Neighborhood Guide: Lowry Field

The Neighborhood: Lowry Field

Located on the site of the former Lowry Air Force Base, this eastern Denver ‘hood offers an oasis from the hustle and bustle (and traffic) of downtown, while still remaining quite accessible. Today, residential homes and condos, starting from around the $200,000s, surround the Lowry Town Center, the heart of the neighborhood, just a few blocks from the historic Air Force base. We ranked Lowry 5th on our 2015 list of Denver’s Best Neighborhoods.

Boundaries: 11th Avenue to the north, Yosemite, Dayton, and Fulton streets to the east, East Alameda Avenue to the south, and Quebec Street and Monaco Parkway to the west.

The Vibe: Decidedly laid back, Lowry Field lacks the hip, edgy feel of RiNo and chic, busy energy of LoDo and LoHi. The resulting mix of families and single professionals who call Lowry home enjoy a quiet, residential neighborhood, while still being only a short 10 minute drive from the heart of Denver.

Main drag: Lowry Town Center, located off Quebec Street on 2nd Avenue, offers a wide variety of shopping, restaurants, and fitness facilities. Stop in on a Saturday afternoon (or any afternoon, for that matter) and you’ll find people shopping, dining, and strolling through the area.

(Check out 5280’s Neighborhood Guide series)

Your Itinerary:

Dine: Many of the dining options in Lowry exist in and around Town Center, and offer casual fare. If you’re craving a taste of Baja, stop in at North County for happy hour (All day Monday; 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close Tuesday to Saturday) and nab a $3 El Pastor Taco and $5 house margarita. Or opt for a build-your-own bowl at Bubu (we suggest the OG Colorado, a delicious mix of carrots, quinoa, green chili, avocado, and pumpkin seeds). The 12-inch chicken verde pizza (with chicken, basil pesto, artichoke hearts, and sundried tomatoes) at Serioz Pizza in Lowry is a perfect snack for two. Or enjoy modern Southern Italian fare (including house-made gelato) at Café Mercato. Other casual dining options include Salty Ritas, The Delectable Egg and Tavern Lowry.

Shop: Lowry’s Town Center is the main shopping hub: Swing by Kismet for stylish fashion and attractive, affordable jewelry. Grab Fido a treat at Chewy’s Bonetique. Shop for all things bikes at Cycleton Denver (and join in on weekly rides). Find that spice you’ve been searching for (along with a few others you didn’t even know you needed) at the Savory Spice Shop. Timbuk Toys, located on the main drag, sells a variety of Colorado-proud, locally made toys. And for fancier, unique gifts and jewelry, don’t miss a visit to The Mole Hole.

Sweat: Work up a sweat at one of Lowry’s various fitness facilities. 24 Hour Fitness has a location just outside the Town Center, and offers your traditional gym experience. For something different, try Orangetheory Fitness, mentioned in 5280‘s 2015 Best Colorado Workouts, for a solid cardio workout. Endorphin, also including in our best workouts feature, offers great indoor cycling and high-intensity interval training. Located in the old Air Force Base, Base Fitness offers a variety of fitness packages: One-on-one personal training or “Combi-Training,” which is group interval training.

Relax: Grab a cold one at Maui Wowi. A cold smoothie, that is. The Hawaiian-themed shop serves up Hawaiian coffee and smoothies. Get a Hawaiian Breeze (strawberry and mango-orange) and pull up a seat at the colorful wooden lounge chairs outside. Or if you’re looking for a different way to unwind, hop next door and grab a brew at the Lowry Beer Garden. Choose from a variety of beers on tap and in cans (don’t miss Avery’s seasonal Liliko’i Kepolo on tap) and relax on the enclosed patio.

Explore: Get outside and explore a few of Lowry’s 17 parks and open spaces. Check out the City of Ulaanbaatar Park, a park created through the Denver Sister Cities International program, which connects countries around the world to the Denver area. Enjoy the use of soccer fields, tennis courts and basketball courts at the Lowry Sports Complex. Spend some time with your best furry friend at the Lowry Dog Park. Or grab a book and head over to the Reading Garden at 5th Avenue and Trenton Street. For inside exploration, learn about aviation and outer space travel at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.