Rustic Hills - Colorado Springs, CO

With the influx of military facilities in the Colorado Springs area, including Fort Carson, the Air Force Academy, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and two additional Air Force bases, expansion became necessary in the 1960s and '70s, and Rustic Hills was born.

Colorado Springs hosts numerous museums, including the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum and the Money Museum, but close to Rustic Hills sits the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy. Opened in 1979, the hall of fame honors male and female champions in areas including bull riding, bronco busting, roping and rodeo clowns. The museum follows the progression of equipment, such as saddles, chaps and hats, used for competition over the ages. Annual events include the Cripple Creek ice sculpture festival, Big Horn Sheep Day and Manitou's Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cook-Off.

Whether you're hot to trot or looking for a more sedate dining or nighttime spot, you'll find what you're looking for in Rustic Hills.

Tucanos Brazilian Grill touts the tagline, "teach your taste buds to samba," and backs it up with flavorful meat and vegetables skewered and grilled to perfection on an open flame and sliced at your table. For vegetarians, a salad festival holds such delights as hearts of palm, quail eggs and fresh fruits.

Tex-Mex cuisine retains its popularity throughout Colorado, so for a quick-fix, head over to Monica's Taco Shop for tacos, breakfast burritos, refried beans and nachos. Fresh, well-seasoned food plated up with a dash of friendly service and unassuming surroundings make Monica's Taco Shop a great stop for those on the go, as well as an ideal place for families.

Bus service winds its way through the neighborhood thanks to careful planning by the city and its desire to promote easy-to-find, accessible transportation for its citizens. A metro transit system carries residents to outlying points throughout the area. The city offers an on-demand, no-cost paratransit system for those unable to use fixed-bus transportation. Monthly bus and transit passes feature affordable transportation to regular riders, and metro taxis and Uber further extend transportation options.

U.S. 24 grants easy access to Interstate 25 and other north-south routes in the city. Affordable public parking thrives with prices ranging from $6 to $10 per day and monthly space rentals available. The city maintains more than 2,400 parking meters.

Within Rustic Hills, sidewalks provide safe lanes for foot traffic, although a vehicle or public transportation is generally needed to reach shopping centers and grocery stores. Most streets in the area sport designated biking lanes and bike-specific warning signs for drivers.

Rustic Hills is home to two neighborhood parks. Heathercrest features a horseshoe pit, tennis courts, picnic areas and a playground. Parking and paths are ADA compliant for individuals with special needs. Patrick Henry Park features a basketball court and soccer field, along with picnic areas and a playground. The parks are dog-friendly when following local leash laws.

Palmer Park, located on Maizeland Road, features acres of hiking, biking and running trails with spectacular view of the city, the Rocky Mountain Front Range, Pikes Peak and Devil's Head. The fenced-in playground features crushed rubber padding to protect the kids, and the park sports a dog park.

Memorial Park, centrally located within the city, hosts an annual balloon festival, free community firework shows and competitive in-line skating, BMX and skateboard competitions at the designated destination state park.

The cost of living in Rustic Hills equals that of Colorado Springs. A standard one-day bus pass costs less than $2, an all-day unlimited pass is $4 and a 31-day pass costs approximately $60. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment comes in at $862, higher than that of nearby communities like Cimarron Hills. Draft beers average $3 at local bars, with microbrew and specialty beers priced between $5.00 to $6.50, depending on the establishment. Gas prices in Rustic Hills hover right around the national average.

Rustic Hills touts two nearby shopping areas, Chapel Hills Mall and the Citadel, with anchor stores like JC Penney's, Kohl's, Bath and Body Works, and Dillards. One of the first of its kind in the neighborhood, Rustic Hills Shopping Center thrived in the early 1960s, during the growth of the Rustic Hills community, but in recent years many of its empty stores have been repurposed for event centers or senior housing.

For a fun family day, visit the Alpaca Mall and shop for all things alpaca, including clothing, yarn, toys and accessories like snuggly headbands, perfect for those days in the nearby skiing areas. They are open most weekends.

If you love antique shopping or just hope to find that special, unexpected something, a trip to the 65,000-square-foot American Classics Marketplace, with more than 300 vendors parading their wares — beckons with beguiling charm. The largest of its kind in Colorado, the mall reaches a wide audience.

Grocery and specialty shops include Sprouts Farmers Market, Safeway, Whole Foods, Walmart, Costco, and the Asian Pacific Market. A few miles to the north, in Monument, visit the Palmer Lake Farmers Market from July to October for fresh local and regional, chemical-free, non-GMO produce.