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Colorado Springs, CO: Fly & Drive -- Purple Mountain Majesty
Leave your designer duds at home, and saddle up to the casual vibe of a real Rocky Mountain town where Air Force meets "O beautiful for spacious skies."

Most "bang" for your buck: Mosey on over to the Flying W Ranch for a chuckwagon supper capped off with cowboy songs and an old-Western-style shootout (fake pistols, of course) with audience participation. This working cattle ranch is a good place to bring the family. Hint: Arrive early if you want to explore the town.

Get out of Dodge: Take the old Western train through Royal Gorge for wine tasting while savoring mountain and forest vistas. Or, head to the town of Manitou Springs to explore the sandstone formations within Garden of the Gods or go spelunking in an ancient cave. From Manatee Springs, it's not too much further to reach the casinos of Cripple Creek.

Chill out spots: After seeing the unique animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, drive up the little road to the Shrine of the Sun, where you'll get a spectacular view of the city. Then, head for the good life at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort lake beach or golf course.

The real deal: Lovers of the great outdoors rejoice in frequent Bambi sightings, fly-fishing rivers stocked to the gills with rainbow and brown trout (you can just pick up your fishing license at most convenience stores), mountain bike trails filled with twists and turns, and up to Class-5 whitewater rapids.

Did we mention it's free? Visitors to the Air Force Academy will be flying high after exploring the museum, marveling at the aluminum spires of the Cadet Chapel, checking out the B-52 bomber display, chatting with students in the Field House, and heading to the overlook to watch cadets marching, planes flying, and parachutes sailing the wind.

Good to know: Those antennas on the top of Cheyenne Mountain have to do with NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). The President's hideaway in case of emergency is located in the government command center set way deep down inside the mountain itself. A popular local pastime is to speculate on where the door to this secret lair lies.