Caryl (CDP)
- Littleton
- Northglenn
- Parker
- Sherrelwood (CDP)
- Welby (CDP)
- Wheat Ridge
Places with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
- Acres Green (CDP)
- Applewood (CDP)
- Alma
- Aspen Park (CDP)
- Bennett (CDP)
- Bow Mar
- Black Hawk
- Byers (CDP)
- Carriage Club (CDP)
- Castle Pines (CDP)
- Castle Pines North
- Central City
- Cherry Hills Village
- Coal Creek
- Columbine Valley
- Cottonwood (CDP)
- Deer Trail
- Derby (CDP)
- Downieville-Lawson-Dumont
- East Pleasant View (CDP)
- Edgewater
- Elizabeth
- Empire
- Evergreen (CDP)
- Fairplay
- Foxfield
- Franktown (CDP)
- Genesee (CDP)
- Georgetown
- Glendale
- Grand View Estates (CDP)
- Heritage Hills (CDP)
- Idaho Springs
- Indian Hills (CDP)
- Kiowa
- Kittredge (CDP)
- Lakeside
- Larkspur
- Lochbuie
- Lone Tree
- Louviers (CDP)
- Meridian (CDP)
- Morrison
- Mountain View
- North Washington (CDP)
- Perry Park (CDP)
- Ponderosa Park (CDP)
- Roxborough Park (CDP)
- Sedalia (CDP)
- Sheridan
- Silver Plume
- Simla
- St. Mary's
- Stonegate (CDP)
- Strasburg (CDP)
- The Pinery (CDP)
- Todd Creek (CDP)
- Twin Lakes (CDP)
- Westcreek (CDP)
- West Pleasant View (CDP)
- Boulder
- Longmont
- Lafayette
- Louisville
- Superior
Former Denver Metro communities now part of the separate Greeley Metropolitan Area due to being located in southwestern Weld County
- Dacono
- Firestone
- Fort Lupton
- Frederick
