Three Days of Family Fun
day 1
Santa? I know him!
Start this vacation as a spot that will make their little eyes as wide as saucers!
- North Pole - Santa's Workshop
- Garden of the Gods Trading Post
day 2
Touch the Stars
You can’t come to Colorado without a trip up Pikes Peak – Americas Mountain.
- Pikes Peak - America's Mountain
- Space Foundation Discovery Center
day 3
Go Back in Time
Enjoy these local historic hot spots for fun with just little education too!
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Historic Cripple Creek
Santa! I know him...
The perfect start to a magical vacation
North Pole - Santa's Workshop
- Cascade
- PLAN FOR: 5-6 HOURS
Remember the magic you felt on Christmas morning as a child? Everyday is that magical at the North Pole, and you can feel it all again as you experience Santa’s Workshop through your children’s eyes. The wonder, the joy, and the HOURS of family fun to be had, have made this a favorite for generations! With amusement rides for the very young to those who are just young at heart, magic shows, an arcade, charming shops, deer that eat right out of your hand, and of course the big guy himself.
Plan for a full day of fun. Wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. Picnics are even welcome in Santa’s village, but there are also lots of places to grab lunch or a special treat!
Garden of the Gods Trading Post
- Manitou Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
Secretly, this one is really for mom & dad, but the kids will have so much fun looking at all the cool stuff and playing in the backyard, they’ll never suspect. Send the kids to the gemstone mine, and enjoy some quality time in the art gallery where you’ll find fine art by local artists and Native Americans — way better than a coffee cup souvenir! That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Trading Post is one of the oldest and largest gift shops in the state, so their selection is amazing and their prices are even better! Hit the cafe for a glass of wine or a local beer while you shop. Check out their giant selection of t-shirts and hoodies. Sample their homemade fudge. And if coffee cups are your jam, you’ll find a huge selection of those as well!
Whether you’re looking for something little to take the neighbor, or something curated perfectly for your home, this is the place to find it.
Tours depart from their depot off of 21st Street in Colorado Springs and last from 2.5 to 3 hours. You’ll be paired up with your very own cowboy, complete with nicknames like Butch, Duke or Rowdy. They’re more than happy to stop along the way for photos, and they know all the best spots.
Start your day on top of the world
Let’s just call this what it really is: This is Pikes Peak day!
Pikes Peak – America's Mountain
- Cascade
- PLAN FOR: 2-3 HOURS
We know, we know, this is one of the main reasons you wanted to come to the Pikes Peak region! We get it, but we put this journey on day two for a reason. The trip up Pikes Peak will add about 8,000 feet in elevation to our already high mountain town. We recommend waiting a day or two before conquering the mountain. Give you and your crew a chance to acclimate to the elevation of Colorado Springs.
Morning can be the best time to summit the peak, when skies are blue and the sun shines brightly on the face of Pikes Peak. The highway will get you to the summit in only an hour, but allow extra time for skipping stones and photos with Big Foot. We recommend you budget a total of 3-4 hours for this adventure. Be sure to bring a jacket for the summit where it’s typically 30-40 degrees cooler than the base. Water and snacks are smart planning too, but don’t worry about 4-wheel drive, you can bound up this beast in a minivan!
Space Foundation Discovery Center
Food, drinks & more
Step back in time
For day three, we’re literally going to take you back in time with two very different but no less interesting historic places.
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Manitou Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-4 HOURS
Originally moved to Manitou Springs in the early 1900’s, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings has served as a hands-on educational museum for well over 100 years. Climb inside the dwellings and imagine life as an ancient Pueblo Indian, try your hand at grinding corn, and soak in the cool feeling of the sandstone. There are no “Do Not Touch” signs here!
Historic Cripple Creek
- Cripple creek
- PLAN FOR: 3-4 HOURS
When locals talk about “The Pass” they’re talking about Ute Pass, or for your purposes, highway 24. The Pass is a beautiful mountain drive, and one of the premier drives to enjoy the aspen leaves in the fall. An hour’s drive will take you neatly to Cripple Creek, Colorado, a town sprouted around some of the richest goldmines of our “Pikes Peak or Bust” days. You and the family can check out mining museums, enjoy a ride on the narrow gauge railroad, or just mosey through the streets of this quaint mountain town. Did we mention it’ll be a hair cooler in the mountain air?
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