Living a Biking Lifestyle in Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado, the "Mile High City", offers just about every type of living arrangement, recreational opportunity, and cultural program that anyone could want. The combination of streets, bike lanes, parks, and nearby hills and mountains makes this a premiere town for people who love to bicycle. The Rocky Mountains towering overhead. The City and the County of Denver has close to 600,000 residents and about 2.4 million in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area.

The city got its start in 1858 as part of the Pikes Peak Gold Rush and seems have to exploded with growth ever since. Outdoor recreation is superb, and there are many cultural things to do when the sun, which shines here 300 days a year, goes down. The area has a relatively mild climate compared to the mountains nearby. It stands at exactly one mile above sea level - 5,280 ft. Photo of Invesco Field courtesy of Wikipedia and David Shankbone.

Where to Retire in Denver and Home Prices

If you want to live in an eclectic, vibrant, and urban area of Denver, you should consider the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Just outside the heart of downtown Denver, Capitol Hill offers residents the ability to walk just about anywhere, including stores, restaurants, parks, public transit, and more. There are fewer new developments here, but many of the older buildings have been rehabbed. For active adults it can be the best of both worlds: city living with convenience. Real estate is more expensive than the national average, with the median sale price at $617,600 in the 4th Quarter of 2021, in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area, according to the National Association of Realtors, and up over 20% from a year earlier.

What Is Special about Denver

City in a mountain setting; unusually beautiful and extensive parks (200 of them!); 28 recreation centers; parks outside of the city such as Red Rocks Park and Winter Park Resort ski area; the Rocky Mountains overhead; the Brown Palace Hotel; a full range of cultural and sporting opportunities; one of the world's best airports; every type of active adult housing choice.

What Is Not Special about Denver

Very rapid growth and a big city.

Climate and Physical Environment

Denver at 5280 ft. elevation is located in the South Platte River Valley where it meets Cherry Creek. It is just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The approach from the flat ground of the east is quite dramatic - at first you just see the mountains and then you see the city nestled at their base. The city gets about 250 days of sunshine a year and can be quite warm even in winter.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

A Scientific and Cultural Facilities Tax helps fund cultural and scientific facilities in the city. There are 3 opera companies and 3 dance companies operating in Denver. Prominent cultural and scientific institutions include the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Mint, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the Denver Zoo. The LODO area has an active music scene. The University of Denver offer a number of cultural programs. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a world famous outdoor concert venue on Denver’s western edge. Denver also has a great new library.

Crime

Crime in Denver is slightly above the national average.

Medical Facilities

There are more than 25 hospitals in the Denver area, many of them leading research institutions.

Transportation

The Regional Transportation District operates more than 1000 buses and five light rail lines. Denver offers FasTracks rail that is transforming transportation through the Denver metro region. Amtrak has service to Chicago and Los Angeles. Denver International Airport is new and is the 11th busiest airport in the world. Discount airline Jet Blue operates from Denver. Many sections of Denver are very walkable.

Valuable Links

Denver

Denver on Wikipedia

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