DataJunkie

At least y'all were smart enough to stay out of the burbs.

ummbnb

If you prefer new, then Lowry or Stapleton.
Ditto the fact that all that is great about Denver lies in the older, central neighborhoods. Adjusting to small closets really isn't that hard.

dark13star

I'll tell you why else I would stay away from places like The Breakers. This is opinion, but I lived in such a place down in SE. All those places are built with their parking lots surrounding them. Your bedroom inevitably ends up over a a parking lot and you get a lot of noise, heat, and fumes.

I am fortunate to be a homeowner in Denver now, but if I were looking to rent again, I would look for an older apartment in a solid brick building with not parking lot. Sure, street parking can be a bit of a hassel, but my neighborhood has permit parking so it only gets crowded during Jazz concerts in the park (They are on Sundays and parking is open on Sundays).

Peterson

I lived just a few blocks south of The Breakers. I've known a couple of residents there and it seems like a younger crowd, 20-30's. The community also has many events. The people, I knew, who have lived there didn't have many complaints.

I was just a couple of blocks south at The Flats at Whisper Sky - they were to be condos, couldn't sell enough units and converted to apartments. The apartments are relatively nice, built within the last few years, and a quick ride to Cherry Creek reservoir.

Bontrager

Thanks for the help everyone. GF pulled rank and we ended up getting a new apartment at the DTC on the corner of Union and Monaco. Only a few miles from Cherry Creek State Park. I saw a lot of roadies and MTB'ers riding through the neighborhood and some pretty nice bikes in other people's balconies so I'm hoping it'll be a good experience.

REI and Performance Bike is just a short bike ride south in Centennial so that's a plus, too.

Shimagnolo

That is very close to where I used to live.
Stop into REI and pick up one of these in the map rack, and you should be good to go:


My favorite rides were:
1. Laps around the Cherry Creek Reservoir.
2. High Line Canal.
3. Cherry Creek Trail to Confluence Park, (busy in the summer, but had the best female scenery).

celticfrost

Congrats and welcome to the hood. I'm in agreement w/ darkstar regarding the older neighborhoods in Denver being the best, but given your GF's work location you guys made a good decision.

You're pretty close to Chatfield St. Park. You can do loops around it during the winter -- pretty flat, but it beats the trainer IMO. And when it warms up (winter seems really early this year ) you'll be close to really good climbs just west of Chatfield. And take the Cherry Creek path north to the REI in Confluence Park. It's a decent ride for a MUP and brings you to a nice part of the city.

DnvrFox

N on Monaco to Happy Canyon/Quincy (purposely hidden a bit by Cherry Hills Village), west on Quincy past Holly a bit and you will cross the Highline Canal and the Highline Canal Trail. You can get on the Trail at Quincy. The Highline Canal Trail winds from Waterton Canyon on the far southwest side of town out to Aurora, for 66 miles. The prettiest section is around Orchard/Belleview/Quincy (south).

The surface ranges from hardpack "fines" to asphalt to cement.

It is passable on a road bike, but better suited to a hybrid or mtn bike. About 20 - 30 feet wide in most places. This is a great Sunday ride - just for fun, speed limit is 15 mph, and extremely scenic and lots of big acreage with mini mansions and open space in this area. Coyotes, owls, a couple of small ponds, birds, great big Cottonwoods.

Not for everyone's riding, but my wife and I love riding on it.

Also, just south of Orchard on the Highline, there is a connector east to the Little Dry Creek Trail, which turns into the Willow Creek Trail after crossing Holly and Arapahoe, which will take you to the C470 Trail just after going under County Line Road, or, alternatively, you can go under County Line and also C470 and end up in northern Douglas County.

Go east on the C470 trail and come visit me in Parker. The trail goes 1/2 mile from my home. Then go south on the Cherry Creek Trail to Franktown and Castlewood Canyon State Park.

Anyway, lots and lots of exploring to do, if you enjoy that sort of thing in addition to hammering.

UGASkiDawg

Nice .....Welcome to town and you'll find it's an outdoors enthusiasts haven! Hiking, Biking Skiing you name it!!!

Bontrager

Thanks. Very excited about the outdoor opportunities... and local nightlife

UGASkiDawg

There's nightlife in Denver....who knew

I'm married with younguns and I have all my fun in the daylight....nightlife for me is for eating dinner, reading a good book and hitting the sack

dark13star

Not where he is moving

OP, just kidding, well kind of. Welcome to the area, but you will definitely be commuting inward for the nightlife. What are you looking for? Perhaps I can give you some info.

I am old and married (42 is old in Denver), but with no kids, my wife and I dine out a lot and I do a lot of pubs and blues/rock shows as well. Don't ask me about the club scene though. Not really my thing.

Bontrager

Well we're real close to the light rail so we were figuring on having to going downtown for some beers, etc..

ummbnb

Riding the light rail in is fantastic! Just keep an eye on the schedule into the night hours. Denver's mass transit leave a lot to be desired as you move away from the central part of the city.

UGASkiDawg

I'm 47 and don't consider myself old...of course my wife always telling me how deluded and out of touch I am

Kids didn't change our lifestyles a whole lot. We ate out a lot more before tykes but we still didn't go to shows or clubs. I've had no interest in that sort of thing since around 30. I'd much rather read a book even a bad book.

dark13star

I don't really consider myself old either, but so many of our friends are younger. I like to stay home and read, but since I work at home, sometimes I just need to get out at night.

OP, the lightrail is quite good, but as you have been warned, it can stop early on weeknights. Oh, and since you like beer, you are going to love Denver.

Bontrager

Anything going on Saturday PM? I'm taking a drive out there from KC to drop off more of the gf's crap and a few more bikes to our storage unit so I'll be around tomorrow night.

funrover 

My wife works in that same area. We have a nice APT in Castle Pines (North Castle Rock). Her commute is not bad at all. but she does leave around 6:30 am or so

superdex

I think I know which apts you're in, and you could have done a LOT worse.

Being on top of the Belleview light rail station is the shiznit, head to downtown for all your partying needs without the parking hassle or DUI fear. Local brews can be found at Baker St. Pub (walking distance in good weather), and you have the Greenwood Village shops/movie theater/etc right down the street off of Quebec. There you'll find a smattering of upper-scale restaurants (including a really good sushi place, Happa) and a Landmark Theater.

You're in a great spot. As far as riding is concerned, you can head south really easily (I use Monaco to Orchard to Colorado, that's my commute when I ride). And Cherry Creek Res is literally off of Union (head over the highway and keep going till you pass the high school; you're there. To get to the mountains on bike from where you are, I'd head south (either via the Highline Canal Trail, or Colorado) and hop on the C470 trail and head west. You are about 15mi or so from the mouth of Deer Creek Canyon, a popular climb (I'm leaving the politics out of this).

Denver is great, you will be quite pleased--

Bontrager

On one of my trips I found Wahoo's Fish Taco's near the REI down there. I need to buy stock in that place. Shrimp tacos

Bontrager

Beer.

crockett

Lots of good beer in DTC area. Many people love CB Potts (I-25/Arapahoe)which is a micro-brew pub with lots of several beer choices. Since I like food more, I like the Tavern-Tech Center, on DTC Blvd or Great Northern Tavern ( east on Belleview) ...