The Colony - Frisco, TX

Settlers arrived early on in the areas of Little Elm and The Colony. However, they remained small and quiet communities until the building of the dam that created Lake Lewisville. Their new emergence and popularity as lakeside communities made Little Elm and The Colony boom in population through the latter half of the 20th century.

Though neither Little Elm nor The Colony features their own museums, those wanting to learn more about the area's local history can head to the Frisco Heritage Museum in neighboring Frisco. Arts enthusiasts can find a welcoming community of artists through the Lakeside Arts Foundation, which sponsors and supports various events throughout the year. Meanwhile, everyone can enjoy the festivals and celebrations The Colony and Little Elm sponsor, including an American Heroes veteran's celebration and a Holiday Spectacular.

Diversity defines the dining experience in Little Elm and the Colony. Foodies can find plenty of restaurants with a decent assortment of traditional and ethnic styles of cuisine. Likewise, Little Elm has fewer nightlife options, but those seeking a great place to get out for the evening can easily fill the need in the Colony.

Diners find the majority of restaurants in the shopping centers and complexes that line the Tollway. A great stop in Little Elm, Bruno's Italian Restaurant has tons of options for both pizza and pasta. Among the sampling of brick-oven-baked pizza offerings, you can find the Sarantino, which comes with juicy meatballs, savory eggplant, and roasted red peppers all topped with incredibly fresh mozzarella.

The Cozy Thai Restaurant in the Colony serves up a ton of contemporary eats inspired by Thai cuisine. Start with the traditional Tom Yum soup, a hot-and-spicy dish flavored with ingredients such as tart lemongrass, chili, and savory mushrooms. Follow that up with one of the many flavorful, spicy curry options. Diners have their choice of protein, from stir-fried veggies to fresh shrimp.

Several local bars serve up great live music as well as great drinks. Find the locals enjoying the drink specials at McSwiggan's Irish Pub, catching the latest Cowboys or Rangers game and dining on Irish specialties like Shepard's Pie. Residents can also check out Drunken Donkey, with over 100 beers on tap, including dozens of craft brews.

Those who choose to live in The Colony or Little Elm must be prepared to take care of most errands by car. Neither community provides public transportation, and one can only find connections to the DART rail system in neighboring Plano and Lewisville. Those who find themselves in need of a ride can, however, call one of the taxi companies that serve the area or arrange a ride through Uber's service.

The neighborhoods do not provide public parking, though ample parking exists around local businesses. Little Elm and The Colony supply easy access to the tollway system in the area. Neither community caters to the needs of pedestrians, and a lack of bike lanes can make riding through the neighborhood a challenge for cyclists as well.

Little Elm and The Colony operate numerous parks with a range of amenities. Those visiting the lake can head to Stewart Creek Park or Hidden Cove Park to enjoy fishing, boating and much more. Patrons who love sports enjoy taking trips to Eastvale Park, one of the best soccer complexes in the area. Little Elm provides its residents with Little Elm Park, also on the shores of Lake Lewisville.

Visitors can find many kid-friendly amenities at the parks, including safe playgrounds. While four-legged-park patrons must stay leashed, nearby Frisco provides a dog park for off-leash playtime. With numerous trails for hiking and biking in addition to various athletics facilities, the parks provide options for those seeking an exercise spot. Entertainment abounds at the parks as well, with festivals such as Liberty by the Lake on the 4th of July and Christmas at the Beach.

Though higher than other neighborhoods in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas, the cost of living in Little Elm and The Colony sits at about the national average. For a one-bedroom apartment, renters can expect to pay an average cost of $905.14 per month.

Meanwhile, for a beer at a local bar, residents can expect to pay around $4. Gas prices provide the biggest savings. Comparable to the rest of the Dallas area, they come in at about 13 percent below the national average.

The majority of shops in the area can be found in the Colony, though Little Elm presents plenty of options as well. Check out major shopping areas such as Colony Park Plaza to find an assortment of stores. You'll find a number of chain clothing stores in the Colony, such as Cato or Ross Dress for Less.

For everyday shopping needs the Colony and Little Elm have grocery stores such as Tom Thumb and Kroger. Find farm-fresh produce and other handcrafted items in Little Elm at the Little Elm Farmers Market, which opens on Saturdays in the months of May through October.