This week, finance website WalletHub ranked the most fun municipalities across the country, with 182 cities rated based on 65 different metrics that were broken down into three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and costs.
To most Coloradans, it may be a surprise that Aurora cracked the list at all, but it ended up ranked 130th, behind Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and just ahead of Lubbock, Texas, two cities plopped in the middle of their states and far from major metro areas.
Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and New Orleans made up the top five. Denver ranked thirteenth, while Colorado Springs ranked seventieth.
But even though Aurora has worse headlines to be embarrassed about, here are a few reasons that Colorado's third-largest city should be a little higher on that list:
Lifelong Entertainment Nooks
Kids who grew up in Aurora had field trips or birthday parties at Skate City, where they could rent Rollerblades and skates and enjoy themselves under dim lights and pop music for a few hours. Anyone who's now grown knows that it's still a fun place to go, a prime idea for a date night and a cheap place to hang out, as $12 can buy you a two-hour session.Another example of an Aurora venue that never seems to get old even as its customers do is Nickel-a-Play. With inflation a hot topic today, it can be hard to believe in the location's titular promise of fun for five cents — but sure enough, the location at 15201 East Mississippi Avenue offers classic arcade games like Pac-Man and Street Fighter for a nickel a session. It also has air hockey tables, candy cranes and Skee-Ball.
Some of the Denver Area's Best Parks and Trails
Unlike the better-known Cherry Creek Trail, the High Line Canal Trail has a life and community all its own. Every week, people venture onto the trail, which passes through Aurora, Denver and other jurisdictions, to bird-watch, exercise or simply reflect on its history. The way it rises and bends through Aurora gives scenic views of the area's prairie landscape and urban sprawl. The Cherry Creek Trail starts in Aurora at Cherry Creek State Park, which is one of the few state parks where people can fly drones. They can also ride horses, camp, boat, let their dogs run, and even shoot target practice. To the east, the Aurora Reservoir provides similar beachside and trail-guided recreation.Aurora's Malls, Markets and Hubs
Havana Street is best known for the international flavor scattered up and down its corridor, from around Parker Road down to Mississippi Avenue. At the north end, it's a hub for Korean dining; only a few miles south, Havana offers mariscos, pho and sushi, backing up Aurora's claim as "the World in a City."The city has the Aurora Mall closer to City Hall, near Alameda and Interstate 25, and the Southlands Mall farther east. Both are great options for all-day shopping and food. Closer to Denver's Central Park neighborhood, you'll find the bustling Stanley Marketplace, with one of the metro area's best dining options in Annette and year-round events for families.
