Mile High Magic

Denver Scales The Pinnacle Of Enticement For Sports Fans. And Beer Fans. And Food Fans.

- Carla Jean Whitley

CAIT KENNETT didn’t have a lot of time before the first pitch. She and a carload of friends had left Glenwood Springs, in western Colorado, at 7:45 a.m. They drove through the mountains and over the passes, successfully navigating early spring’s unpredictable weather. The crew pulled into Denver at 11 a.m., which left just enough time for brunch before the 1:05 p.m. game.

The Colorado Rockies’ home stadium, Coors Field, doesn’t allow tailgating. And frankly, the Glenwood group had little time for a full-on tailgate. But the ViewHouse Ballpark (viewhouse.com) a block from the stadium offered an affordable brunch of local, organic foods and a Bloody Mary bar. Problem solved.

That’s the glory of this city set 5,280 feet over the western plains at the edge of the towering Rockies. Denver breathes sports. They build stadiums for anyone and surround them with a vast array of options to feed fans and quench their thirsts. Then it offers diversions to make die-hard sports fans want to stay—from shooting white water rapids to scaling 14,000-foot peaks to coming face-to-face with massive elk while hiking. And no matter the season, at least one of Denver’s five pro sports teams will offer up some action.

LOWDOWN ON LODO

In baseball season, it’s hard to beat the convenience of Coors Field, which is nestled into Denver’s LoDo (lower downtown) neighborhood. Yeah, the lack of formal tailgating can be a challenge for traditionalists. But the baseball stadium lies only a short walk from a number of breweries. Colorado is home to 348 craft breweries, according to the Brewers Association, making it third in the nation for quantity.