Below, count down the top ten, supplemented with photos and excerpts from Movoto text. To see the original item, click here.
See also: Science Fiction Land Could Have Been Aurora's Biggest Tourist Trap, If Its Backers Weren't Crooks
Number 10: You Know Aurora Is Colorado's Best Kept Secret Aurora has long since been considered a suburb of Denver. And depending on who you ask, it doesn't always have the best reputation. Sure, Aurora is in close proximity to Denver, which is a much bigger city. It doesn't have the pro sports teams and the museums like Denver does, but the unique culture and community Aurora does have, Denver can't touch strictly because of its size. And that's what makes it so great.... Number 9: Kids Come To Aurora To Show Off Their Skills The Aurora Sports Park is a really big deal here in town. People come from all over to enter their kids in regional and national tournaments and competitions or even just to observe the games at this impressive complex. On 220 acres, it's got 12 baseball/softball fields, 23 soccer and multi-use fields, and hosts competitions for a variety of other sports including lacrosse, rugby, cross country and more.... Continue to keep counting down the ten things only people from Aurora understand, according to Movoto. Number 8: You're Living In A Pho Paradise One of the best parts about the vast diversity of the city of Aurora is the copious amounts of ethnic restaurants to be found. This isn't one of those cities where you're stuck choosing between a slice of pizza or strip mall Chinese buffet. If you want Indian, Aurora's got it. Any Cuban joints around? Of course. Hawaiian? Check. Ethiopian? Korean? Greek? Check, check and check. Oh, and when it comes to Pho, consider Aurora an enthusiastic checkmate. We're talking Bobby Fischer level checkmate.... Number 7: Aurora Is Where Everyone Goes To Get Ripped A lot of cities have picked up on the Crossfit and bootcamp crazes that have gained attention over the years. But nowhere quite has their thumb on the market the way Aurora does. If you find that hard to believe, just look at the statistics. The city is consistently ranked among the healthiest places in America.... Continue to keep counting down the ten things only people from Aurora understand, according to Movoto. Number 6: You Live In The Marketplace To The Rockies The diversity of the city provides numerous ethnic markets, making it easy to pick up those hard-to-find ingredients completely fresh. Grab some bok choy and Korean baked goods from H-Mart and then some exotic spices from the Bombay Bazaar. Farmer's markets are also popular throughout the city, with many locations touting local produce along with artisan foods and handmade items.... Number 5: Dry Dock Beer Has No Earthly Rival Microbreweries have become a dime a dozen in recent years. But how many of them can say that they took home the gold in the World Beer Cup? Dry Dock Brewing Company can and did for its HMS Victory ESB, now called the Amber Ale. Their brew house includes a 180-seat tasting room with 16 taps in their Hampden Avenue location.... Continue to keep counting down the ten things only people from Aurora understand, according to Movoto. Number 4: You Know You've Found Culture When You Reach The FOX The Aurora Fox Theater is a favorite location and historic landmark set right in the heart of the city's Arts and Culture District. When you see the giant, vintage FOX sign, reminiscent of theaters of yesteryear, you know you're in for something good. After catching a wonderfully kitschy and high quality production like "Spamalot" at this gem, locals can walk the streets among a slower of public art and maybe get lucky enough to stumble into one of the many unique local festivals and events.... Number 3: Aurora Doctors Basically Saved The Whole Country Aurora's healthcare scene was put on the map back in the 1950s when President Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack while vacationing in Denver and was treated in Aurora. While recuperating, the city briefly got the spotlight as it took care of the leader of the free world.... Continue to keep counting down the ten things only people from Aurora understand, according to Movoto. Number 2: Ben Affleck Gave The Science Fiction Theme Park New Life Back in the 1970s, Aurora residents got really exciting news that a science fiction park theme park was going to be built in their city, that would also serve as the set of a slated $50 million film that was sure to be a huge hit based on the novel "Lord of Light." It was going to be three times the size of Disneyland, with a hologram zoo and a 38-story ferris wheel. It was an awesome time to be an Auroran. Number 1: Those Giant Golf Balls Aren't Golf Balls Aurora is home to the Buckley Air Force Base. You can't get on the base itself without a military ID, but there is no mistaking where it is. As you drive by, you'll see six giant golf balls along the edge of the base. If you didn't know any better, upon first glance you might assume that it's one of Aurora's many golf courses. But, indeed, it's Air Force....Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.
