If you’re not able to get away this month, it’s easy to enjoy Spring break in downtown Aurora. You just need to look at Aurora from an outsider’s perspective and try new things that are outside of your normal routine.
I recently took a couple of friends to The Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora for the first time and they loved it. We walked over to Leland Legends for dessert and had a great time being tourists.
It’s always fun to visit downtown museums, and they will be free for Aurora Museums After Dark from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 29.
A real Spring break treat is a signature coffee drink or a fruit smoothie from Endiro Coffee, 29 W. New York Street. If you’re going for an afternoon snack, try their street sides such as the veggie samosas or the grilled plantains. Yum.
I always feel like I’m on vacation when I stop at La Quinta de los Reyes, 36 E. New York Street, and order their table-side salsa and guacamole. For those on a budget, try Taqueria El Tio, 81 S. River Street, Monday nights for dollar tacos.
Of course, it’s a real vacation when you splurge on some spa treatments. A stop at Zen Loft Wellness Center, 6 W. Downer Place, for a chair massage on Wednesday afternoon during “Walk-In Wednesdays” is a must.
Fatimah at Pure Skin Solutions, 26 S. Stolp Avenue, will make your skin shine with a refreshing facial, and check out Do or Dye Designs next door or Big Boss across the street for a new look.
Perhaps test some Summer recreational equipment at Rocktown Adventures, 107 Spruce Street, or take a bicycle for a spin at All Spoked Up, 14 W. Downer Place, Suite 12.
Another vacation favorite of mine is shopping at thrift stores, so don’t forget to pop into The Hope Chest, 36 N. Lincoln Avenue.
No vacation is complete without some sightseeing. I recommend taking the Stolp Island walking tour available online at www.auroradowntown.org. Look for the several public art pieces in downtown Aurora. Maybe sit a spell in the sculpture garden adjacent to The Pierce Center, 20 E. Downer Place.
Taking in the river and historic buildings around sunset can make for a memorable evening. Then enjoy a nightcap at a tavern that you have never visited. I recommend The Web, 134 W. Downer Place.
For more ideas on things to do in downtown Aurora, visit www.auroradowntown.org.
Marissa Amoni is the events coordinator for Aurora Downtown, a non-profit organization dedicated to making downtown a destination and arts and culture hub.