The City of Glendale is in a funny position: it's part of Arapahoe County but is completely surrounded by the City and County of Denver. Since 2005, Denver has provided all fire services under a contract with Glendale. As a political enclave within the City of Denver (and not subject to Denver's legal jurisdiction), Glendale has become a center for entertainment, nightclubs and strip joints. Most of the constructions in Glendale consist of commercial developments, including residential and office high rises.

Adjacent to the Glendale municipal buildings is a new mixed-use municipal development called Infinity Park. Infinity Park includes a stadium, park, event center and recreation center. The stadium is home to Glendale's nationally-ranked professional rugby team: the Glendale Raptors. With a seating capacity of 5,000, the stadium can seat more people than live in Glendale. The 35,000-square-foot recreation and sports center is operated by the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver.

Glendale is also home to the Four Mile Historic Park, a property that houses Denver's oldest house. Four Mile House was built in 1859 as a tavern, stage stop and wayside inn along the Cherokee Trail that carried travelers, prospectors and other emigrants into Denver.