Adams County, Colorado: A Local’s Guide to Living Here
When I was searching for my first home in my 20s, I chose Adams County not just for its more affordable real estate but because of the vibrant lifestyle right at my doorstep.
I fell in love with my brick row townhome, complete with a cherry red front door, in Westminster’s Harris Park neighborhood. My block strikes the perfect balance between urban convenience and suburban charm. I’m a short walk from the Irving Street Library and share my block with a bakery, all while enjoying neighborhood perks like game nights with friends and a quiet street.
As a young professional running a travel-writing business and embracing everything Colorado has to offer, Adams County has truly checked all the boxes for me. Won’t you be my neighbor? Here’s your guide to making this amazing area your home.
In This Article
Getting Connected
One thing I love about living in Adams County are my friendly neighbors. Over the years, we’ve held countless dinner parties and holiday gatherings and joined each other in attending local festivals.
As a remote worker, I’ve also met a great group of friends through recreational sports leagues, co-working at coffee shops and even at the dog park by my house.
I also recommend meeting people with shared interests at places like Create Kitchen & Bar, which holds convivial cooking classes at Stanley Marketplace, or joining drop-in pickleball at the Northglenn Recreation Center or signing up for a golf league at Buffalo Run Golf Course.
The county, which is the fifth largest in the state, is made up of a number of communities, and many have their own chambers of commerce and volunteer opportunities, which are also great ways to get plugged into the local scene.
Navigating the Region
Well connected with a network of major highways and served by the RTD light rail transit system, Adams County has been the perfect central location for me.
My house is just a few minutes away from major highways, like Interstate 70 that leads into the Rocky Mountains and I-25, which gets me to Denver to enjoy Nuggets basketball games, Broadway shows at the Denver Performing Arts Complex as well as Michelin-recognized restaurants in under 30 minutes. In the opposite direction, U.S. 36 delivers me to Boulder, which is where my alma mater the University of Colorado is located. I love weekend trips to the college town to cheer on the Buffaloes, go for hikes and paddleboard at the Boulder Reservoir.
Making getting around a breeze, Adams County also has light rail stations, with rail service that connects to Denver and Denver International Airport. As someone who travels a couple of times a month for work assignments, I save a lot of money (and avoid traffic) by departing from the Westminster Station that’s within a mile of my house.
Discovering Your Favorite Spots
My weekly rhythm includes Saturday morning walks to Carol Lee Donuts, a cash-only spot that in-the-know locals love, as well as popping into Valente’s Deli, Bakery & Italian Market for sandwiches during the week and writing my travel articles from Subjective Coffee, which has a fun ‘70s vibe. My husband and I also love to walk through the Vicky Bunsen Sculpture Garden and admire the public art.
But the attractions of Adams County extend far beyond my little corner of Westminster. The county boasts incredible amenities, like Water World – one of the largest water parks in the country, featuring water roller coasters, a massive wave pool and my personal favorite as a season pass holder: Journey to the Center of the Earth, complete with roaring animatronic dinosaurs.
The parks here are impressive, too. I love packing a picnic and taking my Boston Terrier, Tyson, for walks around Webster Lake at E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for newcomers is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, where you can spot bison roaming and bald eagles soaring overhead.
Another thing I love about living here is all of the great locally owned restaurants. Helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Caroline Glover, Annette, which is in the Stanley Marketplace, is another go-to spot. We always start the night with cocktails and oysters at Traveling Mercies, Glover’s intimate upstairs lounge.
Still, even after living here for more than a decade, I have many more adventures to check off my Adams County bucket list. High (pun intended!) on the list is trying out the trapeze and aerial fitness classes at Fly Mile High, which opened a school in Westminster.
Local Watering Hole
Just north of Denver, Prost Brewing Co. is having a lot of fun turning age-old concepts into modern successes. In December 2023, the brewery opened a gleaming 10,000-square-foot biergarten and kitchen in Northglenn. A month later, beer began flowing from the 60,000-square-foot production facility, completing a building transformation that was years in the making. “It was originally designed to be a movie theater and then big-box retail,” says David Deline, president of Prost. “It was really the perfect match. We got creative in the repurposing of it.”
Old-World Flavors at a Cutting-Edge Facility
Prost started with one location in 2012 and has steadily grown. There are now three biergartens in the Denver area and a taproom in Fort Collins. “We were production strapped,” Deline says. “We really wanted to double down and find our forever home.” Longevity is fitting for a brewery that follows Germany’s 1516 beer purity law. While Prost brews with Colorado water and yeast grown in-house, the malt and hops come from Germany. So does the custom design, with state-of-the-art equipment handmade by a company founded in 1677.
“There’s a passion for German beer,” Deline says. “It’s clear, clean and delicate.” Pilsner is Prost’s flagship beer, but Deline also recommends seasonals, like Summer Lager and Märzen in the fall.
While Prost packages cans and draft kegs for sale in Colorado and neighboring states, Deline says the best environment for his products is the biergarten, sitting at long tables while drinking fresh beer and eating pretzels with fondue cheese dip or locally made brats.
“Our core foundation is fostering a sense of community.” It’s a long German tradition that’s taken root in Adams County. “They’re pro-business,” Deline says. “They wanted to be partners. We genuinely felt they were allies.” And although starting or expanding any business is a long haul, Deline encourages an open-minded approach. “The county is there to help. Utilize the great resources that are available.”
Get to Know Adams County
Want to learn more about living and working in Adams County, CO? Check out the latest edition of Livability Adams County, Colorado.