5280: Arvada Named #2 Best Denver Suburb
5280 | Michelle Shortall | May 2025
“…When lifelong Arvada resident Erin Houston was a child, the western part of her hometown was wide-open plains, and the only reason her family ever ventured to Olde Town was to see a movie at the multiplex. The theater—which was purchased and renovated by Harkins Theatres in 2017—is still there, but most everything else about Arvada has changed in the past 15 years. A now-thriving Olde Town Historic District has made midcentury ranches in adjacent neighborhoods popular among families. And all that vacant space to the west? It’s now dotted with luxe contemporary properties in the Candelas and Leyden Rock developments, within which Houston sells as an area RE/MAX agent.
Houston says folks have flocked to the northwest suburb for its easy access to Boulder, Golden, and Denver—made even simpler with RTD’s 2019 debut of the G Line, which provides Arvadans with a straight shot to Union Station—and its relative affordability compared with nearby Broomfield and Superior. “We’re one of the least expensive of the suburbs on the northwest side [to buy in],” she says.
Many residents find no reason to leave Arvada—especially after the city closed sections of Olde Wadsworth Boulevard and Grandview Avenue to car traffic, making it safer for pedestrians to stroll Olde Town’s shops, including Baja-inspired Mexican restaurant Lady Nomada and artisan jeweler Balefire Goods. In 2024, the Arvada Center picked up more nominations than any other company at the Colorado Theater Guild’s annual Henry Awards. Meanwhile, the Apex Center recreation facility (home to two ice rinks, an indoor water park, and a rock-climbing wall) and the Arvada Library (which is currently undergoing a nearly $15 million redesign) offer a diversity of diversions for families of all shapes and sizes.
Brakes for Bikes
Recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Arvada is a haven for pedalers. Cruise around town on the approximately seven-mile Arvada Bike Loop that passes through several city parks and the Red Rocks Community College campus, join a free group ride with Bike Friendly Arvada, and teach your kiddos how to ride at the city’s Bicycle Training Course, a half-acre streetscape featuring educational obstacles.”
Read the full article “Denver’s 8 Best Suburbs” at 5280