In Aurora, nature, history, culture, and golf are all available as distinct travel interests. The range extends from prairie history and nature trails to a permanent exhibition, a theater, and golf courses in different classifications. To plan your trip, you can first decide which focus will shape your stay, then add other themes.
Nature, Prairie, and Water
The Plains Conservation Center is a nature preserve and educational center. Reconstructions of a pioneer village and a tipi camp illustrate the lives of pioneers and Indigenous prairie communities in the late 19th century. The site covers 1,182.5 acres and includes nature trails. Here, historical interpretation and a connection with nature come together.
The Richard Gary Black Jr. Nature Exploration Area at the Morrison Nature Center is open 365 days a year, from sunrise to sunset. If you want to plan your day around these hours, check the current access notice before your visit.
You can also find nature trails at Quincy Reservoir and Star K Ranch, where the grounds also include a nature center. Fishing is available at Aurora Reservoir, and swimming is possible seasonally. The Aurora Reservoir Trail is 8 miles long. The nature destinations therefore differ in their specific offerings: the Plains Conservation Center pairs nature trails with historical reconstructions, while Aurora Reservoir offers water activities as well as a trail.
History Between Prairie and City
The permanent exhibition Growing Home explores Aurora’s history. It includes the fully restored Trolley Trailer No. 610, dating from 1913. At DeLaney Farm, the round barn, the Gully House, and agricultural lands are among the sites associated with the DeLaney family. The family lived there on the prairie before Aurora was founded. This offers two distinct historical perspectives: the city’s history in the permanent exhibition and a family connection from before the city’s founding.
Culture, Theater, and Businesses
The Aurora Fox Arts Center is a historic landmark and a performing arts venue with 245 seats. A black box theater is directly adjacent. You can explore the Colfax Canvas Murals on a self-guided audio tour in Aurora’s cultural district; the mural program may change.
Stanley Marketplace offers a different kind of experience: it brings together more than 50 locally owned businesses. The mix may change. The focus is clearly different at each place: performing arts are at the heart of the Aurora Fox Arts Center, while Stanley Marketplace is shaped by its community of local businesses.
Golf as a Separate Focus
Saddle Rock Golf Course is an 18-hole championship course, while Springhill Golf Course is an 18-hole executive course. Both have the same number of holes, but their classifications differ. If golf is part of your trip planning, you can compare the two facilities by their course formats.
Discover more destinations: Glendale, Englewood, Sheridan, Cherry Hills Village, Littleton, Castlewood, Greenwood Village, Centennial.
For the broader travel overview: Arapahoe.
