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Suggest a Feature →Aurora / Denver Metro, Colorado — Front Range Urban Life
Denver's energy, skiing two hours west, and the Rockies in your windshield every morning.
Buckley Space Force Base sits in Aurora — the Denver metro's eastern suburb — home to Space Delta 4 (missile warning) and the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing. The mission is space-based missile warning, a task that literally involves watching the planet from orbit for ballistic missile launches.
The assignment story is really the Denver metro story. Denver has transformed into one of America's most desirable cities — world-class restaurants, craft beer culture, professional sports (Nuggets, Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche), and the Rocky Mountains 90 minutes west. Cherry Creek State Park is adjacent to the base. The cost of living has surged along with Denver's growth, but the quality of life is exceptional.
Must Eat
The spots worth eating at before you PCS out.
Tavernetta (Denver LoDo)
"One of Denver's finest Italian restaurants. Union Station adjacent."
Tavernetta at Union Station is the benchmark for contemporary Italian in Denver — handmade pasta, Italian regional wines, and cooking that respects tradition while feeling current. The Union Station neighborhood has transformed into Denver's most vibrant dining destination.
Saturday lunch at the oyster bar adjacent to Tavernetta is a weekly ritual for Denver's food community. Reservations required for dinner. The ricotta gnocchi and the pasta al tartufo are the signatures.
El Taco de Mexico (Denver)
"Denver's most beloved Mexican restaurant. Cash only, old-school."
El Taco de Mexico on Santa Fe has been making Denver's best burritos for decades — scratch Mexican cooking, cash only, and lines out the door at lunch. The green chile smothered burrito is the standard by which all Denver green chile is judged.
Cash only — bring bills. The line moves quickly. The green chile smothered burrito (wet) is the benchmark. Arrive before 11am or after 1:30pm to avoid the worst of the lunch crowd.
Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver RiNo)
"Denver craft beer founding father. The RiNo taproom is the heart of it."
Great Divide is one of the pioneering Denver craft breweries — their Yeti Imperial Stout and Titan IPA have been setting the Colorado standard for decades. The RiNo (River North) taproom is in Denver's most dynamic neighborhood.
RiNo Art District on Friday evening during First Friday Art Walk (first Friday of each month) combines gallery openings, street art, food trucks, and Great Divide in a walkable neighborhood circuit.
Outdoor
Get outside. The land around military installations is usually the best reason to be there.
Colorado Ski Resorts (Breck, Vail, Keystone)
"World-class skiing 90 minutes west. Military discounts available."
Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, Loveland, and Arapahoe Basin are all within 90-120 minutes of Buckley. Colorado ski culture is the defining recreational perk of the Front Range assignment. Skiing or snowboarding from November through April (sometimes May at higher elevations).
The Buckley/Peterson Outdoor Recreation offices have discounted ski passes for military members. Loveland and Arapahoe Basin (ABasin) are significantly cheaper than Vail/Breck and have arguably better terrain. The I-70 traffic on weekends is brutal — leave before 6am or stay Sunday night.
Rocky Mountain National Park
"One of America's most visited national parks. 2 hours northwest."
RMNP has 415 square miles of the highest alpine terrain in the country — Trail Ridge Road (highest continuous paved road in the US), the Loch Vale and Bear Lake hiking areas, and elk that walk through Estes Park downtown. Timed entry permits required in summer.
Book RMNP timed entry permits the moment they open (spring) for summer visits — they sell out within an hour. The elk rut in Estes Park (September-October) is one of the great wildlife spectacles in the country — bulls bugling in town at dawn.
Culture & History
Places with stories. Most military towns sit on deep history — dig in.
Denver Art Museum and Clyfford Still Museum
"Denver's world-class art campus. Two exceptional museums, side by side."
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) has one of the finest collections of Native American art in the country, plus Western American art, an Asian art wing, and rotating exhibitions. The adjacent Clyfford Still Museum is an extraordinary single-artist museum.
DAM First Saturdays are free for Denver residents. Military members may qualify for free admission — check with the museum and your base ITR. The Clyfford Still Museum is one of the most remarkable museum buildings in America — worth admission just for the architecture.
Family
Stuff to do with the kids. Rated by people who have brought actual children.
Denver Zoo and Denver Botanic Gardens
"Two world-class family destinations in City Park."
Denver Zoo (City Park) is consistently rated one of the best in the country — 3,000+ animals in naturalistic habitats, excellent new exhibits, and a layout that works for families. The adjacent Denver Botanic Gardens has 33 acres of curated gardens including excellent winter lights displays.
Military discount is available at the Denver Zoo — bring ID. The Zoo Lights event (November-January) sells out; buy tickets months in advance. The Botanic Gardens summer concert series (Blossoms of Light) combines excellent music with the garden setting.
Day Trips
When you need to remember there's a world outside the gate.
"The Gateway to RMNP. Elk in the streets. Trail Ridge Road."
Estes Park is the classic Colorado mountain town at the base of RMNP — elk wander through downtown, excellent hiking access, and the Stanley Hotel (the inspiration for The Shining) is worth a tour. Book RMNP timed entry permits in advance for summer.
"Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and the Olympic Training Center."
Colorado Springs is 1 hour south — Garden of the Gods (free, spectacular red sandstone formations), Pikes Peak summit drive, the U.S. Olympic Training Center tours, and the Broadmoor resort area for a special occasion dinner.
Aurora is Denver's most diverse city — an international food scene with authentic Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Mexican, Somali, and Korean restaurants that rival any major metro.
Denver's craft beer scene is world-class and the Buckley military community has fully adopted it. Find your neighborhood taproom within the first week.
Colorado requires tire chains or all-season tires on mountain roads in winter — invest before ski season begins. I-70 mountain driving in conditions requires experience and preparation.
The Colorado military community (Buckley, Peterson, Schriever, Fort Carson, NORAD) has a strong cross-installation social network. Reach across the fence lines.
Denver metro housing costs have surged dramatically. BAH is decent but the market is competitive — start housing research 6-8 months before arrival. Aurora's eastern parts (near Buckley) are more affordable but further from the Denver attractions. The commute from desirable neighborhoods like Cherry Creek or Highlands can be 30-45 minutes. Budget carefully and set realistic expectations about living in the Denver metro versus living in Denver proper.
This guide is built by people who've been stationed here. If there's a spot we got wrong or a gem we missed, tell us.