Life in Denver, CO: First-Year Residence Halls, Light Rail, & Public Transport - Elyse

If you are in the stands or close to the Gold Tower on the west side of the Ritchie Center, you can see our soccer, lacrosse, and club sports fields with the amazing backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.  

If you look back to the south toward Driscoll Green, you can see the new Dimond Family Residential Village, a housing option for first-year students. Across the fields to the northwest is Centennial Halls, another first-year residence hall. Our third first-year residence hall, Johnson-McFarlane Hall, is located towards the south end of campus.  

Just north of Centennial Halls is our light rail station. Each DU student receives an RTD-pass, which gives them free access to all public transportation in the city of Denver. Downtown Denver is only 15 minutes away making it easy to access incredible restaurants, fun athletic teams (go Avs, Nuggets, Broncos, whichever you choose!), and our large concert, music, and arts scene. You are welcome to bring a car to campus starting your first year, but there is no free parking on campus. Anyone parking on campus has to have a DU parking permit or pay an hourly fee. We also offer a campus shuttle to help you get around DU, although many students use bikes as well.  

This stop illustrates another reason I chose to go to the University of Denver: the location. We have a close-knit campus community feel with all the amenities of a major metropolitan area, while being within an hour’s drive to some of the best outdoor activities in the world.  

I have gone to a couple concerts at Mission Ballroom and Red Rocks. Going to a concert at Red Rocks is such a unique experience because you get to watch the sunset over Denver while listening to live music.  

I also climb with the Denver Climbing Club off campus with other DU students. Getting to connect with other students while working out is one of the best parts of my week.  If I’m not climbing, you might find me skiing or hiking because you have such easy access to the mountains. In the spring I love to go to farmer’s markets and just spend time outside because we get so much sun!  

With over 300 days of sunshine each year, students can take advantage of the nearby mountain activities as well as the many beautiful greens and parks in the city of Denver!