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Suggest a Feature →Colorado Springs, Colorado — Space Force, NORAD & the Front Range
Garden of the Gods. Pikes Peak. NORAD. One of the best military cities in America.
Peterson Space Force Base is one of the most significant installations in the U.S. military — home to U.S. Space Command, Space Operations Command, and NORAD (Cheyenne Mountain is 10 minutes west). The base is a campus-like facility on the east side of Colorado Springs, increasingly the center of the Space Force's growing national headquarters infrastructure.
Colorado Springs is one of the most military-friendly cities in America with five major military installations (Peterson, Schriever, Fort Carson, NORAD/Cheyenne Mountain, and the Air Force Academy). The city has Garden of the Gods, a direct sightline to Pikes Peak, world-class outdoor recreation, and a restaurant and brewery scene that has grown substantially with the Space Force expansion.
Must Eat
The spots worth eating at before you PCS out.
The Rabbit Hole (Colorado Springs)
"Colorado Springs' most creative cocktail bar and kitchen."
The Rabbit Hole is the benchmark for Colorado Springs cocktail culture — an underground bar with house-infused spirits, imaginative cocktails, and a food menu that takes the kitchen seriously. The craft cocktail program is the best in the Springs.
The tasting menus and cocktail pairings are excellent for special occasions. Go on a weekday to experience the full attention of the bar team. The menu rotates seasonally.
Edelweiss Restaurant (Colorado Springs)
"Colorado Springs' European institution. Since 1964."
Edelweiss has been serving Colorado Springs since 1964 — German and European cuisine with sauerbraten, schnitzel, and bratwurst alongside Colorado trout. The lederhosen-wearing staff and accordion music make it a genuine experience.
The European-themed atmosphere surprises people who expect Colorado Springs restaurants to be uniformly Western. Edelweiss is a strong choice for a group dinner with visiting family who want something distinctly non-chain.
Bristol Brewing Company (Colorado Springs)
"The Colorado Springs craft brewery. Community hub."
Bristol Brewing is the original Colorado Springs craft brewery — in a historic building with solid beers (Laughing Lab Scottish Ale is the flagship) and a community atmosphere that predates the Colorado craft beer explosion.
The Taproom at the Ivywild School (original location) is a community hub — food trucks, events, and the best patio in downtown Colorado Springs. The Laughing Lab Scottish Ale is one of Colorado's most awarded beers.
Outdoor
Get outside. The land around military installations is usually the best reason to be there.
Pikes Peak (America's Mountain)
"14,115 feet. Drive, hike, or take the cog railway to the top."
Pikes Peak is the defining geographic feature of Colorado Springs — visible from most of the city. Summit access via the Pikes Peak Highway (toll road, passenger cars can make it), the Barr Trail hike (13 miles one-way, 7,500-foot gain), or the Pikes Peak Cog Railway (currently operational with reservation).
The summit altitude (14,115 feet) causes altitude sickness in some visitors — plan for this if family members are not altitude-acclimated. The famous summit donuts (Pikes Peak donuts are cooked in a pressure cooker at the top) are a required experience.
Culture & History
Places with stories. Most military towns sit on deep history — dig in.
U.S. Air Force Academy (Visitors Center and Chapel)
"The Air Force Academy is architecturally extraordinary. Worth the visit."
The USAFA campus 10 minutes north of the Springs is open to visitors — the cadet area, the Air Gardens, and the Cadet Chapel (a stunning modernist structure with 17 spires) are the highlights. The visitor center covers USAFA history and the cadet experience.
The Cadet Chapel is one of the most photographed buildings in Colorado and an architectural landmark — interior is equally impressive. Visitors must have ID and register at the north gate. Graduation week (late May) has special public events.
Family
Stuff to do with the kids. Rated by people who have brought actual children.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum
"America's Olympic museum. Colorado Springs is the home of Team USA."
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum opened in 2020 — a world-class facility with immersive experiences, the stories of American Olympic champions, and the technology of elite sport. Colorado Springs has been the training hub for American Olympians since 1978.
Military discount is typically available. The museum is physically accessible and designed specifically for visitors with disabilities (reflecting the Paralympic mission). The athlete stories are immersive and emotionally compelling for children.
Day Trips
When you need to remember there's a world outside the gate.
"Colorado's capital and major city hub. 1 hour north."
Denver is 1 hour north — Red Rocks, LoDo dining, the Colorado Rockies and Avalanche, the Denver Art Museum, and the best urban access the Front Range offers.
"The 1,053-foot deep Royal Gorge. Bridge and white water rafting."
The Royal Gorge (45 minutes southwest) is one of the most dramatic geological features in Colorado — the Arkansas River runs 1,053 feet below the Royal Gorge Bridge. Cañon City nearby has white water rafting on the Arkansas River (Class III-V).
Colorado Springs is deeply military — five installations means the military community is woven into the civilian fabric. The mutual respect is genuine.
The Space Force is growing rapidly in Colorado Springs. New units, new missions, and significant investment are actively changing the base and the local economy. Get involved early in the growing professional network.
Altitude (6,035 feet) affects cardiovascular performance. PT test scores often drop initially. Give yourself 4-6 weeks before your first official PT test.
Neighborhood selection matters in Colorado Springs. The north side (near the Academy) and the west side (near Broadmoor) are most desirable but priciest. Fountain and Security-Widefield (south) are more affordable with access to Fort Carson and Peterson.
Colorado Springs' housing market has been significantly compressed by the Space Force growth. Demand for homes near the base has driven prices up — start housing research 6+ months before arrival. The military saturation (five installations, enormous population) means Colorado Springs can feel very military in ways that some service members find comfortable and others find suffocating. It is what it is — a military company town with an extraordinary natural setting.
This guide is built by people who've been stationed here. If there's a spot we got wrong or a gem we missed, tell us.