Denver West - Lakewood, CO

Since 1999, Denver West Village and Colorado Mills have been the focus of the Denver West community. Shopping and dining emphasize the Denver West area as a prime location for travelers who want to shop or catch a movie. Denver West developers consider the neighborhood's proximity to the mountains to be one of its biggest selling points.

Museum lovers must travel to the Lakewood Heritage Center for Colorado history. The Denver Art Museum provides opportunities to view fine art. For art galleries, head to Gallery Plus, or take a drive to the Lakewood Cultural Center to watch musical performances and plays. One of the many festivals in Golden, Buffalo Bills Days, features bands and a parade in the summers.

Denver West offers many restaurants, notably chain and franchised places, where people can eat some grub to finish a day of shopping. Dance clubs and bars lie outside the neighborhood back in Lakewood, since Denver West Village and Colorado Mills are open only until 9 p.m. on most days.

One fresh food chain locals love, Modmarket, draws in vegetarians, vegans and people who adore unique salads. The huge Superfood salad, which contains quinoa, almonds, and a spinach and kale blend, fills you up with only healthy ingredients. Order the garbanzo sandwich or the Arugula Mozz for a lower-calorie, rich meal.

One of Denver West's few local establishments, Blue Sky Cafe continues the natural food and drink trend with its home-grown plates. For breakfast and lunch, you can try the smoked salmon omelet or a vegan tofu salad. Gluten-free options are available as well.

Travelers must venture outside Denver West for music, just as the locals do. The Dive Bar & Grill on Colfax Avenue has a name that explains everything. Eat brick-oven pizzas or pub wings and sing karaoke after a day of shopping at Denver West Village. La Cave Wine Bar & Boutique, also in Lakewood, emanates a classier feel with its extensive wine list and higher-end food options.

Getting to Denver West in the easiest way requires a car, but because the neighborhood condenses its shopping options, the place has become very walkable. Shoppers walk around in the mall and to the movie theaters. Crossing Highway 70 requires a car trip or a jaunt on the bus.

RTD Denver provides transportation throughout the Denver area, and several bus lines converge in Denver West. You can easily hop on a bus to get to downtown Denver from Denver West. You can access parking garages for Colorado Mills and Denver West Village shopping, but be aware that the popular malls may become crowded, especially during the weekends.

Hop on Sixth Avenue or Colfax Boulevard for a straight shot into Denver; both roads surround Denver West. If you need a cab, call for a Metro Taxi or another Denver cab company from Denver West to bring you to other parts of town. Uber may be a more affordable option — the Uber drivers work all the way out west to Golden.

Locals and tourists can simply walk between the malls in Denver West. In addition, walking in the residential area of Denver West Court attracts outdoorsmen who love the sights of Jefferson County to the west. Though a bike path travels up Denver West via Colorado Mills Parkway, biking may be dangerous due to the number of shoppers and the closeness of major roads such as Highway 70. Focus bicycle efforts in the residential areas to be safe.

You will not find any luck searching for a park inside the Denver West boundaries, but two parks lie just outside the neighborhood in Golden. Enter for free at Applewood Park to enjoy the many sports fields, a horseshoe pit and a sand volleyball court. Exercise enthusiasts especially appreciate the half-mile walking and jogging trail at Applewood. Kids love playing in the playgrounds while you relax at the picnic pavilion.

Golden’s Tanglewood Sports Park provides even more sports opportunities. With a baseball and softball field and a soccer field in the park’s south area, you can practice sports with your children during the day. In the north of the park, play on bocce courts and practice your putting on the putting green. Bring your dog along for a nice run in this sporting park.

These small parks may not host many fairs, but you can find plenty in both Lakewood and Golden. Golden’s Parfet Park hosts movies and music nights every summer in August, and the Lakewood Heritage Center’s Cider Days festival in the fall gives locals the chance to taste apple cider and celebrate the harvest season.

Both Golden and Lakewood have a higher cost of living than the national average, so Denver West will likely be a more expensive place to live in. An average one-bedroom apartment will cost a Denver West resident about $1,200 in rent per month.

Getting around via RTD Denver will cost about $4 in an express fare, and monthly fares cost $140 at the most affordable. You will save on gas while living in Denver West — the average gas price is about 4 percent less than the national average.

Travel outside Denver West to Lakewood, where a beer will set you back about $4. Some deals lower the price even more.

The major shopping areas of Denver West, Denver West Village and Colorado Mills, bring in many travelers and locals. Places like Coach offer a more upscale shopping experience, with everything from designer handbags to shoes and apparel. Though the malls feature many chain stores, a few boutiques may appeal to those who like cozier and more unusual shopping options.

While you shop at Colorado Mills and Denver West Village, make sure to stop by some of the smaller, more hidden stores such as Elegance Perfumes for your fragrance needs.

The Whole Foods Market in Denver West provides healthy eating options for many locals. Drive down Golden Road to the west to King Soopers for more affordable shopping. The Golden Farmers Market to the west and Edgewater Farmers Market to the east appeal to those who desire fresh produce.