Central City and Black Hawk

When limited-stakes gambling was introduced in 1991 to the beautifully preserved old mining towns of Central City and Black Hawk, howls of protest were drowned out by cheers from struggling townspeople. Strict zoning laws were legislated to protect the towns' architectural integrity, and by and large the laws have successfully handled the steady stream of tour buses. Because buses and cars reached Black Hawk first, while driving up Colorado Highway 119, and the traffic crawled in the narrow road connecting the two towns, Black Hawk thrived while the casinos in Central City languished. In response, wide Central City Parkway was built from I-70 directly to Central City, and it's a much easier route to drive.

Both towns are about a 45-minute drive from Denver. Bus transportation is also available from Denver and Golden through most of the casinos and the Opera House. You can cover Central City and Black Hawk's main attractions in a few hours on foot. If you're the gaming type, set aside extra time to try your luck. Although the casinos are open year-round, the museums are open only in summer.