Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights - Aurora, CO

In the 1880s, families began settling in the area that eventually became Aurora. Near the end of WWII, the government planted Buckley Air Force Base in this area, and developments boomed around it. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, more developments sprung up in the area, making Aurora the fastest growing city in the United States.

Now, Aurora claims the title of the third largest city in Colorado, behind Denver and Colorado Springs. In spite of its massive population, the city maintains a suburban rather than urban feel. Residents craving culture visit the Plains Conservation Center which helps you imagine what Aurora looked like before the strip malls and housing developments arrived. History buffs from the area visit the Aurora History Museum. This museum offers a range of educational displays as well as interactive exhibits for the little ones.

Residents of Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights have their pick of ethnic or classic American restaurants. The restaurants, bars and clubs in this area do not sit together in a single commercial district. Instead, they are spread conveniently through the strip malls on all of the major intersections, and every spot offers a range of delights.

On a single corner, residents can choose between Thai food at the Pearl of Siam and classic American wings at Gold Flame Hot Wings. The Pearl of Siam offers mild coconut curry dishes as well as spicy seafood dishes and comforting roast duck in wine sauce.

On another corner near the Aurora Knolls - Hutchinson Heights neighborhood, you can choose between Greek, Filipino or French food. At Sunburst Grill, experiment with Filipino dishes such as comforting adobo chicken, crabs pressed into garlic or hot beefy bulalo. Alternatively, check out the gyros at the Athenian Restaurant, or grab a cup of European coffee at French Press.

For nightlife, the area offers a range of bars including McCarthy's Bar and Grill, an Irish pub, and Goal Line Grill, a sports bar. If you are looking for something slightly more unusual, check out the hookah service at Flavor of Havana. At this unique hotspot, you can order your choice of tobacco, and the servers serve your selection on a hookah or Middle Eastern water pipe. You can also order cigars and great food.

Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights rap and blues fans spend their evenings at the Kasbah. This club features dancing, top R&B acts, a huge crowd of regulars and a great menu with catfish as the starring dish. Residents who like country frequent Stampede. Expect to see line dancing and people in cowboy hats grasping mechanical bulls.

Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights residents have quiet and safe streets for walking and bicycling. However, the commercial areas do not sit close enough to the residential areas to make this area traversable solely by foot or bike.

Drivers can easily pop onto I-225 which leads to I-70 for a commute into Denver. Residents who need to go South can easily access Highway 83. Also called Parker Road, Highway 83 hosts a light rail station as well. From that station, residents can ride the train into central Denver. Buses also serve the area. Cabs and Uber offer rides in Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights as well, but they must be ordered to the area. Hailing a cab on the street isn't often possible.

The two main neighborhood parks in Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights, Eldorado Park and Hilltop Park, attract families from the area. These parks sit conveniently in the center of residential streets, meaning that parents don't have to worry about their kids running into a busy road. Both parks offer picnic shelters, bicycle trails and playgrounds, and residents of the area can easily reach these parks by foot or bicycle.

Residents with four-legged "children" bypass these parks and head to Cherry Creek State Park. There, for a nominal entrance fee, residents and their furry friends can enjoy the metro area's largest off-leash dog park.

The Plains Conservation Center also offers walking areas for residents, and this area hosts the Hops for Habitat each year. This annual beer festival combines charitable giving with the fun of drinking. Other festivals in the nearby area include the Cherry Creek Art Festival, the Denver Chalk Art Festival and the Underground Music Showcase.

Living in Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights costs slightly less than living in other parts of Denver. In Denver, an average one-bedroom apartment costs $1,019 per month, but the same-size place in Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights averages around $950, with units ranging from $871 to $1,244.

Buying a gallon of gas in this neighborhood costs about four percent less than the national average, and a pint of beer runs $4 to $5, with happy hour specials sometimes taking the price under $3. If you want to get to Denver on public transit, you can travel there for $4 during rush hour, or you can buy a day travel pass for less than $7. A day pass gives you access to the light rail as well as the buses.

The largest shopping area in Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights is located in the southeastern corner of the neighborhood, where Hampden Avenue intersects with Tower Road. Here, you'll find Kohl's, Walgreens, and King Soopers grocery store.

A few minutes outside of the Aurora Knolls-Hutchinson Heights neighborhood, the Southlands shopping center provides a large outdoor shopping area. Located on I-470 and Smoky Hill Road, this outdoor shopping center offers residents a huge range of chain stores as well as independent boutiques and restaurants, including H&M, Justice, Chico's, Kay Jewelers, and more.

In addition to grocery stores like King Soopers or Albertsons, residents can shop at Sprouts and Whole Foods. In the summer, farmers markets happen in downtown Denver as well as certain parts of Aurora.