Many of the landmarks in Colorado Springs are natural. The Garden of the Gods, with its bizarrely shaped red formations, is six miles north of the city. This landmark is estimated to be at least 300 million years old. The Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site offers tours and exhibits explaining the founding and building of Colorado Springs, starting in the homestead period of the 1860s through to the current day.
There are a number of buildings in Colorado Springs that have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. They include McAllister House, which was built in 1873 and is the oldest house in the city, the Broadmoor, a luxurious resort built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1918, and Miramont Castle, a Victorian mansion built by a priest in 1895. There are more than 55 additional attractions in or near the city, including Old Colorado City, the United States Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
There are 153,801 single-family homes in Colorado Springs, which makes this type of housing easily the most prevalent of all real estate options. There are another 3,413 multi-family homes, 7,900 condo units, and 1,305 other residential properties. The city is also home to a healthy 8,149 commercial properties, 1,676 industrial buildings, and more than 700 buildings zoned for mixed use. 6,545 vacant lots can be found here as well.
The two main interstate highways in Colorado Springs are I-25, which runs north and south, and US 24, which runs west and east. Mountain Metropolitan Transit offers public transportation in the city, with more than 11,000 one-way trips each day. This includes bus routes into Manitou Springs, Chapel Hills Mall, Peterson Air Force Base, and the Widefield area. Mountain Metro Mobility offers paratransit door-to-door service for people with disabilities, and Mountain Metro Rides provides alternative transportation such as car pools and ridesharing.
There are nine public school districts within Colorado Springs including the Academy School District, Cheyenne Mountain School District, and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. There are three charter schools, including Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy. Private schools are numerous and include Montessori schools, religious schools, and boarding schools.
Six hospitals are located within Colorado Springs. The largest is Memorial Hospital, which offers both general medical and surgical services. It has nearly 560 beds and its emergency room serves more than 130,000 per year. Other nearby medical facilities include several military hospitals, including Evans U.S. Army Community Hospital.
The Colorado Springs Police Department has three bureaus: Administrative Services, Operations, and Patrol. In 2015, the FBI recorded 1,983 violent crimes and 16,504 property crimes.
For those who like to get out into the great outdoors, Colorado Springs offers plenty of possibilities. The Urban Trail system in and around the city includes more than 110 miles of trails that can be used for biking, roller blading, walking, or jogging. Many of them can also be used for horse traffic. Other outdoor must-sees include Pikes Peak, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Fox Run Regional Park, and Red Rock Canyon.
Fine dining options are aplenty in Colorado Springs and include French cuisine at the Penrose Room, International fare at the Lake Terrace Dining Room, Italian at Ristorante Del Lago, and European food at the Summit at the Broadmoor.
More casual options include diner food at King’s Chef Diner, American favorites at Mountain Shadows Restaurant, and pizza pie at Mod Pizza. Those who like a drink might stop by Wyatt’s Pub and Grille for a relaxing beer, Sweet Elephant for a glass of wine, or Bar-K for cocktails and live music.
