I ve seen a great fare from Ireland to Denver and am tempted to take it and head to Colorado for a week or two. Hotels in Denver seem a bit pricey but nearby Colorado Springs has better deals it seems. So, what s Colorado Springs like? Easy to get around? Good for shopping? Nightlife? Is it safe? Are cabs a rip off? Thanks.
Colorado Springs is a blast. The first few years I spent there were in the early 90 s. It was before the city grew so exponentially, and there was plenty for athletic and vigorous 20ish people. There seem to be Art events year round, plenty of conventions, sporting events, and plenty to look at (see Seven Falls, Cliff Dwellings, Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, N.O.R.A.D. (good luck getting past the gates). The Springs is filled with culture, it is a hub for many different groups. You like preppy bars? Irish Pubs? Intellectual brandy drinken? Meat Markets? Dance Clubs of many varieties? It s there. There are comedy clubs and gay bars, biker bars and country bars. There are college hang-outs and 5 Star hotels. Microbreweries. Book shops. Coffee shops. Bike shops. Public parks and live performances at the many different and well played concert halls. Skiing nearby in the Winter and Volleyball in the park in the Summer. Garden of the Gods has to be seen to be appreciated- A gambling town one way, the Royal Gorge another way. Just driving around looking at the architecture Downtown is enjoyable. And if you find a hotel restaraunt off of Nevada Avenue called Rudy s , get the Tony Platter. Did I mention the Bed and Breakfasts? I heart the Springs.
Depending on the restaurant or bar I d say Colorado Springs is pretty typical in prices. As a visitor I can t imagine the politics of where you go will matter that much. As you may already know CS is about an hour from Denver so it s quite drivable if you want to see what s up that way. Boulder is more in line with your politics, but I doubt it s any cheaper than Denver. It s a college town (U of Colorado) so you should have no trouble scoring beer or vodka. Also depending on when you go will influence what you can do. Things like Pikes Peak road may already be closed for the season. It s ok to get around in Colorado Springs. There is one main north-south highway so it s pretty busy at rush hour times. There are outlet shops just north of Colorado Springs on the way to Denver that are quite popular. I would strongly recommend renting a car. They have buses, but I wouldn t rely on them for sightseeing.
Colorado Springs is a very conservative town. Air Force Academy and base and such. VERY Republican. But if you re only visiting, it won t matter that much. Not sure what the nightlife is like, but daytimes, well, you ll be close to some very pretty scenery, hiking, mountain activities, and climbing. Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, there are a number of really cool places. Shopping? I don t know...there are malls, and the like. Old Colorado City is a historic area with lots of cute little privately owned shops. Safe? I guess, if you aren t openly gay, or un christian...they are heavily fundamental, there. Cabs? They re a rip-off anywhere. I don t know about public transportation, either. We drive.
Colorado Springs is nice, but there isn t much to do beyond the medium zoo and the olympic training center. Besides that, its a lot of normal stuff. In the long run, I would say the pricey Denver hotels would be a better deal because you would get a lot more out of the trip, but it still would be fun to take a side trip down to Colorado springs for a day or two.
there are quite a few sites that you can search that will likely show you great hotels at the best prices available. check out the website BookMe and you will be able to compare prices on all the reputable travel sites in just a couple minutes. it s very convenient and will save you a bunch of time and money. Also, make sure you buy them online... otherwise they charge much higher fees for phone orders. good luck.
I was born here in the Springs and have lived here my whole life and I m not Christian or conservative. Miracles do happen. Hallelujah, j/k Ha Ha!