OK - Now that I am done ranting about the trashing of our state, I'll offer some input.

Get ready for full-on Chamber of Commerce download, though pardon my occasional bitterness for the changes over the years.

I was born downtown, grew-up in the DU area up until Jr. High then down south to Littleton for the rest. I have owned homes in Littleton, Centennial, South Denver, Parker (when it was truly horse country) and Central Denver. I currently live in the DENVER Highlands just West of downtown (NOT to be confused with the nightmare suburbia "Stepford" Highlands Ranch).

Not sure what kind of lifestyle you seek or what your price range is so it's kinda tough to recommend. But here is my take:

1) Far South/Southeast (Castle Rock, Parker) - HUGE suburban sprawl. Every conceivable service, mall, chain restaurants, tract housing ($350k - $500k) to very very nice developments (into the millions $) and everything in between. VERY clogged roads lily white "keep up with the Jones's" type of thing. You can head East and South of Parker and find lots, but you are OUT there (1-2 hrs from Denver). Castle Rock is really very nice...with some exceptional developments to the North (Castle Pines)...in the rocks/hills/pines. But it is insular and FAR from Denver though many make the commute (nuts).

2) South (Centennial/Greenwood Village) - Between 20 and 40 mins from downtown NOT in rush hour. Greenwood Village around the Tech Center is nice but high $ and snobby. Cherry Hills area is amazing (BIG $). I raised my kids in the Centennial area not far from Park Meadows. Nice area with anything you'd every want or need if you want suburban life. The south side is generally traffic clogged (nothing like Atlanta, Houston, CA, though of course).

3) Southwest (Englewood, Littleton) - Giant range of neighborhoods from old Littleton (little houses, main street, etc) to huge "average" older neighborhoods. Inconvenient if you want to get into the city but some nice and decent priced areas for sure.

4) East (Aurora) - Stay away...period. 90% dump with far Northeast being very bad and many parts outright dangerous (well, as dangerous as it can be out here).

5) Denver City Neighborhoods - Bonnie Brae is top notch old brick homes, Washington Park very nice but overrun by some of the first surges of people from CA, etc. who sold their POS cardboard homes in CA and sucked-up beautiful old neighborhoods, often scraped-off the original home and crammed bigger versions on the lot. Very much "Buffy and Kip" with their 2.5 kids and a dog these days...cool neighborhood shop areas with good restaurants but cliquey and a 'scene' almost everywhere. Park Hill/City Park - Some really great big brick homes, a nice range, I really like the area and it has changed quite a bit over the years (nicer). Covers a broad range from older still-gentrifying areas streets to killer places in Park Hill. Hilltop - Has been really taken over across the years by $$ and has great homes like Park Hill. Cherry Creek - Trying to become the Beverly Hills of Denver. Great shopping area (Cherry Creek North). Land of plastic surgery and fancy cars for sure. Some great, great restaurants. Very very yuppie mixed with older men and women trying to look and act like they are 30. Downtown (LoDo, etc) - Lofts, big-time gentrification. Some really GREAT places (lofts, apartments) if you want to have the city life without the BS of many major cities. Some area in the Platte Valley area are really going for uber-cool artist type communities. Sketchy but cool. The Highlands (West Highland, Lower Highlands, Potter HIghlands- Great older Denver neighborhood that has not been completely ruined by transplants (sorry) who turn these cool old brick homes into their little mini mansion nightmares or cheapo looking pop-tops. Lots of gentrification happening in LoHi and massive number of great restaurants/bars. It's younger population with more than it's fair share of "hipsters"...mixed-in with old Mexican families who have been there for generations.

North (Arvada, Thornton, Westminster) - More middle of the road and working class decent areas but some pretty worn-out cheap housing.

Boulder - Very nice of course, but full of people who came from other states and drove prices out of the world, then act all indignant that others want to live there. Lots and lots of people who want to act all "down market" as they load-up their $400 worth of 'natural' foods at Whole Foods and take it out to their Porsche to drive to their $700k 2 bedroom house. Though many people who have been there forever and are in that heavy cosmic mindset. Elitist, is the term that fits these days, sadly, though.

I am leaving out a lot more drill-down in some of my favorite neighborhoods in the city (e.g. 7th Ave between Colorado and Downing - amazing and $$$$).

OK - Done...That was fun.