1. In Pueblo, You Don’t Pick Apples Or Blueberries—You Pick Chiles
The city is renowned for its abundance of hot and spicy foods. Some places, like Panteleo Farms and Disanti Farms, will roast them for you right on the spot leading to an incredible flavor and an unforgettable smell.
2. You’ll Need A Good Pair Of Shades
Think you have to fly to the tropics to get beautiful sunny weather year round? Well, think again. Pueblo happens to be one of the sunniest places in the country, even more so than popular beach destinations like San Diego, Miami and Honolulu. 76% of the days you spend there will be sunny, so if you’re hoping to soak up some hot rays, you need look no further.
3. The State Fair Is The Event Of The Year
Pueblo has the lucky honor of hosting the largest single event in the entire state: the Colorado State Fair & Rodeo. This annual tradition has been taking place since 1872 and is still going strong. Each August, locals and visitors alike stop on by to enjoy attractions like carnival rides, kid’s activities, music concerts and rodeo events. It’s sheer Pueblo fun at its finest.
4. No One Does Burgers Better Than Bingo Burger
Bingo Burger is the only place to go if you’re craving a hot and juicy burger while in Pueblo. Not only is their food absolutely delicious but they pride themselves on using fresh local products, like potatoes from San Luis Valley and grass-fed Colorado beef. You really have no excuse not to stop in for a bite, just make sure to pair your burger and fries with one of their Colorado craft beers or tasty milkshakes.
5. You Don’t Need An Ocean To Shred Some Waves
The Arkansas River runs right through Pueblo, providing residents with plenty of recreational activities, like fishing, kayaking, watering skiing and surfing. Wait, what? Yes, you read that right, surfing.
The river sport has taken off in popularity in Pueblo in recent years. People have been trying their hand at body boarding and surfing on the river, even landing the city the title of “surfing capital of Colorado.” Who knew you could rip such waves in Pueblo?
6. Pueblo Breed Heroes Like No Other
Pueblo is hometown to four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients: William J. Crawford (Army, WWII); Carl L. Sitter (Marines, Korea); Raymond G. “Jerry” Murphy (Marines, Korea); and Drew D. Dix (Army, Vietnam). The medal is the highest military award that can be bestowed upon any member of the United States Armed forces and, with stats like that, it’s no wonder that the city has some serious military pride.
7. Get Your Music Fix At Bands In The Backyard
For some great music in Pueblo, the Bands in the Backyard music fest is hard to beat. The annual summer music festival features plenty of great bands and people often turn it into a big several day long event, camping nearby or tailgating outside with friends. If you’re a music lover, it’s one date that must be marked on your calendar each year.
8. When It Comes To Green Chile, Pueblo Is King
What’s their secret? Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt that they have plenty of green chiles growing in the region, giving them ample opportunity to use fresh local ingredients to produce some of the tastiest green chile you’ll ever find.
9. Cinco De Mayo Is Best At Minnequa Park
In Pueblo, everyone goes all out on Cinco de Mayo. There are plenty of fun events going on around the city, but one spot that’s always packed is Minnequa Park. Hundreds of locals gather each year to celebrate together and get into the festivities.
10. Pueblo Takes High School Football To The Extreme
The longest going rivalry in Pueblo occurs between an unexpected age group: high schoolers. But don’t let their youth fool you—the football rivalry between Central High School and Centennial High School is the biggest and baddest in the city, even touting itself as the oldest football rivalry west of the Mississippi river.
The two teams have been playing each other since 1892 and fans still get riled up for the Bell Game when both schools face off. 12,000 fans show up and many others watch the broadcast at home on their televisions, but they all don their favorite team’s colors of red or blue.
11. Watch The Sun Go Down At Liberty Point
Liberty point is one of the most breathtaking spots in all of Pueblo. You have to stop by at least once to take in the striking views of Pueblo Reservoir, Greenhorn Mountain and the Wet Mountain Range. If you’re lucky, you might even spot an antelope or large bird of prey.
12. Hankering For A Great Beer? Shamrock Brewing Co. Has Got You Covered
Shamrock Brewing Co, with their fresh craft brewed beer, is one of the best places in Pueblo to stop for a drink. The have some fantastic beers, all brewed in house, but influenced from all around the world. They also have specials and events going on every day of the week, like poker games on Tuesdays and all you can eat Fish and Chips on Wednesdays.
13. It’s Easy To Become A River Fanatic
Puebloans love the paved Riverwalk trail system that runs right along the Arkansas River. It’s a fantastic location to visit with plenty to see and do, like jog or bike along the paths, take a look at the interactive fountains or ride a boat down the river. The spot hosts events from time to time as well, like the Rollin on the Riverwalk, a 4th of July celebration. It’s no wonder that Puebloans are so drawn to the spot!
14. Don’t Worry—It’s A Dry Heat
Let’s get down to it—Pueblo has some pretty hot weather. It sits in a desert area with a hot and dry semi-arid climate, making for some sweltering summers. The city also happens to get less snow than other parts of the state, making it a sure pick if you’re looking for a warm part of Colorado.
15. When It Comes To Theatre, Pueblo's A Triple Threat
That's right. There are three, count 'em, three great theaters in Pueblo: Damon Runyon, Impossible Players and Steel City. They provide fantastic entertainment in plenty of genres, from musicals to comedies.
16. You Can Take It To The Mountains
The city of Pueblo seems to call to mountain bikers from all around. One of the state’s mountain biking hot spots, Lake Pueblo State Park is the best place to go when you want to bike in the city. Since Pueblo gets less snow than other parts of Colorado, it’s also one of the only dry places around to ride in the winter months, attracting visitors from all around.
17. Solar Roast Coffee Is So Good, You’ll Feel Like A Ball Of Sunshine
One of Pueblo’s most popular spots for a cup of joe is Solar Roast Coffee. They provide residents with a tasty way to get their daily caffeine fix in a rather unique way—they roast all their beans with solar power. They’ve been using this technique for over a decade now, and it produces beans that are very rich and flavorful. But don’t just take my word for it—go try it yourself!
18. It’s Easy To Spend Time On Union Avenue
Spanning from the Union Depot (an old railway station) to the Riverwalk, the historic district of Union Avenue is a great place to spend your day while in Pueblo. While the area used to be a red light district, today it provides people with great local shopping and galleries.
19. Nothing Says Pueblo Like The Chile and Frijoles Festival
Each year the city of Pueblo throws a huge festival for what they know best—chiles. The annual Loaf N’ Jug Chiles and Frijoles Festival takes place in the fall, celebrating the Mira Sol chile while helping to promote local agriculture.
It’s a huge deal for locals, with over 130,000 people showing up to enjoy attractions like the live entertainment, chile roasting, jalapeno eating contest and street vendors. And that’s not even the best part–it’s a total steal with tickets at only $2 each!
20. Pueblo Has One Gold-Digging, Cowpoke-Filled History
While the past floods of the city may have wrecked a bit of havoc in Pueblo at the time, the city used to be one of the most populous and prosperous place in all of Colorado. This was especially true during its mining town days, when the city attracted cowboys and gold seekers from all around.
While today the area is much more modern and the gold boom is a thing of the past, you can still find plenty of horse farms and equestrian centers for people to honor their cowboy roots.
21. You Need To At Least Like (If Not Love) Mexican Food
Mexican and southwestern restaurants are littered all throughout the Pueblo area, a serious testament to how much locals love the cuisine. There’s plenty of fantastic restaurants to go around, like Jorge’s Sombrero Restaurant & Lounge and Mill Stop Café, where the burritos are hot and the margaritas don’t stop coming.
22. You Can’t Not Get Excited For The Holidays After Watching The Parade Of Lights
To really get in the holiday spirit while in Pueblo, you have to visit the Parade of Lights. This annual event takes place around the end of the November, a perfect opportunity to get you into the Christmas festivities. It’s one of the town’s favorite parts of the year, and plenty of people show up to watch as marching bands play and floats, donned in holiday décor and plenty of sparkling bright lights, pass by.
23. The Nature & Raptor Center Of Pueblo Is Conservancy At Its Best
The Nature & Raptor Center of Pueblo is located one mile out of the city in gorgeous Rock Canyon. The center acts as a rehabilitation center for birds while providing plenty of educational programs and activities, like summer camps, “birdathons” and canyon adventures to see condors.
24. Loving Pueblo Don’t Cost A Thing
Given all the great things that Pueblo has to offer, it’s surprising that the city has an incredibly low cost of living. Those that reside there get to enjoy affordable housing costs because Pueblo has one of the least expensive residential real estate markets in the state. It’s easy to enjoy Colorado at those prices.
25. You’ll Think You’ve Died And Gone To Heaven After Trying The Treats At Hopscotch Bakery
Everyone in Pueblo knows about Mary and the sinfully delicious sweets at her bake shop, Hopscotch Bakery. Located in the city’s historic district, the shop provides a wide variety of majorly addicting treats to Puebloans. I’m sure plenty of locals’ dreams dance with images of the bakery’s heavenly raspberry croissants, sugar cookies and chocolate pudding tarts—they're just that good.
26. The Pueblo Symphony Will Have You Begging For An Encore
While Pueblo has plenty of great music to go around, one of the best places to enjoy masterpieces for the ear is at a Pueblo Symphony Orchestra concert. They’ve been around since 1928, providing over 80 years of spectacular music to the city. Even if symphonies aren’t your thing, you can’t deny that this Orchestra is full of pure Pueblo talent.
27. Boats, Bands And BBQ—Need I Say More?
Located on the ever-popular Riverwalk, Boats, Bands and BBQ is an annual summer event with plenty to offer as the name suggests: boating activities, music and good food. Some definite favorites are the brew fest, BBQ competition, hot wing eating contest and great lineup of live entertainment. When in the area, you can’t not attend this fantastic celebration of all things summer.
28. Pueblo’s Rightfully Earned Its Nickname
Pueblo is called “Steel City” for a reason—it's one of the largest steel producing cities in the nation. It’s currently a huge industry, also making up a considerable part of the city’s history. Even many outside of Pueblo know it simply because of this claim to fame, and now you’re in the loop too.
29. You’ll Want To Spend Hours At The Children’s Museum—Kid Or Not
Pueblo’s Buell Museum isn’t just the best museum in Pueblo (earning the title for the past two years), it’s also one of the top ranked children’s museums in the entire country. It provides hours of entertainment for all who visit, with its large two-story building and wide variety of hands on exhibits. Don’t think you have to bring a child to stop on by either—it's fun for all ages!
30. You Won’t Have To Look Hard To Find A Cool Spot
Self-proclaimed as the “coolest place in town,” Pueblo Ice Arena is a fantastic spot to beat the summer city heat. They have lots of activities going on all the time for all ages, like free rink ice skating and lessons, hockey games and special events. They even have a Friday Night Laser Light Skate when they light the rink up with colorful LED lights and play booming music for hours.
What do you love about living in Pueblo? Tell us in the comments below! 
