Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs is a beautiful city located at the base of the mountains about an hour south of Denver, Colorado. A short drive can get you up to Pikes Peak or there are other numerous things to do here, for residents or just a tourist spending a day or two. Just west of the city is The North Pole, a small amusement park that has rides, slides, a train, and little cabins to explore. Santa stays in one of the cabins and is there for children to visit most of the day. There is also Garden of the Gods, a public park that is a beautiful area with rock formations, a visitors center, exhibits, tours, a gift shop and walking paths. A little farther west and you can go to Cave of the Winds. The caves were discovered in 1869 and there are different tours throughout them. There are some tours where there is electricity and lighting and tours in the complete dark where each person carries their own lantern. Cave of the Winds maintains the same temperature of 54 degrees throughout the year, regardless of what season it is outside, so make sure to bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. There is also a very cool obstacle course and a new ride which carries riders across the 1,200 ft. canyon. This attraction is great for kids who love exploring and learning about bats and the history of the caves. While there are other things to do, these are some of the best things for kids and tourists.

The Air Force Academy is located just northwest of the town of Colorado Springs. The campus itself if beautiful with gorgeous lawns, buildings, and an incredible backdrop. Along the roads getting to the campus are old aircraft to look at which can transport you back in time.

Housing in Colorado Springs is mainly focused on families. There are mostly subdivisions with single family homes and apartments. Overall the school systems are above average, but do vary depending on the location.

Traffic in most of the city is average, but on the major arteries it can get bad. Roads such as Academy Blvd. are often congested and even I-25 from the south end to the north end can be a nightmare during peak times. Briargate has it's fair share as well, depending on the time of day.

There are many strip malls in Colorado Springs, and it also has traditional malls where you can find anything you need. Restaurants are all around with a variety of foods and menu prices. There has been a lot of new housing and retail construction on the north end of town in recent years.

I have relatives I visit frequently who live off of Dublin Blvd. on the east side. The homes are nice with nice schools and the residents have all seemed to become friends and not just neighbors. This is one of the best features of the place in my opinion. Friendly people all about.

Overall, Colorado Springs seems to be a great place for families with children. If the opportunity arose to move there, I would jump at the chance.

The city of Colorado Springs is built on a beautiful stretch of land on Colorado's Front Range. There is a dominating stereotype about the Springs; that it's the most conservative Christian community in Colorado and that it has a strong military feel. Many (but not all) of my experiences support that perception of the 2nd most populated city in Colorado.

I have been visiting Colorado Springs to see friends and family since I was a child and I must admit that the Christian vibe is very strong as well as the military presence from nearly Fort Carson. There are over 10,000+ soldiers stationed on the southern edge of town. If you go out in town at night you see and hear them, sometimes you see and hear them fighting. There is a lot of pent up energy when a military base is part of a community. I am from Boulder (insert a joke about hippies) so the ultra right-wing, macho, militant vibe of the Springs gets really heavy and kind of transparent after you catch it a few times. There is also NORAD, where the president is famously supposed to be escorted off in case the east coast is attacked. Colorado Springs is the center of a lot of secretive military activity. But I still think there are more churches than tanks.

A really interesting fact about the history of the Springs is that in 1899 Nikola Tesla temporarily lived there and set up shop in the hills above the city. He chose the Springs to conduct his high-voltage, high-frequency experiments because the region is known as one of the most active lightning strike areas in the United States. One night Tesla's experiments caused a city wide power outage and people walking along the street observed sparks jumping between their feet and the ground. This is just one example of the strange history of Colorado Springs, yet the community remains so fixed and almost stubborn—it is kind of an anomaly.

The cost of living in the Springs is significantly lower than Denver and definitely more affordable when compared to Boulder or Steamboat Springs for example. The price of rent or real estate when comparing apples to apples is lower in the Springs than in almost all other populated areas in Colorado except maybe Pueblo. The traffic is lighter than in Denver, the air is cleaner, the city is smaller and the mountains are closer. It really is a gorgeous place with lots of outdoor activities and great mountain destinations close by.

If I was a family moving to Colorado I would consider the Springs if I wanted to live in a city, was looking for a suburban conservative type life and wanted to really get the bang for my buck when renting or buying a home. It is not by any means "cheap" in the Springs but relative to the crazy liberals up north it might be a more peaceful place to settle. It is funny how politics determines where we live more than ever.