Moving to Denver: Need neighborhood advice. late 30s single male (Aurora: to rent, house)

[unify]

Moving to Denver for a job at the Anschutz Medical Center in Aurora on Colfax Blvd.
I am a male in my late 30s, single. Moving from the west coast.
Looking for a fun neighborhood to live in to be social and with a walking/biking vibe.
Would like to minimize my commute to work in Aurora but still live in a cool neighborhood with coffee shops, microbrews, a few taverns, interesting shops, and just pleasant to be in, not a suburbian wasteland type of place.
Recreationally I am an outdoors guy: climbing, skiing, running, etc. I aim to get into the mountains on the weekends, but more important to me is minimizing my commute on the weekdays

Looking for less of a family type of neighborhood and definitely more of a place where I can connect with people similar to me, make friends, meet girls, etc.

Would love some neighborhood advice from those in the know on this forum.

I am considering City Park as it seems like a 20-25 min drive down Colfax to work on my estimation (I am open to being corrected here).

Also Park Hill?
Stapleton seems more family oriented and less my style, but I don't know I haven't been there.

Highland seems like a viable option as it looks as if I could drive down I-70 to the hospital and avoid downtown, but I imagine it can get gridlocked occasionally if not frequently. And the commute seems longer than the other neighborhoods listed above.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[davebarnes]

Hale
Capitol Hill
Congress Park

[SkyDog77]

River North might also be worth a look.

[rushhournewb]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

River North might also be worth a look.

Except that RiNo is on the other side of town and would entail a long commute.

[2bindenver]

Mayfair, Stapleton with inventory low you might not have enough choices.

Renting or buying?

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by rushhournewb

Except that RiNo is on the other side of town and would entail a long commute.

It's a straight shot and within a half an hour.

I wouldn't call it exactly "the other side of town". I would reserve that for West or South Denver.

Regardless, I have friends who commute from golden to Anschutz every day. Not what I would want to do, but they love being so close to all the outdoor recreation in Golden. It's worth it for them.

[rischthorpe]

These neighborhoods all have the vibe you're talking about and are quite walkable/bikeable. They should be no more than 20-25 minutes from Anschutz. The bus is also an option (the 20).

City Park (neighborhood due south of the park, north of Colfax)
Congress Park
City Park West
Cheesman Park

I don't recommend going east of Colorado Blvd. The walkability factor drops off mightily. Park Hill can be a beautiful neighborhood and is still close to downtown, but it's much more family oriented and is mostly residential. If I were in your shoes I would not recommend Highlands. Too much uncertainty with that commute (then again I have a very small tolerance for commutes, YMMV). Heck if you lived near City Park, you could bike to work some days if you wanted exercise.

[emm74]

Stapleton, Park Hill, Lowry, are great in terms of location and commute to Anschutz but they do tend to be more family-oriented. City Park, Capitol Hill, Congress Park, LoDo are a slightly longer commute (still typically within half an hour, though) and I think would be a better fit.

[unify]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Mayfair, Stapleton with inventory low you might not have enough choices.

Renting or buying?

Renting. Actually would prefer to rent a room in a cool house with several roommates for camaraderie and social interactions, since I don't have any connections in Denver.

[unify]

How does Capitol Hill and City Park compare in terms of vibe? I get the sense Capitol Hill is more dense, harder to park, closer together, etc.?