Whether you are visiting for a family vacation, a romantic weekend getaway, or just making a short stop before heading to a Rocky Mountain destination, here are five of my favorite things to do in Colorado Springs.
Five Experiences You Shouldn’t Miss In Colorado Springs
When I visited Colorado Springs in September 2014, I knew I wanted to see Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. Once I was there, I realized I could have booked myself an itinerary longer than the two nights I stayed to explore, eat, and drink.
Though I didn’t make it everywhere you could while visiting the Colorado Springs area, I would certainly recommend to any future visitors the following five activities.
See The Rocky Mountains From Pikes Peak
For the fantastic view of the Colorado Rockies, blue sky and “amber waves of grain” that inspired the poem-turned-patriotic-tune “America the Beautiful,” visit the summit of Pikes Peak. At an elevation of 14, 110 feet, Pikes Peak is the 31st tallest mountain in Colorado. To get to the top, you can hike or drive. I took the cog railway from neighboring Manitou Springs, but it looks like the cog railway closed after last season. I’d say taking the cog rail is one of the best things to do in Manitou Springs, so I hope the local government and businesses work to save this iconic attraction. Hopefully, it will be up and running again by the time you visit.
Drink Cocktails And Craft Beer
At the Ivywild School, an elementary school that has been repurposed as a community center/indoor market, sit on the patio with a classy cocktail from The Principal’s Office or a microbrew from Bristol Brewery. For more craft beer, taste the German and English influence in one of the 10-12 brews at Phantom Canyon Brewing Company in downtown Colorado Springs.
Take In The View At Garden Of The Gods
These majestic natural wonders are stunning to see firsthand. Take a silly photo “hoisting” Balanced Rock, walk the paved pathway between the gigantic red sandstone rock formations, take a hike, bike, horseback ride, or even rock climb. Best of all: Garden of the Gods is one of the best free things to do in Colorado Springs!
Dine At Casual But Quality Eateries
Looking for places to eat in Colorado Springs? You’ll be sure to find some delicious food at local restaurants. At the Wild Goose Meeting House, soak in the Colorado sunshine on the patio with a light and healthy lunch, locally-made coffee, Colorado craft beer, or a glass of wine. For a hearty meal that pairs well with a microbrew, head to Phantom Canyon Brewing Company. You must try the Lager and Smoked Gouda soup!
Tour The U.S. Olympic Training Center
The U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is where some of the top summer Olympic and Paralympic athletes train. On a guided tour of the grounds, you’ll see the shooting range, an Olympic-size pool, weightlifters’ training area, and gyms. At the visitor center, you can browse Olympics artifacts and pick up your Team USA apparel at the gift shop.
Where To Stay In Colorado Springs
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When I visited in September 2014, I stayed at the Mining Exchange, a Wyndham Grand Hotel & Spa, in downtown Colorado Springs. This boutique four-star hotel has received a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating from TripAdvisor travelers and ranks as the website’s No. 1 romantic hotel and family hotel in Colorado Springs. It also ranks as No. 3 in Colorado Springs in the luxury and business hotel categories.
The hotel’s location is convenient for walking to a variety of restaurants, bars, and breweries in downtown Colorado Springs. The hotel is only a couple blocks from Phantom Canyon Brewing Company where I ate delicious Lager and Smoked Gouda soup. It’s also about a 20-25 minute drive from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway station in Manitou Springs, 15 minutes from Garden of the Gods, and five minutes from the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
At the Mining Exchange, the average rates for a standard room range from $132 to $217. The hotel is located at 8 South Nevada Avenue and offers valet parking.
Check Rates & Availability For Your Travel Dates | Book Your Room | Read Reviews On TripAdvisor
More Colorado Springs Lodging Options
For Luxury Travel: The Broadmoor, a five-star hotel, is considered the No. 1 luxury and spa hotel in Colorado Springs on TripAdvisor. Average base rates for a standard room range from $215 to $557.
- Check rates and availability for your travel dates
- Read reviews on TripAdvisor
- Book your stay at The Broadmoor
For Romantic Getaways: Garden of the Gods Club and Resort, a four-star hotel, is ranked as the No. 2 spa and luxury hotel and No. 3 romantic hotel in Colorado Springs by TripAdvisor users. Average base rates for a standard room range from $205 to $496.
- Check rates and availability for your travel dates
- Read reviews on TripAdvisor
- Book your stay at Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
For Family Vacations: The family-friendly Cheyenne Mountain Resort offers children’s activities and has tennis courts and both indoor and outdoor pools. Average rates for the four-star Cheyenne Mountain Resort’s standard rooms range from $157 to $339.
- Check rates and availability for your travel dates
- Read reviews on TripAdvisor
- Book your stay at Cheyenne Mountain Resort
For Living Like A Local: Want to stay in an apartment with a Pikes Peak view, a cozy cottage, or a guesthouse with an outdoor deck? Peruse Airbnb for a variety of vacation rentals, apartments/homes, and rooms in Colorado Springs for a more local experience. If this will be your first Airbnb rental, sign up using my invitation link to receive a $40 credit toward your first booking!
Booking.com
Planning Your Colorado Springs Trip?
If you are traveling soon to Colorado Springs, you might like these other posts I’ve written about visiting Colorado:
- Five Tips For What To Wear In Colorado — The weather in Colorado can change quickly throughout the day, and you’ll need different clothing for the variety of activities Colorado offers. Unsure what to pack for all that? My post offers a few tips to get you started packing for your trip!
- Four Cities To Visit On Colorado’s Front Range — If you are visiting Colorado Springs, these three other Front Range cities would make great day trips or additional overnight stops if you are planning to road trip around the Centennial State.
- New Belgium Brewery Tour — I would highly recommend this free brewery tour to any craft beer drinkers headed to Colorado’s Front Range. It’s up in Fort Collins, and it’s totally worth the drive from Colorado Springs or making an overnight stay in Fort Collins.
- Hotel Boulderado — Foodies, tea drinkers, and craft beer lovers, make sure you get over to Boulder while in Colorado. When you do, definitely check out the historic Hotel Boulderado. Staying in a historic hotel is not every traveler’s cup of tea, but at least stop by to see the lobby and dine or drink at one of the hotel’s three culinary establishments.
More Resources For Your Colorado Springs Vacation
- Colorado Springs Official Vacation Guide to gather some inspiration for your trip
- 25 Kid Friendly Things To Do In Colorado Springs (12 of them are free) | Global Muchkins
- Two Days In Colorado Springs | Pages of Travel
- Five Fantastic Things To Do In Colorado Springs With Kids | Let Me Give You Some Advice
- 7 Reasons Colorado Springs Should Be On Your Bucket List | Travel Inspired Living
Browse the map to pinpoint points of interest from this post!
Browse my Colorado board on Pinterest for more Colorado travel tips and itinerary ideas:
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How Long Should You Visit Colorado Springs?
Now that you’ve read about Colorado Springs’ attractions, dining, and lodging, you are probably wondering how long of a trip to plan. As I mentioned in the introduction to this post, I wish I had booked another night or two in Colorado Springs. However, two nights was enough time to visit everywhere I mentioned in this post. Therefore, Colorado Springs is perfect for a weekend getaway or a two-night stop on a longer trip through Colorado. Yet, if you can stretch your trip to three to five nights, that would give you time to explore Manitou Springs or to take a hike at Garden of the Gods. Don’t forget: You can also take day trips to other Front Range destinations such as Denver, Golden, Boulder, and Fort Collins!
I’d love to visit Colorado! It looks so much fun and the food seams tasty
Such a well crafted article! Love all the recommendations. Will use them on my travels 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Colorado is a gorgeous state! I used to go to Boulder every summer. I have Neve been to Colorado Springs- but would love to go! Thanks for all the great insight and information.
LOVE THIS! I have never been to Colorado and I don’t know why, clearly by the looks of your photos it is just gorgeous! I need to go! Thank you for sharing this!!
Very helpful and great information, Erin! It sounds like a perfect two days. The hotel information was great- so helpful to have it broken down into different categories.
Our family loves Colorado and we’ve been to Colorado Springs several times. There’s always something new to find out for the next trip. Like Ivywild School you mentioned above.
LOVE THIS! My family and I are trying to get to Colorado this year! I am most excited about the places to eat hahah thank smoked gouda soup is right up my alley! yummmmmm
so many great tips! I’ve never been to Colorado but now I have a road map for when I do! thanks!
Love Garden of the Gods! Pro tip- go on a weekday- it gets crowded.
That’s a great tip, Alicia! I think I was there on a Sunday. It wasn’t too busy, but there are definitely other visitors in the background of my photos at Balanced Rock.
Great post! That view from Garden Of The Gods is INCREDIBLE. I really appreciate your advice about how long to stay. I always wonder how much time I need to “get it all in” when I travel somewhere. It is really helpful to have an insider’s perspective in that regard 🙂
I didn’t want to overwhelm this post with photos of Garden of the Gods, but trust me, there are many amazing views in that park. It’s hard to believe admission to the park is entirely free! I also always wonder about how long to stay in a city to truly experience it. In Colorado Springs’ case, you need at least two nights, in my opinion. I stayed in Colorado Springs as a stopping point between Denver and heading into the mountains on my road trip, but you could also center a whole vacation around this city.
My husband and I have been talking about going to Colorado for what feels like forever! This was defiantly super helpful!
I’m so glad you found this post helpful, Kristin! I spent 10 days road tripping around Colorado, and it was such a fun trip. The views are stunning along the Front Range and in the mountains. Plus, Colorado is a great state for food and, if you like it, craft beer.