City Center - Aurora, CO

Originally known as Fletcher, the city of Aurora dates back to the 1880s. It was renamed in 1907, and continued to grow and expand as the largest subdivision of Denver. Neighborhoods including City Center continued to develop, eventually causing Aurora to be the third-largest city in the state of Colorado.

To learn more about the neighborhood and area, visit the Aurora History Museum. The museum houses many important documents and artifacts important to the history of the region as well as interesting rotating exhibits. Every November and December, the Aurora History Museum hosts the Festival of Wreaths to raise money for the museum and its educational programs.

Restaurants in and around City Center include an eclectic mixture of types of cuisine, including Mediterranean, Thai, Mexican, Vietnamese and Cuban.

Tucked away in an unassuming corner of a strip mall, Cafe Paprika remains a well-kept secret that locals consider to be a hidden gem. Specializing in Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant touts an extensive menu, serving everything from baba ghanouj to apricot chicken.

City Center residents love to start their day at The French Press, a neighborhood cafe and coffee shop. The cafe puts a creative twist on traditional breakfast items, with dishes such as zucchini pistachio pancakes, and French toast with a side of bourbon pecan maple syrup.

To catch a Broncos or Rockies game, neighborhood residents often meet a friend at Noonan's Sports Bar & Grill. With lots of televisions and an attentive bar staff, it's a great place to spend a Sunday watching football.

If a night out on the town is more your style, downtown Denver awaits you nearby. From lounges and wine bars to dive bars and night clubs, downtown has it all.

Colorado holds a world-renown reputation for designated open spaces, trails and greenways, and Aurora exemplifies this reputation. A number of bike-friendly greenways afford residents the opportunity to take advantage of green transportation options. Many area residents choose to bike to their destinations to save resources and take advantage of the 300 days of sunshine each year. City Center borders the High Line Canal Trail, one of the most popular biking trails in the city. With over 40 miles of paved trails running in-and-around Denver and Aurora, you can get almost anywhere you want to go on two wheels.

Many Aurora residents choose to take advantage of the public transportation options available to them. The Denver Public Transit and the Regional Transport District both provide bus routes into downtown and to surrounding areas.

Hailing a cab in Aurora doesn't come as easy as it does Denver, however cab services remain available. Make a prior arrangement, should you need service. If you need something quicker, Uber provides a very reliable and affordable transportation option.

As a resident of the state of Colorado, you're never too far from a handful of state parks and open spaces. The options closest to the neighborhood include a disc golf course and Highline Park.

Highline Park provides direct access to the high line canal trail, perfect for a day of biking. The most-loved park in the area remains Cherry Creek Park, sitting just south of City Center. With an 880-acre lake serving as its backdrop, the park proves stunning. Cherry Creek Park provides all of the activities that you can expect and then some. Unless you have been to a park touting horseback riding, model-airplane flying and a family shooting range, you haven't experienced anything quite like this park. Area residents love to spend time boating, hiking, running and swimming. With a large off-lease dog area, you don't have to leave your four-legged friend at home.

While the Denver area remains known for its high cost of living, the City Center neighborhood accompanies a significantly lower cost. These lower prices make this area extremely desirable, particularly for families. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in City Center sits around $850 per month.

Colorado serves as home to more breweries than most states in the country, and area residents enjoy indulging in high-quality microbrews. This neighborhood's quality causes prices to be slightly higher, and when meeting friends for a drink, most people expect to pay around $5 for a domestic beer.

Gas prices in the area sit just below the city average and slightly above the national average.

When it comes to shopping nearby, you can expect the basics, such as Target, Dillard's, and JC Penney. However, if you crave more high-end or boutique-style stores, head into Denver for your best option. If convenience tops your priorities, City Center provides access to enough stores to meet your general needs.

Grocery shopping does not require much effort as a City Center resident. Many options exist to choose from, depending on what you need. For basic grocery shopping needs, most people choose King Soopers or Sprouts as their neighborhood store. For bulk shopping and bargain prices, Costco sits just down the street. For specialty needs and international ingredients, stop by Arash International Market or Lek's Asian Market.

During the spring and summer, Southlands Shopping Center hosts a farmers market on Saturday and Thursday. Guests can browse vendor stands for fresh produce, farm-raised meat, baked goods, and handmade jams and oils.