Aurora, CO

One of Aurora’s biggest transformations sits along East Colfax Avenue at the Anschutz Medical Campus. Once a historic Army hospital known as Fitzsimons, the site has grown into a world-class healthcare and bioscience hub. Today, it brings together the University of Colorado’s health programs, Children's Hospital Colorado, UCHealth University Hospital, and a regional VA medical center. Thousands of doctors, researchers, students, and patients visit daily, turning the northwest corner of the city into a bustling center of activity. Modern glass towers now rise right alongside the vintage storefronts of historic Colfax.

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Aurora is geographically huge, stretching across three counties from older neighborhoods near Denver all the way to sprawling master-planned communities and open prairie. Buckley Space Force Base anchors a big part of the eastern side, and you can easily spot its giant white radar domes from miles away. Major employers in aerospace, defense, bioscience, and logistics are spread across the map, meaning job centers can be fairly far apart. To help connect things, RTD’s R Line light rail runs north and south through the city, linking Anschutz and Aurora City Center to southern neighborhoods, along with a quick transfer to the airport train.

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Most residents rely on cars to get around, especially when traveling east or west across town. Where you choose to live makes a big difference in your daily drive, and being close to a light rail stop or highway can shave significant time off a commute. East Colfax is also getting a transit upgrade with a new bus rapid transit system currently under construction. Once finished, it will provide faster, dedicated trips straight into downtown Denver.

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For culture and dining, head over to the Cultural Arts District on East Colfax, which features the historic Aurora Fox Arts Center, local galleries, and neighborhood plaza spaces. A few miles south, the Havana Street corridor offers one of the best international food scenes in Colorado. This lively six-mile strip is packed with authentic Korean barbecue, Ethiopian cafes, global markets, and family-owned bakeries. The community celebrates this diverse heritage every summer at Aurora Fest, bringing neighbors together for a weekend of live music, cultural performances, and fantastic food.