Denver Business Journal
Date: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 5:44pm MST
Denver has been named one of the “Top 10 Places to Go in the U.S. for 2011” by travel-guide publisher Lonely Planet.
“It’s like Paris in the West,” Lonely Planet gushes.
The 10 destinations were chosen via a staff survey. In a press release, Lonely Planet praises Denver’s cultural attractions and shopping as well as its access to “some of the best skiing in the country.”
“Even though Boulder often gets all the love, we highly recommend Denver,” Lonely Planet says. “This sparkly-clean mile-high city is nestled amid beautiful mountains yet urban delights abound.
“The Denver Art Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, is an architectural feat where you can see modern art as well as historical exhibitions. The shopping area near 16th Street features some fabulous stores including Tattered Cover – one of our favorite independent bookstores in the U.S. And I.M. Pei, who designed the Louvre pyramid, also designed several projects in Denver like the Mile High Center and Courthouse Square.”
It’s the first time Denver has appeared on the annual list.
Richard Scharf, president and CEO of the Visit Denver visitors and convention bureau, compared the Lonely Planet accolade to “winning an Oscar.”
Speaking at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Embassy Suites hotel downtown, he noted that several of the cities in Lonely Planet’s 2010 top 10 saw increases in visitors this year.
“It’s great news that the rest of the world is beginning to discover what we Coloradoans have known for a long time — that Denver is an exciting city and a wonderful travel destination,” Scharf said in a statement.
Denver appears at No. 6 on Lonely Planet’s 2011 list. Also included:
• 1. Southern Utah, including Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks.
• 2. New Orleans.
• 3. New York City.
• 4. Austin and west Texas.
• 5. Savannah, Ga.
• 7. Northern California.
• 8. Grand Canyon National Park.
• 9. Palm Springs, Calif.
• 10 Hawaii.
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