Foothills - Lakewood, CO

In 1889, less than 20 years after gold miners arrived in Denver, W.A.H. Loveland and Charles Welch decided to develop a stretch of land along Colfax Avenue. Initially surrounded by farms, the area eventually became home to a number of housing developments, and less than 100 years later in 1969, over 90,000 people lived in the area.

At that time, the population was incorporated into the city of Lakewood. Since then, the area has expanded, and by the 2010 census, over 140,000 inhabitants called Lakewood home.

To learn about the area's past, locals can visit the Lakewood Heritage Center, which has indoor and outdoor displays, or they can go even further back in time at Dinosaur Ridge, a set of dinosaur footprints in the side of a mountain. Art and culture lovers hit the Denver Museum of Art or the Denver Children's Museum to amuse themselves.

Most of the restaurants in the Foothills neighborhood sit along Alameda Parkway, and they offer residents no-frills, simple dining from a range of cultures. For a light lunch, get in touch with your Cuban side at Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe. Dig into a cheesy empanada, or experiment with yucca and pork. If you prefer Chinese, check out the New Peking Chinese Restaurant. There, you can order your favorite Americanized Chinese fare including cream cheese wontons, beef with broccoli or General Tso's chicken.

For nightlife, Foothills locals enjoy the area's many brewpubs, showcasing the fine microbrews of Colorado. The Ironworks Brewery and Pub has a wide range of Colorado microbrews on tap, and they even brew their own beers. However, that doesn't stop this pub from serving buckets filled with bottled Budweiser during sporting events. That sense of integrating diverse concepts extends to the rest of the pub as well, and this venue simultaneously feels like a biker lounge, sports bar and dive bar rolled into one.

Wine lovers frequent La Cave Wine, Food & Boutique in Lakewood. This restaurant focuses on gourmet fare such as confit duck, crab cakes and filet mignon. They also serve special occasion dinners, such as roast goose on Christmas Day. Even if you don't feel hungry, you can sample from La Cave's extensive wine list or shop in the boutique full of kitchen items.

Although Ironworks and several other pubs in the Foothills area offer live music, locals have to travel into Denver if they want to party in a club. There, clubs like Tracks, Beta and Church draw residents from all over the metro area.

In perfect weather conditions and low traffic, drivers can reach downtown Denver via Highway-6 in 25 minutes. Alternatively, locals can take an RTD bus or their cars to Federal Center Station. From there, a light rail train carries passengers into the city.

The Foothills neighborhood has a range of bicycle paths, connecting the neighborhood to the rest of the metro area as well as to the Rocky Mountains. Although safe for walkers, the area cannot be considered "walkable" due to the distance between residential and commercial areas.

Both cab companies and Uber drivers serve the area, but rather than trying to hail a cab in the street, riders must order them via phone.

Foothills Park has a playground for little ones. In good condition, the equipment offers enough challenge for older kids but is small enough for adults to easily monitor their little ones as well. If you want a workout, take advantage of the tennis courts, walking paths or ball field at this park.

Dog lovers enjoy Forsberg Iron Spring Dog Park. Located on Alameda Parkway, this park sits closer to the foothills than the commercial area of the street, and because of that, the park has a rugged feel and sweeping views of Red Rocks, an iconic amphitheater and natural area to the northwest of this park. Dogs can romp without leashes at this park, and owners can test their agility on the park's equipment.

Foothills residents can enjoy a range of outdoor festivals in Denver, or they can journey into other foothill communities to enjoy their festivals such as the Morrison Biergarten Festival or the Golden Fine Arts Festival.

Living in the Foothills neighborhood costs less on average than living in other parts of the metro area. In Foothills, renters pay an average of $918 for a one-bedroom, $123 less than Denver's average one-bedroom rent of $1,041.

Taking the bus or light rail into Denver costs $3 during rush hour, and students and seniors can ride for only $1 outside of rush hour. Even drivers save, as area gas stations charge 11 percent less than the national average for a gallon of gas.

A pint of beer in a local pub costs $4 to $7, with domestic beers being the cheapest and microbrews, often with a higher alcoholic content, costing more.

The best shopping in the area sits along Alameda Parkway, and the shops in the area cater to the diverse hobbies of area residents. At Full Service Bicycle, you can find anything from a single-speed cruiser to a top-end mountain bike, and you can get all of your bikes serviced there as well. Musicians frequent Meis Musical Instrument Repair, a mom-and-pop shop that has been fixing and selling instruments for over 25 years. Gunslingers shop at Bristlecone Shooting Training and Retail Center, where they can buy everything from pistols to assault rifles. Fashion lovers enjoy access to area boutiques as well as options throughout Denver. Located in east Lakewood, Carrie B's Boutique offers stunning fashions for women, handmade soaps and unique art, and the shop draws its style inspiration from Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City fame. Dragonfly Apparel is a hip boutique offering stylish women's fashions and jewelry from both independent and brand-name designers. It's a great place to find women's casual wear, dresses and jeans. Grocery shops in the area include King Soopers, a large chain owned by Kroger Foods, as well as Whole Foods, an upscale chain specializing in organic food. Two farmers markets take place in the summer, and locals can find Colorado-grown veggies at the Denver Federal Center or in the parking lot on the southeast corner of Wadsworth and Alameda.