TWO DAYS IN DENVER

A MILE HIGH: As everyone knows, Denver is called the "mile high city" because, well, it is. If you stand on the 13th step of the stairs of the state capitol building, you are standing exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. I returned to Denver last month for the first time in many years, and there's a lot more going on in Colorado's capital city than altitude, the Broncos and the Rockies.

In the intervening years since I last visited, Denver has grown from a pretty and outdoorsy town at the base of the Rocky Mountains, which it still is, into a diverse, cosmopolitan city of 2.5 million. At the conclusion of a recent conference, my family joined me for a weekend and we found a friendly city with beautiful neighborhoods and parks, a sophisticated dining scene, great shopping and lots of things for kids and adults to enjoy together, all set against the always inspirational and jaw-dropping view of the mountains (at least when it's not raining and gray, which it was for most of my visit).

THE CENTER OF IT ALL: If you are going to visit Denver and are not flying in to just head west to the mountains for skiing or warm-weather fun, staying downtown will put you at the center of everything with plenty to do and see within walking distance of your hotel. For a western city, Denver's downtown is surprisingly (to me) dense with attractions and even residents. The city also has a transit system of light rail and buses, though you will need a car if you want to explore some of the neighborhoods or go further afield. We stayed at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. It has all the bells and whistles of a big city chain property, but also is perfectly located near the state capitol and on the pedestrian-friendly 16th Street Mall. With no vehicular traffic, save a free downtown shuttle, 16th Street Mall allows you to walk its length, stopping along the way to shop and dine. I headed out the door one morning for a run down to the other end of mall. This leads to the the cable-stayed Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian suspension span that carries you over a rail yard and connects downtown with the Central Platte Valley and Union Station area. Here, you also can connect to Confluence Park and some really nice running trails along the - you guessed it - confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. I was able to admire the view back towards the Denver skyline and the cool condo properties nearby, in part, because I had to keep stopping on my run to adjust to the altitude, which definitely can be felt when exercising outside.

FROM MINING TOWN TO BIG LEAGUE: Denver was founded in 1858 during the gold rush of Pikes Peak in what was then the Kansas Territory, and named after the territorial governor. It grew quickly and, when Colorado was admitted to the union in 1876, Denver became its capital. Denver has seen its booms and busts over the years but seems to have survived the Great Recession relatively intact. Denver reminds me of other regional centers like Atlanta and Minneapolis, drawing the young, ambitious and outcast hoping for better luck in the big city, but not yet ready for New York or Los Angeles.

Today, of course, Denver has big city essentials like professional men's sports teams in baseball, basketball, football and hockey. It also has big city shopping like Cherry Creek Mall, which tenants include Burberry, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, but Denver also has interesting local stores, including - of course - great places to buy boots and other western wear. I love the big chain bookstores for browsing but, as an avid reader, I feel a duty to give props to any local bookselling institution that survives and thrives, and Denver has its own in the Tattered Cover where you can drop a few hours browsing. The downtown location is on 16th Street, and there are two other locations, one on East Colfax Avenue in the city and one in Highlands Ranch, a suburb.

EATING AND EXPLORING: On the night of my family's arrival from the East Coast, I met some conference colleagues for dinner beforehand at Panzano, an Italian bistro located in the Hotel Monaco, a Kimpton Hotels property downtown. The food and service were excellent (it was prom night in Denver but our party of 8 was well served and attended) and my skirt steak with Parmesan risotto rocked. I also enjoyed a delicious conference function meal at Kevin Taylor's at the Opera House, which has beautiful space in the performing arts complex; it's a great choice for pre-performance or any other reason meals.

The sun finally shone on Saturday morning and, after rousing our sleepy 9-year-old, we headed to Denver's really excellent zoo, set in City Park, a lovely greensward just east of downtown that offers spectacular views of the city skyline and Rockies. The zoo was a little messy with ongoing construction for a new Asian venue exhibit, but our son loved the highlights that included a week-old giraffe, grizzly bears, komodo dragons and one California sea lion with serious attitude. That evening, we met our niece who teaches school in Denver Public Schools for dinner in the great, close-in neighborhood of Washington Park or, as locals call it, "Wash Park." As its name suggests, the neighborhood centers around the park itself, which is another great urban green space full of runners, walkers and pooches on their daily stroll. Wash Park is full of beautiful Craftsman and similarly-styled houses. There are a couple of cool dining and shopping strips in Wash Park. We stuffed ourselves on sushi, sashimi and Kobe beef at Izakaya Den, an excellent and packed restaurant on South Pearl Street. Another good stretch is South Gaylord Street.

After a late Sunday morning and before heading home, we made our way a few blocks away to two of Denver's cultural and architectural stars. The Denver Art Museum houses an impressive collection of Native American art among its other offerings. Its mojo was kicked up several notches with the 2006 opening of an addition that is a stainless steel, architectural nod to the nearby Rockies designed by famed architect Daniel Libeskind. We were there on a "dia del nino" with activities for kids that made the visit for parents and child alike enjoyable. The museum is adjacent to the new home of the Denver Public Library, which was designed by another big design name, Michael Graves. In addition to its regular collection, the library houses separate collections focused on Western history and African Americans in Colorado and the West.

MY RULES: Denver International Airport is a sprawling terminal located well east of the city that is one of the country's busiest. Southwest is a recent and expanding entrant so my first travel rule of well-priced, direct flights from home base in Baltimore is met. As to my second travel rule, I found Denver to be a friendly, relaxed place. I caught a few same-sex couples strolling hand-in-hand without any notice or protest. The city's CVB website has a GLBT section, which notes that, while "Brokeback Mountain" was filmed up the road in Wyoming, Denver has had a thriving GLBT community for some time. Whatever your team, I can say that all of that sunshine, thin air and frequent outdoor activity seems to have produced in Denver a populous that is particularly fit and attractive, and which makes for good people-watching for everyone.