There are several nice places in Colorado, but I like Colorado Springs more than most and not just because I live there. Old Colorado Springs, which is a small part of town at the southwest corner of town, has some of the cultural gravity you seek, but the more modern part of the city is nice as well.
There's a ton of stuff to do outdoors within an hour that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else especially when you consider the diversity of activities. The air and water are some of the cleanest in the country, the lifestyle is healthier than anywhere else I've lived, and the population density is low by design. Where I live, there can't be more than one house per 5 acres. The crime rate is low, cost of living is probably average, and the number of high tech companies in the area is surprisingly high.
The COS airport is slowly becoming more popular. I fly out of there exclusively now unless the destination isn't serviced through that airport. DEN is about 60 miles away, which really isn't that bad, but it can be inconvenient at times. Colorado Springs is also conveniently located near several passes that lead into the heart of the Rockies, which makes places like Aspen, Keystone, etc. pretty easy to access (depending on weather...). The point is you get to avoid I-70, which is a parking lot 50% of the time. "Friends don't let friends take I-70."
There's a lot of land available here with no real constraints other than what the county enforces, but even that is hit or miss. I follow all of the rules because I'm an engineer and it's in my blood, but plenty of people don't. I built several outbuildings, retaining walls, and fences last year, all of which have completely transformed my property. I kept it all nature-like to preserve the country feel, but it's my own private compound fully equipped with a subterranean concrete bunker/doghouse.
You basically described my house, by the way. I'll post a few pictures when I get home to give you an idea of what it looks like from my point of view.
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