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Spring in the Springs
5 DAYS OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN FUN
day 1
Cheyenne Mountain
Start in the southwest side of the city where exotic and inspiring wonders await!
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Broadmoor Seven Falls
day 2
Garden of the Gods & Manitou Springs
Head west and enjoy the world famous Garden of the Gods Park and Manitou Springs.
- Academy Riding Stables
- Garden of the Gods Trading Post
- Historic Manitou Springs
day 3
Pikes Peak and some Local History
Today’s the day to conquer America’s favorite mountain — Pikes Peak, plus a couple of nice chill ways to enjoy the afternoon.
- Pikes Peak Tour by Gray Line
- Ghost Town Museum
- Old Colorado City
day 4
Hidden Gems in Manitou Springs
Check out these awesome hidden gems to dig a little deeper.
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Miramont Castle
day 5
Fun Morning, Chill Afternoon
Start with an awesome adventure, then slow it down with a couple of super cool museums.
- Adventures Out West
- Space Foundation Discovery Center
- Western Museum of Mining and Industry
Cheyenne Mountain
Start in the southwest side of the city where exotic and inspiring wonders await!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-6 HOURS
North America’s only mountainside zoo is a top spot for everyone who comes to Colorado Springs. That’s why we sent you early. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo works extra hard to provide the best habitats for the animals in their care and the most memorable experiences for their visitors. What do they consider memorable? How about feeding an enormous giraffe a lettuce leaf? Or meeting a beautiful peacock? Petting a wallaby? Feeding a budgie? Those are all pretty darn excellent and we’re just getting started!
Broadmoor Seven Falls
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-3 HOURS
Right next to the zoo lies a different kind of mountainside wonder, an epic waterfall cascading through a magnificent box canyon known as the Pillars of Hercules. Seven Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in Colorado and we suspect it’s because the attraction is so accessible to everyone. Rather than hiking for miles or navigating long lines waiting for a parking spot you can reach the base of Seven Falls super easily. If you’re not able to navigate stairs for any reason, don’t worry. Head over to the Eagle’s Nest, where an elevator will take you up for premium viewing and selfie snaps. The Eagle’s Nest is also home to the Rock Hound, so if you’re into geology, crystals and rock collecting, you’ve found your own personal heaven.
Garden of the Gods & Manitou Springs
Head west and enjoy the world famous Garden of the Gods Park and Manitou Springs.
Academy Riding Stables
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
Academy Riding Stables provides all the pretty horses your heart could want, each trained to be a valuable, trusted partner for their rider. Led by friendly, knowledgeable guides, you and your fellow cowboys-for-the-day will get to see the Garden of the Gods on horseback, which is guaranteed to be one of the best Colorado memories you’ll ever make. Academy Riding Stables is careful to pair you up with a horse that meets your ability, so even true beginners can feel comfortable riding for the first time.
Garden of the Gods Trading Post
- Manitou Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-3 HOURS
Post-lunch, it’s time to shop and lucky for you, the Garden of the Gods Trading Post just happens to be one of the best places for Colorado merch and beautiful art in the entire state. The Trading Post has greeted visitors to the Garden for decades, growing from its humble roots as a small store to the 25,000 square foot shoppers paradise it is today. They’ve packed every bit of that footage with 90,000 different items ranging from fine art, jewelry and pottery to I Love Colorado t-shirts, silly toys and collectible souvenirs.
Historic Manitou Springs
- Manitou Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-5 HOURS
This quirky little town is home to eight healing mineral springs — the cold drinking kind, not the hot soaking kind — which make for an unusual scavenger hunt through town. Each one has a very different flavor because of their individual mineral makeup, and each has a unique fountain created by local artists. Speaking of local artists, Manitou Springs has long been a haven for the artistically inclined as evidenced by so many store fronts, street art and we’re pretty sure, more hand-painted cars per capita than any other city in Colorado. It’s all of these and a little something extra that we can’t quite put our finger on that makes Manitou so very special. It’s something you’ll just have to experience first hand.
Pikes Peak and some Local History
Today's the day to conquer America's favorite mountain -- Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak Tour by Gray Line
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 4 HOURS
There are many ways to scale a mountain, but our favorite is the one where someone else does all the work. The Pikes Peak Tour by Gray Line is the only way to truly relax and enjoy the ride to the top. From the comfort of large, soft seats, you’ll be driven up the Pikes Peak Highway in a climate-controlled coach or bus that picks you up in downtown Colorado Springs. The tour makes several stops that allow you time to stretch your legs, take photos and explore, too. At the top, you’re given ample free time to take in the sights from the summit. No navigating the switchbacks and tight turns, no worries about your brakes on the way down, just a smooth, easy ride that allows you to truly enjoy the journey.
Ghost Town Museum
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
Colorado has a wild past, in case you haven’t noticed. At the Wild West Ghost Town Museum, you can see these relics of our Wild West days up-close and personal, including actual structures from ghost towns here in Colorado. Tromp along wooden sidewalks of old and peer into the past.
Old Colorado City
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-5 HOURS
This charming town is another relic of Colorado’s past, but with modern conveniences like first-rate shopping at locally owned boutiques, lots of historic architecture and a thriving group of artists whose work can be found in several galleries. Among the cool old architecture and great boutiques are some of our town’s best local restaurants. Winners of many local “Best Of” votes are the best pizza, the best barbeque, the best Greek, the best breakfast, the best bloody mary . . . you get the picture.
Hidden gems in Manitou Springs
Check out these awesome hidden gems to dig a little deeper.
Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings
- Manitou springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are more than 700 years old, created from Anasazi ruins from the southwest corner of Colorado. Shipped by train and carefully reconstructed to resemble the buildings of old, ancient history awaits with a very cool feature: You can explore them! When the dwellings were restored over 100 years ago, the preservation team used modern concrete mortar to secure them. The results are the structures you’ll find today and they are so sturdy and well-maintained that all visitors can walk through them without a worry.
Miramont Castle Museum
- Manitou springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
A castle in the Wild West is definitely an odd sight to see — anywhere but Manitou Springs. In this town, it just seems to fit! This sweeping ode to architecture features nine different styles, geometric awesomeness like a 16-sided room, beautiful gardens, room after room of antique furniture and gorgeous Victorian décor. Your tour is self-guided, so you can take your time wandering and checking out what really interests you.
Fun Morning, Chill Afternoon
Start with an awesome adventure, then slow it down with a couple of super cool museums.
Adventures Out West
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 2-6 HOURS
It’s difficult to choose a single option when it comes to Adventures Out West. This local outfitter offers hot air balloon rides, Segway tours, zipline tours, Jeep tours, guided hikes and even a Jeep n’ raft combo. But we have begrudgingly selected our two more favorite favorite things: ziplining and Jeeping. Adventures Out West is particularly awesome because their ziplines run from cliffsides, not platforms, and you get to enjoy some mini hikes in between. A bit of Tarzan, a bit of Jane, if you will. Our other choice, a Jeep tour, will get you up in the highlands with a trusted driver so you can sit back, laugh and enjoy the pristine Colorado countryside all at the same time.
Space Foundation Discovery Center
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
We’re all out of spaceships on our end and we suspect you are, too. The Space Foundation stands ready to save the day in an earthly way. Interactive space exhibits, astronaut artifacts, hands-on science activities and other fascinating activities can give you the universe exploration you crave for a tidy admission that’s significantly lower than the millions of dollars it takes to get to space.
Western Museum of Mining and Industry
- Colorado Springs
- PLAN FOR: 1-2 HOURS
Our final destination is a fitting one as it takes you back to Colorado history. The Western Museum of Mining and Industry tells the tale of the rocks and minerals that are in abundance in Colorado. You’ll learn the history of mining on a much larger scale through exhibits and films. You can also trek through their gigantic yard filled with mining machinery. The museum also has that tried and true favorite every kid adores, gold panning. No one can get enough of the stuff, which is kind of how we ended up with a gold rush, is it not?
More ways to enjoy your days
Thrill Seeker
If your idea of vacation is getting out, trying new things, and making yourself feel truly alive — then this is the itinerary for you!
History Buff
This itinerary will take you all of our historic districts and the best museums in our region. You’ll get a taste for everything from architecture to mining, with more than our fair share of ‘characters’ along the way.
Spring Activities
We’re not trying to brag (yes we are), but this city is the absolute best place to be when Mother Nature dons her spring apparel — hello, we’ve even got “spring” in our name!
