Welcome to Denver, home of the Broncos, 300 days of sunshine, and Johns Hopkins Alumni Association's Denver Chapter. About 900 active alumni explore the Mile High City together three or four times a year.
From professional sports teams— basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer (Denver's got it all)—to recreational trails, Denver has no shortage of fun and sun. "There's a lot of activity in Denver," says Robert Duncan, A&S '71, president of the Denver Chapter. "People get out and do things here."
One of the city's liveliest spots, Lower Downtown (LoDo) features tons of entertainment, shopping, dining, and cultural activities. LoDo has an eclectic mix of cuisines, including Italian (check out Marco's Coal-Fired Pizzeria), Parisian (Bistro Vendôme), Asian (ChoLon Modern Asian Bistro), and more.
Ninety brewpubs beckon parched patrons in LoDo, including the Tavern Downtown. On homecoming, the Tavern is packed with thirsty alums rooting for Hopkins lacrosse to crush Maryland. For baseball fans, Coors Field—home of the Colorado Rockies—is right across the street.
If you're thirsting for the arts instead, visit LoDo's Museum of Contemporary Art, or head over to Bannock Street to the Clyfford Still Museum. More than 2,500 artworks from one of Abstract Expressionism's originators are housed here. In his will, Still requested his estate be given entirely to an American city willing to establish a museum dedicated solely to his work. In 2004, Denver received the collection. "It's a very spectacular story," says Duncan.
Inside the historic Quigg Newton Denver Municipal Auditorium, catch a performance at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Last year, alumni enjoyed a cocktail party and private dress rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet here.
Adrenaline junkies have plenty of options to get their fix in Denver, too. Housed in the restored 1901 Denver Tramway building, REI Denver is an outdoor gear and sporting goods store—with a 47-foot climbing wall. Of course, there's always Rocky Mountain National Park, just an hour and a half from Denver, and a number of nearby hiking, biking, and skiing trails open year-round.
