If you could live anywhere in CO where would it be? (Denver: condominiums, townhomes)

[COcheesehead]

We moved to Colorado 25 years ago and have lived many places. At first we thought we wanted to live in the mountains. So we rented a house high up on a forested hill in Green Mountain Falls. A tiny dot of a town up Ute Pass west of Colorado Springs. The romance of smelling the pines left quickly when we had to roll our garbage cans down a steep hill to the main road or when the Springs was getting rain and we were getting 8 inches of snow. A walk was out of the question. That would have to be along the main highway. Not so much fun. But we DID live in the mountains. We can say that.

From there we lived in a couple different places in Colorado Springs, multiple places in Denver: Park Hill, Lowry, Washington Park. We also lived in Highlands Ranch. They all were nice for different reasons.


Having explored much of the state and spent time in many towns and cities, our list looks like the following:

1. Grand Junction, year round. A college town going through economic restoration that has some stunning canyon and mesa beauty with a farm to table food and wine scene. Close to Moab, Telluride, Ouray, southern Utah. So much to discover. No where near the traffic and hussle/bussle of the Front Range. Good intro video. https://youtu.be/cs5FHADGrFY

2. Crested Butte or Telluride, but summers only. The two best summer ski resort towns IMHO.

3. If I was forced to stay in Denver, I would look at Lone Tree, near the golf course. It is a surprising enclave of mature trees, quiet lanes and well manicured boulevards and super close to everything.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

We're retired and no kids in school, so when we sold the house in Denver we moved to Buena Vista. It's a great little town (currently suffering growing pains) and I really like living there during the four months we spend there. Most of the townspeople we've met have been really nice, especially since they know we aren't tourists.

OP, you asked if I could choose anywhere to live -- it would have to be in one of those multi-multi-million dollar homes in Starwood in Aspen. You didn't mention housing budget Gorgeous mountain views and gorgeous homes with acreages.

[otowi]

Originally Posted by jnason070916

haha that is funny. I asked because that was my thought. It seemed like Colorado Springs but smaller (and college vs military like you pointed out). There isn't as much to do though it seemed like which means you would have to travel a lot. Could be totally wrong though. Fort Collins was actually the one I haven't finished researching yet!


And I hear you - mountain cabin would be splendid.....to vacation in What towns do you like outside of Colorado Springs? I know Manitou has great reviews. So quaint.

Manitou is very very close to Colorado Springs. I think it is great to visit but personally I wouldn't want to live there for a few reasons - 1. very busy in tourism season, Manitou Incline traffic, etc., 2. small steep windy roads in some areas if you try to get off the main, busy drags. 3. Subject to flooding problems since the Waldo Canyon fire

I don't know enough about them to recommend for living or not - but I have really enjoyed visits to places like Steamboat Springs, Ridgway/Ouray, Westcliffe, etc. If you want to be closer to Colorado Springs but maybe not right in it, you could consider Teller County areas, or perhaps Elbert County in the wooded parts such as the town of Elbert - which would put you kind of equal distance from the Springs and the Denver metro.

[Pilot1]

Evergreen. Close enough, yet far enough from Denver. You're already in the foothills, so the mountains are right there.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

Evergreen. Close enough, yet far enough from Denver. You're already in the foothills, so the mountains are right there.

I know people that live in Evergreen and they love the scenery, but they tell me they are constantly going up and down the “hill” to Denver. I bet that gets old.

[Thoreau424]

It seems like there are trade-offs between extremes: remote (nicer views, but more wintery weather and isolated), vs more urban (amenities and interaction with others, at the expense of views). Maybe somewhere at the border of the two? Or, if "money isn't an issue", get both a city and a country home! LOL

[brown_dog_us]

Front range: Boulder- Hiking is right there. University keeps the town hopping. Great place for kids to grow up.

Mountains: Tough call, but probably Crested Butte. Maybe Steamboat.

[jwiley]

If not for my daughter's medical issues I would be living in Grand Junction right now, and that is where I would love to live in Colorado.



If not there than the eastern plains somewhere like Fort Morgan, close enough to Denver to go to sporting events and the museums but without dealing with every day city living.



My 3rd choice would be the San luis Valley

[Brian_M]

I've lived along the Front Range, you couldn't pay me enough to live there (or anywhere within a 2 hour drive of there) again. Nope, thanks but not interested. Been there, Done that, learned my lesson the first time.



I'd have to think hard about which of the small towns along 160 between Alamosa and Cortez I'd want to call home. Not Durango, probably not Pagosa Springs (both are too big, too much tourism), I've actually house-shopped in Monte Vista/Del Norte/Alamosa (and surrounding area) and have seriously considered Mancos too.

[StealthRabbit]

I have always cherished a nice view...

Maroon Bells / Snow Mass (40+ yrs ago, no traffic lights!)

Close enough to Glenwood for frequent dips in Hot Springs
Plenty of flight options out of Aspen (10 min to airport would be NICE!)
No 'Brown Cloud' to look through or breath


https://www.google.com/search?q=maro...e1BMIQ_AUICigB