Colorado Springs had frequently appeared on the U.S. News and World Report’s Top Ten List of the “Best Places to Live” in the United States. Colorado’s second largest city of 500,000 people has an array of natural wonders, defense and technology jobs, a pleasant lifestyle, and a tourism heritage that dates to Gilded Age. With these assets, the city has a lot to offer both job seekers seeking a place to settle down and travelers looking for a relaxing vacation spot.

HISTORY OF THE CITY

Colorado Springs has always had a close association with the area’s natural wonders. Some of the Native American tribes that inhabited the area considered the summit of Pike’s Peak Mountain to be a sacred location and are believed to have wintered for generations in the shelter of the Garden of the Gods. Surprisingly neither the Spanish or French showed much interest in establishing a settlement here prior to the Louisiana Purchase, but Colorado City was established later in 1859 by American traders, pioneers, and businessmen. 

Two developments then brought wider attention and development to the area. First, starting in the 1870s curious tourists traveled to the area by rail to view the mountains, take in the “healing waters” at Manitou Springs, and enjoy a taste of the western life that captured the public’s fascination. It was one of the first resort areas to take root in the western United States and its great popularity among the eastern elite and British tourists led to the area being called “Little London” and “The Switzerland of America.” The second development was the discovery of gold near Pike’s Peak in the 1890s which brought considerable wealth to the city and established a tradition of local investment and giving that benefitted the community. These two trends moved college professor, Katherine Lee Bates, to write the poem “America the Beautiful” in 1893 after teaching a summer course in Colorado Springs. Her words spoke of the beautiful “spacious skies” and “purple mountain majesties” of Pike’s Peak, but also encouraged local patriots with the seldom heard lines of “America! America! May God thy gold refine, Till all success be nobleness, And every gain divine.” 

The State of Colorado and Colorado Springs have experienced explosive growth in recent decades. Colorado Springs had 23,000 people in 1900, 52,000 in 1950, and 361,193 in 2000. The city now has a diverse group of employers starting with the United States military. There are three Air Force bases in the community, an army base, and the NORAD headquarters deep within the nearby Cheyenne Mountains. In addition, the city has been identified as a potential future headquarters for the U.S. Space Command. Technology firms are another large employer since companies like Oracle, FedEx, and Hewlett Packard have large facilities there. Tourism facilities like the five-star Broadmoor golf, tennis, fishing, and spa resort built in 1918, the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, and support companies also account for an estimated 16,000 jobs. 

For a well-rounded visit to Colorado Springs, the following sites and activities are worth considering:

OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES

Garden of the Gods-This public park is home to towering red sandstone rock formations, vibrant wildflowers, and an array of wildlife. It is popular among hikers, rock climbers, cyclists, and nature lovers. Designated as a National Natural Landmark, the garden receives an average of four million visitors each year and was ranked ninth in the world by Trip Advisor on its 2022 list of the “Best Things to Do”. The Garden of the Gods has a geological history that dates back millions of years. The distinctive sedimentary rock formations of the garden were created as ancient mountains eroded and became buried in their own sediment. While Spanish explorers and American traders passed through the area starting in the 1600s, it was not until 1879 that land there was purchased for a summer home by railroad executive Charles Elliott Perkins. Taken by its beauty, Perkins donated 480 acres to the city of Colorado Springs which operates it in close cooperation with a private foundation which funds projects to maintain and improve the park. 

Visitors are overwhelmed by the towering sandstone rock formations which stand hundreds of feet tall. These red, orange, and pink rocks create a majestic contrast with the Rocky Mountains in the distance. The park is also home to a variety of flora and fauna. Throughout the year, you may spot a range of alpine animals, including mule deer, foxes, coyotes, and reptiles. The park has twenty-one miles of trails. An iconic sight on the Siamese Twins Trail is Balanced Rock, a massive sandstone formation standing one hundred feet tall with a massive boulder perched atop a slender foundation. Alternative recreation options offered by the visitor center and local tour operators include Segway and jeep tours, horseback riding, rock climbing, nature walks, and mountain biking; some of which require a permit.

Pike’s Peak – Pike’s Peak, located ten miles to the west of Colorado Springs, is the best known and most visited mountain in the Rocky Mountains and Alaska. While there are over two dozen higher peaks in the country, Pike’s Peak has developed into a popular destination because of its commanding views and easy access to the summit at 14,115 feet above sea level. This natural wonder served as a key landmark for hundreds of thousands of frontier settlers and forty-niners heading west during the 19th century. Today, over a million people visit the mountain annually and continue to be awed and inspired after reaching the summit by either riding the 131-year-old Pike’s Peak Cog Railway owned by the Broadmoor Hotel or driving on a nineteen-mile-long highway and toll road there managed by the Colorado Springs.

A visit to the site by the rail starts at the Manitou Depot at an elevation of 6950 feet above sea level. From there, trains depart about every 45 minutes on a three-hour round trip to the summit. Along the nine-mile route, you will rise a stunning 7500 feet to the summit at an average grade of fifteen percent. Some people experience light headiness, headaches or nausea from the high elevation so staying hydrated, taking your time, and spending time in the higher elevations of Colorado Springs or the surrounding area prior to your trip to Pike’s Peak is beneficial. The long-distance views from the summit and on the train trip are spectacular. While fog, rain or cloudiness can occur, you can see other snow topped mountains around you as well as lush green valleys, plateaus, and lakes below. 

Seven Falls- Another outdoor experience that many people enjoy is visiting Seven Falls, which features seven cascading waterfalls running down the steep canyon walls into a pool. Seven Falls can be ascended by taking an iron staircase with 185 steps to a viewing platform or riding up on an elevator. Other visitors view the falls from a paved patio at the base, or by relaxing at the 1858 Restaurant below. Another popular activity at this location is to hike into the canyon or explore some of the trails at the top of the falls. Landowners have been charging admission to visit the site since 1883, and after a flood caused severe damage to the canyon and visitors center in 2013, the Broadmoor Hotel renovated the area and reopened it to paid visitors. 

Cheyene Mountain Zoo-  The Cheyene Mountain Zoo is often ranked as one of the country’s best zoos. This mountain location features 750 animals living on 150 acres of varied terrain. Special activities there include animal demonstrations such as penguin feedings and hippo snack time, a mountaineer sky ride on a chairlift above the wildlife, and a historical carousel ride. 

MUSEUMS 

There are close to two dozen museums in Colorado Springs and some of them have western or aviation themes such as the following ones: 

Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum- Colorado Springs is proud of its history as one of the cities that led to the settlement of the western United States. The Colorado Spring Pioneer Museum located in a restored courthouse presents a comprehensive view of the region by “allowing visitors to explore the history and geography of the area using 21st century technology.”  One floor presents thirty different stories using interactive tools that cover the diverse experiences which settlers and city residents encountered over the past two centuries through pictures, narratives, and maps explaining those places and events. 

Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame- Another museum is the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame which explains the background of rodeo events and how the daily duties and adventures of American cowboys evolved into competitions. The museum also presents the stories of important rodeo stars. 

Western Museum of Mining & Industry- This small museum has the noble mission of educating the public about the history and continuing contribution of mining, ranching, and other supporting industries to the American West, and the need for enhanced environmental stewardship. Museum exhibits include a walk through mine draft built with the help of the Colorado School of Mines, mineral displays, and machinery used in the 19th century for mining activity. A blacksmith shop and equipment used to process gold from ore are other activities to see at the museum.

Other Museums- Air and space is another theme explored by museums in Colorado Springs. The National Museum of World War II Aviation located on a 21-acre campus at the Colorado Springs Airport has hangars with aircraft from that war along with galleries showing how those planes and their pilots engaged in combat. Meanwhile, the recently renovated Space Foundation Discovery Center is a nonprofit advocacy organization formed in 1983 to promote education and collaboration for space exploration and space inspired industries. Its galleries present the vehicles, equipment, and missions of spaceflight together with some simulation laboratories providing interactive space experiences. 

OLYMPIC AND AIR FORCE ATTRACTIONS

Colorado Springs also has some attractions that are unique like these:

Olympic and Paralympic Training Center - In 1978, the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center was located in the city notwithstanding its high elevation. Athletes selected by the national governing bodies of various sports are permitted to visit the training facility for camps or to reside there and train for their chosen events. The Center provides housing, meals, coaching, workout, and other preparations for five hundred short term attendees and 15,000 athletes annually. Tours of the facility are offered hourly, weather permitting. In addition to seeing the places where the athletes receive instruction and workout, visitors taking the tour may see scrimmages by the Olympic Volleyball Team, runners working out on the track, or swimmers doing laps in the huge pool. 

Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame -The Olympics Museum, opened two miles away from the Training Center in 2020, is an inspiring place for people who enjoy sports and competition. The 60,000 square foot building features twelve galleries that show the evolution of the Olympic games and the experiences of USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes participating in the games. Other galleries and interactive displays feature pictures, memorabilia, and stories about important Olympic events. The Hall of Fame located there honors 125 individual athletes, eleven teams, five coaches and other support personal. Members includes well known athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Peggy Fleming, Jim Thorpe, Bruce Jenner, Carl Lewis, and Michael Phelps, as well as the 1980 U.S. Ice Hockey Team. 

United States Air Force Academy- After World War II, the Air Force decided to establish a military academy like West Point and the Naval Academy to provide instruction and build leaders with the skill, motivation, and character to serve as career Air Force officers. Colorado Springs was selected in 1955 because of its proximity to the U.S. Air Defense Command and its suitability for constructing a modern campus and conducting flight activities. The four thousand cadets enrolled there receive an excellent education valued at over $400,000 in exchange for serving as an officer for eight years with at least five years on active duty. In addition to a Visitors Center which presents background on the academy and the cadet experience, guided and self-guided tours of the grounds provide an opportunity to see striking buildings and other places like a B-52 Stratofortress, fighter jets, the architecturally renowned chapel, and cadets marching. 

FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT

When you are done sightseeing and enjoying the great outdoors, there is still plenty to do in Colorado Springs. The Visit Colorado Springs Guide for Dining, Shopping, and Entertainment is eighty pages long and contains information on a wide variety of dining, drinking and entertainment experiences. As described there, the culinary scene in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region ranges from “high end sophistication and elegance to rustic outdoor farm to table suppers, wood-fired pizza, and casual sidewalk cafes.”