Colorado Car Rental and Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs is located in El Paso County with your Colorado car rental. It is the second most-populous city in the state and the 48th most populous in the country. Colorado Springs is located near the center of the state, only 61 miles from the capitol, Denver. This city was selected as the “Best Big City in Best Places to Live” by Money magazine in 2006.

Resort to “Little London”

Colorado Springs was founded in 1871 by General William Palmer with the intention of creating a high quality resort community. It soon became known as “Little London” because of all the English tourists that came. The area was chosen because nearby with your Colorado car rental you will find Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods. Palmer opened his flagship resort and soon, with the founding of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, the area was thriving. Colorado Springs soon became one of the most popular tourist destinations of the late 1800s in the United States.

Visit one of the city’s unique districts

There are many unique districts you can visit with your Colorado car rental. Colorado Springs Downtown is the oldest part of the original city, which was planned by General Palmer. There are many shops and interesting historic buildings in this area, including the city’s earliest high rises. Old Colorado City is also a National Historic District where you will find shopping and fine arts. The Old North End is where you will find the best examples of Queen Anne Architecture and the homes of the city’s most well-to-do residents. There are dozens of mansions in the area, and you will also want to stop at Colorado College with your Colorado car rental to see the architecture.

Climb to the top

Pikes Peak is located near Colorado Springs with your Colorado car rental. The mountain was named for Zebulon Pike, an explorer who led the expedition to southern Colorado in 1806. This is one of Colorado’s fourteeners, a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet above mean sea level. This type of mountain is especially important in Colorado, which has the majority of such peaks in the United States. Every year there is an annual race up the mountain called Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, but you can enjoy the mountain at your leisure when you visit with your Colorado car rental. There is a visitor’s center with a gift shop and restaurant at the summit of the mountain. Don’t worry – you don’t need to climb the mountain to get to the top. There is a cog railroad from Manitou Springs and there is also a highway that will take you all the way to the top, weather permitting. If you are adventurous, you can hike up. Barr Trail approaches from the east and is the most popular hiking route. Be sure to bring a sweater, because conditions at the top are not always favorable and snow is a possibility all year long.

Garden of the gods

The Garden of the Gods is located in Colorado Springs with your Colorado car rental. It is famous for its conglomerate sandstone hogback formations, similar to the Red Rocks west of Denver. There are fossils of marine forms, plant fossils, and even some dinosaurs here. There are unusual rock formations all through the park. If you are a rock climber, be sure to bring your gear because climbing is permitted with a permit. When visiting in the summer, beware of rattle snakes on hot days, but this park is a very interesting place to see with your Colorado car rental.