Is there a town like this? (Denver, Colorado Springs: good schools, shop, safe)

[Prodigal Native]

Originally Posted by denverian

Sometimes, I think people just have no clue what Denver is like. They seem to have some picture in their mind of a small city, nestled in a mountain valley, surrounded by ski slopes and thick, evergreen forest. People wearing flannel and carrying axes, lol!

I have to wonder if the average American who's never been here has any idea that it's a spread out metro area of 3 million people, at the base of the mountains. Looking more like L.A. than Aspen

For me, the really disappointing part is that people who post here obviously have access to the Internet, yet they don't bother to use Google maps to get a rough idea of the geography. Maybe it's the the research geek in me...

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by denverian

And sometimes in Spring/Fall they'll show heavy snow at the Eisenhower tunnel and say they're reporting "from Denver" when in reality, it's green in Denver and raining. Denver is about as near ski resorts as L.A. is to Big Bear.

Bingo! That's one of my classic laughs, ... people back east see jack-knifed semis on I-70 at the tunnel on the evening news and think ALL of Colorado is one big Bavarian ski slope. Would you like marshmallows in your hot chocolate monsieur? Meanwhile people are often playing 18 rounds of golf all along the I-25 corridor north south and east of Denver.

Just for the sake of new readers, the eastern ~35-40% of COLO is essentially flat-ass short-grass prairie, i.e., the Great Plains, you know, amber waves of grain and all that jazz. Another ~30% or so of Colorado are the many and glorious mountain ranges of the Colorado Rockies in the middle of the state, and the so-called Western Slope of the state is the remaining ~30% of the state that is very dry and blends into the deserts of Utah and Arizona.

I certainly forgive people their media-skewed visions of the state; it is a large state, the vastness of which easterners (like myself) cannot comprehend until they visit and drive all day to get from one corner of the state to the other. Still, I do wish people would use our search tool as it is most excellent.

Okay, let's get back to the OP's question .... I've broken it down into parts A and B....

Originally Posted by Grovin2movin

(A) Within 30-45 minutes to downtown Denver & airport; (B) has a small town feel & main street; has good shopping - good sized grocery store, home goods store, (Whole Foods!); outdoor activities out-your-door; skiing within 15 minutes; good schools; and neighborhoods where its safe for kids to ride their bikes. Ideas? Thanks!

Essentially, parts A and B of the OP's question are mutually exclusive. All of B can be found in some of the mountain towns along the I-70 corridor, but that puts the OP probably two hours (at least) from DIA, though some small mountain airports might work but I'd bet that's expensive. If part A is paramount to the OP then the OP is better served by living in the Denver metro area and should consider locating along the now-building rail line to DIA.

[ELCO5280]

Guess the media-skewed vision works both ways. Being from CO I still think NY State is nothing but skyscrapers and subways, forgetting about the entire wester part of the State.

[ayoitzrimz]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Bingo! That's one of my classic laughs, ... people back east see jack-knifed semis on I-70 at the tunnel on the evening news and think ALL of Colorado is one big Bavarian ski slope. Would you like marshmallows in your hot chocolate monsieur? Meanwhile people are often playing 18 rounds of golf all along the I-25 corridor north south and east of Denver.

SHHHHH let's try and keep it that way. The less people know about the sunshine and mild weather in Denver the better

[ELCO5280]

Originally Posted by ayoitzrimz

SHHHHH let's try and keep it that way. The less people know about the sunshine and mild weather in Denver the better

I think that secrets been exposed long ago.

[ayoitzrimz]

Originally Posted by ELCO5280

I think that secrets been exposed long ago.

I can tell you from personal experience it hasn't been exposed at all, at least in the northeast

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

Exactly! I used to drive to Big Bear when I lived in Southern California.

So did I. It's not bad after a decent snow

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Prodigal Native

For me, the really disappointing part is that people who post here obviously have access to the Internet, yet they don't bother to use Google maps to get a rough idea of the geography. Maybe it's the the research geek in me...

Yeah, I mean, go to googlemaps and look around!

[blackmet]

Originally Posted by Grovin2movin

Within 30-45 minutes to downtown Denver & airport; has a small town feel & main street; has good shopping - good sized grocery store, home goods store, (Whole Foods!); outdoor activities out-your-door; skiing within 15 minutes; good schools; and neighborhoods where its safe for kids to ride their bikes.

Ideas? Thanks!

You can't have skiing within 15 minutes in Denver. Forget about it.

To humor you, though...for downtown and DIA within 30-45 minutes...Olde Town Arvada. Bel-Mar. Wheat Ridge. Old Littleton. Golden (though that REALLY pushes 45 minutes to DIA).

Budget? How many kids? Where will you be working?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Grovin2movin

Ideas? Thanks!

Everyone has had good advice.

My breakdown: 1. Within 30-45 minutes to downtown Denver & airport; 2. has a small town feel & main street; 3. has good shopping - good sized grocery store, home goods store, (Whole Foods!); 4. outdoor activities out-your-door; 5. skiing within 15 minutes; 6. good schools; 7. and neighborhoods where its safe for kids to ride their bikes.

Louisville will give you 1. high end for both DIA and d/t Denver; 2. Most definitely; 3. Reasonably good shopping, a Kohl's, several grocery stores (no WF but there is one in Superior and a Sprouts in Lafayette, both just a stone's throw away), Home Depot, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, much more; 4. No problem-o; 5. NOT, but Eldora is roughly 45 min away; 6 & 7, most definitely.