For tips and shortcuts to successfully starting your business in Colorado Springs, check out the Idea Accelerator Podcast at www.IdeaAcceleratorPodcast.com. Also available on YouTube, iTunes, and Facebook.
Lauren Collier is the Idea Accelerator. A Colorado Springs business owner, author, and philanthropist, Lauren works with the business community to forward the success of business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Colorado Springs. On the Idea Accelerator Podcast, she interviews experts across all fields of interests to learn their shortcuts and strategies for succeeding in business in Colorado Springs and beyond.
Around Town
We want to help connect you with the Colorado Springs community! Here a few of the best ways to experience Colorado Springs. Click on any business name below to visit their webpage:
Coffee
Restaurants
Breakfast
Fine Dining
- Four by Brother Luck (Elevated Gastropub)
- The Penrose Room (European Continental)
- La Taverne at the Broadmoor (Steakhouse)
Late Night Dining
European Food
- Edelweiss (German)
- Jack Quinn (Irish)
- Jake and Telly’s (Greek)
- La Baguette Cafe and Espresso Bar (French Bakery/Breakfast)
East Asian
- Fujiyama (Japanese/Sushi)
- Happy Time Korean (Korean)
- Coal Mine Dragon (Chinese)
- Lucky Dumpling (Dumplings/Dim Sum)
- Poke Bop (Japanese/Poke)
Southeast Asian
- Thai Mint (Thai)
- Arharn Thai (Thai)
- Little Nepal (Indian)
- Saigon Springs (Vietnamese)
- Pho Lu’u (Vietnamese/Pho)
- Julie’s Kitchen (Filipino/Hawaiian)
- You-Ka Cafe (Filipino)
- Elephant Thai
Tex-Mex/Mexican/Latin American
- Hacienda Colorado (Tex Mex)
- Monse’s Pupuseria (Salvadoran)
- Pig Latin Food Truck
- Tucano’s Brazilian Grill (Brazilian Steakhouse)
Caribbean/Jamaican
Seafood/Southern
- Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse and Tavern (Southern)
- Springs Orleans (Creole/Cajun)
- Bonny and Read (Seafood)
Vegan
Special Diet
- TAPAteria (Gluten Free/Tapas)
- Garden of the Gods Gourmet (Gluten Free)
- Outside the Breadbox (GF Bakery)
Local Faves
- Mollica’s (Italian Deli)
- Front Range Barbeque (BBQ)
- Shuga’s (Tapas/Small Plates)
- Poor Richard’s Restaurant (Pizza)
- Adam’s Mountain Cafe
Pizza/Burgers/Family Friendly
Treats
Natural/Organic
Libations
Breweries/Tap Houses
- Bristol Brewing Company
- Phantom Canyon Brewing Company
- Red Leg
- Brewers Republic (Tap House)
- Cogstone Brewing Company
- Goat Patch Brewing Company
- Field House Beer Works East
Wine
Craft Distilleries/Cideries
Upscale Bars
Sports Bars
- Tony’s Downtown Bar
- Overtime Sports Bar
- Kelly O’Brians Sports Bar
- Rhino’s Sports and Spirits
- Back East Bar and Grill
Family Fun
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Cottonwood Creek Recreation Center
- The North Pole – Santa’s Workshop
- Dinosaur Resource Center
- Manitou Penny Arcade
- May Natural History Museum (Bug Museum)
- Bemis School of Art
- Ghost Town Museum
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Art
- Colorado Springs Philharmonic
- Cottonwood Center for the Arts
- Art on the Streets
- Colorado Springs Fine Art Center at Colorado College
- Gallery of Contemporary Art at UCCS
Theatre
- TheatreWorks
- Millibo Art Theatre
- Iron Springs Chateau Dinner Theatre
- The Butte Theater, Cripple Creek
History
- Glen Eyrie
- Rockledge Ranch
- Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum
- Western Museum of Mining and Industry
- ProRodeo Hall of Fame
- World Figure Skating Museum
- Miramont Castle
- Garden of the Gods Visitors Center
Sports
Nature & Recreation
Pikes Peak Region Bragging Rights
#1 “Most Confident Workforce U.S.”
2020
LinkedIn
#1 Large U.S. City for Employment Growth
2019
WalletHub
#1 “City for Millennial Growth”
2018
Brookings Institute
#1 “Hottest Housing Market”
2019
Trulia
#1 “Big Cities to Live In”
2017
Money
#1 “Lowest Unemployment rate in the country”
2017
US Bureau of Labor and Statistics
#1 “America’s Most Pet-Friendly City”
2010
Forbes
#1 “Santa’s Top 10 Favorite Cities”
2010
Zillow
#1 ”Mid-sized American Cities for Human Growth and Capital”
2018
fDi Intelligence
#2 “Destination for Remote Work”
2020
RentCafe
#2 “Best Cities for Dogs”
2012
Men’s Health
#2 “The Best Places to Live for Women”
Women’s Health
#2 “Cities of Convention Wisdom”
MSN.com
#2 “Cities for Veterans”
Livability
#2 “Safest City in the United States”
InsuranceProviders.com
#2 ”Best Places to Retire”
2018
Forbes
#3 “Most Innovative School – Colorado College”
US News and World Report
#3 “Fitness-Focused Cities”
Hellawella
#3 “Best Places to Live”
2019
US News and World Report
#3 “Best Places to Live”
Earth Day Network
#3 “Top 10 Best Drivers’ Cities”
Car and Driver
#3 “Best Southwest City for Defense Jobs”
FedSmith
#4 “Best Place to Live”
U.S. News and World Report
#4 “Small Business Friendly City”
2018
Thumtack.com
#4 “Cities Ranked and Rated”
Frommer’s Travel Guide
#5 “Best Cities for Jobs”
2019
US News and World Report
#5 “Most Affordable College Town”
2018
Move.org
#5 “Best Cities to Live, Work and Play”
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
#5 “Best City in Colorado for Singles”
2020
HomeSnacks.com
#6 “Millennial Share of the Population”
2018
Brookings Institute
#6 “Best Weekend Getaway”
U.S. News & World Report
#6 “America’s Most Wired Cities”
2010
Forbes
#6 “Top Ten Alternative Fueled City Fleets”
SustainLane
#7 “Emerging Internations Destination”
2021
TripAdvisor, Travelers’ Choice
#7 “Top Housing Markets of 2020″
2019
Realtor.com
#7 “Cleanest U.S. Cities”
American Lung Association
#7 “Best Places to Raise an Outdoor Kid”
Backpacker Magazine
# 7 Amazing City You Should Live In
2016
Huffington Post
#8 ”Best City to Work From Home”
2020
SmartAsset
# 8 Intellectual Hub
2014
WalletHub
# 8 “Best City for Young Adults”
2011
Forbes
#8 “Best Places to Start Over”
Business Week
#8 “Fittest City in the West”
Sunset Magazine
#8 “The Most Dog-Friendly Cities”
2016
iHeartDogs
#9 “Hotness Index of top 20 cities”
2018
Realtor.com
#9 “America’s Best Bang-for-the-Buck Cities”
Forbes
#9 “Best Downtown”
Livability.com
#10 ”Best City fo Real Estate Investment”
QuickenLoans
#10 “Top 10 most popular attractions in the US – Garden of the Gods”
Trip Advisor
Top 10 – “Best Big Cities for Active Families”
Outside Magazine
Top 10 – “Green Places to Retire”
U.S. News and World Report
Top 10- “Best Teeth”
Men’s Health
Top 10 – “The 10 Coolest Small Towns – Manitou Springs”
Budget Travel
#10 Least Obese Metro Area
2012
GALLUP
#11 “The 20 Fittest Cities in America”
2019
Men’s Health
#11 “Best Places to be a Kid on Christmas Morning”
University of Toronto
#11 “Best Places to Relocate”
ERC & Primacy Relocation
#11 “Best Places to Build a Data Center”
The Boyd Company
#11 “Best Places for Business and Careers”
2018
Forbes
#11 “Gayest City”
The Advocate
#12 “52 Places to Go in 2020″
The New York Times
#12 “America’s Healthiest Cities”
Cooking Light Magazine
#14 “Safest Cities in America for 2010”
FreeBackgroundChecksUSA.com
#15 “America’s Top 25 Smartest Cities”
Portfolio Magazine
#15 “Best City for Families”
Parenting.com
#15 “Best Performing Large Cities”
2024
Milken Institute
#17 “Most Secure Places to Live”
Farmer Insurance Group
#18 “Happiest City in America”
2018
National Geographic
#18 “America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities”
Bicycling Magazine
#19 “Best Places for Business and Careers”
2019
Forbes
#20 “Top Tech Towns”
Association for Information Technology Professionals
#23 “Best Cities for Biking”
People for Bikes
#24 “Funniest Cities”
The Daily Beast
Top 20 “Top Cookout Capitals”
Blue Rhine
Top 25 “Mid-Sized U.S. City Art Destination”
American Style
Silver Award – “Bicycle Friendly Community Award”
2021
League of American Bicyclists
“Best Place to Live in the U.S.”
2023
Livability
#1 Most Desirable Place to Live
2019
U.S. News & World Report
#1 Best Large City for Military Veterans to Call Home
2019
MilitaryTimes
#1 ”Hottest Market”
2020
Realtor.com
#1 Best Big City in the Mountains
2016
Money Magazine
#1 Number of Women Owned Businesses
2016
WalletHub
#1 “Best Place to Live”
2009
Outside magazine
#1 Friendliest City for Small Businesses
2014
Thumbtack.com
#1 Golf Resort in North America: The Broadmoor
2014
Golf magazine
#1 Most Romantic City in America
2014
Wall Street Journal
#1 Best Park in the U. S. – Garden of the Gods
2014
TripAdvisor
#1 Most Pet Friendly City
2007
Forbes
#2 Most Educated State
2016
24/7 Wall Street
#2 Greatest Public Place: Garden of the Gods
2011
American Planning Association
#2 Safest City
2012
InsuranceProviders.com
#2 Best City to Be a Tech Worker
2014
SmartAsset.com
#2 “Best Small Metro for Teleworking”
BestPlaces.net
#2 “Fittest City in America”
2009
Men’s Fitness Magazine
#2 Green Buildings per Capita
2012
US Green Building Council
#3 “Best City to Live in the U.S.”
2008
MSNBC.com
#4 “Best City for Work-Life Balance”
2021
Kisi
#4 Happiest State
2016
Gallup
#4 “Best Value City”
2011
Kiplinger
#4 “Fittest City”
2010
Gallup
#4 “Up and Coming City for Tech Talent”
CBRE
#5 Best State for Innovation & Economy
2016
WalletHub
#5 Best Zoo in the U.S.: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
2014
TripAdvisor
#5 “Best Place to Live”
2012
MoneyRates.com
#5 Best Place to Live
2016
U.S. News & World Report
#5 “Great Cities for Young Adults”
2011
Kiplinger
#5 “Best Cities to Live, Work, and Play”
2008
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
#5 “Great City for Young Adults”
Kiplinger
#6 “Best Cities for Veterans to Live”
2019
WalletHub.com
#6 Best Weekend Getaway
2012
U.S. News and World Report
#6 Best Big City for Active Families
2014
Outside Magazine
#6 Most Energy Star Schools
2012
Energy Star
#6 “Most Wired City”
2010
Forbes.com
#7 “No. 7 Housing Market”
Realtor.com
# 8 Healthiest State in the Nation
2011
United Health Foundation
# 8 “US City Where Residents Feel Safest”
2015
Gallup-Healthways
#8 “Best City to be a Driver”
2015
WalletHub
#9 Best Downtown
2016
Livability
#9 “America’s Best Midsize Metropolitan Areas”
2010
MSNBC
#9 “Cleanest Air”
2013
American Lung Association
#9 “Best City for Families”
2016
WalletHub
#9 “Best City to Find a Job”
WalletHub
#9 “Best City to Retire”
2015
Bankrate.com
#10 Best Place to Find a Job in Technology
2016
U.S. News & World Report
#10 “Best Place to Be a Woman”
2009
Women’s Health magazine
Top 10 – “Least Obese Metro Areas”
Fox News
Top 10 – “Great Cities for College Grads”
Kiplinger
Top 10 – “Best Big Cities for Active Families”
Outside Magazine
Top 10 – “Least Obese Metro Areas”
Fox News
Top 10 – “Great Cities for College Grads”
Kiplinger
#12 “Most Educated City”
2019
WalletHub
#12 Most Generous City in the US
2014
nerdwallet.com
#12 “Best Places for Business and Careers”
2010
Forbes.com
#13 Best City to Start a Business
2016
CNBC
#15 “Best Place to Raise a Family”
2011
Parenting Magazine
#15 “Best City for Families”
Partenting.com
#17 “Most Secure Places to Live”
Farmer Insurance Group
#18 “Friendliest Bike City in America”
2010
Bicycling magazine
#20 Best City in the Nation for Quality of Life
2014
NerdWallet
#27 “Most Literate City”
USA Today
Top 10 – “10 Best Places to Retire”
2013
CNN Money
Age Friendly City
2016
AARP
One of the 16 Best Places to Retire
2011
Forbes
National Winner “Cultural Diversity”
2010
National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials
A Great American Defense City
2016
The Association of Defense Committees
Tejon Street named the Great Street of 2020
Great Places Colorado, American Planning Association
Top 10 Beer Towns with a Biking Problem
2014
Singletracks.com
One of the top 35 Cities for People Under 35
2013
Vocativ.com
Lauren is host of the Idea Accelerator Podcast of Colorado Springs. Listen any time for great advice and tips on what to do in Colorado Springs, how to get involved, and how to succeed locally!