DENVER — Dance the night away under the stained-glass windows at a nightclub called Church.

Ride the free bus along a 16-block pedestrian zone in the heart of downtown.
Feast on steak tacos and buffalo hot dogs.

Here’s some advice for the 50,000-plus politicians, delegates and Barack Obama supporters gathering here for the Democratic National Convention this week: Ditch the cowboy boots. Pack the party clothes. More new West than old, Denver has morphed from sleepy former Gold Rush town in the foothills of the Rockies to urban outpost with an artsy, outdoors vibe.

Bonus points: This is one of a handful of bigger U.S. cities where heavy airline competition is keeping fares low. In the Democratic spirit of going green and keeping the budget deficit in check, I found an airline ticket from Seattle to Denver for $139, a $107 room through Priceline.com at the downtown Hyatt Regency (complete with an Obama sighting in the fitness center) and used public transportation to get around.

From the giant dustpan outside the Denver Art Museum to miles of bike paths and an old-fashioned ballpark that looks a lot like Safeco Field, there’s much about Denver’s past and present that visitors will appreciate.

Fuel up for an urban hike with breakfast at Snooze (www.snoozedenver.com) across from Big Daddy’s Jewelry and Pawnshop on Larimer Street. The round silver booths reminded me of taking a ride in the Mad Hatter’s tea cup, and I’m still dreaming about the cherry cobbler, sweet potato and pineapple upside-down pancakes.

Consider taking a Lower Downtown Historic District walking tours, priced at $10, $5 for students and senior citizens. Special tours are planned during the convention. See www.lodo.org.

Denver’s 16th Street Mall is a 16-block pedestrian area running through the core of the downtown retail district.

Denver hired I.M. Pei, the architect designer of the Pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, to design a mile-long promenade that stretches from LoDo to the museum district near the state capitol building. Nearby is the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, where Boston artist Jonathan Borofsky installed a 60-foot-high pair of intertwined figures called the “Dancers.’’

The 16th Street MallRide features free hybrid electric shuttle buses that run every few minutes along the length of 16th. You can get most anywhere downtown within 15 minutes by combining this bus ride with a few blocks of walking.

No need to go far to enjoy the outdoors. Denver has the Commons and Confluence Park, a downtown nature area at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River.

Once a meeting spot for mountain men who traded furs here with the Indians, the area is crisscrossed with waterfalls, picnic areas and bike paths leading to the REI Flagship store on the South Platte River. Get here via the Millennium Bridge, a foot bridge at the end of the 16th Street Mall that connects the north end of downtown with riverfront residential areas.

While you’re in the neighborhood, browse through REI inside the restored red brick 1901 Denver Tramway building. Climb the massive indoor wall in the center of the store, or rent a bike and cycle around the city on a network of paved paths that begin a few feet from the entrance.

Or take a $3, 30-minute ride along the riverfront on the Platte River Trolley (www.denvertrolley.org). Catch it in front of REI from noon to 4 p.m. Friday through Monday through Labor Day and Friday through Sunday from Labor Day through Oct. 31.

A Greek-style amphitheater and the gold-domed state capitol building flank the Golden Trianglemuseum district and nearby Santa Fe Arts District, a short walk from Civic Center station, the last stop on the southern end of the MallRide.

The talker is architect Daniel Libeskind’s angled titanium addition to the Denver Art Museum (www.denverart museum.org). Don’t miss the “Big Sweep,’’ a 35-foot-tall broom and dust-pan wedged near a bridge connecting the new wing to the old. It’s the work of artists Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg.

Daily tours are available of the Colorado State Capitol building and the capitol dome, reopened last year after being closed for repairs. Note the stained-glass portraits of historical figures including mountain man Kit Carson and Kansas Gov. James W. Denver, for whom the city was named.

Or take a walk through the Arts District on Santa Fe (www.artdistrictonsantafe.com). Five blocks of art galleries, shops, cafes and Mexican restaurants are in and around Santa Fe Drive between Fifth and 11th avenues. Thousands gather here for the First Friday art walks, but other times it’s quiet, and you’ll likely find artists at work in their studios firing pots or pounding clay. El Taco de Mexico, 714 Santa Fe, a women-run diner in a bright yellow corner building, is known for its hefty portions and low prices.

Rocky Mountain National Park is 75 miles from Denver, and you’ll need a car to get there. Otherwise, public transportation works fine for getting around town. Downtown is flat and walkable. Free buses run along the 16th Street Mall, stopping at each intersection every few minutes. Light rail lines ($1.75 per ride) connect downtown to the Santa Fe arts district and suburban areas. For information, see www.rtd-denver.com.

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