City Park West - Denver, CO Area Guide

The City Park West neighborhood originally began growing when the streetcar service along Park Avenue was brought to Denver in 1874.

As Denver and City Park grew in popularity, so did the population. The local hospitals: Saint Joseph's, Presbyterian-Saint Luke's, Kaiser Permanente, and the Children's Hospital brought a huge wave of growth to this neighborhood.

In 2014, the central St. Joseph's Hospital launched an expansion project to become the most modern hospital in all of Colorado. This attention, expansion, and goal brought a whole wave of medial facilities and health professionals to the neighborhood.

One of the most unique museums in the state is located in this neighborhood. The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys is exactly what you think it is. This adorable museum works hard to preserve the history of miniatures, dolls and toys. They allow birthday parties to be hosted here as well as field trips for schools.

Most of the restaurants in the City Park West neighborhood are locally owned, smaller restaurants. There are also many fast diners and sandwich shops to accommodate all the workers at the hospitals.

One local spot that will really surprise you is the Kitchen Table Cafe. It's easy to miss this small storefront, but the food will floor you. Combining homemade, natural, organic, and comfort food, this place is one of a kind. The baby back ribs with a side of macaroni and cheese will leave you feeling full and happy.

Make sure to stop by Il Posto located on East 17th Ave. This progressive Italian restaurant flies their seafood in daily, creating a truly fresh experience. The menu changes daily, so don't always count on your favorite dish being served upon your return.

The most talked about restaurant by vegetarians and vegans in all of Denver is Watercourse Foods. They have a 100% vegan menu and also work hard to reduce their environmental impact by doing things such as converting their fryer oil into bio-diesel. Every to-go container is also completely biodegradable. Breakfast is served all day, so if you're in the mood for some banana bread French toast in the evening, this is the place to go.

The nightlife in the City Park West neighborhood is spirited due to the proximity to downtown.

For a small dive bar, be sure to stop in Next Door Lounge. This lounge has a pool table, beer pong competitions, Jenga, shuffle board, and a few other games for visitors to play. This spot doesn't get too rowdy, and there are always plenty of people willing to chat.

The Thin Man is a fantastic bar to swing by for a night out. This bar can get crowded on weekends, but if you're looking for a lively night, this is the place to go. The most popular drinks are their infused vodkas, especially the jalapeño vodka.

Local live venues also include the Fillmore Auditorium, The Ogden Theatre, The Irish Snug, Avenue Theater, and the Bluebird Theater. These are some of the major live venues throughout the entire Denver area.

Residents in City Park West have a wide variety of transportation options.

Colfax is one of the major bus routes in the state. There are also many options for public transportation from RTD Denver all throughout the neighborhood. These include other buses and also the light rail that travels to a long list of cities surrounding Denver. There is even a bus that goes to the airport from downtown.

Residents and visitors can also use Lyft, Uber, and various local taxi companies to get around. There are also multiple bike lanes for people who would rather ride around instead of drive. Wide sidewalks make City Park West walking friendly.

While City Park West is filled with houses, businesses, and restaurants, just a few blocks to the east is City Park, which is the biggest park in Denver at 317 acres.

City Park West hosts the annual Colorado Black Arts Festival. This festival has dancing, live performances, food, kid-friendly activities, and a wide display of local artists showing off their creations. This free, weekend-long event also hosts a car show and a scavenger hunt.

The cost of an average one bedroom apartment in City Park West is $1,300 per month.

The cost of living in City Park West is comparable to downtown Denver and is on the higher end for the Denver Metro area.

While downtown Denver receives most of the shopping attention, the City Park West neighborhood has quite a few boutiques and local stores to explore. Herbs and Arts is a great little store to stop in for holistic and naturopathic needs, including books on the subjects. This small shop has all kinds of items, including oils, books, herbs, incense, art and anything else you could need. It even hosts events such as an Introduction to Aromatherapy, giving visitors the ability to harness their own holistic skills.

ReZENed is a furniture store filled with mostly antiques. With just a little digging, you can find many treasures. Stop here if you're looking for that extra unique splash in your apartment or home. The staff is also glad to help you search.

One of the closest farmers markets, the City Park Esplanade Fresh Market, is right next door in the City Park neighborhood at E. Colfax and Columbine Street. For daily grocery needs, residents can hit the Safeway located in the neighborhood.