It is a little scary. When you sit down for dinner at Buckhorn Exchange, you will be surrounded by countless animals. Buffaloes, eagles, cougars and moose watch over the guests as they eat the Wild West’s diet from their plates. Steaks from Wapiti deer and bison can be found on the menu in this rustic restaurant as well as fried rattlesnake. The taste of the West turns into a culinary adventure in Colorado’s oldest restaurant, also owner of the state liquor license number 1 from 1893.

The first gold miners to cross the prairie at the foot of the Rocky Mountains had to prepare themselves for adventures of a completely different kind. Denver had been the capital of the American state of Colorado since 1876, and already in the 1890s citizens built the imposing State Capitol that looks like a miniature version of the Capitol in Washington. Who comes to Denver as a tourist is most certainly a lover of impressive landscapes. Whether the huge dunes in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in the south of the state, the archaeologically significant rock structures of the Anasazi Indians in Mesa Verde National Park or the Rocky Mountain National Park, which is only a 90-minute drive away – they all stand for the diversity of Anerica’s West. You can see the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains when you land at Denver airport on a sunny day. The snow caps last  until summer.

For many of Denver’s 600,000 inhabitants, hiking, rafting, horse riding and cycling in summer and skiing and snowboarding in winter are the most popular pastimes. And thus it is no wonder that even amongst gay men you find plenty who love outdoor sports – not only during America’s oldest and biggest gay ski week in the noble winter sports resort of Aspen, a good three hours from Denver.

Besides the Denver Pride Festival in June, the Aspen Gay Skiweek is Colorado’s biggest gay and lesbian event. A long weekend in Denver not only gives the visitor the opportunity to get used to the local climate after the long-haul flight from Europe, but also provides enough time to take a closer look at the culture of the Wild West. The Denver Art Museum shows Native American culture and also has an impressive collection of “Western American Art” from the 19th to 21st centuries on display in its new building designed by famous architect Daniel Libeskind.

At the top of your “to-do” list should be a visit to Rockmount Ranch Wear in Denver. Here you will find everything a real cowboy needs: From proper boots and silver belt buckles to a seemingly endless selection of cowboy hats in all sorts of colours and shapes. The Rockmount Western shirts have almost cult status – the use of press studs instead of regular buttons goes back to company founder Jack Weil. Hardly any country or rodeo star can do without Rockmount shirts, and the Western shirts from Denver were also the first choice for the outfitters of the gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain.

If you want to know about the romance of gay cowboys, check out Charlie’s on a Friday or Saturday evening. The gay Country and Western club is the perfect place to meet men who love line dance, folk and country music. Here you meet men like Kevin, who actually works on a ranch and also drives trucks. The blonde man in his mid-20s is also a member of the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association, which organises a rodeo every summer in the neighboring town of Golden. Carl Schmidt II. also regularly stops by here for a drink. His Capitol Hill Mansion Bed & Breakfast is only a few minutes away from the trendy bars on Logan Street and downtown and is also considered one of the best B&Bs in town. This is partly due to the building itself, which is reminiscent of a small castle, and partly to the family-like atmosphere and an outstanding breakfast for which the host prepares elaborate dishes for his guests every day.

You can also eat well around Larimer Square at the end of 16th Street Mall. The pedestrian zone is a sort of lifeline for downtown Denver and stretches from State Capitol to the railway station, part of which is currently being converted into a boutique hotel. If you take one of the free shuttle buses, that run up and down 16th Street every few minutes, to the Larimer Street intersection you are just a few steps away from Denver’s chic boutique and restaurant neighbourhood with its Victorian houses.

The so-called LoDo district (Lower Downtown) is a successful example of a revitalised city centre, with many bars and new boutique hotels like the Oxford Hotel. The area not far from the baseball stadium is also a popular nightlife hub. Denver’s alternative art and cultural scene is a few kilometres to the north. RiNo (River North) is the name of the new trendy area north of Platte River that can easily be accessed via a bridge on 15th Street. The best way to explore Denver is by bike. The stations of Denver B-cycle can be found everywhere in the city, a day membership costs 8 Dollars. You get the first 30 minutes for free, the use up to the 60 minutes costs 1 Dollar. You not only see a lot of Denver this way, but also train your legs for the upcoming hiking tours in the Rocky Mountains.

INFO

www.denver.org
Official website of Denver Tourism Board, giving plenty of information, tips for hotels, restaurants, sights, the gay scene and a small events’ calendar.

www.outfrontonline.com
Denver’s gay city mag can be found in bars and clubs, containing a lot of information about upcoming events.

HOW TO GET THERE

Lufthansa offers daily non-stop flights to Denver. Return flights in Economy Class are available from 730 Euros, in Business Class from 2889 Euros. Keep your eyes peeled for US specials on the airline’s homepage.
www.lufthansa.com

There are shuttle buses from the airport to Downtown Denver. Parking fees at hotels can be steep ( 20-30$ per day). This is why you should rent a car only if you want to make excursions into the surroundings of Denver. Alamo offers a car to rent, pick up and return in Denver, from 163 Euros per week.
www.alamo.com

HOTELS

Capitol Hill Mansion (1207 Pennsylvania Street) Gay-run BnB, five-star. Host Carl is taking good care of his guests and serves the best breakfast in town in his castle-like mansion, www.capitolhillmansion.com

The Brown Palace Hotel (321 17th Street) The legendary five-star hotel is centrally located next to 16th Street Mall and is part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott, www.brownpalace.com

Sheraton Downtown Denver (1550 Court Place) Large, centrally located hotel on 16th Street Mall near State Capitol, www.sheratondenverdowntown.com

The Oxford Hotel (1600 17th Street) Classy boutique hotel near Larimer Square, www.theoxfordhotel.com

All information about the gay community can be found in SPARTACUS INTERNATIONAL GAY GUIDE or in Spartacus App.

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