Do you enjoy living in Denver? (2014, house, restaurants)

[Timmyy]

I do love living here. So much to do in my opinion. The only element that bugs me is the elitist "Native" attitude to us transplants. I am not saying all the "Natives" are like that but there are some angry ones out there. Even after living here for 14 years I still get comments when some people find out I am a transplant. I love talking to them because I learn about Colorado and it's rich history. Can't we all just get along?

[dude_reino]

I would say Denver is more like a miniature L.A. than Seattle. It has a large downtown, but most people live in the sprawling suburbs, and commuter either to the city or other suburbs. It is always sunny, and you don't have to look far to find BMW convertibles or boob-jobs.

[GoneNative]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I think Denver can be a good place to live, but it's also overrated in pretty much every category. I don't subscribe to the "Denver is paradise" religion that a lot of the locals here believe in. Tekkie mentioned the cost of living. The cost of housing here, whether you rent or you're looking to buy, is increasing much faster than the national average. And yet at the same time the quality of life here is not getting one iota better.

I'm a native, and were that not the case, I doubt I'd continue living here. But having roots, family, etc. makes sort of tilts the scale, as it were.

I am constantly amazed by the hype over this city that I find, most especially right here on City-Data. The place is a generally overgrown, suburbanized, western cowtown with a strongly midwestern vibe. If you're looking for culture, I can think of several other similarly situated cities--Twin Cities, Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis--that would be better. If you're looking for the outdoors, especially considering I-70 weekend traffic, then there's no doubt that Salt Lake or Portland would be better. If you're looking for city life, then, unless you're from Cheyenne or Wichita (which, of course, is where so many Denverites seeking an "urban" lifestyle do indeed come from, finding the place to be a virtual Manhattan compared to where they are from), it's not a great place.

I still contend that what attracts people most to Denver are nice suburbs with young families, a low tax rate, a somewhat hopeful economic outlook, and apparently decent schools (though that certainly depends on where in the suburbs you live). When Denver tries to position itself as some oasis of cultured urban life, it fails.

All of that said, the quality of life here is definitely getting worse. But I'm sure that people in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Salt Lake, and other fast-growing cities, might say the same thing about their hometowns. I honestly don't know. What I do know is that the pressure from a good number of people here to paint and sculpt Denver as something other than the congenial cowtown it's always been is a perpetual temptation for city leaders and maybe residents, and I don't see much good to come from it.

[GoneNative]

Originally Posted by dude_reino

I would say Denver is more like a miniature L.A. than Seattle. It has a large downtown, but most people live in the sprawling suburbs, and commuter either to the city or other suburbs. It is always sunny, and you don't have to look far to find BMW convertibles or boob-jobs.

Denver is a mix of LA and Kansas City. Or maybe Minneapolis and Phoenix. People try to compare it to various West Coast cities, but it's not really especially like any of them.

[Scott5280]

After living in Ashville NC , Lexington KY.San Antonio TX, Columbia SC, Aspen, Arvada, Boulder, Fort Carson (Springs). Malibu,West Hollywood, Newport/Laguna, spent a ton of time in rural kansas and been to every major US city..I can honestly say Denver is absolutely one of my favorite cities; this comes from someone who couldn't get out of the metro area fast enough referring to Denver as Denvoid. Most of my native CO.buddies live in Seattle, LA.

[dude_reino]

Originally Posted by GoneNative

If you're looking for culture, I can think of several other similarly situated cities--Twin Cities, Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis--that would be better. If you're looking for the outdoors, especially considering I-70 weekend traffic, then there's no doubt that Salt Lake or Portland would be better. If you're looking for city life, then, unless you're from Cheyenne or Wichita (which, of course, is where so many Denverites seeking an "urban" lifestyle do indeed come from, finding the place to be a virtual Manhattan compared to where they are from), it's not a great place.

Right, but if you're looking for a great COMBINATION of all of the above traits, then there is no better city than Denver.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by dude_reino

I would say Denver is more like a miniature L.A. than Seattle. It has a large downtown, but most people live in the sprawling suburbs, and commuter either to the city or other suburbs. It is always sunny, and you don't have to look far to find BMW convertibles or boob-jobs.

Not surprising, because 2/3 of the Denver Metro population is made up of former Los Angelenos who have moved to Colorado. 50 years ago, the City and County of Denver was about the same size it is now, with a ring of very small almost irrelevant suburbs. People lived and worked in Denver, and had a short drive or bus ride to work.

Which just goes to show that when a large number of people move from one place to another, and take their lifestyle with them. The place they are moving to starts to look like the place they came from.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Not surprising, because 2/3 of the Denver Metro population is made up of former Los Angelenos who have moved to Colorado. 50 years ago, the City and County of Denver was about the same size it is now, with a ring of very small almost irrelevant suburbs. People lived and worked in Denver, and had a short drive or bus ride to work.

Which just goes to show that when a large number of people move from one place to another, and take their lifestyle with them. The place they are moving to starts to look like the place they came from.

I moved here from Orange County, CA. I just wish we could do something about the winter... and get some palm trees in Denver. Oh well, maybe after Trader Joe's opens up, I'll get my wish

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by denverian

I moved here from Orange County, CA. I just wish we could do something about the winter... and get some palm trees in Denver. Oh well, maybe after Trader Joe's opens up, I'll get my wish

I do miss the palms.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by denverian

I moved here from Orange County, CA. I just wish we could do something about the winter... and get some palm trees in Denver. Oh well, maybe after Trader Joe's opens up, I'll get my wish

LOL. I got the hell out of Denver to get palm trees, and get away from the 60 inches of snow a year. I'm very satisfied with my decision. My only reservation was the cost of living here in California. But now that it looks like the cost of living n Colorado is fast becoming the same as it is in California, thats not even an issue.