Sunny Vale Aurora, CO

In the 1850s, after panners struck gold in Denver, prospectors flocked to the area. The following decade, Donald Fletcher established the town that eventually became Aurora 4 miles to the east. As Denver evolved from a supply hub for miners on the way to the Rocky Mountains to a large contemporary city, its urban sprawl extended to Aurora, and the two areas became contiguous.

By the turn of the 21st century, Aurora had more land area than Denver proper, and its population made it the third-largest city in the state. Despite cries from residents to be recognized, the suburb does not carry the clout or importance of Denver, primarily due to its lack of a city center or cultural scene.

For cultural experiences, Sunnyvale residents rely on Denver, which has the Denver Museum of Arts and hosts annual events such as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.

Cheap to moderately priced restaurants sit along Havana Street, and the scents of Asian, Mexican and American cuisine wafting from these eateries draw locals toward their tables.

For ethnic fare, locals love Taz Indian Restaurant or Asia Cafe. Taz has your favorite Indian dishes, from korma to tandoori, and its list of appetizers include innovative vegetarian offerings such as onion rings fried in chickpea butter. Stop by at lunch for the all-you-can-eat buffet. At Asia Cafe, you don't have to narrow your appetite down to a culinary tradition before opening the menu. Instead, you can let your cravings guide you to the right dish from a range of Asian cuisines. Choose chop suey or soft noodles, or steer yourself away from Asian flavors and back toward American comfort food by ordering the wings and fries.

For nightlife, locals dig sports bars with large-screen TVs, menus full of pub grub, pool tournaments and karaoke nights. Fat Boy's Sports Bar & Grill meets the criteria, and locals frequent this bar for the tasty appetizers such as loaded potato skins, the family-friendly atmosphere, and the trivia nights and other special events.

Sunnyvale locals looking for a more sophisticated night on the town journey to southeast Denver or Lowry. There, the Lowry Beer Garden features a beautiful outdoor patio, a range of craft beers on tap and communal farmhouse tables for seating large groups of friends or making new ones.

For a night of dancing in clubs, residents leave Sunnyvale and drive to downtown Denver or one of the surrounding areas to find their favorite types of music at the city's dance clubs. Head to Charlie's Denver if you want to line dance to country western, but if you prefer electronica, check out Beta Nightclub, where deejays spin everything from dubstep to old-school happy house.

Sunnyvale locals can drive to Denver easily via East Colfax Avenue. Alternatively, they can leave their cars in Sunnyvale – where free parking spots are available all over the neighborhood – and take public transit into the city. RTD buses run between Sunnyvale and downtown Denver, and when on schedule, they take a hour to reach downtown.

Bicyclists have access to Cherry Creek and Colorado Front Range trails, which are dedicated bicycling trails linking Sunnyvale and downtown. They also benefit from hundreds of trails and lanes throughout the metro area for exercise and recreation. Although safe, Sunnyvale is not convenient for walkers, but many people use cabs or Uber cars. Often elusive cabs can sometimes be hailed on Colfax, but to ensure you get a ride, you should call in advance.

Centrally located in Sunnyvale, Expo Park provides locals with the recreational opportunities they crave. The park has playground equipment for kids as well as picnic shelters, ball fields and a Frisbee golf course. If you want a workout, jump on the Highline Trail at this park and take a long jog or bicycle ride along that trail.

Canine obedience groups meet regularly at this park, but it does not have a dedicated off-leash area. To find that, dog lovers usually drive to the dog parks in the Stapleton or Lowry neighborhoods.

Annual festivals at area parks include Hops for Habitat at the Plains Conservation Center. Located on the edge of Aurora, this natural area shows locals how the neighborhood looked before settlers arrived.

Living in Sunnyvale costs considerably less than living in other parts of the metro area. Rental rates in this area, for example, are roughly half of the metro average. In Sunnyvale, locals rent one-bedroom apartments for an average of $551 per month, but in the metro area, rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages $1,061, nearly twice Sunnyvale's average.

Fill up your tank at Sunnyvale gas stations for 6 percent less than the national average, and if you use the bus, you can get into Denver for $3 or less. A pint of beer also offers savings, with bars pricing pints of domestic beer as low as $2.

Near Sunnyvale, the closet shopping area is Town Center at Aurora. This indoor shopping mall has anchor stores such as Macy's as well as over 100 small chain shops, a free indoor play area for kids and a large movie theater.

Grocery stores, drug stores, appliance shops and furniture rental stores also serve the area from their locations on Havana Street, but shoppers looking for upscale shops or boutiques should drive to other parts of Denver, such as Pearl Street in Boulder or Old Towne in Arvada.

Focused on shoes but selling other items as well, the boutique Two Sole Sisters serves shoppers in Pearl City, a fun destination for an afternoon shopping trip. Although fashionable, the shoes at this boutique give Colorado women the comfort they want – image stilettos injected with silicone so they feel almost comfortable enough to take on a hike.

Located in Olde Town Arvada, Lovely brings shoppers out with a foray into the fashion world. At this shop, you can find organic cotton clothing made by ethical companies embracing sustainable business practices.

For groceries, locals shop at large chains such as King Soopers. Filled with conventional fare as well as organic, gluten-free and paleo food, this grocery store has a deli, a bakery, a butcher and everything else you need. The area also includes specialty shops such as World Food Bazaar, a great destination for Middle Eastern spices and halal meats.

If you want fresh local produce and artisan goods, check out the farmers market at Hangar 2 in Lowry during the summer, or browse through the aisles at the farmers markets in nearby Stapleton or Cherry Creek.