diff --git a/.changeset/strong-students-tie.md b/.changeset/strong-students-tie.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9ac0be8f761b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/strong-students-tie.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'create-astro': patch
+---
+
+Update "next steps" with more informative text on each CLI command. Oh, and gradients. A lot more gradients.
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/package.json b/packages/create-astro/package.json
index 5a1e2af99c53..de3c1a35b45c 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/package.json
+++ b/packages/create-astro/package.json
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@types/degit": "^2.8.3",
     "@types/prompts": "^2.0.14",
+    "chalk": "^5.0.1",
     "degit": "^2.8.4",
     "execa": "^6.1.0",
     "kleur": "^4.1.4",
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/gradient.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/gradient.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2d4c48d81858
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/gradient.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import chalk from 'chalk';
+import ora from 'ora';
+import type { Ora } from 'ora';
+
+const gradientColors = [
+	`#ff5e00`,
+	`#ff4c29`,
+	`#ff383f`,
+	`#ff2453`,
+	`#ff0565`,
+	`#ff007b`,
+	`#f5008b`,
+	`#e6149c`,
+	`#d629ae`,
+	`#c238bd`,
+];
+
+export const rocketAscii = '■■▶';
+
+// get a reference to scroll through while loading
+// visual representation of what this generates:
+// gradientColors: "..xxXX"
+// referenceGradient: "..xxXXXXxx....xxXX"
+const referenceGradient = [
+	...gradientColors,
+	// draw the reverse of the gradient without
+	// accidentally mutating the gradient (ugh, reverse())
+	...[...gradientColors].reverse(),
+	...gradientColors,
+];
+
+// async-friendly setTimeout
+const sleep = (time: number) =>
+	new Promise((resolve) => {
+		setTimeout(resolve, time);
+	});
+
+function getGradientAnimFrames() {
+	const frames = [];
+	for (let start = 0; start < gradientColors.length * 2; start++) {
+		const end = start + gradientColors.length - 1;
+		frames.push(
+			referenceGradient
+				.slice(start, end)
+				.map((g) => chalk.bgHex(g)(' '))
+				.join('')
+		);
+	}
+	return frames;
+}
+
+function getIntroAnimFrames() {
+	const frames = [];
+	for (let end = 1; end <= gradientColors.length; end++) {
+		const leadingSpacesArr = Array.from(
+			new Array(Math.abs(gradientColors.length - end - 1)),
+			() => ' '
+		);
+		const gradientArr = gradientColors.slice(0, end).map((g) => chalk.bgHex(g)(' '));
+		frames.push([...leadingSpacesArr, ...gradientArr].join(''));
+	}
+	return frames;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Generate loading spinner with rocket flames!
+ * @param text display text next to rocket
+ * @returns Ora spinner for running .stop()
+ */
+export async function loadWithRocketGradient(text: string): Promise<Ora> {
+	const frames = getIntroAnimFrames();
+	const intro = ora({
+		spinner: {
+			interval: 30,
+			frames,
+		},
+		text: `${rocketAscii} ${text}`,
+	});
+	intro.start();
+	await sleep((frames.length - 1) * intro.interval);
+	intro.stop();
+	const spinner = ora({
+		spinner: {
+			interval: 80,
+			frames: getGradientAnimFrames(),
+		},
+		text: `${rocketAscii} ${text}`,
+	}).start();
+
+	return spinner;
+}
diff --git a/packages/create-astro/src/index.ts b/packages/create-astro/src/index.ts
index dab8e7a3b9a4..0546bd7512e9 100644
--- a/packages/create-astro/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/create-astro/src/index.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import ora from 'ora';
 import { TEMPLATES } from './templates.js';
 import { logger, defaultLogLevel } from './logger.js';
 import { execa, execaCommand } from 'execa';
+import { loadWithRocketGradient, rocketAscii } from './gradient.js';
 
 // NOTE: In the v7.x version of npm, the default behavior of `npm init` was changed
 // to no longer require `--` to pass args and instead pass `--` directly to us. This
@@ -42,10 +43,6 @@ export async function main() {
 	logger.debug('Verbose logging turned on');
 	console.log(`\n${bold('Welcome to Astro!')} ${gray(`(create-astro v${version})`)}`);
 
-	let spinner = ora({ color: 'green', text: 'Prepare for liftoff.' });
-
-	spinner.succeed();
-
 	let cwd = args['_'][2] as string;
 
 	if (cwd && isEmpty(cwd)) {
@@ -95,6 +92,8 @@ export async function main() {
 		process.exit(1);
 	}
 
+	const templateSpinner = await loadWithRocketGradient('Copying project files...');
+
 	const hash = args.commit ? `#${args.commit}` : '';
 
 	const templateTarget = `withastro/astro/examples/${options.template}#latest`;
@@ -111,8 +110,6 @@ export async function main() {
 		verbose: defaultLogLevel === 'debug' ? true : false,
 	});
 
-	spinner = ora({ color: 'green', text: 'Copying project files...' }).start();
-
 	// Copy
 	if (!args.dryrun) {
 		try {
@@ -152,7 +149,7 @@ export async function main() {
 					)
 				);
 			}
-			spinner.fail();
+			templateSpinner.fail();
 			process.exit(1);
 		}
 
@@ -167,8 +164,8 @@ export async function main() {
 		);
 	}
 
-	spinner.succeed();
-	console.log(bold(green('✔') + ' Done!'));
+	templateSpinner.text = green('Template copied!');
+	templateSpinner.succeed();
 
 	const installResponse = await prompts({
 		type: 'confirm',
@@ -184,15 +181,18 @@ export async function main() {
 	if (installResponse.install && !args.dryrun) {
 		const installExec = execa(pkgManager, ['install'], { cwd });
 		const installingPackagesMsg = `Installing packages${emojiWithFallback(' 📦', '...')}`;
-		spinner = ora({ color: 'green', text: installingPackagesMsg }).start();
+		const installSpinner = await loadWithRocketGradient(installingPackagesMsg);
 		await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
 			installExec.stdout?.on('data', function (data) {
-				spinner.text = `${installingPackagesMsg}\n${bold(`[${pkgManager}]`)} ${data}`;
+				installSpinner.text = `${rocketAscii} ${installingPackagesMsg}\n${bold(
+					`[${pkgManager}]`
+				)} ${data}`;
 			});
 			installExec.on('error', (error) => reject(error));
 			installExec.on('close', () => resolve());
 		});
-		spinner.succeed();
+		installSpinner.text = green('Packages installed!');
+		installSpinner.succeed();
 	}
 
 	const astroAddCommand = installResponse.install
@@ -240,21 +240,22 @@ export async function main() {
 		await execaCommand('git init', { cwd });
 	}
 
+	ora({ text: green('Done. Ready for liftoff!') }).succeed();
 	console.log(`\n${bgCyan(black(' Next steps '))}\n`);
 
-	const relative = path.relative(process.cwd(), cwd);
-	const startCommand = [];
-	if (relative !== '') {
-		startCommand.push(bold(cyan(`cd ${relative}`)));
-	}
+	const projectDir = path.relative(process.cwd(), cwd);
+	const devCmd = pkgManager === 'npm' ? 'npm run dev' : `${pkgManager} dev`;
+
+	console.log(
+		`You can now ${bold(cyan('cd'))} into the ${bold(cyan(projectDir))} project directory.`
+	);
+	console.log(
+		`Run ${bold(cyan(devCmd))} to start the Astro dev server. ${bold(cyan('CTRL-C'))} to close.`
+	);
 	if (!installResponse.install) {
-		startCommand.push(bold(cyan(`${pkgManager} install`)));
+		console.log(yellow(`Remember to install dependencies first!`));
 	}
-	startCommand.push(bold(cyan(pkgManager === 'npm' ? 'npm run dev' : `${pkgManager} dev`)));
-	console.log(startCommand.join(' && '));
-
-	console.log(`\nTo close the dev server, hit ${bold(cyan('Ctrl-C'))}`);
-	console.log(`Stuck? Visit us at ${cyan('https://astro.build/chat')}\n`);
+	console.log(`\nStuck? Come join us at ${bold(cyan('https://astro.build/chat'))}`);
 }
 
 function emojiWithFallback(char: string, fallback: string) {
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 29b9251f04b6..be8f0175ef84 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -1256,6 +1256,7 @@ importers:
       '@types/yargs-parser': ^21.0.0
       astro-scripts: workspace:*
       chai: ^4.3.6
+      chalk: ^5.0.1
       degit: ^2.8.4
       execa: ^6.1.0
       kleur: ^4.1.4
@@ -1267,6 +1268,7 @@ importers:
     dependencies:
       '@types/degit': 2.8.3
       '@types/prompts': 2.0.14
+      chalk: 5.0.1
       degit: 2.8.4
       execa: 6.1.0
       kleur: 4.1.4