Lonely Planet - 48 Hours in Greater Denver. USA Trips Travel Guide Book

WHY GO Sitting at exactly 5280ft, this city has sunshine, culture and 300 blue-sky days of cosmopolitan attitude. Get to know the cow-gone-to-pot town in a whole new light with more medical-marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks, the Mile High Citys nickname has taken on a whole new meaning.

Start your weekend in the Mile High City off right, climbing to the 15th step of the domed State Capitol building. Engraved with the words one mile above sea level, the step is where Denvers official height measurement is taken the building sits on slightly higher ground than the rest of the city.

Designed by Elijah E Myers to resemble the national capitol building, the Colorado statehouse was constructed out of white granite in the 1890s. In 1908 it received a facelift: the original copper dome was replaced with one made from 200oz of real gold plating to commmerate the 1880s gold rush that built Denver. Make sure to wander inside Congress is in session between January and May and the public is welcome to sit in the impressive galleries and watch the debates on the floor. Even if youre not into politics, it is well worth wandering inside for nothing more than aesthetic purposes this is one of the most impressive state capitals weve seen; stained-glass windows and hand-painted murals tell the story of Colorado against a backdrop of rare multicolored marble and gold-plated bannisters. Sherlock Holmes types will want to inspect the interior carefully bizarre history lessons can be gleaned from obscurely placed plaques, while subtle graffiti, including an image resembling George Washington, covers portions of walls and floor, secretly etched into the soft stone over the years. (Dont try this yourself, you will be arrested.)

West of the capitol, around the green expanses of the civic-center park, is the citys most abstract attraction, the Denver Art Museum. Designed by Daniel Libeskind of World Trade Center memorial fame, the museums Frederic C Hamilton wing, its newest and most expensive, looks like the Sydney Opera House stuck inside a mammoth fan; at once mesmerizing and torturous. Love it or hate it, you cant not dig the museums permanent collections, all of which are top quality its Native American art collection is one of the countrys largest, featuring pieces from tribes across America.

After a morning of museum hopping, your stomach is probably growling. Luckily youre just a few blocks from Denvers most happening gourmet-eating strip, historic LoDo. Walk northwest on 14th St to hit Denvers original city center. Its home to blocks of tidy red-brick buildings dating back more than a century; once manufacturing warehouses, today theyve been converted into sidewalk cafs and big-city bistros, swanky lounges, retro furniture shops and designer boutiques. Turn right on Wynkoop St, at LoDos northern edge, and inhale the smell of frying meat and hops as you walk into the citys beloved homegrown tap house, the Wynkoop Brewing Company. The brainchild of city mayor John Hickenlooper (who was famous for his successful microbreweries long before he succeeded in politics, and is now running unopposed on the Democratic ticket for governor), it serves juicy burgers and award-winning microbrews in big and breezy environs. There are more than 20 billiard tables should you care to indulge in an aprs-lunch game.

Just across the street from the Wynkoop, Union Station is worth a peek. Constructed in 1881 to consolidate gold-rush traffic, the station once carried more than a million passengers a year. By 1954 service was decreased by half, and today only one Amtrak passenger train passes through Unions impressive arches each day.

Two blocks south of the brewery on Wynkoop is Denvers best literary shop, the well-loved Tattered Cover Bookstore. The massive store, covering all genres in varying degrees of detail, has an entire corner devoted to armchair travel, and plenty of overstuffed chairs to curl into. Want to write your story? The journal selection is fantastic, with creative and unique offerings for all tastes and ages.

Also in the neighborhood, tonights sleeping spot: the swank Brown Palace Hotel. This distinguished historic landmark is the place to stay in Denver. Within walking distance of restaurants and nightlife, it has hosted everyone from the Beatles to Winston Churchill. Have afternoon tea in the impressive lobby then head to the award-winning Palace Arms for dinner. The patriotic pioneer decor dates back to the 1700s check out the silver centerpiece the British royal family commissioned. The food is as impressive as the old-world ambience. Signature dishes include Kobe rib-eye steak and seared bison tenderloin.

Afterwards, leave your car at the hotel and return to LoDo on foot, to sample the nightlife, martinis andchampagne. Opulent Corridor 44, in Larimer Sq, is Denvers only champagne bar, offering more than 100 selections of champagne and sparkling wine by the glass, split or bottle. Chic, white-leather banquettes coupled with exposed red-brick walls give it a Western-meets-NYC ambience.

With a champagne buzz, catch a cab to Church. Theres nothing like ordering stiff drinks in a cathedral to really mess with your mind. Lit by hundreds of altar candles and flashing blue strobe lights, the Church has three dance floors, a couple of lounges and even a sushi bar! Arrive before 10pm Friday through Sunday to avoid the cover charge. Just two blocks away, Watsons Liquor and Grocery is an old-fashioned corner store, in operation since the 1950s. It used to be a straight-up booze and sundry outlet but started stocking famous Western DVDs a couple of years ago the owner may have figured nothing kills depression faster than bourbon and Roy Rogers or John Wayne.