Gateway - Denver, CO

The United States acquired the land now referred to as Gateway with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In the 1850s, gold miners arrived, and they turned Denver, briefly a mining town, into a supply hub for mountain miners. For decades, only tumbleweeds and prairie dog colonies populated the area northeast of Denver, until developers seized upon it near the end of the 20th century. They created communities designed for families who wanted the ability to live, shop, and play without going too far from home.

Gateway residents have access to Denver's arts scene, but they can also explore museums in their own backyards. Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum gives you a close-up look at fighter plans and more, while the Aurora History Museum chronicles the history of the area.

Most of the restaurants in the Gateway area sit near the intersection of Interstate-70 and Pena Boulevard. While chains provide most of the dining opportunities in this area, a handful of independent restaurants exist as well.

Urban Sombrero has a menu featuring Mexican food, such as fajitas, alongside American classics, including hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. The perfect place to stop when hunger strikes late at night, Urban Sombrero keeps its kitchen open until 1 a.m.

Nearby Zume Asian Cuisine serves a range of dishes from several regions of Asia. Choose from items such as edamame, sweet and sour soup, curried tofu, pad thai, and pho. If you prefer not to leave home, Zume delivers to the Gateway neighborhood and beyond.

Go back in time at the Moonlight Diner, where you can enjoy a family meal served with a bit of nostalgia. This 1950s-style eatery offers a variety of classic diner favorites. The signature rueben overflows with your choice of turkey or corned beef. For a lighter option, choose a homemade chicken noodle soup or fresh spinach salad.

Although several pubs and restaurants exist in Gateway, locals in search of a more energetic night on the town have to leave Gateway and travel into central Denver or the LoDo area. There, clubs such as Tracks and the Beta Nightclub serve up drinks and beats until late in the evening.

If you live in Gateway, you can find free spots to park your car throughout most of the residential and commercial areas of the neighborhood. Drivers have easy access to I-70, which takes you into downtown Denver, and it also connects to I-25, leading to Fort Collins to the north or Colorado Springs to the south.

Bike paths run through the Green Valley Ranch, and they link to the city's large network of dedicated paths and bike lanes on the roads. Although the area offers safety for walkers, its design lends itself more conveniently to a car-based lifestyle.

RTD route 43 runs through the neighborhood, and it links to buses running into downtown Denver. Cabs and Uber drivers also serve the area, but rather than waiting in the street for a cab to hail, call one to pick you up.

Gateway residents have access to great parks, including Parkfield Lake Park. Kids love the playground with climbing obstacles, a sand pit, swings, and slides. Older kids and adults enjoy the skate park, and in the evening, the baseball fields and soccer pitches fill up with kids practicing their skills and parents observing the fun. The park also features paths for walking, running, and biking as well as picnic facilities.

Locals craving a raw dose of nature head to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Preserve. This 17,000-acre preserve stands as one of the largest urban preserves in the nation, and visitors can wander around open lakes or through wetlands, grasslands, and woodlands. Wildlife, including bison, abounds in the area, and the facility also hosts educational programs.

Dogs and their owners head to the Stapleton Dog Park when they need to exercise. The largest dog park in the metro area, the Stapleton Dog Park features a large sandy area for dogs to play off-leash. Outdoor festivals in the metro area include the Denver Zombie Crawl, Taste of Colorado, and Zoo Lights.

Living in Gateway costs roughly the same as living in other parts of Denver. While the average one-bedroom apartment in Denver rents for $1,041 per month, similar-sized apartments in Gateway rent for $1,058 per month. Riding the bus into Denver costs only $2, but if you ride during rush hour, fares increase to $3. Once in downtown Denver, a light rail train provides locals and visitors with free rides up and down the 16th Street Mall. Drivers pay six percent less than the national average for a gallon of gas. On special occasions, expect to find domestic beers for $3 and craft beers for $4. Regular prices start just a dollar higher than those prices.

Gateway residents live relatively close to several shopping centers. In nearby Aurora, Southlands hosts clothing, jewelry, and furniture shops in a beautiful outdoor setting. Designed to look like a historic downtown, this area draws shoppers who want to stroll down clean streets to window-shop at a variety of places. In Stapleton, shoppers enjoy browsing through the Shops at Northfield Stapleton.

Gateway residents also have boutiques and independent shops located around their homes. For great deals on fabulous fashions, check out Plum Consignment. This store carefully curates all the clothing it consigns, ensuring you can always find that special something.

When hunger strikes, locals have a range of chain grocery stores, including King Soopers and Walmart, close to their homes. For local produce, check out the Stapleton Farmer's Market or journey into Denver for the Old Pearl Street Farmer's Market.