Lower Broomfield - Broomfield, CO

Non-native settlers arrived in Denver in the 1850s, and farmers began to settle in the area now called Broomfield, northwest of Denver, shortly after that. As the metro area expanded, housing developments replaced farms, and in 1961, the city of Broomfield, named after the broomcorn grown in the area, was incorporated.

Through the next few decades, the town added more citizens through annexations, but it experienced true growth in the 1990s as a result of a tech boom. Once a part of Boulder County, the town decided to split with Boulder — the most liberal city in Colorado — over political differences, and it became its own county in 2001.

Lower Broomfield relies on Denver for its arts and culture scene, and locals live within driving distance of the Butterfly Pavilion, the Denver Museum of Art and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

In Lower Broomfield, a string of restaurants sit along Highway-287. Set back from the road and flanked by huge parking lots, these restaurants include nationwide chains, independently-owned bistros and a handful of Colorado chains with an emphasis on classic American, Mexican and Chinese fare.

Rotello's Authentic Italian Market & Deli features a menu full of Italian sandwiches with toppings ranging from meatballs to deep-fried eggplant, or you can buy Italian egg rolls — Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese and peppers wrapped in egg roll wrappers and deep fried. Open only during the days, this sweet lunch spot has a deli counter with your favorite meats and sauces, and the cooks create everything on site including the desserts, using recipes passed down through two generations.

For Mexican, check out Buenos Tiempos Restaurant. The menu hosts classic Mexican dishes such as quesadillas, pollo con arroz and tacos, but it also has American snacks such as deep-fried green beans and hamburgers as well as some dishes such as green chili mac and cheese that mash together the two cuisines. The attached bar consistently has a strong crowd of regulars drinking the night away.

Featuring a contemporary iteration on the classic pizza pie, iPie lets you craft the perfect pizza for a filling lunch or a hearty dinner. Start with thin, hand-tossed or gluten-free crust, add your favorite sauces from a list that includes ranch, marinara and pesto, and heap on your toppings.

In the evening, Lower Broomfield locals prefer a moderate pace of activity in a chilled out atmosphere, and pubs such as Zoosters Pub & Pool Hall and the Night Owl Lounge provide that. Head to Zoosters and challenge one of the regulars to a game of pool on one of the pub's six tables, or check out the Night Owl for cheap drinks, karaoke and foosball. For clubs, head into central Denver and dance the night away at The Church or Charlie's Denver.

Making things easy for drivers, Lower Broomfield provides free parking spots throughout its residential and commercial areas, and the neighborhood connects to downtown Denver via Highway-36.

RTD buses run from lower Broomfield to Denver every hour during the week, with restricted services on the weekends, and the journey takes between 1 hour 45 minutes and 2 hours.

Bicycle paths run throughout the metro Denver area as well as Lower Broomfield, and cyclists can ride between the two areas using the bike lane on Lowell Boulevard or the South Platte River Trail.

You can walk safely through the neighborhood, and although its design complements a car-based lifestyle, this suburb can be walkable if you opt to live close enough to the commercial areas.

Cabs and Uber cars also serve the area. You can hail a cab in downtown Denver, but not easily in Lower Broomfield. Instead, riders call in advance.

Lower Broomfield residents can explore natural at the Carolyn Holmberg Perserve at Rock Creek Farm. Located centrally to Lower Broomfield, the preserve features picnic areas, fishing opportunities and trails of varying difficulty. It also welcomes dogs on leash and horses.

Locals enjoy spending time at North Midway Park as well. Featuring several play structures for kids, the park also has a disc golf course for people of all ages. Paths through the park connect to the area's bicycle trail system.

For a super fun day on the town for Fido, check out Autrey Park. One of the few grassy dog parks in Denver, this park has a nice off-leash play area, running water and a puppy pool.

If you drive into Denver, you can listen to free jazz concerts in City Park throughout the summer.

Living in Lower Broomfield costs slightly more than living in other parts of the Denver metro area. In Denver, renters pay an average of $1,061 for a one-bedroom apartment. In contrast, Lower Broomfield residents pay an average of $1,193 for a one-bedroom apartment.

On public transport, you can journey from spacious Lower Broomfield to dense downtown Denver for just $4, and if you opt to drive, gas costs 15 percent less than the national average. If you want a pint of beer, expect to pay around $4 for one.

When you are looking for great shopping destinations in Broomfield, the locals will point you to Flatiron Crossing. With two levels of enclosed shopping space, you'll find anchor stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, and Dillards. Shops include Coach, Apple, Ann Taylor, J. Crew, the Container Store, and White House Black Market. The more adventurous can find a new set of wheels at Golden Bear Bikes, grab a new yoga mat at Gaiam, or get some new tactical gear at Hustle Paintball.

Those claiming fashion as a hobby also have a range of shops catering to them in this area. At Corah Couture, browse through a carefully selected array of women's couture, or have the staff custom design some bling for you.

For groceries, locals have a range of chains at hand, including King Soopers. During the summer, you can buy fresh local produce at the Broomfield Farmer's Market located on 10th Avenue off of HWY-287.