Quirk Fixer

Instead of just settling for the usual dinner-and-a-movie routine, why not dress it up a bit? Put on your best evening attire and get ready for truly classy (and classical) entertainment when you visit the Gateway Performing Arts Center. This impressive venue is the home of the Aurora Symphony Orchestra, and the group frequently performs various works by well-known composers year round. The Center is located on the campus of Gateway Senior High School in Aurora.

Nature lovers and fans of the great outdoors absolutely love the Morrison Nature Center, and for plenty of good reasons! This venue is the perfect avenue by which you can encounter some of Aurora's natural beauty. The Morrison Nature Center is located on Star K Ranch, which is over 200 acres and is part of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway. This Greenway is a 14-mile trail system that connects Aurora to Denver and Commerce City, and that long stretch of nature offers plenty of excellent opportunities to see some of the area's most amazing wildlife in its natural habitat.

William Smith was an Aurora pioneer who went from raising sheep on his humble property to eventually founding Aurora's Public Schools and donating the land for Del Mar Park. See where this prominent Aurora figure lived by visiting the William Smith House that was built in 1910 and named a landmark in 1986. The home remained in the family until 1983 when Smith's daughter Margaret, passed away. The house is now a privately owned residence, but you can still stroll by and snap photos from the sidewalk.

For a more manageable recreation trail, walkers and runners opt for the inviting 3.5 mile Westerly Creek. The trail travels north to south, and it connects Cherry Creek State Park with the High Line Canal at Expo Park. Access and parking to the trail are conveniently found at Expo Park and Utah Park.