Castle Rock, Colorado

Castle Rock's namesake sits atop a mid-sized butte with a constant, imperial gaze on the 35,000-person town. The rock, an oblong slab of rhyolite stone is like a flag, staking the ground that Castle Rock's newish homes are built upon. True, Castle Rock is almost as old the dinos that once roamed it, but it did not get its kick-start till this century. Forty-minutes outside Denver, Castle Rock is a commuter's refuge from the city with moderate real estate prices and big, green back yards — just make sure you follow the water regulations.

Of Castle Rock's bite-size community, 98 percent have high school diplomas, 54 percent have college degrees and 18 percent have post-graduate educations. The median family income is $75,000.

Non-residents will travel to Castle Rock for the annual Castle Rock Wine Fest July 21 and 22, where 20 Colorado Wineries will boast their best blends. The fest will be held at the Grange Arts and Cultural Center, a center for residents of the The Meadows, a Castle Rock community, which offers child and adult dance, art, cooking and language classes. Visitors will also make the trek for Castle Rock's ripe outlet shopping scene where bargain shoppers can have a heyday among the outdoor shopping plaza.

Visitors may also come for the Starlight Summer Movie Series, running June 3 — August 19 this year. The series will be launched by a street fair featuring a professional bicycle stunt team, live music, good grub and loads of family entertainment before settling down for the movie at dusk. The fest is closely followed by the Elephant Rock Bike Race, an annual event in its 18th year, which begins and ends at Douglas County Fair Grounds and takes participants on an 8 to 100-mile tour of the region.