My take on the Grand Junction Area (Denver, Golden: how much, employment)

[ruthijo]

Originally Posted by local_h

My favorite Mexican restaurant is Dos Hombres. Kind of standard fare Mexican food but they have the best Margarita. I think they call it the Perfect Margarita (as they have about 7 different margaritas) and it is the one made with fresh squeezed lime and orange juice. Fiesta Guadalajara has one called the Cadillac which is very strong, though Tequila's in Glenwood Springs also has a Cadillac Margarita that is so strong I get tipsy of half of one.

I'm not a drinker so I couldn't tell you who makes the best Margaritas but as for the food, El Tapatio (Grand Jct) makes the best mexican food around with Fiesta Guadalajara (Fruita) running a very close second. Dos Hombres to me doesn't even make the list.

[krutter]

Hi, my husband and I are coming out in a couple of weeks to visit GJ before we relocate there. Our reloction is supposed to take us to Denver which is where we want to be, but going to have to do a short stint in GJ of 18 months. I'm a bit weary I guess.... I'm from Evansville, IN pop 150,000. Sounds a bit like GJ but with maybe more shopping and a bit more culture. I'm 32, my husband is 30. Is there a crowd of 30 somethings in GJ without kids? We love to go try different, travel, drink, sit on a patio at a cool little bar and listen to music etc. I know the city is what you make of it, but are people welcoming there? My husband is a Brit and soccer is very important to him too, does anyone know of any adult indoor or outdoor leagues? I'm also a gym and pilates rat, what's the best gym in town. Lastly, there is NOTHING to rent and we hesitate buying if we are going to be there for 18 months. If we rented a house in Redlands, would this be this "nicest" or "hippest" area? What is a nice area in walking distance to shops, food, bars, etc? Thanks everyone!!

[DOUBLE H]

If walking distance to shops and restaurants are important to you, the Redlands would not be a good fit. Colorado 340 is about a 12 mile loop to Fruita and you are going through the Redlands, which stretches out between the second to the eighth mile (kinda guessing here). The Redlands IS a nice area, and after all these years of added growth I still take it over anywhere in Mesa County because of its location. You only have a couple restaurants in that area, both are near Safeways.

An area I think you'd like is where Lincoln Park is (12th and Patterson) Going south on 12th for the next several blocks are older but well kept homes that are just a few minutes from downtown where you have lots of restaurants and clubs to choose from. Just my 2 cents worth, hopefully other GJ residents will weigh in here as I live in Fruita. When I bought over here in the 1980's I thought hard about that part of town (the Redlands was too high priced for me) but I settled in on the Fruita area. If somebody offered me an arm and a leg for my place the Lincoln park area would be fine.

There is a lot of town related activities at the park itself which includes Stocker Stadium for high school and college football and Suplezio Field as Grand Junction is getting a minor league baseball team and has hosted JUCO (Junior College World Series) for years.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by krutter

If we rented a house in Redlands, would this be this "nicest" or "hippest" area? What is a nice area in walking distance to shops, food, bars, etc? Thanks everyone!!

The Redlands is nice, but it's definitely not hip. It's a large, sort of agricultural area with lots of nice houses, about 10 minutes from downtown Grand Junction.

If you want a walkable, more hip area, you'll need to be in the neighborhoods in the downtown area. This is the only area where you can walk to cafes and bars.

When you say you can't find anything to rent, I find that hard to believe. You may need to drive around town looking for "For Rent" signs (this is one of the primary ways that houses are let) but you can definitely find stuff available.

[krutter]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I will check out the Lincoln Park area, sounds like the type of neighborhood we like. You are correct, when I say there is "nothing to rent", it looks like there is not much after scouring the area on the internet.

[CosmicWizard]

I'm not aware of any hip areas in Grand Junction.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

I'm not aware of any hip areas in Grand Junction.

YOU'RE there.....ITS HIP.

[jim9251]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

I'm not aware of any hip areas in Grand Junction.

The Golden Corral isn't hip?

[CosmicWizard]

Mike from back east wrote:

YOU'RE there.....ITS HIP.

I forgot about that. Wherever I am is a hip place. Too bad I haven't mastered being in more than one place at a time.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Mike from back east wrote:

YOU'RE there.....ITS HIP.

I forgot about that. Wherever I am is a hip place. Too bad I haven't mastered being in more than one place at a time.

'zackly so. wherever you go ... there you are ...