WHY
Colorado's capital,the Mile-High City effortlessly combines outdoor adventure lifestyle opportunities with a thriving arts and culture scene. And then there's the beer,an ever-expanding number of breweries now call Denver home. Not unlike most US cities,Denver experienced its share of hard times in the wake of the 2008 financial crash but has since experienced a massive turnaround with huge economic investment and infrastructure developments. It's now among the most desirable places to live in America,and for good reason.
VISIT
Housed inside the historic Frederic C Hamilton Building (itself a work of art),The Denver Art Museum (denverartmuseum.org) contains more than 70,000 diverse works,spanning several centuries. As one of the largest art museums between the west coast and Chicago,you can peruse anything from a world famous Indian art collection to children's exhibits,travel installations and much more. In 2018 the museum will be home to several only-in-Denver exhibitions,includingDior:From Paris to the World (November 18-March 3,2019.) And if that's not enough,the museum's famed North Building is also currently undergoing a $US150 million facelift.
EAT
For a more upmarket – not to mention,achingly hip option – head to Tag,(tag-restaurant.com) a Denver favourite in the Larimer Square district. Spearheaded by celebrated chef Troy Guard,the menu is the culmination and fusion of his travel experiences from New York to Hawaii and the Far East.
Decked out with an ambience themed around red leather upholstery and exposed brick walls,the dinner menu is an exotic blend of fusion food. Standouts include the Miso Vlack Cod with shiitake mushrooms,artichoke and yuzu kabayaki and the perfectly-seared Colorado Hanger Steak with carrot variations and chimichurri radish.