The city of Denver, Colorado often finds itself on lists of top places to live, work, and play in the U.S. The Mile-High City attracts new residents every year because of plentiful business opportunities, family-friendly neighborhoods, lively entertainment, and natural beauty. If you are planning a move to Denver be sure to explore the housing and living amenities of the unique neighborhoods. This list of five offers a cross-section of Denver’s trendiest neighborhoods.
Highlands
To be such a busy place, the Highlands is a relatively quiet, residential neighborhood. With a plethora of boutiques and acclaimed restaurants and bars like the notorious Williams & Graham prohibition-era speakeasy, Highlands is packed with fun every night of the week.
Highlands is only 2.5 miles from downtown. You can walk or bike to the Central Business District with relative ease. Several small parks are sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods with amenities like athletic courts. The area is served by seven public schools with average and above ratings.
City Park
If you like green space within the city, City Park may be for you. Located three miles east of downtown, this neighborhood is home to Denver’s oldest park, consuming over 300 acres of the area. It includes the Denver Zoo, Ferril Lake, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and Gates Planetarium. Other neighborhood amenities include a huge golf course and urban off-leash dog park.
For entertainment, City Park leans more toward dinner, drinks, and a show rather than bar-hopping. It’s centered around the Bluebird Theatre, a venue hosting top-rated shows and events. Other bars and music venues can be found along the popular Colfax Avenue.
Cherry Creek
If you desire to live in luxury, and can, check out the exclusive Cherry Creek neighborhood. Among the luxury lofts and other expensive homes, you will find plenty of high-end shopping, eating, and drinking. The Cherry Creek Shopping Center features upscale shopping at stores like Saks and Louis Vuitton. You can also get Denver’s best burger at the well-known Cherry Cricket.
This neighborhood has a scattering of urban parks. Infinity Park has professional rugby and outdoor movies in the summer. Cherry Creek Trail has miles of scenic trails and bike paths to enjoy Denver’s extreme natural surroundings while still being only four miles from downtown.
Baker
Hipsters and old schoolers alike are attracted to this edgy and stylish neighborhood of historic homes, locally-owned shops, and rooftop bars. Located about 2.5 miles south of downtown, plenty of Light Rail stations and bus stops make commuting easy.
Phil Milstein Park is a riverside park in the neighborhood with biking/hiking trails and shady picnic spots. The schools are excellent and include the Denver Center for International Studies.
Cheesman Park
If you like older, established neighborhoods, consider Cheesman Park. The park itself is a roomy and attractive green space surrounded by a wide variety of apartments and condos. The area is lightly wooded and grassy with running trails and sponsors lots of fun festivals and activities. It’s also home to the Denver Botanical Gardens.
Cheesman Park has some trendy coffee shops, bars, and cafes. Local favorites include the gyros at Pete’s Kitchen and Lik’s Ice Cream. Downtown Denver is only 2 miles away, and walking there is highly possible.