Colorado Springs
Writing by Rich on April 22, 2007
Colorado Springs was one of the last stops on our trip, and it nearly won us over with its outdoor recreation opportunities. There’s tons of mountain biking, which you can probably reach from home via one of the most extensive networks of greenways and bike paths that I’ve ever seen. And none of the other cities we are considering is so close to great skiing.
A vibrant downtown is another strong plus, and we saw some nice old neighborhoods close in on the north, west and east sides, though the north end was a little pricier than we want to pay. Still, Colorado Springs had some of the best home prices we’ve seen, with comparable homes running perhaps $50,000 less than those in Albuquerque.
There’s no shortage of shopping opportunities in Colorado Springs – you can get nearly anything you want, though there are no Costcos or Trader Joes, which surprised me. Of course, they do have Sam’s Clubs, Wild Oats Markets and Whole Foods.
So with so many pluses, why wouldn’t we move to Colorado Springs? It really is appealing, but here are the downsides…
While there is a lot of open space, there’s a trade off — urban sprawl. Colorado Springs isn’t as dense as Albuquerque, though it may be just as easy to get around in. Neighborhoods didn’t seem to have as much of a sense of identity either. In some ways, Colorado Springs is white bread to Albuquerque’s multi-cultural vibrancy. In Colorado Springs, we saw more evidence of Hispanics in the kitchen, with white kids serving and white guys managing. Albuquerque, on the surface anyway, seems to embrace the mixing of cultures. Lastly, Colorado Springs just isn’t the desert, and that seems to be where we want to live.
(Image courtesy of Experience Colorado Springs at Pikes Peak)
Category: Best cities and towns
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