Just Beyond Denver Is Colorado's Quaint Little College Town That's A Walkable Gem With Rocky Mountain Charm

With its Old West heritage, best skiing in the country, and family attractions such as gardens, zoos, and museums, Colorado is a state that's never boring. The capital, Denver, is a great starting place for your trip for drives to skiing and rafting. It's also a major transportation hub, with its regional passenger rail system, connecting you to communities such as Aurora, Glendale, and the charming community of Englewood. Just 20 minutes south of Denver, Englewood is a short drive or worth a stop on the light rail's D Line and from there you can hop on a bus or the free Englewood Trolley that connects you to downtown. 

Englewood's modern-day allure is a departure from its questionable historic roots. This one-time gold rush town in the mid-1800s composed of various settlements originally drew some unsavory elements, such as gambling, saloons, and roadhouses, that often led to violence, sparking a campaign to create a safer community. A band of pioneering women led the movement to consolidate the area into a uniform city with government oversight. In 1903, Englewood was incorporated, paving the way for schools, roads, and the arts, forging an identity that rejected a drive to be annexed by Denver. The city hit a growth spurt in 1948 when it purchased 2,500 acres and created the McLellan Reservoir, ensuring water dependence from Denver Water. 

Today, Englewood is a city of 35,000, ideal for a day trip to explore its foodie scene, live theater, and biking trails. Englewood is also just four miles from Arapahoe Community College, known for its traditional and cutting-edge exhibitions shown at its College Gallery of the Arts. It even hosts an affordable art festival where you can purchase works from regional artists for less than $150.

The town is close to part of the South Platte River, which flows 450 miles from northeastern Colorado into southwestern Nebraska, making for some picturesque trails. Bring bug spray to the Cherry Creek Trail, a 4.3 mile walk with paved paths and water features, including a small waterfall.  At Centennial Park, walk the Mary Carter Greenway Trail, an 8-mile trail along the river that begins in Chatfield State Park in the North and goes down to Littleton or try the 1.25 -mile loop around the park's lake. You can also quicken your pace by renting a bike. Englewood is serious about cycling, devoting more than 20 miles of bicycle paths. 

If you need to cool off from the walking and biking, float down the lazy river at the Pirates Cove Aquatic Center, which also has three waterslides, a splash pad and a pirate structure. More outside fun can include walking around the Museum of Outdoor Arts, formerly headquartered at Englewood's Civic Center. About 11 sculptures are scattered throughout the area, including "Bathroom People" by Andy Miller featuring the chrome-and-steel male and female figures as seen on bathroom signage, and "Brooklyn Bridge" by Red Grooms, a voluminous mixed-media sculpture paying tribute to the bridge's designer.

Just four miles away, MOA's new space in Greenwood Village at Marjorie Park in Fiddler Green's Amphitheater is open by appointment only or during special events, such as bluegrass and Vivaldi concerts, for tours of its more than 40 sculptures. They range from "Alice and the Caterpillar" by Harry Marinsky, a bronze sculpture inspired by Lewis Carroll's fairy tale with Alice meeting the silent Caterpillar on a mushroom, to the mammoth "Winged Lion of St. Mark," a recreation of the Venice original.

Englewood scores an A+ on Niche.com for its nightlife. Historic downtown with its brick buildings along Broadway Avenue is a busy stretch of restaurants, bars and shops, including the Gothic Theatre, a onetime movie venue built in the 1920s that was transformed into a performance space in 1998. The Gothic attracts both local and national bands, including such notables as the Black Keys, the Cranberries, and Lady Gaga, and also hosts Netflix comedy specials. 

Dining options are both eclectic and delicious in Englewood. One Barrel Bistro & American Wine Bar, operated by a husband-and-wife team, serves comfort food in a polished setting, with positive reviews for its chicken schnitzel, onion bisque, calamari, and bone-in ribeye steaks with more than 100 wines, including 25 by the glass. An Englewood favorite is Zomo, a Vietnamese restaurant offering sizable portions of pho, spring rolls, papaya salad, and shrimp curry. Even in this landlocked state, sushi is popular, especially at the family-friendly Aki Sushi, known for its fresh sashimi, speciality rolls, and shrimp ramen. For a vibe with TV screens and happy hour, the Whiskey Biscuit is a lively stop with spirits including whiskey flights as well as familiar foods such as pretzel bites, minidogs, burgers, five varieties of macaroni and cheese, and of course, biscuits and gravy. Wrap up the evening with a nightcap of trivia or karaoke and mixed beer and liquor flights or a 4-ounce beer at Western Sky Bar & Taproom or pinball and a craft cocktail at Englewood Grand.

Fo more ways to explore Colorado, check out this underrated vacation destination just an hour south of Englewood for a tour of the headquarters of the U.S. Olympic committee and a stop at  a beautiful garden with mesmerizing red rock formations.