Manitou Springs, CO

This place is super small, but it's popular since it's the base of Pikes Peak. Everyone who wants to drive up the mountain or take the Cog Railway has to go through Manitou Springs. However, it's not such a bad thing. With it's quite, small town feel, it is actually relaxing to take a stroll down their main road. There are plenty of options for food, shopping, and even some entertainment. The city has a really interesting part of it that has a congregation of arcade games, some of which I haven't seen since I was a little boy.  The one thing I will never forget about Manitou Springs is that I was there when the Waldo Canyon Fire started in 2012. The fire was devastating to the surrounding areas, and Manitou was eventually evacuated later that day for safety concerns.