What is the right neighborhood for me in the city (Denver: real estate, apartment)

[nelly 555]

My husband and I are relocating to the Denver area later this year with our one year old son. I would really like to live in the city before I commit to life in the suburbs (for the kid). We are coming from Dallas, TX where we have lived only a short period of time and hate. We are both originally from the Washington DC area and love it there. We are looking for an area of the sity that has easy access to a nice park, entertainment that a toddler may like (like an aquarium or zoo or some other museum), diverse restaurants, and a lot of culture. I really miss the mixing bowl feeling of DC and would like to be surrounded by some diversity. We plan on renting for a while and rent up to about $1500 a month would be good. Less is always better of course. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[kristenfromdenver]

I think you would probably really love City Park. It is right next to the park, hence the name, There is a zoo there, the science museum, a great playground, some sort of water feature that kids love to play in. They also do jazz in the park on sunday nights in the summer for free. There are also plenty of restaurants and shops to walk to. It is a very very diverse area as well. Good luck!

[Katiana]

Also look at Wash Park, which is also near a park, Washington Park. It is also close to some of those amentities, and has lots of kids.

[Tim Currie]

Check it out:

Denver Colorado Neighborhoods

I'd say, one of the central city neighborhoods. Just depends on if you want high-rise apartment/condo living right in downtown or an old victorian neighborhood nearby, or something in between?

[tfox]

Originally Posted by kristenfromdenver

I think you would probably really love City Park. It is right next to the park, hence the name, There is a zoo there, the science museum, a great playground, some sort of water feature that kids love to play in. They also do jazz in the park on sunday nights in the summer for free. There are also plenty of restaurants and shops to walk to. It is a very very diverse area as well. Good luck!

South Park Hill would be a great choice if you want to be close to the city park, museum, and zoo, with kids. The areas north and northwest of the park have in the past been a bit sketchy, however, so not everywhere around the park would be a good choice.

Parts of the Congress Park neighborhood (to the south) would also be relatively close to the park.

Wash Park, is of course, a great neighborhood, but the price tag is getting to be inaccessible for many, particularly on the east side.

I'd also look at Baker, Congress Park, Platt Park, DU/University, and Highlands/Berkeley.

[nelly 555]

Thanks for all your great advice!

[ColoradoLion]

When I moved here in '94, Wash Park was the place. Now I'm not so sure. Yes, there is a huge park there, but renting a place really close to the park would be cost prohibitive.

I'm a fan of the Highlands/Berkeley/Sloan Lake area. There's good diversity, all sorts of ethnic restaurants -- alot to like. It might take a little longer to get to a park. I'm a realtor and I've worked with a lot of buyers for the area and they love it. The thing that Highlands (a more general name for that part of town) has going for it, that people who live there love, is a real sense of community.

I know you're not buying yet, but that area has stayed strong real estate-wise year after year.

And you get a little head start on the neighborhoods to the east when you head to the mountains.