Fast Facts

• Colorado Springs is Colorado's second-largest city

• Founded in 1871 by General William Jackson Palmer

• Elevation - 6,035 ft.

• Population - City: 380,073, Metro Area: 554,585

• Climate: Alpine Desert

• Average Yearly Precipitation: 17.4"

• Average Yearly Snowfall: 37"

• Average Humidity - Morning: 63%, Afternoon: 40%

• Average Yearly Days of Sunshine: 300+

• Parks: 156 State, County and City Parks

• Major Attractions: 50+

• Daily Newspaper: The Gazette

• Weekly Newspapers: The Independent, Colorado Springs Business Journal

• Universities: 12

• Colleges: 8

• Grad Schools: 4

"Top 10" Awards

No. 1 - Men's Fitness, "Fittest City in America"No. 1 - Money, "Big Cities to Live In"

No. 1 - Forbes, "America's Most Pet-Friendly City"

No. 1 - Men's Health, "Best Cities for Dogs"

No. 3 – Earth Day Network, “Best Places to Live”

No. 4 - Frommer's Travel Guide, "Cities Ranked and Rated"

No. 5 - Kiplinger's Personal Finance, "Best Cities to Live, Work and Play"

No. 5 - MSNBC, "Best Cities to Live, Work and Play"

Top 10 - U.S. News and World Report, "Green Places to Retire" 

How To Get Here
Located directly off of Interstate 25, just 20 minutes from the Colorado Springs Airport or 1½ hours by car from Denver's International Airport.  Shuttle service and ground transportation are available at both airports. The Colorado Springs airport serves eight airlines with non-stop flights to many major hub cities with easy connecting flights to destinations all over the world. 

Climate
There are over 300 days of sunshine to be enjoyed in Colorado Springs annually. At an altitude of 6,035 feet, the climate of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region is warm in the summer and moderate in the spring, fall and winter. Classified as an "alpine desert," the dry, clean air was once a destination to heal tuberculosis patients. Today, visitors enjoy the climate because it allows for year-round outdoor recreation. Summers are dry with temperatures in the 80s to mid 90s, with cool nights in the 60s. Spring and fall temperatures range from the mid 50s to the low 70s and winters here can be white, but normally the snow that does fall melts quickly and reveals a sunny sky again. Winter temperatures range from the low 30s to upper 40s. 

Accommodations & Meeting Space
There are nearly 14,000 guest rooms in Colorado Springs. Twenty full-service properties have 5,000 first-class guest rooms and flexible meeting space. Large events can be accommodated by the Colorado Springs World Arena, Phil Long Expo Center, Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, The BROADMOOR Hotel, Cheyenne Mountain Resort, DoubleTree World Arena Hotel, Colorado Springs Marriott, The Antlers Hilton and Crowne Plaza. 

Cultural Facilities
The Pikes Peak Region has a wide variety of museums, performance centers and visitor centers including the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Musuem, The Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, The Pikes Peak Heritage Center, McAlister House, Miramont Castle, Glen Eyrie Castle and Focus on the Family Visitor Center. 

Attractions & Activities
Visitors can enjoy over 50 natural and man-made attractions including the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Olympic Complex, Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls, Cave of the Winds and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The region also offers whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River, biking, hiking or riding horses through Garden of the Gods. 

Experience Colorado Springs Facts

• Experience Colorado Springs is the premier marketing organization for Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region (El Paso, Teller and Fremont Counties)
• We increase awareness of the region and inspire travel by marketing to families, groups and organizations
• We market through direct sales, the Internet, advertising and public relations
• Our member categories include lodging, dining & nightlife, attractions & activities, arts & culture and services
• Member benefits include listing and advertising opportunities in the Official Visitor Guide, presence in our Visitor Information Center, sales leads, referrals, sponsorship opportunities and marketing assistance
• We contribute to the community by supporting local events and online calendars that drive tourism, participating in co-op advertising opportunities and working with the City and County to support economic development
• Services of Experience Colorado Springs include generating proposals for group meeting planners, assisting with event, wedding and reunion planning, hosting media tours and providing travel information – all services are FREE of charge to both visitors and local residents
• Experience Colorado Springs is funded by the City’s 2% hotel tax and 1% auto rental tax, membership revenue and support from El Paso County

The Importance of Tourism

• Travel & tourism is a $1.3 trillion industry in the U.S. generating $100 billion in tax revenue
• Each household would pay $923 more in taxes without the travel & tourism industry
• Tax revenue from tourism accounts for 25% of the City’s annual budget, saving each family of four $311 in taxes
• Colorado is the 5th most desired state to visit
• Over 4.7 million visitors travel to the Pikes Peak region each year and spend close to $1 billion
• Tourism is the 3rd  largest employer in Colorado Springs, providing over 16,000 jobs to residents