Discover How Aurora Became Colorado’s Most Surprising Destination

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Think you know Denver’s eastern neighbor? Aurora defies the cliché with a story that runs from prairie tracks to late night karaoke, from Buckley Field’s aviation roots to a modern web of light rail, research labs, craft breweries, and global kitchens that stay open past midnight. We open the map to show how transit, the Anschutz Medical Campus, and mixed use neighborhoods turned a once sleepy suburb into a destination with its own pulse.

We walk through the city’s nightlife corridors—Havana Street’s karaoke and Korean barbecue, the Stampede’s line dancing floor, cozy pubs near Aurora Highlands, and intimate stages where local bands and open mic artists find their crowd. Along the way, we fold in practical tips: how to move around on RTD, when to call a rideshare, where to stay near the airport or campus, and which parks and cultural spots round out a perfect weekend. Cherry Creek State Park, the Plains Conservation Center, and the Aurora Cultural Arts District sit alongside day trips to Denver, giving you both the big city energy and the local flavor in one itinerary.

Then we shift the lens to a vital chapter often overlooked: the African American history that helped shape Aurora’s civic fabric. From pre–World War II rail and agricultural work to the postwar boom, Black families built institutions when policy shut doors—churches that doubled as civic hubs, barbershops and restaurants that spread information, and organizers who pushed back against redlining and restrictive covenants. We unpack the present day pressures on East Colfax, where redevelopment and rising costs risk displacing the very culture that made the corridor vibrant, and we highlight the responses gaining traction: affordable housing, tenant protections, small business support, and community-led planning.

By the end, you’ll have a guide to Aurora’s best nights out, a primer on how the city grew, and a deeper understanding of the people and policies that forged its identity. If you enjoyed this tour, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves late night eats, and drop a review with your favorite Aurora spot—we might feature it next time.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hey everyone.
Welcome to A Town After Dark,exploring Aurora's evolution.
I'm DJ Mikey D, and you aretuned in to another Great Day
Colorado podcast.
For this episode, we're flyingsolo to explore one of
Colorado's most fascinatingcities.
Now, when most people thinkabout the Denver metro area,
they think Well, Denver, but letme tell you Aurora's got a story

(00:23):
that'll blow your mind.
Picture this wide open prairie,cattle grazing, maybe a
tumbleweed or two rolling by.
That's what Aurora started asback in the day, but then the
railroads came through in theeighteen eighties and boom, this
place got its name andofficially became a town in
nineteen oh seven.
Funny how transportation canjust transform everything,
right?
But the real game changer?

(00:44):
Buckley Field opening innineteen twenty.
That military and aviationpresence just set the stage for
everything to come.
After World War I, familiesstarted moving out from central
Denver, and Aurora began itstransition from small town to
proper suburb.
But here's where it gets reallyinteresting.
Starting in the nineteeneighties, Aurora's population

(01:06):
just exploded.
Affordable housing, strongimmigrant communities, we're
talking one of Colorado's mostdiverse cities now.
And that diversity?
Man, that's what makes modernAurora so special.
We'll get to that in a minute,though.
First, let's talk about howAurora's been growing up as a
city.
The Onshoots Medical Campus?
Total game changer.

(01:26):
Made this region a healthcareand research hub.
And the transit improvements?
Light rail expansion, better busroutes, it's all about
connectivity now.
They're even doing this urbanrevitalization thing with mixed
use buildings and walkableneighborhoods.
Pretty cool, right?
Now, I know what you'rethinking.
Mikey, this is all interesting,but what about the fun stuff?

(01:46):
Don't worry, I'm getting to thegood part.
Because Aurora's nightlife sceneabsolutely wild in the best way
possible.
We've got neighborhood bars,live music venues, multicultural
dining.
It's like the United Nations ofgood times out here.
And the food?
Oh man, the food.
But let me paint you a pictureof a typical night out in

(02:07):
Aurora.
You could start on HavanaStreet, karaoke bars everywhere,
amazing Korean food that'll makeyou question every other meal
you've ever had.
Or if you're feeling country,head over to the Stampede Club
for some boot scootin' boogie.
Yeah, we've got line dancing inAurora.
Who knew?
Different districts, totallydifferent vibes.
Southlands has those shoppingcenter bars where you can just

(02:29):
chill after hitting the stores.
Aurora Highlands and Elif Avenuehave these growing pockets of
local pubs that are just cozy,you know?
And near the Anschutz campusyou've got spots catering to
professionals and students,always a good mix of people.
Live music.
We've got intimate venueshosting local bands, open mic

(02:51):
nights where you might discoverthe next big thing.
The Aurora Cultural ArtsDistrict does seasonal
performances that are just chefskiss.
And the craft breweries don'teven get me started.
Tap rooms, trivia nights,events, these places are
community hubs now.
We've got distilleries poppingup, craft cocktail bars that
could rival anything in Denver.

(03:12):
But here's what really setsAurora apart.
The food diversity is insane.
Mexican, Salvadoran, Ethiopian,Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, and
so many places are open late.
You want authentic internationalcuisine at midnight?
Aurora's got you covered.
And if bars and restaurantsaren't your thing, we've got
movie theaters, bowling alleys,seasonal outdoor concerts.

(03:35):
There's something for everyone.
Quick safety tip though, stickto well lit main corridors, use
rideshare if you've beendrinking, and check venue hours
beforehand.
Common sense stuff, but worthmentioning.
Now, let's talk about gettinghere and around.
Denver International Airport isjust twenty to thirty five
minutes away, which is crazyconvenient.

(03:56):
RTD buses and light rail can getyou pretty much anywhere you
need to go, but renting a cargives you that flexibility to
explore at your own pace.
Where to stay?
Hotels near the Onschutz MedicalCampus, airport hotels if you're
flying in, chain hotels nearshopping centers, plenty of
options.
And the attractions?

(04:16):
Don't sleep on the AuroraCultural Arts District, Cherry
Creek State Park for WaterSports and Trails, the Plains
Conservation Center if you wantto see what this area looked
like back in the prairie days.
Day trips to Denver are supereasy too.
You get the best of both worlds,big city attractions when you
want them, Aurora's unique vibewhen you don't.

(04:37):
For planning your visit, checkout the City of Aurora's
official website, RTD fortransit schedules, local
newspapers for event listings,all the usual suspects.
So here's the bottom line.
Aurora's evolution from prairieto diverse suburban city has
created something reallyspecial.
We've got broad culturalofferings, growing nightlife,

(04:58):
increasing economic and transitconnectivity, and the food, man,
the food alone is worth thetrip.
Kraft breweries, live music andintimate venues, parks for
daytime fun, all with Denver'slarger attractions, just a quick
hop away.
Aurora is not just Denver'seastern neighbor anymore, it's a
destination in its own right.
That's all the time we have forthis Great Day Colorado episode.

(05:20):
Until next time, this is DJMikey D reminding you to explore
your own backyard.
You might be surprised by whatyou find.
Peace out.
Stay tuned for our next episode.
Welcome to the Aurora Chronicleson Great Day Colorado.
As we continue our coverage ofAurora Colorado, I'm DJ Mikey D,
coming at you with some realtalk about the city of Aurora
and its unique history for thissegment.

(05:42):
We're diving deep into a storythat doesn't get nearly enough
shine.
The rich African Americanhistory that's been shaping
Aurora for generations.
Now I know what some of y'allmight be thinking, Aurora?
Diverse?
But trust me, the story goes waydeeper than most people realize.
Let me take you back, way beforeI was spinning records, before

(06:02):
World War II, black folks werealready here in Aurora, small
numbers but present, working onrailroads and agriculture, some
tied to military jobs.
But the real turning point?
That post World War II boom.
See, when those defense andaerospace jobs started popping
up and affordable housing gotbuilt, black families started

(06:24):
migrating here in biggernumbers.
But here's the kicker.
They were coming despite facingsome serious housing
discrimination, like you couldget the job, but good luck
finding a place to live if youwere black.
Now here's something that mightsurprise you.
Churches became everything.
I'm talking cultural centers,social hubs, political
headquarters all rolled intoone.

(06:44):
These weren't just places toworship on Sunday.
They were hosting voterregistration drives, civic
meetings, you name it.
And the activists, man, theywere fighting segregation on
multiple fronts.
Employment, housing, publicspaces, parents were battling
for better education in theserapidly growing suburban school
districts, real communityorganizing, you know?

(07:05):
And let's talk about the smallbusinesses, the lifeblood of any
community.
Barbershops, beauty salons,restaurants.
These weren't just places to geta haircut or a meal.
They were community anchors,places where news got shared,
connections got made, culturegot preserved.
Chatting with my good friendWilford Thomas, former owner of

(07:25):
Capray Chicken in Denver, hesays I remember growing up the
barber shop was where you heardeverything.
Who was running for office, whatwas happening with the schools,
whose cousin was opening a newspot, that's where the real
community building happened.
But it wasn't all smoothsailing, not by a long shot.
There was this whole systemworking against black families

(07:46):
trying to build wealth,redlining, discriminatory
lending, restrictive covenants,all these fancy terms that
basically meant you can't livehere because you're black.
So black residents gotconcentrated in specific
neighborhoods, which limitedopportunities for wealth
accumulation through homeownership, and we're still
feeling the effects of thattoday.

(08:07):
Fast forward to more recenttimes and we've seen some real
political gains.
African American leaders onschool boards, city council,
regional organizations shapingpolicy on everything from
criminal justice reform toeconomic development.
Organizations like the NAACP,black churches, cultural
festivals, they're still outhere doing the work, promoting

(08:28):
our culture and keeping peopleengaged.
But here's where it getscomplicated and honestly, a
little painful to talk about.
In the last decade we've beenhaving this ongoing conversation
about the exodus of blackculture from Aurora.
And East Colfax Avenue, man,that's become ground zero for
this discussion.

(08:48):
Stretching through Denver andtouching Aurora's borderlands,
it's been a focal point forredevelopment, rising rents, and
neighborhood change.
Gentrification, that's the wordeveryone uses, but let me break
down what that actually meansfor people.
Rising rents and property taxespushing out renters and
straining longtime homeowners,those culturally specific

(09:10):
businesses I mentioned earlier,they're getting displaced too.
And here's the real kicker.
This process is often linked tosystemic racism because when
past racist policiesconcentrated people of color in
certain neighborhoods, andlimited wealth accumulation,
guess what happens when thoseneighborhoods suddenly become

(09:31):
desirable?
The people who built thecommunity can't afford to stay,
but here's the thing the storydoesn't end there.
There are responses happening,efforts to preserve and produce
affordable housing, tenantprotections, economic supports
to prevent displacement,community driven planning that
actually involves residents.
People are fighting to keepAurora's soul intact.

(09:53):
What's clear to me after digginginto all this history is that
African American culture inAurora has been shaped by
migration, by building communityinstitutions, by
entrepreneurship, and bystraight up civic engagement.
Despite all the discriminatorypractices and displacement
pressures, our cultural andpolitical contributions are

(10:15):
woven into Aurora's civicfabric.
You can't separate Aurora'sstory from the black experience
here.
They're intertwined.
So where do we go from here?
Ongoing efforts to document thishistory, protect community
assets, expand equitableopportunity, that's how we make
sure these contributions areremembered and built upon.
Because you can't build a betterfuture if you don't understand

(10:36):
and honor the past.
That is it for this episode ofthe Aurora Chronicles.
Keep the conversation going,support local black owned
businesses, and remember, ourstories matter.
I'm DJ Mike E.
D, and I'll catch you next time.
Peace out.