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Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Colorado Springs, Colorado? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Colorado Springs?
A. Martinez reports in this review:
| Weather | | How much crime? | | What are the neighborhoods like? | | What are the people like? | When not on fire, Colorado Springs enjoys relatively mild weather, at least compared to the rest of the country. It 's rare for temperatures to drop to 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) during the winter or rise to 90 degrees in the summer. Snow generally doesn't stay on the ground long in winter.
Higher winds hit fairly often, however, and can get serious enough to knock down power lines, leaving you suffering through Facebook withdrawals in the dark.
Heavy rain and floods can also be very big problems when they strike, with flooding causing at least $10 million of damage as recently as 2013.
Of course, what residents really worry about are the hellish wildfires. Huge fires destroyed homes and claimed lives in both 2012 and 2013, leaving the people of Colorado Springs with an exceptional, though expected, devotion to their firefighters. Around town, alongside the nationally-ubiquitous "Support Our Troops" stickers and signs, you will always find a similar declaration of support for firefighters. | | Other than the panhandling and drug use, which are constant all over town, crime is moderately low in Colorado Springs.
While living in this city, my 12-year-old sister walked home from school nearly every day without feeling afraid and I frequently walked alone at night without even being catcalled.
I frequently observed loitering and domestic disputes, but I never even saw signs of gang violence or anything at that level.
| | Since I did not notice especially serious crimes while living in Colorado Springs, I did not think of it in terms of "safe" and "unsafe" areas. Everywhere I went seemed like a "good neighborhood" to me, meaning clean, safe, and reasonably well-maintained. | | The bums, both of the homeless and hippie variety, are so friendly that they will walk right up to you and ask you for change and food!
Actually, most people are friendlier than in your average city, maybe because of the weed. As an example, I was once walking down the street with a pizza when a complete stranger said "nice pizza." We then shared the pizza. You try telling me that guy wasn't stoned.
There is also quite a gun and general "outdoorsman" culture, along with a sense of patriotism for both state and country.
| | Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life | The shopping areas are all pretty awesome, though Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City can feel a bit touristy.
As I said, Colorado Springs folks love their dogs, so expect to find dog bowls full of fresh water outside of many stores, and on occasion, to receive an invitation for your dog to accompany you inside and have a free biscuit.
Plenty of stores offer hippie stuff you won't find elsewhere, like marijuana-themed trinkets, alternative healing paraphernalia, and art inspired by Native American culture.
| | Personally, I love La Baguette in Old Colorado City. You can get a light breakfast and lunch there, complete with unusual cheeses and bread fresh enough to make you cry.
If you want a distinctively "Colorado Springs" experience, hit up The Airplane Restaurant. It's literally a restaurant inside a refurbished U.S. Air Force plane: peak Colorado.
Really, though, Colorado Springs has a lot of cool restaurants, so just ask locals for recommendations.
| | The public schools in Colorado Springs are seriously underfunded. My 12-year-old sister came home one day and said that she had several days of "surprise vacation" because her public school could literally not afford to stay open any longer than strictly necessary.
That said, the schools are at least pretty safe. Many parents who could afford private schooling do opt for public schools in Colorado Springs, so that is to their credit. | | If you can't get laid in Colorado Springs, you can't get laid anywhere. Heck, I was just walking down the street with my family one day when a shirtless guy came up and asked me for a hug.
Hit up the nearby Manitou Springs area on a Friday or Saturday night and there will be plenty of hippie guys and girls to choose from.
| | Noise | | town comparison vs. | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions | If you live near the Air Force Academy, you'll hear some noise from jump planes and the like, but it's nowhere near the nearly constant noise you'd get near a commercial airport.
People in this city are also real dog lovers, as mentioned elsewhere in this review, so expect to hear some barking at night.
Overall, Colorado Springs is quieter than you'd expect for a city of its size, though not as quiet as a small town. | | For a city with more than 400,000 people, Colorado Springs feels remarkably friendly and safe. It actually feels like a small town that just happens to have a lot of people.
It is also home to a vibrant community of artists and musicians. I wouldn't mind raising children here someday. | | Having been to several hospitals in the area, I found them to be about average in terms of care.
They were above average in terms of service, however. They all seemed to be used to dealing with lower-income people and Hispanic people, as several lower-cost options were available, along with forms available in Spanish.
Just in terms of reputation, I've heard good things about. Saint Francis Medical Center. | | For hiking fans and out-of-shape masochists, I can personally recommend the Incline (technically in Manitou Springs, but offers a view of Colorado Springs from the top) and Helen Hunt Falls.
If you're a parent or have kid siblings, I recommend going to The Uncle Wilber Fountain (summer only) or taking the younger ones to each of the soda water fountains (yes, technically Manitou again) to try the different flavors of natural water.
| | General comments | | | | | | | Have you ever heard the song "The Big Rock Candy Mountain?" I mean the children's version. It's exactly what Colorado Springs feels like:
"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
You never change your socks
And little streams of lemonade
Come a-tricklin' down the rocks
The hobos there are friendly
And their fires all burn bright
There's a lake of stew and soda, too
You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.
Oh, the buzzin' of the bees in the peppermint trees
'Round the soda water fountains
Where the lemonade springs and the bluebird sings
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains"
You'll think this is an exaggeration until you move there. To name just one similarity between this city and the fabled Big Rock Candy Mountains, the nearby Manitou Springs area has free soda water drinking fountains, each with a different flavor. Many citizens bottle it up and use it to make fizzy lemonade, and you can often find hobos taking long drinks in the cool summer. | | | | | | |
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