Dallas to Denver: LoHi, LoDo, or... (Colorado Springs, Lakewood: rental, credit, construction)

[azmatkn]

28F, single, Pakistani, rock climber, biker, gym junkie, consultant travel every week (can expense cabs/uber or take light rail if more convenient), need parking for Wrangler and possible hard top, or walkabilty if car parking is a pain day-to-day running errands.

Based off of all the stickies and searches, the areas I've narrowed to are LoHi or LoDo for the following reasons: young people, easy access to freeways for adventure and airport, walkability.

The questions I have are:

1) Am I missing something?
2) Is it unrealistic to be able to drive a lifted Jeep on the congested city roads?
3) I enjoy eating out on weekends, but not much of a foodie or partier. Am I paying for ambience I won't enjoy in the above mentioned areas?
4) Does commute to adventure make much of a difference on either side of I-25?
5) Where can I get Indian/Pakistani food in Denver
6) Move is planned for July. If anyone needs a respectful roommate, lemme know!

Thank you!

[jweb29]

I rock climb often! Most of my climber friends live in lakewood, golden, or arvada. For whatever that is worth . I might end up settling down in lakewood. Close to climbing up north in boulder, out west in golden, and down south near sedalia! If you only wanna go out on weekends and don't party too much, I don't see why not live in applewood! (part of lakewood)

I've been starting to give edgewater some credit lately..... It's like the city but not really.

But if you are brand new and looking to live in the city with a large jeep......

Forget Lodo. The jeep won't get along with it, and it's honestly just too broey and expensive, with no trees. You will be paying too much.

I've been editing this a lot because I'm thinking in the mind of a brand new outdoorsy transplant climber woman.
As a brand new woman, you can't go wrong in Highlands, or West Highlands. They are safe, easy to meet people of the outdoorsy type.
If you truly don't care for going out every night, sunnyside is great as well. just less walkable.

But if you wanna meet climber folks, who are down to earth, a lot of sport climber folks tend to LOVE living around the baker/lincoln park area! It's closer to movement rock gym, which offers classes, a weight room, and another gym up in Rino (don't live in Rino, its stinky). Not as safe as highlands but it's all relative. Denver is safe as hell.

Baker has a lightrail station, and lincoln park also has a lightrail station.

Lincoln park has "Santa Fe" which is a super cool street with first friday art festivals. It's a very hispanic area.
Baker has a bit of a college party scene to it.

A hard top is a must for these places! Crooks will target a soft top jeep!

If you are looking for a roommate, don't think too hard on location, find a good roommate, don't live in globeville, or elyria swansea and your set!Wash park, city park, cheeseman park, are all excellent parts of town for mid 20s peoples.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rentdenverhousing/

What kind of climbing do you do? send me a message if you'd like to get outside!

[azmatkn]

Thank you so much; it's great to have input from a fellow climber!

1) Movement Rino seems bouldering-focused. Usually lead or top rope for outdoor prep but who knows. Open to a different version of me as I move. Thanks for this alternate location pointer!

2) Officially forgeting LoDo

3) Leaning toward Highlands, but want to understand commute to the mountains, biking in Golden, and possibly Colorado Springs when compared to Baker/Lincoln Park. Does it make a drastic difference east/west of I-25

[daprara]

mostly doesn't matter what side of i25 your on; freeway bottle neck while driving into the mountains tends to be i70 itself in the foothills & mountains. over all colorado has not spent a lot on freeways so... ck out state HWY285.

-Golden CO has a lite rail station into denver and close in to the mountains. Not very walkable.
-tho lite rail is expensive but still consider locating next to a rail station. the A-Line is still the best airport commute experience (~$10). Lite rail stations serve as a local hub for the bus system too. They have free parking but can't always find a open space.
-Many rough areas of Denver have pockets of very functional rental residential opportunities. Use zillow.com

street parking is bad for your vehicle even with a hard top. A new third party hard top is expensive.

Bolder CO is expensive and a toy land for medium large tech employees. Not very walkable.

sorry i don't climb, obvious but the local meetup.com may work

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by azmatkn

Thank you so much; it's great to have input from a fellow climber!

1) Movement Rino seems bouldering-focused. Usually lead or top rope for outdoor prep but who knows. Open to a different version of me as I move. Thanks for this alternate location pointer!

2) Officially forgeting LoDo

3) Leaning toward Highlands, but want to understand commute to the mountains, biking in Golden, and possibly Colorado Springs when compared to Baker/Lincoln Park. Does it make a drastic difference east/west of I-25

Movement RiNo is all bouldering. Movement Baker has huge lead walls. They are hosting the US Collegiate Regionals this weekend and have hosted the USA Climbing Nationals in the past. I climb there and there are tons of 20 something people to meet. Baker would be a good fit.

[jweb29]

Movement Rino is awesome for climbing by yourself. so many boulders to do 4by4s on and downclimb, and there are some traverses as well. Easy when you can't find a partner. But yes, I don't think you'll like *living* in rino. Construction + puppy chow factory (stinks) + drunk yuppies live there.

Keep in mind you can bike from movement rino to movement baker in 20 minutes. The city is small! (i guess everything is relative)
+1 for baker ^

The lightrail that hits golden will go all the way through Lakewood as well! It might be easier finding a private garage for your jeep in lakewood. Then you'll be an earthtrex person (look up earthtrex, golden)! Those people are fine, they just drive more. I guess i just value driving less and reducing co2 emissions.

[whoisjongalt]

"drunk yuppies live there" This is very true haha.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by whoisjongalt

"drunk yuppies live there" This is very true haha.

Oh c'mon you guys, stop picking on Dave....

[WhatTheFox]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Oh c'mon you guys, stop picking on Dave....

Dave? As in daveBarnes?

[azmatkn]

Thank you everyone!!! Any thoughts on Wash Park, Platt Park, or Capitol Hill? Baker area seems a little grungier than what I'd like.