Arvada

Allendale residents get a front-row seat at some of Arvada’s most popular festivals. “The community’s done a very good job of creating universal access to suburban amenities,” Jesse Lynch, owner of the Welcome To Denver real estate team and host of a popular YouTube channel of the same name says. Home to the expansive Stenger Sports Complex and flanked by two shopping centers, Allendale offers homebuyers convenience, an energetic community and plenty of green space for staying active. Much of the housing options in Allendale are 1960s ranch-style homes with two-car garages that often take up a large portion of the home’s frontage. Many of these ranch-style homes sell for between $400,000 and $600,000. There are also quite a few split-level and bi-level homes here, which go for between $500,000 and $700,000, as well as new Craftsman builds that offer a sleek look with vertical panel siding that start at $700,000. Allendale also has modern three-story town house options, like those in the SaBell development, which offer residents community living with much less yard maintenance than a traditional home. Here, neighbors can form tight bonds by meeting for walks or play dates at the complex’s private park and playground. These town houses go for between $450,000 and $650,000. As far as median price, Allendale is on the lower end of the Arvada market at $580,000. Residents in Allendale attend schools in the Jefferson County School District. For kindergarten through 5th grade, students may attend Fremont Elementary School before moving on to Drake Junior High School. Both Fremont Elementary and Drake Junior High earned an A-minus grade from Niche. Students then would complete ninth through 12th grade at Arvada West High School, which focuses on career and technical education opportunities with a career pathways program. Electives like theater, wood shop and music theory help students hone in on their interests, and there are more than 20 clubs to participate in outside the classroom, including a rock climbing club, an aviation club and a book club. Arvada West High School earned a B+ grade from Niche. “No matter where you are, you’re going to have access to commercial areas and well-maintained parks,” Lynch says. Allendale Park is the best place for a private walk among the cherry blossoms in the spring. The park’s green space is crisscrossed by walking paths that lead to classic and colorful playgrounds. Wedged between residential streets, kids can easily walk to the park from their homes, and parents don’t have to worry about their children playing near high-traffic roads. To the north, Bridgeside Park provides the perfect place for an after-school play date, as it’s located right next to Vanderhoof Elementary. At Stenger Sports Complex, locals will see young athletes on their way to a local league game on one of the many soccer and baseball fields. Traversed by the concrete paved Van Bibber Creek Trail, this is also a popular area for a brisk walk or an afternoon jog. For residents who want to live close to a grocery store, Allendale might be for them. No matter which corner of this neighborhood, locals are just a few minutes away — and sometimes within walking distance — of a shopping center anchored by King Soopers. While the plaza on the southeast end of the community offers a plethora of fast-casual dining options, the one on the northwest side brings a taste of Nashville heat to the Centennial State with family-owned Blazing Bird. Visitors tickle their tastebuds with the signature Loaded Bird spicy chicken sandwich, then put out the fire with a creamy Oreo milkshake. In the mornings, locals can grab a warm, fresh-glazed donut from Donut Time, then spend lunchtime savoring authentic Chinese dishes like Kung Pao chicken at the nearby Tea Garden. For getting around the Denver Metropolitan Area, the Regional Transportation District has a bus system with stops all around the neighborhood’s borders. Arvada Ridge Station, 1 mile south of Allendale, is the closest station for the Regional Transportation District’s rail station. For those looking to commute into downtown, it's an 11-mile drive from Allendale. Denver International Airport is a 29-mile drive from the neighborhood, while the nearest hospital, Lutheran Medical Center, is 3 miles away. For more than 40 years, residents from all over Arvada have gathered at the Stenger Sports Complex on the Fourth of July for an explosive fireworks presentation. And in the spring, the park echoes with the excited squeals of children as they watch their kites take flight at the Arvada Kite Festival.

11 miles northwest of Denver, Alta Vista is an vibrant and unique community built by the Hoskinson Brothers in 1954. The neighborhood features an deep inventory of midcentury homes. More traditional suburban designs have filled the gaps throughout the years, but these once cookie-cutter, now rare, homes draw further interest to the neighborhood's attractive location. "Alta Vista's central location offers walkable and beautiful natural spaces with easy access to Olde Town Arvada," says Lisa Magleby of RE/MAX Alliance. Residents and visitors alike enjoy spending time at Olde Town Arvada's shops, boutiques, galleries, events and restaurants. Its draw to the community doesn't stop there as locals enjoy celebrating Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day there each year. When not spending time in Olde Town, Alta Vista residents also enjoy the Jefferson County Public Schools and the array of dynamic parks in the neighborhood. Olde Town Arvada is where residents celebrate the city's historic roots with quaint shops and annual festivals. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Arvada's downtown offers a unique Americana Main Street experience in the booming, ever-developing Denver metro area. The Arvada Tavern dates back to 1933 and was the first bar to be issued a liquor license after the end of Prohibition. In addition to pre-Prohibition cocktails, its bar serves the latest concoctions masterminded by local mixologists. Other revitalizations include School House Kitchen and Libations. This 1882 schoolhouse turned upscale saloon serves hundreds of drinks alongside a lengthy menu featuring Coloradan and Southern classics. Olde Town also boasts an impressive array of retail experiences, from galleries to jewelry stores. In addition, residents can visit the Rocky Mountain grocery chain King Soopers for more everyday shopping. Olde Town Arvada hosts two large community events each year. Every February, a Mardi Gras celebration takes place. The celebration includes music, festivities and tasty treats. One month later, Olde Town Arvada celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. Residents don green as live music, unique vendors, food trucks and a kids zone fill the street. Alta Vista's homes selection is highlighted by its mid-century homes with many built between 1950 and 1970. These include ranch-style dwellings that incorporate vaulted ceilings, modest profiles, brick construction, open living rooms and some come with covered patios or carports instead of garages. Given their age, many houses have been updated or remodeled; and prices can range from $450,000 to $800,000, depending on how much work they've had done. Homebuyers can also find condos and townhouses in the neighborhood. These properties, typically less than 2,000 square feet, sell from between $240,000 for an older, smaller condo to $580,000 for a new-construction townhouse. Most streets in Alta Vista have sidewalks, giving residents a chance to go for a walk while watching the sunset over the mountains. Jefferson County Public Schools serves much of the western Denver Metro Area, including Arvada. Students in Alta Vista may attend Lawrence Elementary before heading to Drake Junior High School, both of which earned a B-plus grade or better from Niche. For 9th grade through 12th grade, students may head to Arvada High School, which earned a B-minus from Niche. Students there dedicate parts of their day to Bulldog Time. Named for the school's mascot, this initiative pairs students and teachers into small groups throughout high school to hone essential life skills, including career and college preparation. Alta Vista's largest park, Ralston Central Park, is one of Arvada's premier outdoor destinations. Its 20 acres contain newly renovated walking trails, a picnic pavilion, gardens, themed playgrounds, a sand volleyball pit and a spray park for Colorado's warm summer months. In addition, the park's Ralston Creek Trail provides a great running or dog-walking route and a convenient path to Memorial Park's Skate Spot and its Johnny Roberts Disc Golf Course. Finally, get back into the swing of things at Alta Vista's Apex Tennis Center — a full-service facility with indoor and outdoor courts for rented play and lessons for players ages 4 and up. The Regional Transportation District, or RTD, has an assortment of bus stops on the west side of Alta Vista. For those looking to use RTD’s rail, Olde Town Arvada also has a stop. For commuters, expect an 11-mile drive into downtown Denver and getting to Interstate-70 won’t be hard. “Alta Vista’s location also offers easy access to highways,” Magleby says. Denver International Airport is a 29-mile drive from Alta Vista. Lutheran Medical Center is the closest hospital to the neighborhood and is a 3-mile drive away. Denver residents are passionate about their professional sports teams and in Alta Vista, they aren’t far from the action. Empower Field at Mile High, home of the Broncos, and Ball Arena, home of the Nuggets and the Avalanche are just 11 miles from Alta Vista. The Nuggets and Avalanche have been popular as of late in the city as the Nuggets won the NBA title in 2023 and the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Located east of Olde Town Arvada, Arvada Plaza Area is a residential community that boasts the comforts and convenience of a modern neighborhood. The Colorado enclave features commercial centers and diverse dining options while offering quiet suburban streets and community amenities. And with the light rail at Arvada Ridge Station connecting to stations in Olde Town Arvada and Denver, additional shopping, dining and entertainment are never far at hand. Arvada Plaza Area residents have easy access to centrally located shopping centers and stores, such as Arvada Ridge Marketplace. Located along the neighborhood’s southeast corner, the marketplace is comprised of retail and dining staples like Target, Natural Grocers, and fast-casual eateries. Residents on the northwest end of the neighborhood may live closer to Walmart and King Soopers, which straddle West 58th Avenue. For a taste of the community, locals may head to Arvada Villa, an Italian restaurant that has been open since 1960. Foodies can also take a step back in time and cool off with a classic cocktail on the patio of The Arvada Tavern, one of Olde Town’s longest-standing restaurants that emerged just after prohibition ended in the 1930s. Proximity to the heart of the city is also a draw to residents, with the quaint shops and craft breweries of Olde Town Arvada just minutes east of the neighborhood. Cutting straight through the center of the Arvada Plaza Area, the light rail has helped to transform this neighborhood into an accessible home base for city commuters. “When they put the light rail through there, the real estate just soared,” says Sean Murphy, team leader of the Moxie Denver real estate team and host of the popular Somewhere In Colorado YouTube channel. “It still feels like the suburbs, but the convenience factor has also affected prices.” While single-family home prices usually range from around $450,000 to $600,000, those numbers have been steadily increasing, and some homeowners are opting to raise property values even more with modern upgrades. Modest brick ranch homes are the most common architecture style for single-family homes, while apartments typically boast new traditional facades with contemporary amenities. According to the CAP Index, Arvada Plaza Area receives a crime score of 5 out of a possible 10. This is slightly higher than the US national average crime score of 4. Locals get their hands dirty at the Arvada Community Garden, taking part in free workshops and gatherings centered around camaraderie and nature. A few blocks down from the community garden, Wolff Park provides a welcoming stop for skateboarders to test out their latest trick. Kids get a thrill from climbing on the life-size elephants carved into massive boulders, and the paved loop trail is a popular route for morning dog walks. At Jack B. Tomlinson Park to the south, springtime visitors are often rewarded with a parade of geese and goslings heading to their first swimming lesson in the lake. The park also features a treehouse-inspired playscape with a rope-climbing structure and plenty of open lawn space. Close by, the Harold D Lutz Sports Complex and Stenger Sports Complex provide ample opportunities for recreation on the trails, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and other sporting facilities. The Stenger Sports Complex is home to the community’s Fourth of July celebration, complete with fireworks. A handful of local churches ranging in denominations also host community events such as family-friendly game nights, dinners and holiday gatherings. Jefferson County School District No. R-1 serves students in Arvada Plaza Area, ranking as the sixth-best school district in the Denver area with an A-minus overall grade from Niche. Kids may start their academic journey at Arvada K-8 before advancing to Arvada High School. Here, pupils can work towards career and post-secondary goals with academic pathway programs that include Arts and Humanities, STEM and Sports Business. Both schools receive C-plus scores from Niche. Apart from the light rail, residents also commute around the area by bus. Stops are scattered on Kipling Street, with routes serviced by RTD-Denver that run throughout the metropolitan area. Additionally, the neighborhood is close to Interstate 70 and Colorado State Route 121, and the Denver International Airport is 38 minutes away.

Northwest of the Denver suburb of Arvada at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is a neighborhood that doesn’t forget its agricultural past. Living in Cameo Estates means being in an area with a rich horse history, even though suburban development has erased some open land. Many listings in Cameo Estates advertise a property with large lots where horses are allowed. “Jefferson County and the city of Arvada allow them through zoning,” says Ed Tomlinson, a broker and owner at Ed Tomlinson Real Estate Services with over 50 years of experience. They’re not allowed in more densely populated subdivisions. “It’s becoming fewer and far between since cities and counties don’t want them because neighbors complain about the flies and smells.” Along Indiana Street are a couple of nods to the neighborhood’s history with horses. The Arvada Indoor Equestrian Center includes the Sundance School of Riding. The focus is on providing a relaxing and safe learning environment. The instruction covers not only riding etiquette but also caring for the animal. There are options for virtual lessons on their YouTube channel. Just up the road from the equestrian center, the Sweet S Ranch also provides riding lessons but offers the extra service of boarding, which the equestrian center does not do. Playing any sport in a park takes center stage if it's not horse-focused in Cameo Estates. Indoor and outdoor activities are covered at Pioneer Park, which has six baseball diamonds and the Simms Street Recreation Center next door, with indoor and outdoor pickleball courts and a gymnastics, dance and cheerleading studio. Four more baseball diamonds exist at Alkire Street's Youth Memorial Sports Complex. For those who prefer water over the dirt of a baseball diamond, the Apex Center has an indoor pool, two NHL-style ice rinks, a natural rock-climbing wall and three full-sized gyms. The Arvada Skatepark is next door. For those preferring a smaller space, Farmstead Park on Braun Way is true to its name, with playground equipment shaped like a barn and a dozer. A modest green space with small walking trails leads to adjoining neighborhoods. While the western part of Arvada has a rich rural, agricultural past, it’s growing like many suburban areas. There are subdivisions with older homes, new construction and multiple-acre properties. In both situations, there are beautiful mountain views to the west. In the more tightly packed sections of the neighborhood, prices range from $600,000 to $800,000 for split-level homes built in the 1970s with three bedrooms and over 2,000 square feet. A modern Craftsman home with four bedrooms and over 3,500 square feet usually costs over $1 million. Ranch-style and colonial revival homes from the 1950s to the ‘70s are listed for over $1 million but are older. “Everything has developed in this area. All the new home building is over,” Tomlinson says. Students living in Cameo Estates can attend Jefferson County School District public schools, known as Jeffco by the locals. The district gets an A-minus overall grade on Niche with top grades in the quality of teachers and college preparation for middle and high school students. Van Arsdale Elementary receives an A-minus grade and serves students through fifth grade. Parents of Oberon Middle School students can keep up with classroom progress using the Infinite Campus Portal. The school is rated a B overall. Ralston Valley High School has over 1,800 students in grades nine through 12. The school gets an A Niche grade and has a 96% graduation rate. In 2023, a new food hall opened in a developing area of Western Arvada. Freedom Street Social Hall has diverse food and drink options, including Giordano’s, specializing in Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. There’s also a bubble tea vendor and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice for dessert. The owner of Lot Que has spent time on the barbecue circuit in competitions. The meat is served plain with a choice of sauces. However, some say the sauce is unnecessary because of the spice rubs and slow roasting. King Soopers is a nearby grocery option on Candelas Parkway. Starting in May, Grow Girl Organics Arvada Farm has a weekly farm stand on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring local goods. Any time of year, seasonal produce can be shipped weekly to customers who sign up for the Community Supported Agriculture program. The Regional Transportation District has bus lines serving Arvada, with the closest stops along Kipling Street. It’s 6 miles to the nearest light rail station at the Arvada Ridge Station on Kipling Street. The G Line connects Arvada to other Denver metro areas and Denver International Airport, which is about 40 minutes away by car.

When it comes to private lakeside living, few places can hold a candle to Candlelight’s luxurious homes and nearby outdoor amenities. Located in southwest Arvada, only 13 miles from Denver, the neighborhood’s proximity to natural land and hiking trails are what make the area stand out compared to the surrounding suburban streets. Hyatt Lake’s recreational opportunities are only accessible to members of the community, giving the area an air of privacy and quality. In Candlelight, luxury comes in the form of spacious properties that offer both lakeside and mountain views. Most of these multi-million-dollar homes feature modern architecture with stone accents, pointed roofs and two different siding materials. There are also a few Victorian-style houses with elegant multicolor brickwork and steep front gables. These contemporary estates can come with an acreage of land to themselves, range from 4,000 to 6,500 square feet and cost anywhere between $1.5 and $2.4 million. Similarly styled Craftsman homes that are only 2,400 square feet with less land can get as low as $990,000 – most of these are found lined together along residential streets right by Hyatt Lake. “The homes within this subdivision have a right to the lake within its deed when they get purchased, but no one else can use it,” says Alison Maltese, an Arvada resident and Realtor with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. For alternative housing options, there are a handful of modern townhouses close to Ward Road that have two to three bedrooms for $650,000 to $700,000. While Hyatt Lake is a prominent feature of the neighborhood, the private membership limits who can fish or use the swimming docks. For more accessible recreational options, residents can turn to the Van Bibber Open Space Park, which makes up the neighborhood's entire southern boundary. Van Bibber is a sprawling greenspace of wetlands and wildlife habitats with an observation deck that lets visitors gaze upon the bird communities and enjoy the mountain vista. The Van Bibber Creek Trail meanders throughout the area, connecting to smaller trails that let hikers, bikers and horseback riders explore every inch of the open space. “The trails are easy-walking and flat,” Maltese affirms. Following the trail east can take people to Stenger Sports Complex, less than a mile outside the neighborhood. The sports complex has everything from tennis courts and soccer fields to a playground for little ones. On top of the tournaments and practices that get held here, there are multiple events that take place at Stenger, including car shows and a Fourth of July fireworks display. There are a handful of schools from the Jeffco School District that children living in Candlelight can attend. Vanderhoof Elementary School maintains a B-plus grade on Niche and provides before and after-school care. Vanderhoof is also well-known in the community for hosting an extravagant fall festival called Vanderfest. From there, students can attend Drake Middle School. Ranked No. 6 in Best Public Middle Schools in Jefferson County by Niche, Drake earns an A-minus grade. Arvada West High School has a B-plus Niche grade and offers a robust performing arts department. If none of these schools are the right fit, students can apply to attend a district school as part of Jeffco’s Choice Enrollment program. Shopping and dining are limited in Candlelight, with its mostly residential makeup. On West 58th Avenue, there’s a 7-Eleven and Bada Bing Grill, which serves pizza and Italian and Greek dishes. For more options, residents can head to the intersection of Ward Road and 64th Avenue. Ralston Square is a shopping mall with multiple local restaurants. Mt. Fuji Japanese Sushi & Hibachi offers a fun dining experience where meals are cooked in front of patrons, and Blazing Bird is known for its Nashville hot chicken sandwich. There’s also a King Soopers in the shopping center, for groceries and fresh produce. The intersection’s other sides offer their own commercial strips of chain restaurants, retailers like Dollar Tree and wellness services like Sunny Isle Yoga. Residents can start their day with a cup of coffee from The Bridge Café or end it at Rockabillies, a bar and grill with cold drinks and barbeque dishes that was once featured on Paramount’s Bar Rescue. Rockabillies’ live bands and car shows add to its vintage vibe. The CAP Index in Candlelight has a crime score of one out of 10, which is significantly low compared to the national average of four and points to a community that looks after one another. The St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church on 58th Avenue has multiple community groups and outreach ministries that gather and give back to the area. In fact, the Early Learning Center and youth ministries encourage participation and work toward success for all age groups. When traveling in and out of Candlelight, most people will use its main thoroughfare – West 58th Avenue – since it runs east to west through the area. Colorado State Highway 72, also known as Ward Road, is to the right of the neighborhood and can connect commuters to Interstate 70 just 3 miles south. It’s roughly 13 miles for drivers to get to downtown Denver. Those who want to take the train can find the Wheat Ridge/Ward Road Station just 2 miles south, connecting to the G Line.

Club Crest, located within Denver’s suburb of Arvada, combines aspects of resort-style living with immediate access to just about every suburban amenity. Within this rectangular-shaped community lays a warren of residential streets lined with single-story and split-level homes, and which lead to local schools, parks and shopping around every corner. Should residents be looking to buy in Arvada, Club Crest is the club to join. <br><br>Club Crest was developed in the 1970s, and most of its ranch-style, bi-level, and multi-level homes date to that decade; the 1980s saw the construction of condos to diversify this area’s housing stock. Realtor Jamey Hoag of Real Brokers says, “It’s a very quiet community, backing up to a golf course; you can walk to the Target complex and tons of nature.” This tranquil suburban neighborhood not only borders several popular features, from the Indian Tree Golf Club to the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge and the Northridge Shopping Center but is also a wellspring of suburban comfort. Club Crest includes level streets lined with colonial-influenced ranches as well as curving, hillside roads where most homes sport sizable front lawns and the shade of front-yard trees. Club Crest’s streets are flanked by sidewalks, making its winding residential roads easily navigable and perfect for an afternoon stroll. Homes in Club Crest vary in price from $300,000 to $825,000, reflecting the variety of housing styles and sizes within this in-demand community.<br><br>Students have the privilege of attending one of the top school districts in the state; Niche rates Jefferson County School District No. R-1 as among the top six school districts in the Denver area and among the top twenty in Colorado. Warder Elementary School, located within Club Crest and given an A-minus rating by Niche, is a massive draw to the area, offering students a comprehensive curriculum. The school's accolades include the John Irwin Award and the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award, while the school also features smaller-than-average student-teacher ratios, ensuring that young learners have more opportunities to shine in the classroom.<br><br>Pristine natural areas punctuate Club Crest's typical suburban lots and cul-de-sacs. Trails leading to nearby parks and the Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge weave throughout the neighborhood, enhancing walkability. Wildlife like deer, turtles and many birds in their native habitats make routes through the refuge particularly scenic. Opportunities for more competitive recreation abound. The Indian Tree Golf Club’s tree-lined, Kentucky Bluegrass fairways offer golf lovers a scenic sporting experience, with this public golf course priding itself on offering a “private club experience for a municipal golf course price.” This club’s 18 and 9-hole courses suit both day-long games and afternoon outings. Locals can also watch local tournaments or compete themselves at George J. Meyers Swimming Center's Olympic-sized pool. <br><br>Home cooks will appreciate diverse shopping options just minutes from their homes. Established brands like Target and King Soopers cover the basics, while organic and specialty goods are aplenty at Natural Grocers or Sprouts Farmers Market. If one would rather be wined and dined, nearby The Butchery steakhouse prepares entrees from quality ingredients perfect for a date night. <br><br>Residents can quickly see why great schools, pristine nature and diverse activities make Club Crest one of Arvada's most desirable neighborhoods.