Day 1: Downtown Colorado Springs & Beyond
Use your first day in Colorado Springs to explore all that the city has to offer. Downtown is a great place to start, with plenty of options for breakfast or a cup of coffee, and the PikeRide bike-share program makes it easy to get around on two wheels. Head to Tejon Street for some window-shopping and latte sipping, or grab a pizza, empanadas and hoagies for lunch at Ivywild School, a 1916 elementary school renovated into a community market featuring Bristol Brewery, the Axe & Oak whiskey distillery, community gardens, live music, and several shops and eateries — all selling local items. At the Lincoln Center, another former school now home to tasty tenants like Goat Patch Brewing, Nightingale Bread and Smørbrød — home of Nordic-inspired, open-faced sandwiches.
Spend a few hours at one of the area’s exceptional museums, including the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, with rotating and permanent exhibits, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, the Spencer Penrose Heritage Museum, the McAlister House Museum or the Ent Center for the Arts, a magnificent cultural building complete with a contemporary art gallery. Stop in for tea at Miramont Castle, a Victorian castle at the base of Pikes Peak that showcases nine styles of architecture.
With more than 50 pieces of permanent public art, esteemed cultural institutions and a roster of events and festivals, it’s no surprise that downtown Colorado Springs was named one of 30 Certified Colorado Creative Districts. Check out the Avenue Creative Circuit to explore First Fridays, mobile murals and other year-round happenings in downtown Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs.
Afterward, visit the U.S. Air Force Academy or the U.S. Olympic Training Center. At the Olympic Training Center, take a guided tour of the facilities, which also house the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, a cafe and a giftshop. Or check out the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum just blocks away from the Olympic Training Center (they don’t call this Olympic City USA for nothing!). At the museum, you’ll find an extensive medal and torch collection, as well as a variety of digital and interactive exhibits that offer a unique experience to each guest. This beauty has also been named “the most accessible museum in the world” by Architectural Digest.
The Air Force Academy is open daily and offers an informative exhibit about cadet life in the visitor’s center. Be sure to take the short nature hike to the famous and beautiful Cadet Chapel (which is closed for repairs with an estimated completion date of 2027). Many weekdays and Saturdays, the U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium & STEM Center explores the universe and life on Earth in its free, open-to-the-public shows.
For dinner, Colorado Springs offers a wide variety of fine dining options, including one of Colorado’s two five-star restaurants, The Penrose Room, located at the world-famous Broadmoor Hotel. Or, you might choose to take in a show at the Pikes Peak Center performing arts complex. The center has received international acclaim for its design and acoustics and hosts an impressive array of fascinating music and theater shows every year.
Day 2: Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak & Manitou Springs
Start your day with a visit to Garden of the Gods. This National Natural Landmark offers free admission to some of the most astonishing and memorable scenery in Colorado, featuring unusual sandstone rock formations up to 300 feet high silhouetted against the backdrop of Pikes Peak and the deep blue Colorado sky. You can explore the entire park by car, bike or Segway via a paved loop, but many of the hiking and walking trails are also paved and offer excellent access for visitors with mobility limitations. A shuttle whisks all visitors from the entrance to the main part of the park in no time.
From here, take your visit to new heights and explore Pikes Peak itself. The summit can be reached via the Pikes Peak Highway by car, on foot via the strenuous Barr Trail, or — perhaps most uniquely — via bike. Book an excursion with Pikes Peak Bike Tours, who will shuttle you to the top of the 14,115-foot summit in a passenger van. From there, take in dazzling 360-degree views of the area before you descend 7,000 feet down the mountain on bike. Since the trip is 95 percent downhill, it's perfect for all abilities. Or sit back and relax on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway as it ferries you to the top of the hill for some of the Summit House's famous high-altitude donuts. Note: Visitors who want to drive to the Pikes Peak summit from May to September will be required to make an online reservation.
Explore in the peak’s shadow at the South Slope Recreation Area, with hiking and singletrack trails, fishing and bighorn sheep viewing. If you’re feeling extreme, traverse 2,000 feet in elevation in 1 mile on the Manitou Incline, one of the most challenging trails in the country (reservations are free but required). Or head over to the Red Rock Canyon Open Space, with picnic areas, hiking trails, a free-ride bike park, technical climbing routes and off-leash dog loops. There's also Cheyenne Mountain State Park, where the Dixon Trail takes you to the top of Cheyenne Mountain, navigating 914 meters of elevation gain (work those calves!). If your pooch is along, finish its day at the Pub Dog, the state’s only restaurant where dogs can eat indoors with their owners and plenty of Fido-friendly amenities make it worth their while.
There’s also the Overdrive Raceway, the nation’s first two-story indoor electric go-kart race track, featuring two quarter-mile Formula One race tracks and other amusements. Or take things to a more chill extreme via the hot soaking springs of SunWater Spa in Manitou Springs.
For dinner, explore historic Manitou Springs, named one of the 10 Coolest Small Towns in the country by Budget Travel magazine. This cozy mountain town is home to several historical restaurants, as well as many favorite neighborhood eateries. If you have time, wander the charming streets and check out the artisan galleries that call Manitou home. North of town, Rainbow Falls Historic Site is a series of small waterfalls along Fountain Creek.