Colorado Springs Ranked #13 on New York Times’ Prestigious “52 Places” List
City is third after Washington, D.C. and Paso Robles, Calif. among seven included U.S. Cities
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Amy Long
Chief Innovation Officer
Amy@VisitCOS.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Adding to an ever-increasing list of “best of” honors, Colorado Springs, Olympic City USA, has been ranked #13 on the New York Times’ prestigious “52 Places to Visit in 2020” list. Colorado Springs follows list-topping Washington, D.C. and sixth-ranked Paso Robles, Calif. as the third-highest-ranked U.S. “place” among the seven included. Other U.S. destinations making list are Grand Isle. La. (#19), Austin, Tx. (#27), Richmond, Va. (#39) and Glacier National Park / Whitefish, Montana (#52).
According to the write-up, Colorado Springs earned its spot on the list due to its “alpine” proximity, the transformative impending opening of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, soon-to-come zero-energy Pikes Peak Summit Complex and its fast-blossoming culinary scene.
“It is very exciting to see our City consistently recognized as the culturally rich, relevant and scenic destination that we know and love,” said Mayor John Suthers. “But to earn this sort of honor on an international list, and especially on one that takes into account where our city is in this particular moment in time, is incredibly gratifying and speaks to the momentum that Colorado Springs is enjoying in 2020.”
The Times’ 52 Places list is a result of a polling of its own Travel desk, which answered the question, “Where would you go if you could go anywhere?” The initial poll was then presented to Times’ contributors, correspondents and travel professionals. Beyond evergreen beauty and culture, the Times says inclusion on the list is timely. “ It is not enough for a place to be beautiful, amazing and culturally significant. It also has to answer the question, why now? Why this place, this year?”
“The Times article got it right when it said, ‘The new Olympic [& Paralympic] museum is only one draw’ but what a draw it will be in 2020 and for decades to come,” said Doug Price, president of Visit COS. “The venue will be one of the world’s most accessible museums and is the first City for Champions project to be completed. It’s a great reason to come to Colorado Springs for the first time or to come back again, whether it’s for a leisure trip, a business meeting or a sporting event like the February 15 professional NHL game at the U.S. Air Force Academy. With our long list of attractions and endless opportunity for outdoor adventure on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, in Garden of the Gods Park and on the Arkansas River, there is so much to see and experience in Olympic City USA.”
“The New York Times’ annual ‘52 Places to Go’ is the pinnacle of travel lists; the crème de la crème, if you will. This coverage not only encourages tourism, an important economic driver of our region, but also puts us on the radar of potential talent and businesses,” said Dirk Draper, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. “Think of all the times we’ve heard people saying they moved here because of previously visiting. Being named one of their top global spots to visit this year benefits our business community as a whole.”
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