The secret is out. Communities across Colorados Front Range annually top the list of best places to live and retire. This area boasts a temperate climate with more than 300 days of sunshine, with an earthy cosmopolitan flair amidst the breathtaking backdrop of the snowcapped Rockies. Good news, your groups do not have to pack up the UHaul to enjoy the Front Range, a suitcase and a long weekend will suffice…for now.

What’s New

Denver is going to be invaded–by cows! A herd of 150 fiberglass cows decorated by local artists will make their homes in Denvers streets, parks and public places July 22nd through October 20th. CowParade, the worlds largest public art event, will conclude with an auction to benefit local non-profits.

The Denver Art Museum will double in size this year with a new $91 million building designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. Known for his design of the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the War Museum in Manchester, England, Libeskind is also redesigning the World Trade Center space in New York City. The new museum will be made of titanium, granite and glass, resembling crystal-like shards that flare out from the center. When complete, the Denver Art Museum will be large enough to house any touring art show that has ever been organized.

A new educational and entertainmentoriented Pikes Peak Heritage Center debuts this summer in Cripple Creek. This 10,000-sq.-ft. center will showcase the history of the region with state-ofthe-art touch screen and interactive exhibits plus dioramas ranging from dinosaurs, local flora and fauna, rail history, and the historical importance of gold mining for the region.

Echo Canyon River Expeditions is offering a unique, outdoor adventure package which includes a nine-mile rafting trip on the Arkansas River, followed by a riverside lunch. Guests will then change into dry clothing before boarding the Royal Gorge Route Railroad for a twelve-mile ride through the bottom of the Royal Gorge Canyon.

The hotel boom continues on the Front Range. In Colorado Springs approximately 700 new guest rooms are being added to the local lodging inventory, including two Marriott-brand properties, a Renaissance and a Hampton Inn. In Denver, there are eight newly launched or planned hotel developments for the downtown region, including developments from Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott.

Colorado Springs is offering a new downtown free trolley shuttle that runs a continuous loop every 15 to 30 minutes. Weekdays until 9:00 p.m. and weekends until 1:00 a.m.

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