Golden

Nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is Golden, Colorado, a scenic, outdoorsy, and fun neighborhood with a small-town feel. Its central location just 12 miles west of Denver and 20 miles south of Boulder provides residents and visitors with a desirable combination of urban amenities and the unique charm of a close-knit community.

As a former gold-rush town, Golden is proud of its western heritage–an iconic wooden arch over Washington Street greets you when you enter Golden, saying: "Howdy, Folks! Welcome to Golden–Where the West Lives!" As one of Colorado's oldest and most historic towns, Golden is filled with historical landmarks and boasts an extensive array of museums.  

What to Love 

Lots of fine dining opportunities 

Proximity to the world-famous Rocky Mountains 

Scenic hiking trails 

Brewery tours 

Local Lifestyle  

Golden has an idyllic, suburban feel with a vibrant outdoorsy lifestyle. Thanks to its incredible mountain views, cute downtown with tons of dining, drinking, and shopping opportunities, and warm and welcoming community, it's a fun place to live for locals of all ages.   

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping  

If you're a beer lover, take the Coors Brewery Tour and explore the largest single-site brewery in the world to see its entire brewing process, from mixing the barley through its mashing process to final fermentation and aging. Coors Brewery also offers free samples of its many brews. In addition, you can also explore the New Terrain Brewing Company and enjoy an exceptional beer selection, live music, and an incredible view.  

For a fine dining experience, visit Abejas, a restaurant located in downtown Golden. This community-focused restaurant uses fresh local produce, organic meats, and sustainable fish to create culinary masterpieces. Here, you can enjoy creative New American cooking, a boutique wine list, and unique craft cocktails in a cozy dining room.  

For a more casual dining experience, The Golden Mill is a perfect spot to enjoy good food, refreshing drinks, and a warm community. It's an award-winning, one-of-a-kind rooftop food hall in Golden and offers amazing cuisine that includes sushi, authentic Mexican, fried chicken sandwiches, BBQ, and ice cream. You can enjoy beverages from a self-pour wall with over 50-taps of high-quality beers, ciders, wines, and house-made cocktails while listening to live music and taking in an unobstructed view of Clear Creek and the iconic Castle Rock.  

Take a stroll through the downtown area with its many local shops and restaurants. Stop by Golden Sweets for a delicious ice cream treat.

When it comes to shopping, Golden's charming, locally-owned boutiques and stores have so much to offer, including high-end clothing, souvenirs, home décor, and even cigars. And because Golden is an outdoorsy town, there are plenty of options for outdoor gear, from casual hiking wear to the latest in downhill ski gear. On the north side of town is the iconic Fossil Trace Golf Course, where you can play beside the fossilized footprints of dinosaurs.

Things to Do  

Golden is a perfect place to live for those who enjoy the outdoors. You can hike or drive up to Lookout Mountain and enjoy breathtaking views of Golden, the Rocky Mountains, the city of Denver, and incredible, sweeping landscapes.

For a family day out, head to the Clear Creek Trail for a relaxing stroll through the business district and downtown. When you get to the award-winning Clear Creek White Water Park, you can go kayaking, tubing, or even fishing, but if you don't want to get in the water, go to the park to watch kayakers and tubers ripping it up and enjoying the cool water of Clear Creek. 

Apart from outdoor adventures, you can enjoy Golden's fun yearly activities like the Golden Buffalo Bill Days, Cody's Wild West, and the Golden Fine Arts Festival. During these events, you get to experience Colorado's culture through live music, arts, original productions, and parades. Golden also celebrates Olde Golden Christmas, where its historic downtown transforms into a festive holiday center with traditional decorations and fun family events.  

A list of things to do in Golden isn't complete without a visit to the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater. Only a 15-minute drive away, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is the only naturally occurring, acoustically-perfect amphitheater in the world and draws concertgoers, music history lovers, and outdoor exercise enthusiasts. It's home to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, hiking and biking trails, and a beautiful events space for concerts.  

Schools  

The Jefferson County School District, locally known as Jeffco Schools, serves the community of Golden. Some of the best schools in the neighborhood include:

Kyffin Elementary School, PK-5

The Manning School, 6-8 

Golden High School, 9-12