Unique Gifts from Our Attractions
Unique Gifts from our Attractions
Shop Local in and around Colorado Springs
If you want to find the most unique gifts in Colorado Springs, you’ll want to step away from the big box stores and try something new. Save yourself the worry of shipping times and supply chain issues. Stop resigning yourself to mass-produced presents. It’s time to explore shops and attractions that offer more than the mainstream when it comes to finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Best of all, they’re locally owned and operated, meaning all of your money stays in our community.
Start on Small Business Saturday and keep on shopping small all through the holidays. These places make shopping extra festive, and many are located right in the heart of some of the most festive historic districts in the Pikes Peak region. Enjoy hot chocolate, appearances by Santa, strolling carolers and live music, twinkling lights, and friendly faces. You’ll find a dozen reasons to feel good about your shopping and lift the spirit of the holidays!
Follow along as we venture around Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods Trading Post, and Manitou Springs, and discover unusual shops, unique items, and lots of friendly faces!
Historic Manitou Springs: Eclectic Options for All
Not only is Manitou Springs full of great little shops and galleries, but the businesses are also all local. The town of Manitou tends to stand out as quirky and fun, so you can expect shop owners to fill their shelves with things you can’t find at a large retailer. From specialty stores focused on gourmet foods, sweet treats, and tasty snacks, to art galleries, clothing stores, and metaphysical shops, you’re bound to find a unique gift in Manitou for every person you care about.
We suggest you park in one of the main lots, bundle up in layers, and stroll up one side of the main street to the end of town and then make your way back down the other. Be sure to check out the side streets, too. Manitou Springs is also an excellent source of Colorado gear and souvenirs, so be sure to bring your out-of-town guests out and make a day of it. The arcade is open in the winte,r and there are plenty of restaurants for a mid-shopping rest.
Check the Manitou Springs website for free parking hours on select dates!
- Christmas Parade 12/8 at 6 p.m.
- Strolling Holiday Brass plays Christmas tunes throughout the town on Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. through Dec. 22.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Looking for a unique gift that keeps on giving? What about a present for the eco-conscious friend in your life? There’s no better place for green gifts than the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The famous mountainside zoo has fair-trade and repurposed gifts that don’t just delight your recipient. They do good, too. Many gifts at the zoo help refugees or protect animal habitats. Some of these dual-purpose gifts include handmade Christmas ornaments, bracelets that track your favorite animal, and journals made from elephant poop.
Yes. You read that right. Poop. You wouldn’t believe how cool recycled elephant poo can be! Since an elephant’s diet is all vegan, their waste is basically raw cellulose. The average adult elephant produces nearly 500 pounds a day. After it is thoroughly cleaned and processed, the paper looks linen-like and is used to create all sorts of notebooks, cards, and notepads.
If you have a family in your life you want to surprise with a year-round gift, we strongly suggest one of the zoo’s many membership options. You’ll be gifting them with memorable experiences you simply cannot contain in a box. The zoo is open 365 days a year and allows families to bring in their own food and snacks, making it essentially free entertainment with your generous annual pass!
Garden of the Gods Trading Post
The Garden of the Gods Trading Post looks deceptively understated from the outside. But, as you pass through the front doors, you’ll soon find it is much, much larger than it appears. The location has grown from its humble roots as a small mercantile shop into the massive gallery and specialty store it is today. An absolute one-stop shop for souvenirs, the Garden of the Gods Trading Post also offers one of the best selections of local art and Native American crafts in Colorado.
Some of the other highlights of this store include its selection of handmade jewelry and local art. We also like the selection of rocks and minerals for all the amateur geologists in your life. The toy selection at the Trading Post is also fun, with gifts that range from whimsical and silly to educational (and still just as fun). They have a huge selection of fudge, so give yourself a little gift, too.
Local’s Tip
The Garden of the Gods Trading Post also has a cafe and coffee shop. Grab your favorite Starbucks drink or a local craft beer to enjoy while you shop. Or treat yourself to some locally made ice cream once you’ve checked off the last gift on your list.
Ghost Town Museum
The Ghost Town Museum is a great place to take visiting guests over the holidays. The tickets are inexpensive, there are lots of historic artifacts for the grownups to peruse, lots of fun games for the younger kin, and it is completely weatherproof. You won’t get snowed out of this adventure.
The gift shop is nearly as much fun as the museum, and it’s clear this shop’s buyer has a sense of humor. You’ll see plenty of your traditional tourist souvenirs, plus a number of unexpected treasures. This is the place to go for fans of the Wild West, fans of John Wayne, and practical jokers. With a selection of old-fashioned candy, humorous mugs, and wall plaques, and an entire display dedicated to dog lovers, you’ll be able to find several presents in one trip.
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Whether you’re looking for contemporary or Native American, the shop at the Cliff Dwellings has got you covered. Pottery, drums, jewelry, blankets, moccasins, toys, books, and so much more can be found in their multi-level gallery.
While the kids journey back in time in the dwellings, you can get them some goodies for their stockings that they’ll never expect!
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North Pole – Santa’s Workshop
The North Pole is the place to go for all sorts of Christmas gear and cheer. This holiday-themed amusement park stays open through Christmas Eve to ensure everyone can immerse themselves in the magic of Santa Claus, candy canes and festive fun. It’s where Christmas magic and memories start!
One of the more unique gifts you can pick up in the North Pole is a specialty Christmas ornament for your tree or the tree of someone you love. Other stores may have Christmas ornaments for a season, but the North Pole has them all year long — and they’ve collected some beautiful options you can’t find anywhere else.
While you’re at the North Pole, be sure to visit with Santa. Kids can also drop letters to Santa at the park’s post office to ensure the jolly man knows exactly what gifts to bring. Be sure to check out some of the other gift shops in the village during your visit. Admission is required during peak dates. Check the reservation calendar for more information. There are a few non-peak dates in early December where you can do a shopping-only trip.
ProRodeo Hall of Fame
Did you know that the first rodeo ever was held in Colorado? What else more perfectly celebrates the Spirit of the West than the rodeo? It’s a sport filled with horsemanship, cowboy skills, and magnificent animals that helped build the West. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame details that legacy in its beautiful museum and offers you a little something to take home as well. You’ll find jewelry, belt buckles, toys, and books that are perfect for every cowpoke or little rustler in your life.
Space Foundation Discovery Center
The Space Foundation and Discovery Center is dedicated to bringing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to kids in a way that is accessible, engaging, and, most importantly, fun. If you have a kid — or an adult — who cannot take their eyes off the sky, the Space Foundation Discovery Center might be the best place for you to find space-themed gifts.
The toys, books, and apparel sold at the Space Foundation are all related to space, the stars, and our own home planet. One of the coolest gift ideas is their astronaut ice cream. Imagine how cool your kids will think it is to find that in their stocking on Christmas morning.
You can also consider purchasing a Discovery Center Passport. The family pass is incredibly affordable and gives your loved ones free access to the center year-round. They will also get free admission to many of the Space Foundation’s educational programs and invitations to members-only events. A membership also includes membership in the ASTC Passport Program, which gives you access to partner centers throughout the country and the world. There are more than 450 locations that participate!
More Unique Gifts: Give the Gift of Adventure
Rather than adding to stacks of things soon forgotten, give the gift of adventure instead. And better yet, an adventure shared. How about a trip down Pikes Peak by mountain bike? Or maybe zip-lining for you and your favorite boo? Treat the family to a summer white water rafting trip, or maybe your favorite bird-lover wants to try falconry. Sometimes the best gifts aren’t things, but memories!
See Thrilling Attractions
Other Gift Ideas
Memberships
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Space Foundation Discovery Center
- Western Museum of Mining and Industry
- Fine Arts Center
- Colorado Springs Philharmonic
- Pikes Peak YMCA
- PikeRide
- Royal Gorge Bridge
Experiences
- Adventures Out West
- Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
- May Natural History Museum
- Academy Riding Stables
- Pikes Peak — America’s Mountain
- Iron Springs Chateau
- Miramont Castle High Tea
- Broadmoor Outfitters
- Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
- Pikes Peak Cog Railway
- Echo Canyon White Water Rafting
- Cave of the Winds
Gift Cards
- Manitou Springs shops
- Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership
- Garden of the Gods Trading Post
- Flying W Ranch
- Echo Canyon
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