Side Creek - Aurora, CO

Fletcher, the small town that eventually became Aurora, was established 4 miles east of Denver in the 1860s. The military established an army hospital and an air force base in Aurora in 1918 and 1938, respectively. Those institutions made the military the largest employer in the suburb, a title it continued to hold through the turn of the 21st century.

Side Creek developed as the freeway system made commuting into Denver easier. The area rose to infamy in 2012, when a gunman killed 12 people and injured 70 at a midnight screening of a film at the Town Center at Aurora, the neighborhood's mall.

Locals embrace the area's history at the Aurora History Museum, and they satisfy their artistic needs by visiting the Aurora Fox Theater or by driving to Denver to access museums such as the Denver Art Museum. Denver also holds many artistic and cultural events throughout the year, including the Denver Chalk Art Festival.

Side Creek locals head to South Buckley Road when they want to dine, and the area hosts affordable restaurants selling large servings of American favorites as well as ethnic fare.

At Woody's Wings, pick your choice of sauce from a long list that includes everything from spicy ranch to nuclear and teriyaki. While Woody's focuses on wings, its menu also includes deep-fried favorites such as fried zucchini, macaroni and cheese wedges, and fish n' fries.

For lunch, check out Bender's Brat Haus. This establishment serves traditional German brats and Italian sausages with warm German potato salad on the side. If you prefer to dine at home, order the brats or sausages to go.

At Saigon Tokyo, the menu features standards such as edamame, spring rolls and pho as well as a few unique dishes, such as baked clams. Come with friends and order the Tokyo Super Boat with enough sushi for four people, or come alone and take away a beautiful bento box for lunch.

Watching a game at one of the sports bars in the area makes up the nightlife scene in Side Creek, and locals frequent The Sand Creek Lounge in particular. Serving great steaks at affordable prices, this Aurora institution draws sports-loving locals to its pendant-filled interior. The Sand Creek Lounge caters to Nebraska fans in particular, but it shows all football games as well as other types of sports.

If you prefer clubbing over pounding pitchers in a sports bar, head to Denver, where you can dance the night away at clubs such as The Beta Nightclub or Charlie's Denver.

Side Creek appeals to drivers with its ample free parking and easy access to Denver. From the neighborhood, locals easily jump onto Interstate-225. To the south, this freeway connects to I-25, and to the north, it links to I-70. Both of these freeways run into downtown.

RTD buses run through the area, connecting it to Denver and the rest of the metro area. Locals who want to avoid the hassle of driving to Denver or paying for parking often park at Nine Mile Station. From there, they ride the light rail into downtown.

Completely safe for walking, the area attracts people who walk for recreational purposes rather than for errands. Its commercial areas and shops sit too far apart to make the area terribly convenient for walkers.

Side Creek contains bike lanes and paths that connect it to the rest of Denver. Cabs and Uber cars also serve the neighborhood, but as locals use them relatively infrequently, you cannot easily hail them in the street. Instead, riders call in advance.

Side Creek locals live within waking distance of Great Plains Park. This 50-acre park sits on the edge of town, and if you look to the east, you see prairie grasses stretching as far as the eye can see, and the park maintains paths running through this landscape. Perfect for families, the park has a free splash park to cool off the kids during the summer as well as playgrounds, picnic shelters and grassy areas for free play. For off-leash puppy fun, dog owners go to Grandview Dog Park.

Hops For Habitat, an annual beer festival, takes place at the Plains Conservation Center. At this event, locals taste some of Colorado's microbrews while enjoying the area's original, natural landscape.

A Side Creek lifestyle costs about the same as the average cost of living in the metro area. In Denver, one-bedroom apartments rent for an average of $1,061, and in this safe, convenient and spacious suburban neighborhood, they rent for $1,036 on average.

At local pubs, beers start at $3, with ladies nights, happy hours and other specials bringing the price down to $2 at times. Local gas stations price their gas at 4 percent less than the national average, saving drivers cash, and commuters also save because public transit tickets into the city center cost just $3 or less.

For shopping, Side Creek locals head to City Center at Aurora. This large shopping mall contains upscale anchor shops, such as Dillard's, as well as over 100 smaller shops and an indoor play area for kids. Locals also drive to the outdoor shopping mall, Southlands. Located on the edge of Aurora, Southlands supports a slightly more upscale shopping experience than City Center.

The area does not support many independent or upscale shops. Fashionistas on a budget, however, shop at the Safari Thrift Store. Those who want to spend head to one of the cute boutiques sprinkled throughout the rest of the metro area. In the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, shoppers love Inspyre Boutique, where the owners price everything below $100.

For groceries, Side Creek locals shop at chains such as King Soopers and Sprouts Farmers Markets as well as small ethnic grocery stores, including Lotus Asian Market. In the summer, Nick's Garden Center & Farm Market hosts a farmers market in its parking lot.