Southern Colorado

The Air Force Academy is a must to visit. For outdoorsy people I recommend Garden of the Gods; it's absolutely beautiful. If altitude and heights don't bother you too much, try going to the top of Pikes Peak. The view is incredible. For places to walk around, try Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, or downtown Colorado Springs.

Quick Tips:

Take a look at www.springsgov.com or www.coloradosprings.com for information on the area.

Best Way To Get Around:

Public transportation here is very bad, and there are few places where you can walk. I recommend renting a car if you don't have your own with you.

The Cliff House, www.thecliffhouse.com, has very luxurious accommodations and is perfect for romantic getaways. When I went, I stayed in a junior suite, which was very nice. The beds are extremely comfortable and many of the bathrooms feature heated toilet seats and a two-person spa tub. The website features a breakdown of the rooms available.

There is a wonderful dining room and room service available. The food is some of the best in the area, and they have a fabulous wine cellar with a large selection. The building was originally built in 1873 and was recently renovated to its current state.

Located in eastern Colorado Springs, Ai Sushi is in a new shopping area next to a Cinemark movie theatre. This is by far the best sushi in the city. The fish is flown in daily, and the chefs are excellent. You can either dine traditionally, sit at the sushi bar, or sit at a grill. Typically, I sit at the sushi bar, but for special occassions, the grill is great. 

Any of the sushi there is great, but I highly recommend trying some of their specialty rolls. My picks are the avalanche II, heart attack, super spider roll, and lobster roll. Trust me, you won't regret it! They also have an excellent selection of sake.

http://www.restauranteur.com/jun/

Jun is a close second behind Ai Sushi for the best sushi in the Springs. It's located on the north side just off of Academy Blvd. Jun has been around for years, and has the selection to prove it. The fish is fresh daily, and the chefs are excellent. Seating is either at the sushi bar, tables, or two Japanese style tables. I recommend trying some of their specialty rolls, such as the Las Vegas roll or the CC Tigers roll. There's a board near the sushi bar that lists the special rolls and their ingredients.

Viva El Taco is a small Mexican restaurant that's open 24/7. It's not a very good-looking place, but they do have good food. You can either go in and sit down or drive through. The speaker has been broken for years, though, so don't expect to understand what they say. Just order what you want and drive to the window.

Everything on the menu is very affordable. You can easily get a meal for under $5. I highly recommend their breakfast burritos; they're great for breakfast or a late-night snack.

Eden www.edennightlife.com is a new night club in the Springs. It's located downtown just off of Tejon. It's divided into several different clubs, each with a different theme. Inside it's no smoking, but there are a couple of outdoor areas as well. There are two DJ's, one on the dance floor and one downstairs. The club also serves food, it's a bit pricey but very good. And there drinks are incredible. Try a Fallen Angel, or one of their cocktails with Sake. Women are usually admitted for free, but that changes frequently in the Springs so don't count on it. They do enforce the dress code, so don't dress too casually. Nice jeans are okay, but tank tops are out.

www.gardenofgods.com

Garden of the Gods is one of the most beautiful spots in Colorado. The red rocks and the formations they make are amazing. You can drive through the park or park and walk around in several areas. There's a trading post located within the park that has wonderful souvenirs and a great cafe. The visitors' center is located at the park entrance and is great. Take the time to watch the video, "Where did these red rocks come from?" It only costs $2, and it's very interesting. Make sure to see Balanced Rock. It's quite a sight.

The Pioneers Museum is housed in the old Colorado Springs courthouse and is located downtown. The exhibits there cover the history of Colorado Springs from founding until present day. There are also exhibits on Native Americans in the area and collections that locals have donated. It's an interesting visit if you're a history buff.

The fine arts center now features some really wonderful exhibits, including the Linda McCartney photo collection, Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol, and Peter Max. There's also a new wine bar and restaurant. The wine bar hosts wine tastings once a month. The gift shop is small but has some great items.

It's a beautiful hike, one of my favorites in the area. There usually aren't many people there, so it's a very relaxing area. To get there from I-25 Exit 138, go west 4 miles to the Broadmoor complex. Bear to the right onto Lake Circle and continue to Mesa Road. Bear left onto Mesa Road and follow it to Evans Road. Turn right on Evans following it to West Cheyenne Blvd. Turn left on Cheyenne and proceed to the Starsmore Discovery Center parking areas. You'll see the entrance to North Cheyenne Canyon there. Follow the road until you see the falls. Make sure to read the history of the falls. It's a great story. You can find maps of the area at www.springsgov.com.

Every January, the Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado holds a Rice Pounding Festival, or Mochi-tsuki. The event is free and open to the public but does require a reservation (www.jassc.org).

The event lasts several hours, usually 10am to noon, and begins with the pounding of the rice. The rice is put into an usu, a hollowed-out log, and pounded with a kine, a large wooden mallet. There are smaller kine available for children to use. After each hit, the rice is turned in the usu. Everyone is welcome to take a turn pounding the rice. It's great fun but not as easy as it looks! At the same time people begin to pound the rice, several different varieties of prepared mochi (pounded rice) are brought out for tasting. As the rice is pounded, more varieties are prepared live. I recommend the Anko-mochi, which is made with red bean paste. It's very sweet, used in many types of candy in Japan.

This is a wonderful event for anyone interested in Japanese culture or just trying out some new food!

Every November, the Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado (www.jassc.org) hosts a bazaar and culture festival that is free and open to the public. The event starts around mid-morning and lasts till late afternoon. The event features a variety of items for sale, a cafeteria serving Japanese food from local restaurants, and an all-day schedule of events.

Nearly all of the items for sale benefit the Japan-America Society. The items include dishware and chopsticks, kimono, books, bonsai trees, and much more. It's very hard to resist picking something up.

The cafeteria serves a wonderful lunch. Bento boxes are available from several local restaurants. A Bento box typically consists of several pieces of sushi, a dumpling, a rice ball, and several pieces of chicken. There is also anko-mochi (mochi filled with red bean paste) and mochi ice cream (mochi filled with ice cream) for sale.

A variety of events take place on the stage during the day. Some examples are a koto player, a kimono fashion show, Japanese folk dancing, and Taiko drummers. This is one of the most entertaining events I've been to in Colorado Springs in a long time. I went in 2005, but I personally plan on attending every year from now on.