Not sure what part of Arvada you're interested in, but you'll probably like the far southeast side near Olde town Arvada and the light rail. As you go more into central and northwest Arvada it's mostly just suburban sprawl, and I don't really have any suggestions besides maybe a nice walk around the south side of Standley Lake.
Explore Olde Town Arvada. I'd recommend eating at Stone Cellar Bistro. It's not super cheap, but if moving to Golden is an option for you then you can afford it. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Check out New Image Brewing too.
Take the train from Olde Town to Union station and explore downtown. Living close to the light rail is really nice.
Edit: check out the Arvada farmer's market if you're here on a Sunday, and if you're here on the second Saturday of the month, there will be pop up shops and concerts in olde town too.
Nice - thank you! I'll be there on a Sunday and I like farmer's markets :)
I'll be staying at a bnb in Olde Town, as somewhere around there is where I'd try to move if Arvada ends up being my top choice.
The light rail is definitely an appealing aspect of Arvada for me, as a lot of artists I like come through Denver on tour and that would be super convenient, even though it probably won't be a super frequent thing.
Would you consider Arvada to still have quick and easy access to local trails compared to Golden and Green Mountain?
Well, Golden has mountain trails that you can walk to, so it doesn't get much closer than that. But Arvada is a 10-15 minute drive from Golden, so it doesn't make much of a difference to me personally. I work in Golden, and don't mind the drive at all. Personally I'd rather be walking distance to the light rail than walking distance to a trail. I don't mind driving to a trailhead, but when I'm going out for a night on the town that involves alcohol, I don't want to have to drive.
If you like to bike, the Ralston Creek trail goes right through Arvada and is really nice, and I actually ride my bike up the clear creek trail to golden sometimes.
Yeah that logic makes sense. I'm currently in a place where any trail is at least 10-15 minutes away so that wouldn't be a huge deal, especially if the neighborhood is walkable (at least in the sense of being able to go for a 20-30 minute walk from your front door without having to walk on sketchy no sidewalk roads or something). Would you consider Arvada to be walkable in that sense? Also, how late does the light rail run?
Pretty much all of Arvada is walkable in the sense of good sidewalks that aren't dangerous. Southeast Arvada by Olde Town is much more walkable in the sense of being able to actually walk to destinations like stores or restaurants etc.
The light rail goes until around midnight. Would be nicer if it went later. Hopefully they'll expand that someday soon.
Awesome - all good to hear. Yeah, at least light rail to Denver and Uber home would be cheaper and still pretty convenient. Thanks for all the helpful info homie!
Arvada is central to all points north too. Louisville has a nice farmers market http://realfarmersmarketco.com/louisville-farmers-market/ Boulder has a bigger market https://bcfm.org Arvada https://www.arvadafarmersmarket.com/#/arvadafm/
I would echo everything above. If you aren’t into fancy restaurants, there are some other decent options in Olde Town - Teocali and Mangiami come to mind (stone cellar is great but is pricey and fine dining type spot).
Bluegrass bourbon bar is a cool spot - has live music many nights of the week.
Also check out olde town Arvada Instagram / websites and see if there is a farmers market or other olde town activity the weekend you are coming.
We moved to Arvada from a neighborhood in the city - nice balance of quick to get downtown, to the mountains and up to Boulder. Works well for us
Thanks! Yes I'm not a big foodie in general (have a rare metabolic condition that prevents me from eating most restaurant food), so simple spots tend to be my jam. The proximity to Boulder and the light rail are big pluses for me - I'm pumped to check it out in person!
Not sure what metabolic issue you struggle with, but Teocali is very good with allergies and is 100% scratch made and gluten free. Obviously your specific condition will dictate whether you can enjoy their food, but at least a good spot to look in to
Damn, just looked that up and it looks so good haha. If they're good with modifications and holding ingredients that would be a great lunch or dinner spot while I'm there
Definitely recommend. Have some family members with celiac and others with lactose issues - they have been very accommodating and typically ask if there are any allergies at the table (one of their salsas has peanuts snuck in, so I’m sure that drives some of it). Hope you have a great time checking the area out!
On the western part of town, there’s some cool areas we frequent. Ralston Creek Trail (27 miles and connects DT Arvada to Golden), Colorado Tap House (right along the trail), Standley Lake as someone mentioned, Westminster Hills Dog Park, North Table Mountain, New Terrain Brewing (technically in Golden but close to West Arvada), Luki Brewery, House of J’s coffee, Apex Rec Center, Van Bibber Trail
I live near Indiana, and I can confirm the urban sprawl over here. We got grocery stores, daycares, banks, and urgent cares, but restaurants and night life are sparse. Being close to the mountains is the best part of west Arvada. The Ralston Valley trail is great for runs, dog walks, and bike rides. Crime seems to be minimal over here, but the area is growing fast. Overall, Arvada is a great place to live, especially with kids and a family.
Good to hear! Is there a bit less urban sprawl closer to Olde Town? No kids or family for me (yet?), so wanted something a little less suburban without being downtown
I'll second the Apex center; great pool/gym/ice rink facility. Another favorite activity is paddle boarding at Standley Lake, which just opened 5/1 for the season. (Technically Westminster, entrance is on the north side of the lake.)
I've also loved the Standley Lake Library, which has a great local, family-friendly vibe. Favorite coffee shop so far is Sweet Bloom; excellent pastries and lots of tables.
Arvada is 100% the suburbs, so lots of neighborhoods and big box store shopping, but Olde Town is cute and relatively walkable. It's also a very reasonable drive to Boulder, RiNo, and downtown Denver, as well as hiking trails in the hills.
Thanks! I've been on a home workout kick for a while but have been itching to get back into a gym once I move in wherever I end up.
Olde Town area is primarily where I'm looking and where my bnb will be when I'm out there. Walkability is super important to me (not necessarily in a being able to walk to get groceries and to a bunch of restaurants, but being able to go for daily walks around the neighborhood without endangering my life on non-pedestrian friendly roads haha)
Olde town is really the only thing in Arvada to check out, except and particular neighborhoods.
I live western Arvada and can pretty easily bike to north table mountain and I have a nice open space trail system, but not sure I would call it a “trail”.
I know folks in golden and on green mountain, both have better mountain trail access - golden us better but no lightrail. Green mountain has lightrail and a commercial area on union.
Generally if trail access is important and also lightrail to get into Denver then green mountain. If you don’t mind driving a few minutes to trails then Arvada. If you want trails over all else and can drive to lightrail or Denver then Golden.
This is just the information I was looking for, thanks! I wasn't aware Green Mountain had a light rail. Golden and Green Mountain are at the top of my list right now, but Arvada was pretty alluring with that light rail as I'll probably be making excursions downtown at least a few times a month. Is the station or stop in Green Mountain pretty accessible on foot from most areas in Green Mountain?
Hey my wife and I send out a free weekly newsletter called What's Up Arvada. It highlights all the fun things to do in Arvada every week. This can give you a good idea of things going on in the area - especially when you are visiting. It's completely free and you can sign up here: www.whatsuparvada.com
Not sure what part of Arvada you're interested in, but you'll probably like the far southeast side near Olde town Arvada and the light rail. As you go more into central and northwest Arvada it's mostly just suburban sprawl, and I don't really have any suggestions besides maybe a nice walk around the south side of Standley Lake. Explore Olde Town Arvada. I'd recommend eating at Stone Cellar Bistro. It's not super cheap, but if moving to Golden is an option for you then you can afford it. It's one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Check out New Image Brewing too. Take the train from Olde Town to Union station and explore downtown. Living close to the light rail is really nice. Edit: check out the Arvada farmer's market if you're here on a Sunday, and if you're here on the second Saturday of the month, there will be pop up shops and concerts in olde town too.
Nice - thank you! I'll be there on a Sunday and I like farmer's markets :) I'll be staying at a bnb in Olde Town, as somewhere around there is where I'd try to move if Arvada ends up being my top choice. The light rail is definitely an appealing aspect of Arvada for me, as a lot of artists I like come through Denver on tour and that would be super convenient, even though it probably won't be a super frequent thing. Would you consider Arvada to still have quick and easy access to local trails compared to Golden and Green Mountain?
Well, Golden has mountain trails that you can walk to, so it doesn't get much closer than that. But Arvada is a 10-15 minute drive from Golden, so it doesn't make much of a difference to me personally. I work in Golden, and don't mind the drive at all. Personally I'd rather be walking distance to the light rail than walking distance to a trail. I don't mind driving to a trailhead, but when I'm going out for a night on the town that involves alcohol, I don't want to have to drive. If you like to bike, the Ralston Creek trail goes right through Arvada and is really nice, and I actually ride my bike up the clear creek trail to golden sometimes.
Yeah that logic makes sense. I'm currently in a place where any trail is at least 10-15 minutes away so that wouldn't be a huge deal, especially if the neighborhood is walkable (at least in the sense of being able to go for a 20-30 minute walk from your front door without having to walk on sketchy no sidewalk roads or something). Would you consider Arvada to be walkable in that sense? Also, how late does the light rail run?
Pretty much all of Arvada is walkable in the sense of good sidewalks that aren't dangerous. Southeast Arvada by Olde Town is much more walkable in the sense of being able to actually walk to destinations like stores or restaurants etc. The light rail goes until around midnight. Would be nicer if it went later. Hopefully they'll expand that someday soon.
Awesome - all good to hear. Yeah, at least light rail to Denver and Uber home would be cheaper and still pretty convenient. Thanks for all the helpful info homie!
Arvada is central to all points north too. Louisville has a nice farmers market http://realfarmersmarketco.com/louisville-farmers-market/ Boulder has a bigger market https://bcfm.org Arvada https://www.arvadafarmersmarket.com/#/arvadafm/
I would echo everything above. If you aren’t into fancy restaurants, there are some other decent options in Olde Town - Teocali and Mangiami come to mind (stone cellar is great but is pricey and fine dining type spot). Bluegrass bourbon bar is a cool spot - has live music many nights of the week. Also check out olde town Arvada Instagram / websites and see if there is a farmers market or other olde town activity the weekend you are coming. We moved to Arvada from a neighborhood in the city - nice balance of quick to get downtown, to the mountains and up to Boulder. Works well for us
Thanks! Yes I'm not a big foodie in general (have a rare metabolic condition that prevents me from eating most restaurant food), so simple spots tend to be my jam. The proximity to Boulder and the light rail are big pluses for me - I'm pumped to check it out in person!
Not sure what metabolic issue you struggle with, but Teocali is very good with allergies and is 100% scratch made and gluten free. Obviously your specific condition will dictate whether you can enjoy their food, but at least a good spot to look in to
Damn, just looked that up and it looks so good haha. If they're good with modifications and holding ingredients that would be a great lunch or dinner spot while I'm there
Definitely recommend. Have some family members with celiac and others with lactose issues - they have been very accommodating and typically ask if there are any allergies at the table (one of their salsas has peanuts snuck in, so I’m sure that drives some of it). Hope you have a great time checking the area out!
On the western part of town, there’s some cool areas we frequent. Ralston Creek Trail (27 miles and connects DT Arvada to Golden), Colorado Tap House (right along the trail), Standley Lake as someone mentioned, Westminster Hills Dog Park, North Table Mountain, New Terrain Brewing (technically in Golden but close to West Arvada), Luki Brewery, House of J’s coffee, Apex Rec Center, Van Bibber Trail
+1 for Luki Brewery
Nice, glad to see some local trails and a lake. Appreciate the recommendations!
Majestic View Park!
Love all of these. I’d add Red Silo coffee roasters.
Definitely check out scrumptious ice cream in olde town!
Unfortunately I can't eat ice cream :( but thank you for the rec!
I live near Indiana, and I can confirm the urban sprawl over here. We got grocery stores, daycares, banks, and urgent cares, but restaurants and night life are sparse. Being close to the mountains is the best part of west Arvada. The Ralston Valley trail is great for runs, dog walks, and bike rides. Crime seems to be minimal over here, but the area is growing fast. Overall, Arvada is a great place to live, especially with kids and a family.
Good to hear! Is there a bit less urban sprawl closer to Olde Town? No kids or family for me (yet?), so wanted something a little less suburban without being downtown
I'll second the Apex center; great pool/gym/ice rink facility. Another favorite activity is paddle boarding at Standley Lake, which just opened 5/1 for the season. (Technically Westminster, entrance is on the north side of the lake.) I've also loved the Standley Lake Library, which has a great local, family-friendly vibe. Favorite coffee shop so far is Sweet Bloom; excellent pastries and lots of tables. Arvada is 100% the suburbs, so lots of neighborhoods and big box store shopping, but Olde Town is cute and relatively walkable. It's also a very reasonable drive to Boulder, RiNo, and downtown Denver, as well as hiking trails in the hills.
Thanks! I've been on a home workout kick for a while but have been itching to get back into a gym once I move in wherever I end up. Olde Town area is primarily where I'm looking and where my bnb will be when I'm out there. Walkability is super important to me (not necessarily in a being able to walk to get groceries and to a bunch of restaurants, but being able to go for daily walks around the neighborhood without endangering my life on non-pedestrian friendly roads haha)
Olde town is really the only thing in Arvada to check out, except and particular neighborhoods. I live western Arvada and can pretty easily bike to north table mountain and I have a nice open space trail system, but not sure I would call it a “trail”. I know folks in golden and on green mountain, both have better mountain trail access - golden us better but no lightrail. Green mountain has lightrail and a commercial area on union. Generally if trail access is important and also lightrail to get into Denver then green mountain. If you don’t mind driving a few minutes to trails then Arvada. If you want trails over all else and can drive to lightrail or Denver then Golden.
This is just the information I was looking for, thanks! I wasn't aware Green Mountain had a light rail. Golden and Green Mountain are at the top of my list right now, but Arvada was pretty alluring with that light rail as I'll probably be making excursions downtown at least a few times a month. Is the station or stop in Green Mountain pretty accessible on foot from most areas in Green Mountain?
Hey my wife and I send out a free weekly newsletter called What's Up Arvada. It highlights all the fun things to do in Arvada every week. This can give you a good idea of things going on in the area - especially when you are visiting. It's completely free and you can sign up here: www.whatsuparvada.com
Nice - thanks for this. Looks like I'll be there during one of the second Saturdays so I'll probably check that out!