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Denver, the "Mile High City," is not the highest point in Colorado, but it's not the lowest, either. This "young" city (founded in 1859 as a gold mining camp) is, however, one of the fastest-growing in the country. It has become the entertainment, shopping, cultural, sports, and recreation capital of the vast Rocky Mountain West.

Denver maintains its earthiness, and outdoor recreation is still a major draw. The city has 205 parks, and there are 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains. The city's new Centennial Gardens are patterned after Versailles, and the redevelopment of the South Platte River Valley features indigenous flowers and plants laid out in geometric designs. Where else have schools been planned by leading architects? And each school's curriculum includes the history of that particular school.

Denver has been accused of being pretentious, but it has the highest percentage of high school and college graduates, the largest city park system in the nation, the second largest performing arts center in the nation, the thinnest residents of any US city (according to the Federal government), and its citizens contribute more public funding for the arts per capita than any other city in the nation. And yes, it really is a mile high - at least at a certain spot on the west steps of the State Capitol building - exactly 5,280 feet above sea level.

So come to Denver and find your own "Rocky Mountain High."