Situated perfectly between the stunning Rocky Mountains and the rolling American prairie, Aurora, the third biggest city in Colorado offers the perfect blend of culture and adventure. If you enjoy outdoor recreation, live music, and an excellent food and nightlife scene, you’ll find it here. If you’re looking for a thriving, diverse, innovative, and progressive city – Aurora provides it all. Truly, it would be a great city to call home.
A Look at Aurora’s History
The modern-day history of Aurora began in the 1880s, when it was initially established as the town of Fletcher, after the businessman Donald Fletcher from Denver who saw it as a real estate opportunity. Fletcher and his partner secured an area four square miles east of Denver to establish a town. In 1907, residents decided to rename the town Aurora after one of the subdivisions in the town, and it slowly began to grow until it eventually became one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States during the late 70s and early 80s. Aurora itself is composed of hundreds of subdivisions and continues to have a growing, thriving, and diverse population. A large military presence exists in Aurora due to the presence of important military hospitals, and it has also been a long-time popular site for recreational outdoor sports. In addition to being known for these things, Aurora is also known for being a diverse and friendly city with a multicultural and progressive vibe.
A Few Fun Facts About Aurora
Read more fun facts about Aurora here.
The LGBTQ Community in Aurora
Aurora has an active, thriving, and welcoming LGBTQ community. Aurora, and by extension the greater Denver metro area, supports its LGBTQ community well with a variety of resources and community centers including:
The Center on Colfax originally opened in 1976, and has grown to be the largest LGBTQ community center in the Rocky Mountain region. The mission of the Center on Colfax is to give a voice to Colorado’s LGBTQ community, and play a critical role in statewide initiatives to reduce discrimination and harassment. The Center wants to ensure that every member of the LGBTQ community has access to the programs, resources, networking, and social opportunities needed to thrive, grow, and live fulfilling lives.
One Colorado is the state’s leading advocacy organization dedicating to fighting for equality and visibility for the LGBTQ community. The Center works tirelessly for a fair and just Colorado and offers a variety of opportunities for the LGBTQ community, friends, and allies to be involved in its mission.
What’s the Weather Like in Aurora?
Aurora gets 17 inches of rain on average per year, which is considerably less than the United States average of 38 inches per year. This means that Aurora also gets plenty of sunshine. In fact, more than two-thirds of the days of the year are sunny - 243 per year on average. Highs in July can reach to around 88°F, and the average low in January is 18°F. Summers are typically hot and clear, and winters are cold and dry and often partly cloudy with some snow. Fall and spring are mild, pleasant, and beautiful.
Aurora’s Best Events
Aurora Pride is Aurora’s largest yearly LGBTQ pride celebration. Offering parades, parties, fun themed events, networking, and educational opportunities, and more, it’s a highly-anticipated event each year that brings Aurora’s LGBTQ community together, and celebrates all that it adds to the city. It’s one event that you’ll definitely want to enjoy!
Global Fest is a very popular festival held in Aurora each year, celebrating and promoting the visibility of and appreciation for cultures around the world. Visitors can enjoy dancing, performances, food, crafts, and more at the festival, and can travel around the globe without ever leaving Aurora!
Where to Live in in Aurora
While Aurora doesn’t necessarily have a “gayborhood”, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have many neighborhoods that are very welcoming to the LGBTQ community! A couple of popular Aurora neighborhoods include:
Park East is a fabulous neighborhood of all semi-custom homes (which will cost twice as much a mile west in Denver) with winding roads, large majestic trees, and at least a couple of drag queens I know of personally! Honestly - I used to own a home in this neighborhood and still miss the neighbors and neighborhood walks to this day.
Pheasant Run is one of the smaller neighborhoods in Aurora, but it’s one that is very popular with young professionals. There are plenty of restaurants, nightspots, shops, and medical centers in the area, as well as many business opportunities nearby. The median home value in Pheasant Run is approximately $367,000.
Pride’s Crossing is another very popular neighborhood offering close proximity to much to see and do. It is a great neighborhood for young professionals and families alike, with many business opportunities, but also a wide variety of housing options and price ranges. The median list price of homes currently for sale in Pride’s Crossing is $357,000.
Arts and Entertainment
The Stanley Marketplace is a mixed-use urban marketplace in the heart of Aurora. It offers a wide variety of retail options, including boutiques, gift shops, bars, restaurants, and more. In fact, there are more than 50 independently-owned Colorado businesses – all in one place!
The Aurora Fox Arts Center has been entertaining Aurora and surrounding areas for over 35 years. The Fox prides itself on presenting performances that encourage social and cultural conversation, and that delight, entertain and educate. You won’t want to miss a chance to enjoy a show yourself.
Parks and Recreation
Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is a 16,000-acre national wildlife sanctuary. More than 330 species of animals inhabit the refuge, and a day spent here amidst the unique Rocky Mountain beauty that only Colorado can offer is sure to be rewarding and well worth it.
Play Mile High Sports is an LGBTQ sports league that serves Denver and surrounding cities, including Aurora. It was started in 2012 and currently has over 60,000 players. Many sports are offered, and all experience and ability levels are welcome. It’s a great way to make friends, get some healthy exercise, and most importantly, to have fun.
Aurora Nightlife
Pride and Swagger is an upbeat, hip LGBTQ nightspot known for signature cocktails, excellent beer and pub grub, and its welcoming loft-like space with a patio. It’s a great place to spend hanging out with old friends – or making new ones.
There are many things that Colorado is well-known for – an excellent beer is one of them. The Peak to Peak Brewery, while not exclusively an LGBTQ bar, is one stop in Aurora that you’ll want to be sure to make when you’re out for an evening. This casual, welcoming alehouse features an ever-changing rotation of excellent local brews, as well as a comfortable atmosphere and excellent pub food. You won’t regret giving it a try.
Contact an Aurora Gay Realtor Today
Are you thinking about making a move to Aurora? If so, chances are high that you’ll find so much to love about this city. You’ll want the advice and assistance of a realtor who knows and loves the area, and who can help you find a home and neighborhood that are exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re ready to get started, contact an Aurora gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
