Big photos, graphics below.

With the summer vacation season upon us, we recently looked at Cardhub.com's list of the ten worst U.S. travel cities -- and why Denver was the best.

Now, TripAdvisor.com has come up with its own breakdown of travel bargains, focusing on overall costs in the top twenty U.S. cities, as well as four specific categories: hotels, dinners, taxis and cocktails. And whaddya know: Denver finishes atop two of these contests. Which ones? Look below to see photos, graphics and details.

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Coming this weekend: A rave featuring heavy bass, lasers, strobes and...marijuana?

Yes, you read that right -- not ecstasy or another club drug, but good, old-fashioned marijuana.

Pot isn't usually associated with raves, but after this weekend, some rave-goers may think otherwise. That's because on Saturday, Hashman Events is hosting "Canna Rave!, described as "The first ever all-cannabis rave."

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Yesterday, we shared a 2013 PrideFest photo sampler based on images captured by Ken Hamblin on day one of the annual extravaganza. Afterward, though, Hamblin came through with a slew of additional pics from day two, with lotsa great shots of the PrideFest parade -- including the hilarious protest of a protester seen here, and in a larger version below.

Continue to see some of our favorite PrideFest parade moments, and click here to peruse the now-supersized slide show, "The People of PrideFest 2013."

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Our Juneteenth Music Festival slide show depicts the fun and frolic associated with this venerable Denver event, which took place on Saturday. But afterward, there were a lot fewer smiles, and a lot more crinkled noses, because the streets where the fest took place were still piled with trash until yesterday evening -- much like the mess left by the High Times Cannabis Cup on Earth Day.

The Juneteenth organizer has apologized for the now-resolved situation. See photos and a video below.

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Big photos below.

Each year, Denver PrideFest rolls into town, transforming the Mile High City into one of the most lively, vibrant, colorful and joyous places on the planet -- and the latest version was no exception.

Photog Ken Hamblin was on hand to capture the scene.

Below, find a sampling of his images from day one of PrideFest. Click here to check out the complete "People of Denver PrideFest 2013" gallery, and find even more pride at our slide show archive.

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Big photos below.

We recently shared a list of the ten worst travel cities -- a roster on which Denver finished first -- as judged by inexpensive flights, short travel times to popular destinations and accessibility. But what if you're more interested in another type of accessibility -- such as the ease of finding vegan-friendly food? The folks at PETA, who know a little something about avoiding meat, have come up with their top ten for 2013 -- and one Colorado city made the grade. Check out the choices below, featuring text by PETA.

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Cycling is news in Colorado, especially during warm weather months.

As evidence, consider the hundreds of participants in Wednesdays Denver Cruisers Ride done up Mad Max/Thunderdome-style.

The latest? B-cycle's system is finally fixed after glitches that lingered for weeks, while the annual Ride the Rockies event is re-routing around the diminishing but still dangerous Royal Gorge fire.

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Big photos below.

Last month, Mayor Michael Hancock proclaimed Wednesdays "Bike Night in Denver" to acknowledge the cultural impact of the Denver Cruisers Ride. But would he have done so had he known the Cruisers would turn D-town post-apocalyptic? Fortunately, Hizzoner needn't worry. Last night's Cruisers theme, Mad Max/Thunderdome, was about a good time, not the end of times. Christopher Morgan caught these road warriors in action. Check out a sampling of his shots below, and click to see the complete Denver Cruisers: Mad Max/Thunderdome slide show.

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Big photos below.

Yesterday was a record-setting scorcher, and the forecasts we've seen predict temps in the nineties (with a few high eighties thrown in) for the next week or so.

How to avoid melting? Last year, during a similar heat wave, we turned to our Best of Denver archive, which features more than twenty years' worth of great ideas about pretty much everything under the sun at its most blazing. We picked our ten favorite wet and wild recommendations, and they're still just as cool and refreshing. Check them out below.

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Bringing It Home, a new documentary about industrial hemp inspired by North Carolina eco-conscious home builder Anthony Brenner's first hemp house, will be screening in Boulder tomorrow night as part of the fourth annual nationwide Hemp History Week. The film "explores the question of why a crop with so many widespread benefits cannot be farmed in the United States by illustrating its history, current industries and talking to both opponents and proponents of the industrial hemp farming legalization effort." Get more details and watch the trailer below.

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