“If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.”
-Heraclitus
Sometimes when we travel, we can only prepare for so much: weather, local transportation, travel costs, the general demeanor of the locals…
But frequently, there are questions we just don’t know to ask when planning a trip. We asked our tour guides to recall their guests’ most common perceptions, misconceptions, and surprises about their cities, so read on to be fascinated and a little more prepared for your next adventure to one of our destinations.
Denver’s Natural Elements & That Airport
Denver is Not Mountainous
On the approach to Denver by car or plane, there are few sights more majestic than the Rocky Mountains suddenly rising out of the plains, reaching lofty heights, their craggy peaks sometimes lost in the clouds. And yet, Denver is as flat as a pancake.
With the exception of a few neighborhoods, like LoHi, there isn’t much dramatic topography, with only a few hundred feet separating Denver’s lowest and highest points.
Roughly 60 to 70 million years ago, the modern Rockies began to rise, while erosion forces carried floods of debris and sediment to form the High Plains where Denver now sits. But don’t be deceived: Denver may be relatively flat, but it’s flat and high…
It’s Higher Than You Think
“I find guests are always surprised by our overall elevation, and that the lowest point in the state is still over 3,000 feet above sea level.”
On a typical tour day, you might find Denver tour guide Lisa at the Colorado State Capitol, showing her guests the mile-high markers (yes, plural). A slow realization might come over the group as they start to understand that their dry lips and skin, thirst, and panting are no coincidence.
While many flocked to Denver in the late 1880s and early 1900s seeking sunshine and dry air to cure their tuberculosis, the Mile High City’s dry air can cause rapid dehydration. So don’t be surprised when guides like Lisa constantly remind you to drink plenty of water and take it easy on your first day!
Extreme Temps, But Little Snow
Denver tour guide Kristina is obviously fond of the Mark Twain quote, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around for a few minutes”. Besides its unpredictability, Denver’s weather can be particularly surprising in the peak of winter and summer. Whereas Denver receives 60 inches of snow at most during the season, other parts of Colorado in the high country receive over 400 inches! And in the summer, it’s not just hot – it’s dry. So don’t forget that refillable water bottle.
The Airport Isn’t Exactly Close
Take a look at the map above: what’s that weird elephant trunk bit to the right? That is the city’s extension to Denver International Airport. While that nearly 25-mile distance between DIA and the city might come as a shock, you’ll be relieved to know that the A Line commuter rail is an easy and affordable way to connect from airport to downtown Denver’s Union Station.
Boston: A Thoroughly Modern City
Bostonians Aren’t The Rudest Americans
Although Condé Nast might disagree, Boston tour guide Bob believes his city gets an undeserved bad wrap for unfriendly locals.
“Tourists expect Bostonians to be prudish, left over from our Puritan beginnings. Or they think we are ‘Massholes’. But we’re actually friendly.”
And even though a 2024 report from Axios put Boston 6th on the list of rudest cities in the U.S., he stands by Boston’s friendliness. And all this, despite the fact that…
There’s No Happy Hour
That’s right: Bostonians haven’t enjoyed a good 4 – 6 p.m. drink special since 1984, when Massachusetts did away with happy hours in an effort to combat drunken driving. While you might not save money on a Ward 8 cocktail, you can still enjoy responsible bar hopping by using Boston’s excellent public transit system.
Boston Is A Coffee Beantown
Whereas Seattle runs on Starbucks, Boston has Dunkin’ Donuts. According to a 2024 report by ScrapeHero, there were 3,162 Dunkin’ stores across Massachusetts, with Boston boasting 65 locations. If you’re looking to try something a little more hyperlocal, however, head to one of our tour guides’ favorites in Boston’s North End, Caffe Vittoria.
It’s Not Just Ancient Architecture
Boston is famous for historic buildings like Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, and Old State House – themselves ranging from 1713 to 1826! – but many might not appreciate its more modern architecture, like the harborside Institute of Contemporary Art, built in 2006, and the unusual buildings on the M.I.T. campus, including the Frank Gehry–designed M.I.T. Stata Center, completed in 2004.
Not So Steepless in Seattle
Seattle’s As Steep As San Francisco
The difference between Denver and Seattle is stark: where Denver has just a few rolling hills and vast expanses of flat plains, Seattle rises and falls in deep valleys and high ridges, carved out by retreating glaciers some 16,000 years ago. Our Seattle guide team agree on the number-one comment when meeting our guests for the first time: they wish they had brought better walking shoes!
It’s Not Just Nirvana
Our Seattle Coffee Tour has a truly unique starting point in Capitol Hill. Guests arrive to be welcomed by a statue of Jimi Hendrix, unaware of the guitarist’s early life growing up in Seattle. Other musicians with Seattle connections that often surprise travelers are Quincy Jones, Chris Cornell, Brandi Carlile (Ravensdale, WA), Macklemore, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, and Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard.
It Wasn’t The First in Specialty Coffee
“In 1971, three young entrepreneurs approached Mr. [Alfred] Peet to learn the finer points of the coffee business, and for two years he provided them with training as well as the roasted coffee beans for their new venture, a company called Starbucks.” (Peet’s Coffee)
Yes, Peet’s Coffee predates global coffee chain Starbucks, getting its start in Berkeley, California in 1966. Still, Seattle holds on to its title as Coffee Capital of the U.S., and much of that clout is thanks to that little 70s start-up in Pike Place Market.
It’s Not That Old (Historically & Demographically)
Long before Seattle became the city it is today, Native Americans occupied the land for well over 10,000 years. Some of the city streets, waterways, and mountains are attributed to indigenous names, including that of the city of Seattle itself.
The first non-native immigrants to arrive with intent to settle were the Denny party, who landed at Alki Point in West Seattle in 1851. Thirty-eight years later, a fire would burn most of downtown. You’ll be hard pressed, therefore, to find any structures that could compare to those built in the 1600s in Boston and New York City!
Seattle is a young city in another way, too: the median age is 35.6 years!
Did you learn something surprising or unexpected on your city tour? Share it with us on social media!
