Last week, I introduced readers to Garden of the Gods, including the resort next to the park as well as Glen Eyrie Castle whose property is entangled within Red Rocks. I highly suggest visiting Garden of the Gods, but an easy 45 minute drive through is all that is needed to see the best the park has to offer. Squeeze in a trip to visit Garden of the Gods any time that you have some extra time or need a filler activity between timed entrances, especially on the first 2 days of this itinerary, for proximity purposes.
The history of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region began with the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes meeting in what is now known as Garden of the Gods. Civil War General William Jackson Palmer started the tourism industry in the area, calling it “Little London” and later opened the Antler’s Hotel, the area’s first resort. Palmer founded the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad after the hotel and helped develop Colorado Springs into one of the most-visited locations in the west. Today, Colorado Springs is the state’s second largest city with a rich history of trains, olympians and the military. Colorado Spring is located about 90 minutes south of Denver with an international airport. However, Springs has their own airport as well with easy access to the Pikes Peak Region on the front range. The geographic regions of Colorado Springs include:
- Manitou Springs
- Old Colorado City
- Downtown Colorado Springs
- Pikes Pike
- Cripple Creek (West of Colorado Springs)
- Royal Gorge Region & Canon City (Southwest of Colorado Springs)
- Woodland Park & Divide
Accommodations
There are a few ways to choose a hotel in the Colorado Springs area, either book a standard Hyatt, Hilton & Holiday Inn of your preference and budget for your specific dates. Get your points, but know that you won’t spend much time outside of sleeping and breakfast. If you have children, you might want to consider a night or two at the Great Wolf Lodge. This family friendly resort is a camping themed hotel, indoor water park and hosts kid friendly activities all day, everyday. The waterpark is the highlight, you will spend a whole day or two in just the waterpark, so don’t plan to see much of Colorado Springs while staying here. The waterpark is pretty great, with areas for all ages and stages, quick service food and even a bar area for adults! Alternatively, there are some wonderful resorts in the Colorado Springs area, but come with a price tag to match, such as:
- The Antlers
- The Cliff House at Pikes Peak
- Broadmoor Resort
- Glen Eyrie Castle
- Cheyenne Mountain Resort
- Lodge at Flying Horse
- The Mining Exchange
- Garden of the Gods Club & Resort
Itinerary: Day 1
Many of the attractions that most tourists seek out are in the northern area of Colorado Springs, so really the first two days could be mixed & matched to create an individualized itinerary or work around any attractions that are closed in the winter months. Check websites to see specific hours, off season sometimes ends after Labor Day even though the weather is still beautiful and the days are long.
U.S Air Force Academy– Both my grandfather and Uncle served in the Air Force and I was raised with that pride of country and have seen the Blue Angels at Air Shows more times than I can count. I noticed the Air Force Academy on our first drive down to Springs, it is easy to spot in the North of the city with its huge stadium sign and mountainous background. Even if you don’t have time to get on base for a proper visit, check out the plane pull-off area right of highway 25 heading south. This turn off has no facilities, but is a great viewing area for academy students going up in groups of 6-8 airplanes and parachuting out. It is fun to watch the parachutes open and gracefully glide to the ground. You can also learn about the history of Colorado Spring and the Air Force cadet program.
If you decide to go on base, check out the U.S. Air Force Academy website to learn about documentation needed to get on base before you arrive. There is a visitors center near Arnold Hall, the cadet chapel and cadet area where most visitors spend their time. Inside Arnold Hall is a cafeteria style eating area open to the public for everything from coffee, grab & go and meals. On Mon, Wed & Fri at 11:45 you can observe the Cadet Noon Meal formation which is said to be an impressive sight. There is an additional Grill restaurant near the Eisenhower Golf Course which can also be played with gorgeous views. Go for a scenic mountain hike or download the free self tour to see hot spots including the planetarium, B-52 display, Thunderbird Overlook, Falcon Stadium, the majestic pegasus statue outside of Doolittle Hall and more. The self guided tour will take 2-3 hours itself, plus time for stops.
Western Museum of Mining & Industry is where mining history is brought to life at the “Museum that Works” with artifacts and machines. Guided tours are available at 10:00 am & 1:00 pm daily. Experience the power of the steam engines, explore the dangers miners experienced in the model mine drift. Pan for gold and take home what you find or shop for jewelry, gems and geodes in the Rock N’ Gift Shop. The museum supports educational understanding of the American West’s mining heritage.
Downtown Manitou Springs is only 6 miles west of Colorado Springs and at the base of Pikes Peak Mountain. Historic Manitou is a cute, artistic town with a creek that runs through it and galleries, restaurants, boutique stores, candy and ice cream shops dotted along the main street. Free concerts play in Soda Springs Park, creative festivals and markets line the streets and Schryver Park provides a shady place to fish for kids or adults. A word of caution, the Penny Arcade is not all it is cracked up to be, and felt like a downright lie. I consulted the website before going, and followed their instructions to bring pennies as well as nickels and dimes for the different vintage arcade games. My daughter and I cleared out her piggy bank, leaving the quarters behind and headed down on Labor Day Weekend. The first problem was, it was really crowded with the holiday and an artist festival going on, so there were people everywhere. If you are there on a random day and especially during the week, it is not crowded and I am sure the experience would’ve been better. However, there were few games that actually took a penny and few took nickels and dimes too. Just one of the many storefronts that make up the arcade. Most games took 2 or 4 quarters and these were for vintage games! We left after a few games and I will be hard pressed to come back, so if you are drawn in by the nostalgic ads, don’t be fooled!
Manitou has a zipline at the base of Pikes Peak that offers tours that are led by local adventure experts from the Adventures Out West company. If you are up for a real challenge, try climbing the Manitou Incline with over 2,000 vertical feet in less than a mile with a steep 68% grade. The steps range in size and height so it is easy to trip if you get a little too confident. Every year, on September 11th firefighters come from around the world to climb the 2,700 steps in memory of their fallen firefighters. The climb takes over two hours to complete, with all 60 lbs of their gear on, but it brings new meaning to the motto of, “Never leave a firefighter behind.”
Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings are a privately owned tourist attraction with a replica of the Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings and interpretive exhibits. The 40 room site was originally located near McElmo Canyon, near Mesa Verse where you can still see cliff dwellings on their original site. Over 3 years, pieces were collected and moved to Dolores, Colorado before being shipped by railroad to Colorado Springs. They were brought to Cliff Canyon by wagon and reassembled in exact dimension and sealed with a concrete mortar to preserve the attraction for years to come. Walk through the architecture of the ancient cliff dwellers and explore two museums of cultural displays that date back 800 to 1,000 years old. The original Cliff Dwellings can still be seen in Mesa Verde National Park, approximately 7 hours drive from Colorado Springs out to Southwestern Colorado.
Miramont Castle Museum & Queen’s Parlour Tea Room is a 1895 chateau that can be toured with historical artifacts and a tea room. Owned by the Manitou Springs Historical Society, the castle museum has displays of local history including vintage artifacts, firefighter and war memorabilia. This hidden gem is a Victorian home with 14,000 square feet, 4 floors and 30 rooms to explore. Tea requires reservations by phone or at Miramont Castle Museum & Queen’s Parlour Tea Room and is very similar to the Glen Eyrie Castle tea experience, so I would plan one or the other and not both on the same trip. There is an option of High tea, a light Victoria tea or a children’s tea. The difference for children is this is not a kids meal, it is a service with tea sandwiches, kids scones and desserts that children will like, a more authentic experience (but I’d take my kid to Glen Eyrie for the chicken fingers & fries… currently dying from European mom shame).
Cave of the Winds is much more than just a cave tour, it also includes many alpine rides, attractions and some amazing scenery. There are three cave tours to choose from, the family friendly Discovery tour that is an hour long and explores 15 rooms in the cave with only a ½ mile of walking. The Haunted Lantern tour is 90 minutes, a mile of navigating dark, narrow tunnels all while hearing ghost tales. The Expedition tour is for visitors 13+ and described as a 3 hour, hard core cave tour with protective gear needed. Additionally, there is a Pioneer Package for those wanting to try the adventure activities of the wind walker challenge course, Bat-a-pull zip line, Cliffhanger climbing wall and Geronimo’s leap. Not a bad deal for $25 or you can add the Frontier Ziplines (more challenging course) or Terror-dactyl (a fearful ride through the mountains). Be aware that you will need to drive up a steep mountain road in order to get to the entrance to Cave of the Winds, you’ll want AWD.
The Ghost Town Museum is a model town of historic structure and artifacts that was created to preserve a piece of Colorado’s Wild West heritage. An expansive gold panning area for kids. Experience the rush of striking it rich just like the prospectors. The buildings and artifacts were all rescued from the Pikes Peak region and you can also try hands-on activities from the era like churning butter or the shooting gallery.
Pikes Peak is known as America’s Mountain and is the highest summit on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, at 14,115 ft. mountain located in Pikes National Forest. The 14er has a train ride to Pikes Peak Summit on the Cogwheel Train on a 3.5 hour journey. The new visitors center with parking, food and a gift shop. Colorado history, wildlife and adventure into one afternoon. The cost of this trail ride is expensive, $59.50/49.50+ but you get a lot for this experience and see sights you otherwise could not access by car or foot. The best seats in the train are every seat with the domed glass over the car.
Old Colorado Springs is a creative area of 19th-century brick buildings along Colorado Avenue. Art galleries, jewelers and boutique gift stores mix with tattoo parlors and modern restaurants. This is a great spot to come have dinner, try one of the Italian trattorias or Greek tavernas to get a change from steakhouses, our biggest export in Colorado and it shows in our narrow selection of ethnic foods. The Old Colorado City History Center Museum is located on this street and has exhibits on early pioneer settlements.
Itinerary: Day 2
The new Ford Amphitheater has recently opened a 8,000 seat, state of the art venue and added a new premier concert going experience, just north of Colorado Springs off I25 in the Polaris Pointe development. With Jim Gaffigan, Pentatonix, Steve Miller Band and For King & Country shows all playing in the coming weeks. Premium and VIP suites available with 5 star amenities like never before. However, not all residents have been happy with the new noise considerations and traffic.
Just south of the new Ford Amphitheater, the Olympic history and dreams of many athletes takes center stage in the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. The museum is dedicated to capturing and sharing the history of Team USA in both the Olympic & Paralympic Games as well as a look toward the future of the games. The accessibility and universal design of this building allows everyone to experience the museum and share the inspiration of the athletes. Museum tours are offered along with a digital locker to access photos and videos after your visit. Flame Cafe is available outside of the museum, so it’s open to the public as well. It serves the typical pizza, bowls, salads as well as local craft beer.
There are numerous activities to do in Downtown Colorado Springs. The area has a small-town feel, but is Colorado’s 2nd largest city. The Pikes Peak Center for Performing Arts has great shows and performances and features well known entertainers. The Pioneer Museum is located in the former El Paso County Courthouse. The museum preserves the history and culture of the area and has both permanent and traveling exhibits. Colorado College is located in the downtown area and its buildings are mixed throughout the shops, restaurants, cafe and boutiques. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center offers 1 hour guided tours of the athlete facilities with both a multimedia presentation and walking tour of the complex. Check out the area’s museums, festivals and events that make this town historic as well as creative.
Flying W Ranch is a ranch venue (working cattle ranch) known for their mountain views, welcoming atmosphere and western ponderosa pines. This venue is used for events from weddings to corporate events, but is well known for their Chuckwagon Dinner and Original Western Stage Show, a complete dining and entertainment experience. Arrive at the gates at 5:00 pm and enjoy the Western grounds and their magnificent Red Rock formations. Check out Christmas Rock with its incline and narrow gauge train. Sweetwater Plains Dancers, Navajo rug weavers, horseshoe demonstrations, ax throwing & archery, bison outlook, ranch animals including miniature horse/donkey, petting zoo and mountain streams & ponds to enjoy. Dinner is served at 6:30, including brisket, BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, beans, applesauce, biscuits and old fashioned spice cake for dessert. The Flying W Wranglers take the stage at 7:30 for the Western Style Show and you depart at 8:30 for the evening. This is a great multi-generational activity that is entertaining and educational all while eating a traditional Chuckwagon meal.
Itinerary: Day 3
The Broadmoor Seven Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls in a beautiful box canyon, from the South Cheyenne Creek. This privately owned attraction was opened in the 1880’s and is a bit pricey to enter today, but worth it in my opinion. There is no parking at the park and you have to use the lot on the side of the rodeo and shuttle to the park gates, about a 15 minute ride through the Cheyenne Mountain area. When arriving at the park, there is a gentle 15 minute walk through the box canyon and along a creek with waterfalls and spots to sit by the water. Once at the center of the park, there are real restrooms, lots of picnic tables, a food truck with ice cream treats and a supply station. A bit further and you will find yourself at the base of the 180 feet high falls. A zip-line activity is located inside the falls park and is rated one of the top 5 zip-lines in Colorado.
There is a restaurant at the base of the falls called Restaurant 1858 that requires reservations. It does seem a bit fancy to be located next to these waterfalls in the park, especially since everyone is wearing hiking boots and outdoor gear. But the location, especially on the deck dining, can’t be beat on a sunny day. Behind the restaurant there is the 224 step staircase where visitors can get the best views of all 7 of the falls and enjoy a few trails from the top. In the evenings, the falls are beautifully illuminated by colorful lighting. Additionally, the waterfall can be seen from the Eagles Nest, where visitors can take an elevator or walk just under 200 steps to access the viewing platform. This area is referred to as “The Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado” and you see why when you are viewing these spectacular falls from the top. You can easily see why Seven Falls is the only Colorado waterfall to make the National Geographic’s list of best international waterfalls. Stop at the ice cream food truck or gift shop or commemorate all the steps you climbed today!
The Broadmoor neighborhood is the most expensive and exclusive area in Colorado Springs and home to the Broadmoor Resort and Conference Center. The Broadmoor is known for their hospitality and unique experience to see the American West. The property has 5,000 acres of beautiful resort space. The iconic hotel offers rooms, suites, cottages, estates and Brownstones to stay for overnight accommodations. Over 20 restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges to enjoy meals and refreshments on the Broadmoor property, between the hotel, golf area and conference center. Cafe Julie’s was the perfect place to enjoy a chocolate croissant & latte in the morning or pick out a box of chocolates to take home as a souvenir. Other fantastic restaurant options include Ristorante & Bar Del Lago, La Taverne, Hotel Bar, Summit and the Gold Bee, which is a pub serving food and drinks. Be sure to consult the hotel’s website for a catalog of their in-room amenities as well as a dress code guide for all of the resort restaurants and public areas for your reference.
There are two championship golf courses, tennis courts, fitness area, 3 pools, 3 hot tubs and a seasonal water slide & children’s wading pool. Additionally the 5 star spa & salon has an additional lap pool on the west side of the resort. There is even a movie theater on the property! The Broadmoor offers a high end product with luxury experiences for their guests, some incredible experiences can be arranged during your stay. Cloud Camp is an all-inclusive mountaintop hideaway experience on a private property. There is a similar all-inclusive experience called The Ranch at Emerald Valley offering a western getaway and Fly Fishing Camp for half and full day excursions to a private property about 75 minutes west of the Broadmoor Resort.
Even though there is opulent wealth walking all over the Broadmoor, there are also numerous inexpensive ways to see the estate. First is the free valet parking for day guests, so anyone can pop over for lunch or an afternoon of shopping in the 20 retail boutiques. The lake and walking paths out back are an incredible experience and a little slice of heaven on a busy day. While walking around, notice the ice skate shaped bench at one end, giving homage to skaters lost in a tragic plane crash on their way to compete in Europe. It is a lovely tribute… that looks more like a toboggan than the skate blade they were going for, but it’s a great place to stop for a rest or pictures. The western art in the hotel lobby is everywhere, with an extensive collection on display. A tour can be downloaded and used for background information and a guide as to not miss pieces in the overwhelming collection. The art gallery is not to be missed, tucked away before crossing to the conference center with over 315,000 square feet of sophisticated meeting and function space from weddings to gallas. The Broadmoor is an experience and historic preservation from the time Colorado is remembered at its best.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is located in this area of Colorado Springs and is a perfect place to spend a cool morning or afternoon looking out over the autumn leaves changing in the landscape below. You must get tickets ahead of time, they do a timed entrance to keep crowds down. The zoo is built into the side of the mountain, so there will be a lot of walking and steps, but so worth the views at this zoo. The zoo is accessible, there are shuttles that run down the main paths of the zoo to get visitors from one section to the next. Check out the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s map to plan out your visit and see all your favorite animals from the following habitats:
- African Rift Valley (giraffe feeding)
- Australia Walkabout
- My Big Backyard (restaurants)
- Asian Highlights
- Rocky Mountain Wild
- Primate World
- Rocky Cliffs
- Water’s Edge Africa (penguins)
There are many animal feedings and encounters that do not break the bank like so many zoos around the country. The giraffe feeding was the best I’ve experienced anywhere, with lettuce leaves only costing a dollar and a large area with lots of feeding holes to see, touch and feed the giraffes. There were juvenile giraffes too, with low feeding holes that were perfect for young hands and wheelchairs. Other animal experiences are available daily on the calendar of events. The zoo typically only allows service dogs, except for the speciality hosted dog days where they open up to pups and their families.
There are many special features about this zoo, but one of them is the skylines, a ski lift that takes you to the top of the main hill, where you can work your way down or ride back down. The food was also very good, with snack and ice cream places located around the park, a bar with a view and 3 separate restaurants: the Grizzly Grill, Pizza with a View and Rocky Mountain Wild BBQ. We tried the Pizza with a View and the claim was not kidding! The pizza was a European style brick oven speciality pizza. The views of the valley below from the wrap-around windows is worth eating pizza even if that’s not what you want. I know children love zoos and aquariums, but I like there to be something really unique about the animals or the experience before I recommend spending precious travel time. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is just that, something truly special!
More Things to do in Springs
There are so many great activities and places to see and do in the Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak areas. Especially for visitors who like nature, adventure activities and Western history. These activities for children and families are really exciting for anyone:
- Bear Creek & Fountain Creek Nature Centers
- Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
- Dinosaur Resource Center
- May Natural History Museum
- The North Pole- Santa’s Workshop
- Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center
Outdoor activities that can be found in most Colorado locations and are readily available in the Colorado Springs area:
- Whitewater rafting
- Stand-up paddleboarding, kayak, canoe
- Gondolas & zip Line
- Mountain climbing & bouldering
- Horseback riding at Academy Riding Stables
- Mineral Springs at Manitou Springs
- Climb Manitou Incline
- Hiking & Biking trails everywhere!
Day Trips From Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a bit farther south from Rocky Mountain National Park than Denver, however it is closer to many of the southern Colorado locations. See a list of easy day trips that can be planned from Springs with a car rental or driver.
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Denver/Boulder
- Loveland Pass
- Royal Gorge Bridge
- Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Bishops Castle
- Cripple Creek
- Canon City
- Breckenridge
- Paint Mines Interpretive Park
- Pueblo Reservoir
Rental car warning, be sure to have appropriate equipment and all wheel or 4 wheel drive inorder to traverse our mountains. Our roads and winter weather are no joke in Colorado and some of the most scenic drives in the state need to be winter ready and driven by an experienced winter driver. When we moved from Florida, we were ready for winter driving. I have lived in many cities and regions of the East Coast and Europe that I’ve driven during winter and my husband can learn to drive anywhere in under an hour. However our vehicles were not prepared and we found ourselves investing in snow tires and starting my husband’s love for Durango’s out here in Colorado. If the name fits…
Colorado Springs has its own smaller airport and is often a cheaper option than Denver, however there are not as many options and nothing international. Denver airport is about 90 minutes north, but the hub of the western flight paths is very well serviced by budget airlines, as well as domestic and international carriers. So let’s get booking your trip to Colorado, send me an email if you need some help or inspiration WanderlustwithLaura.agent@gmail.com.
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