Colorado Springs Facts

Once a booming mining town, Colorado Springs now leads the nation as one of the top places for technology companies to settle. Picturesque Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet, is the city's backdrop and beckons your attention. The towering Rocky Mountains run north and south of the city, with high plains to the east giving it a vast, open feeling.

West

For charming window-shopping stroll along Colorado Avenue where historic buildings have become beautifully decorated contemporary shops. Art galleries are plentiful, many of which are Southwest and Indian themed and pay tribute to the area's cultural heritage. Break from shopping to dine at Meadow Muffins. Finish with a free tour of the nationally-acclaimed...

In 1806, army Lt. Zebulon Pike led a company of soldiers on a trek around the base of an enormous mountain. He called it "Grand Peak," declared it unconquerable, and moved on. Today, the 14,110-foot mountain we know as Pikes Peak has been conquered so often that an auto highway and a cog railway take visitors to the top.

Unlike many Colorado towns, neither mineral wealth nor ranching was the cornerstone of Colorado Springs' economy during the 19th century -- tourism was. In fact, Colorado Springs, founded in 1871, was the first genuine resort community west of Chicago. Gen. William J. Palmer, builder of the Denver & Rio Grande...