Stratmoor Hills - Colorado Springs, CO

A gold discovery in 1859 brought thousands of hopeful miners to the area, resulting in camps strewn about the Colorado Springs area, then known as El Dorado City. This settlement later became Colorado City, which today remains a historical reference point among city residents. In 1871, the first narrow-gauge railroad, the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, debuted in the area. This addition forever changed transportation and freight options throughout the Rocky Mountain area.

The area abounds with museums, from military history to world figure skating. If you love money — and who doesn't? — be sure to visit the Money Museum on Cascade, where kids get to pick a coin to take home. Take your entire family to view a coin-minting machine at work. History buffs love the Colorado Pioneers Museum due to its rich documentation of the area's history.

Several chain restaurants such as Chili's, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Panda Express dot the Stratmoor Hills area, although many unique restaurants lie centrally located along Route 87 and parallel to I-25 and Route 115.

Stratmoor Hills takes pride in its small German-descent population, so it comes as no surprise Uwe's German Restaurant attracts many patrons. Sink your teeth into home-style German delights such as bratwurst basted in creamy mushroom sauce and served with sauerkraut and fried potatoes. Order up Hungarian goulash for a change of pace, or enjoy a traditional beef roulade stuffed with red cabbage served with a side of Bavarian potato dumplings. Wash it all down with a hearty German beer.

If you want to hang out in a sports bar where "everyone knows your name" (even if it's not Norm), the Time Out Sports Lounge & Deli on Drennan Road just off S. Academy presents a home-away-from-home atmosphere with more than just big-screen televisions scattered throughout the establishment. Enjoy the pool table area anytime, and mark your calendar for special event nights such as a Texas Hold 'Em tournament, Geeks Who Drink and live bands on the weekends. Time Out Sports became the first sports bar in Colorado Springs in 1993, and its two dynamic owners continue to meet your every need. Be sure to try the fried Spam sandwich in addition to other bar favorites, such as smothered burritos, calzones and pizza.

For a great stress-relieving, inexpensive night out, visit Loonees Comedy Corner on N. Academy, whose tagline is "cheaper than therapy." Previous visiting comedians include Steve McGrew, Todd Johnson and Dustin Diamond, also known as nerdy Samuel "Screech" Powers on the television show "Saved by the Bell". If these talents can't make you laugh, the menu surely will. Take a bite out of the Tonya Harding club sandwich or the Miss Piggy, a hot ham and Swiss treat.

Numerous transportation options abound throughout the area, including scheduled bus service with transit to points throughout the city and a complementary paratransit on-demand service for those with disabilities. The city encourages carpooling, school-pooling and bicycles to reduce congestion and pollution. Residents in Stratmoor Hills tend to drive to work independently, with easy access to east-west Highway 24 and north-south I-25. Numerous taxi services provide reliable options as does Uber. With foresight, the city planners established bike routes and safe bike lanes with reduced-speed warnings for drivers.

Nine neighborhood parks in the Stratmoor Hills area provide picnic shelters, playgrounds, baseball and soccer fields, and tennis courts. Maintained by the city, these kid- and dog-friendly parks allow residents to enjoy the great outdoors with the entire family.

If you love the outdoors and fantastic views, revel in the amazing views throughout the area afforded by hiking trails, including the Columbine Trail and the Garden of the Gods Park Nature Center. Palmer Park not only has hiking terrain for every age, but also a dog park, horse stable, riding trails and picnic areas. Recreation areas scattered up and down the Colorado Springs corridor and as far west into the front range as 40 miles ensure you never lack for something fun and interesting to do in Stratmoor Hills.

The cost of living in Stratmoor Hills sits approximately 9 percent lower than the city average, but it also has a lower-than-average median income. One-bedroom rentals in the community average $800, a 12 percent lower rate than elsewhere in the area. Twenty public transportation contact points provide commuters affordable unlimited 31-day passes to access work- and entertainment-related venues, with liquid refreshments at neighborhood restaurants and bars ranging between $3 and $6. Gas prices are slightly more than 1 percent lower than the national average.

Colorado Springs features many shopping venues, including the Chapel Hills Mall, with anchor stores such as Macy's, Dillards, JC Penney, and a theater complex featuring one of America's largest movie screens. For an outdoor experience, try the open-air Cheyenne Mountain mall with over 40 stores and restaurants, an ice arena and movie theater.

For the artistically minded, visit the Commonwheel Artists Co-Op for handmade pottery, photography, jewelry and sculpture. Indulge your chocolate fantasy at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, where you can choose from over 300 varieties of handmade candies and confections.

Safeway is the closest grocery store to Stratmoor Hills, but numerous choices are within a short drive, including Costco.