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Before posting on this site, I thought Denver was very cold and in the mountains. However, I've learned that it is actually in the plains and its not that cold in the winter. I also learned that Denver has a lot of sun, which is great!
Same with me. I've learned so much about other cities I never knew about such as Miami, Chicago, Philly, DC, and I knew basically nothing about anywhere in the heartland.
Before I had ever been there, I had thought of Denver as being in the/of the mountains, much like Pittsburgh, mostly because of its "Mile High City" nickname. But alas, it was a mile high plain that greeted me. The mountains were the backdrop. The city itself resembled Omaha and Minneapolis.
Despite my disappointment with its landscape, I found much to like: great architecture, human scale neighborhoods, great urban vibe, not sunbelt-like at all.
What do people generally think of denver that have never been there??
I have never been there, so I can only say that cooking would be different for me, as well as breathing...I understand it's harder for lowlanders to "catch their breath" there.
I have never been to Denver and here is what people think of it who havent been there: Its cold for almost the whole year, its in the middle of nowhere, the air is really really dry, its next to the mountains, its really boring, its always snowing, even in the summer its still freezing up in the mountains.
I have learned about Denver though and know that most of those things arent true though.
I would have thought for a guy from Cleveland the first thoughts about Denver would be "The Drive", John Elway, "The Fumble", Earnest Byner, and Jeremiah Castille.
Mild temperatures, outdoorsy people, newer looking downtown, generic suburbs, lots of sprawl, mountains, fresh dry air, not many cultures there other than white, black, Latino, American Indian and Asian, moderate job climate, brand new Childrens' Hospital, no public transportation other than buses, decent schools. I may be WAY off, but you asked.
Before I visited Denver, I envisioned it as a sterile, boring, isolated yet scenic place surrounded by mountains with clean streets, homogenous population, no ghettos.
When I actually visited Denver, I was totally impressed & struck by how progressive & modern it actually is. With great neighborhoods, recreational options & nice shopping (Flatiron Crossing is one of the most impressive malls). Denver is highly underrated, although I'm not saying it's not popular- it's just outside this forum lots of people don't know/ think about Denver, partly because of its isolation (which it is). Granted, I visited in September when the weather was great too. There'll be someone who'll disagree with me, but it still is/ feels relatively culturally homogenous though. But I think I was right about the clean streets, relatively safe feel & nice scenery.
I have never been to Denver and here is what people think of it who havent been there: Its cold for almost the whole year, its in the middle of nowhere, the air is really really dry, its next to the mountains, its really boring, its always snowing, even in the summer its still freezing up in the mountains.
I have learned about Denver though and know that most of those things arent true though.
Cold for most of the year is relative to each individual. If you're from the south, this is probably true. If you're from the northern tier, this is likely not true. Between May and September, Denver can (and does) reach 90º regularly. In 2000, Denver had 61 days at or above 90º. Every year since (except 2004) has recorded at least 44 90º+ days. Hard to compare to southern cities as the numbers there are probably double this. Rarely does Denver dip below about 10º during the winter (maybe 20 times a year) - again, this is hard to compare to northern cities as they are MUCH colder. I'd say it's a wonderful medium of cold, cool, warm and hot. One of the reasons I live here.
In the middle of nowhere - I'll give you that one. The nearest major city is about 600 miles away.
Air is really, really dry - you can have that, too. I'll take it over stifling humidity anywhere east of Colorado any day!
Next to the mountains - true. Many people believe it is IN the mountains. It is not. Some of the western suburbs spread into the foothills, but Denver itself is on the plains.
Boring - Uhhh, again, this is highly relative to each individual. Personally, I find coastal areas boring. Unless you own a boat (which costs money), rent a boat (which costs money) or know someone who has a boat (not convenient if the owner doesn't feel like taking you out on their boat or won't let you borrow their boat), the ocean is of little enjoyment for me. The mountains, on the other hand, offer endless exploring opportunities, vast scenic vistas and quiet time away from the bustle of the city. I'd rather have that than virtually anything east of here. Again, this is my opinion.
Always snowing? Because everyone in the country hears about a blizzard once every couple years? How are our storms any different than the snowstorms that hit the northeast almost every year? We may get more snow on average, but it is FAR from "always snowing".
Your point about the freezing temperatures in the mountains during summer months is just common sense - and why people would think negatively about Denver because of cold summer temperatures at 11,000 feet in the mountains is silly. Mt. Washington, for example, is less than 7,000 feet in elevation (just as high as some southern suburbs of Denver) and has some of the most severe weather in the world. Comparing Denver to the mountains is like comparing temperatures in Concord to the temperatures on Mt. Washington. Not even comparable.
I understand that many people who aren't familiar with Denver have these misconceptions. I've learned to accept that, but if it gets brought up in discussion, I'll state my observations.
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