Briargate - Colorado Springs, CO

Beginning in 1995, the residential areas of Briargate and Pine Creek came under the direction of La Plata Communities, a master planning developer. Strict and uniform design guidelines were established to accent the natural mountainous and prairie feel of northeast Colorado Springs, resulting in a community with largely Craftsman, European Cottage and Spanish Electric architecture. Additional height restrictions on all buildings keep the mountain view intact.

Over time, Briargate became increasingly focused on activities that promoted recreation, worship and safe family living. The Promenade Shops at Briargate host various events, perhaps none as popular as the Annual Bark -- a free outdoor dog expo that features rescues, dog washes, local and natural pet foods, live entertainment and contests for man's best friend.

The Western Museum of Mining & Industry, a few miles north of Briargate proper, pays homage to the importance of Colorado's deep and rich mining history.

Being a master-planned community, Briargate's food scene tends to group into clusters along well-traveled thoroughfares. You'll never have to spend too much time navigating to find any kind of food, and once you arrive you'll have a wealth of options to pick from. Popular chain restaurants do tend to dominate the scene, but dig a little deeper and some local treasures can be found.

Duca's Neapolitan Pizza -- often referred to as "The Duke," the name given to its orange wood-burning oven -- presents designer pizzas and lots of buffalo chicken wings. The trademark 800-degree oven cooks your pizza in 90 seconds flat, meaning that you frequently sit down, order, and take your first bite all in a matter of minutes. Even though it's not on the menu, order a side of olive oil and garlic to really bring out the best of Duca's Italian flavors.

With locations in Castle Rock, Briargate, and Highlands Ranch, Crave Real Burgers -- or simply "Crave" -- puts an insane twist on Colorado's burger scene. Crave needs to be experienced to be believed, but suffice it to say that no idea is off limits. Want a bacon cheeseburger slapped in between two grilled cheese sandwiches? Order the Fatty Melt. Or, try the Nutty Professor, a combination of peanut butter, bacon, jalapenos, and onion. The Cubano pits ham, chorizo sausage, breaded pork, a hot dog, egg, avocado, and cheese into one monstrous flavor combination. For a little adult kick, leave room for a Mudslide shake: vanilla ice cream, Irish cream, vodka, coffee, and brownie.

You don't have to love Thai food to enjoy Chaang Thai on Academy Boulevard. The small, classy interior provides a pleasant atmosphere for a quick and enjoyable meal. Try the Pineapple or Panang Curry, the Pad Thai, the Pineapple Fried Rice, of the Pad Ka Tiem. For dessert, try the Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango.

Briargate lacks the rambunctious nightlife of downtown Colorado Springs, although the city center can be reached in 15-20 minutes via I-25. Those looking for an after-hours drink with a southwest twist can head to the Margarita at Pine Creek, where local bands play on the outdoor patio and four-course family meals come at $42. For the best Margarita experience, though, head to the downstairs lounge for an entirely different menu, live music, and a bar.

Briargate's nearly 10,000 acres fill with wide roads and only moderate levels of traffic even during peak hours, making it both essential and easy to transport by private car. More than 10 percent of the area's workforce carpools, while the majority drive private cars. In fact, less than two percent of workers take public transportation in Briargate.

Private taxi-like services such as Uber do not yet have a presence in northeast Colorado Springs. While there are cabs that can be called, taxis tend to be infrequent as well. The characteristic open spaces within Briargate make parking relatively seamless along city streets and residential areas for those looking for public parking.

I-25 runs the length of Briargate. Head southbound to get to downtown Colorado Springs or farther toward Pueblo, and head north for the Air Force Academy entrance, Castle Rock and Denver.

Briargate finds itself looking at forest to the north, mountain to the west and open Colorado plains to the east. An athletic population takes great advantage of these natural amenities, but classic suburban parks still dot this vast neighborhood.

Cottonwood Creek Park, a free public park perfect for children and recreational sports, comes fully equipped with multiple soccer fields, a playground, sledding hill, enclosed hockey rink, baseball diamond, tennis and basketball courts -- safe, open and very family-friendly.

Dog owners and cyclists might feel more comfortable at nearby Pulpit Rock Park, an open, green and incredibly scenic series of trails with majestic views of the Rockies. Random rock formations make for excellent hiking and climbing challenges, but this park may best serve as a chance to enjoy clean mountain air just far enough away from the community noise and clutter to feel like an outdoor retreat.

Briargates residential streets stretch over an enormous chunk of land, leaving lots of room for affordable and spacious homes. Prices continue to rise as it loses its "cookie-cutter" reputation and more families move in to benefit from the Air Academy School District. One-bedroom apartments can be found for $850 and up.

Gas prices typically range between 4-5 percent below national averages, which proves useful considering the lack of public transportation services running to, from or through the neighborhood. Beer enthusiasts will be happy to know that a pint costs almost 8 percent less than average in Briargate, averaging under $8.

Briargate has two major shopping centers in the neighborhood and several others only a few miles away. The Promenade at Briargate, a sprawling and attractive outdoor shopping mall full of upscale restaurants and retailers, is a popular destination. This open-air, pet-friendly shopping mall contains stores like Apple, LOFT, Banana Republic, J. Crew, Brighton, and Sephora.

The Chapel Hills Mall, considered a "super-regional" shopping mall with 1.2 million square feet of retail space, is anchored by Macy's, Dillard's, and Sears. Shops include Lids, Buckle, PacSun, H&M, GNC, and Famous Footwear.

If you move to Colorado Springs and find yourself in need of formal wear, Something New Boutique provides everything from wedding gowns and prom dresses to tuxedos and accessories.

Grocery shoppers have their pick of every major nationwide grocer, from Sprouts Farmers Market to Costco in Briargate. For something a little different, visit Briar Mart International Market and Cafe, a fantastic Mediterranean grocer. The market carries hard-to-find products -- and you can enjoy a gyro before you shop.