Black Hawk, Colorado

Black Hawk dates back to the 19th century, when gold was discovered in the region. It and Central City are tucked into a little valley in the Rockies. Once Boom Town ran out, the town remained. What to do?

Open some casinos, of course. That's what the town did in 1991. You can argue that it certainly changed the nature of the town. You also can argue that it had little to lose. The plan worked in the sense that tax money came rolling in, buildings were preserved, and people came back.

There isn't much room for parking in the valley, but there are plenty of shuttles from the parking lots.