Colorado Springs guidebook
Attractions
These are some of my favorite things to do in the area. Hope you get to do all the fun things you have plan and I am always available for questions or specific recommendations.
Beautiful Nature Attraction and it's FREE! You can drive by or stop and hike around.
1169 locals recommend
Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
3320 Mesa RdBeautiful Nature Attraction and it's FREE! You can drive by or stop and hike around.
Great parking spot to overlook Garden of the Gods, great for pictures. FREE activity to do
6 locals recommend
Mesa Overlook
3586-3604 Mesa RdGreat parking spot to overlook Garden of the Gods, great for pictures. FREE activity to do
Nature hiking trails, FREE entrance. Easy to Moderate. Great for pictures and plenty of deer around.
430 locals recommend
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
3550 W High StNature hiking trails, FREE entrance. Easy to Moderate. Great for pictures and plenty of deer around.
A little less than an hr away, but great views and fun for families to do watersports. You cannot swim but, paddleboards, kayak, canoeing are all allowed.
63 locals recommend
Rampart Reservoir
A little less than an hr away, but great views and fun for families to do watersports. You cannot swim but, paddleboards, kayak, canoeing are all allowed.
Great Museum to visit, super cool and informative.
150 locals recommend
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum
200 S Sierra Madre StGreat Museum to visit, super cool and informative.
50 minute drive, but this park is FREE 4 miles of hiking trails are easy to moderate and great for pictures. Rock formations with distinctive color variations.
72 locals recommend
Paint Mines Interpretive Park
29950 Paint Mine Rd50 minute drive, but this park is FREE 4 miles of hiking trails are easy to moderate and great for pictures. Rock formations with distinctive color variations.
FREE Open space, with 500 acres of land, if you go all the way up you get city and mountain views 360. Most trails are Moderate to difficult.
53 locals recommend
Pulpit Rock Park
1005 Garlock LnFREE Open space, with 500 acres of land, if you go all the way up you get city and mountain views 360. Most trails are Moderate to difficult.
Mountainside conservation park, great for kids and groups of all ages. Steep walking this is not on a flat ground.
569 locals recommend
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo RdMountainside conservation park, great for kids and groups of all ages. Steep walking this is not on a flat ground.
You pay to get in per person and need to get the shuttle, but great for beginner hikers and paved walkways up to the waterfall and then you can go up stairs into the harder trails behind the waterfall.
339 locals recommend
The Broadmoor Seven Falls
1045 Lower Gold Camp RdYou pay to get in per person and need to get the shuttle, but great for beginner hikers and paved walkways up to the waterfall and then you can go up stairs into the harder trails behind the waterfall.
Canon Park with many hiking trails. Free entrance unless you decide to enter the State Park
114 locals recommend
North Cheyenne Cañon Park
15220 S Cheyenne Canyon RdCanon Park with many hiking trails. Free entrance unless you decide to enter the State Park
Love this place and it's down the street. You pay for the package that you want and the type of tour. One of my faves
464 locals recommend
Cave of the Winds Mountain Park
100 Cave of the Winds RdLove this place and it's down the street. You pay for the package that you want and the type of tour. One of my faves
You get to walk through the ruins and take pictures. Not as big as Mesa Verde but still cool attraction. This has a really neat gift shop!
288 locals recommend
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
10 Cliff RdYou get to walk through the ruins and take pictures. Not as big as Mesa Verde but still cool attraction. This has a really neat gift shop!
Super hard trail, not for the faint of heart, this has 2,768 steps with an elevation gain of 2k. The views from the top are unbelievable and definitely something to brag once you complete it. Many locals do not make it to the top so if you do make sure to rave about it.
228 locals recommend
The Incline
The InclineSuper hard trail, not for the faint of heart, this has 2,768 steps with an elevation gain of 2k. The views from the top are unbelievable and definitely something to brag once you complete it. Many locals do not make it to the top so if you do make sure to rave about it.
Love getting horse back riding through Garden of the Gods with them. Super friendly and you can tell they love their horses.
36 locals recommend
Academy Riding Stable
4 El Paso BlvdLove getting horse back riding through Garden of the Gods with them. Super friendly and you can tell they love their horses.
Worth the drive up! You can also take a shuttle or hike around.
139 locals recommend
Pikes Peak - America's Mountain
5089 Pikes Peak HwyWorth the drive up! You can also take a shuttle or hike around.
Always Open and Free! 1.5 hrs away. Hand Built by Jim Bishop and the cool thing is you can go inside and walk around. SUper fun for kids as well.
125 locals recommend
Bishop Castle
12705 CO-165Always Open and Free! 1.5 hrs away. Hand Built by Jim Bishop and the cool thing is you can go inside and walk around. SUper fun for kids as well.
1 and 16 minutes away but worth the drive. They have several activities you can do and family friendly.
340 locals recommend
Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
4218 Co Rd 3A1 and 16 minutes away but worth the drive. They have several activities you can do and family friendly.
Best Food and Bars
Yum! Here is my list of my favorite food and drinks spots. Enjoy your stay and taste the local cuisine.
Walking distance from this unit. This is my favorite spot, I love the smoked brisket grilled cheese! They serve food and craft brews on tap. Beet salad is great as well!
146 locals recommend
Cerberus Brewing Company
702 W Colorado AveWalking distance from this unit. This is my favorite spot, I love the smoked brisket grilled cheese! They serve food and craft brews on tap. Beet salad is great as well!
Cool restaurant with tap beer, old historic fireplace building built in the early 1900's.
24 locals recommend
N3 Taphouse
817 Colorado AveCool restaurant with tap beer, old historic fireplace building built in the early 1900's.
The Rabbit Hole
101 N Tejon StSubterranean space, craft bites and cocktails.
I love the southwest smothered burrito. This place has a cute outdoor sitting area as well as indoor.
73 locals recommend
Bon Ton's Cafe
2601 W Colorado AveI love the southwest smothered burrito. This place has a cute outdoor sitting area as well as indoor.
Old school building turned into a local brewery & pub. Restaurant inside as well.
106 locals recommend
Bristol Brewing Company
1604 S Cascade AveOld school building turned into a local brewery & pub. Restaurant inside as well.
One of my favorite pizza joints. Wood-fired pizza locally sourced ingredients in historic Old Colorado City.
71 locals recommend
Pizzeria Rustica
2527 W Colorado AveOne of my favorite pizza joints. Wood-fired pizza locally sourced ingredients in historic Old Colorado City.
This street has several cool spots. A downtown must see and eat yummy food.
115 locals recommend
Denver Biscuit Company - Colorado Springs
528 S Tejon StThis street has several cool spots. A downtown must see and eat yummy food.
Cork & Cask
60 E Moreno AveUpscale Wine and Whiskey Bar. Yummy pretzels!
Bar with yummy cocktails, located in a lit alley. Cool spot to check out.
18 locals recommend
Shame & Regret
15 E Bijou StBar with yummy cocktails, located in a lit alley. Cool spot to check out.
Cute "speakeasy" this is an underground cocktail bar, Serving craft beer and late night food.
13 locals recommend
The Archives
15 S Tejon StCute "speakeasy" this is an underground cocktail bar, Serving craft beer and late night food.
Allusion Cocktail Bar
323 N Tejon StAllusion Speakeasy, good cocktails and food.
Indoor and Outdoor rooftop with beautiful Pikes Peak views.
34 locals recommend
ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop
7114 Campus DrIndoor and Outdoor rooftop with beautiful Pikes Peak views.
Elegant resort, perfect for romantic dinners. The building inside has an antique elegant vibe with chandeliers everywhere.
164 locals recommend
The Broadmoor Golf Club
1 Lake AveElegant resort, perfect for romantic dinners. The building inside has an antique elegant vibe with chandeliers everywhere.
Local food spot with Middle eastern cuisine. Love the combo plates and they give you a lot of food in the plate.
20 locals recommend
Heart Of Jerusalem Cafe
718 Manitou AveLocal food spot with Middle eastern cuisine. Love the combo plates and they give you a lot of food in the plate.
Phantom Canyon Brewing Co
2 E Pikes Peak AveCool spot, with good food and good drinks!
Indoor and Outdoor Taproom, they offer good food and great drinks.
51 locals recommend
Trails End Taproom
2925 W Colorado AveIndoor and Outdoor Taproom, they offer good food and great drinks.
Fujiyama
22 S Tejon StWho doesn't love some good sushi! My favorite sushi spot in downtown.
Nearby Towns
These are close by historic towns to check out all the local shops and food.
Known for its mineral springs, shops, restaurants, nestled between mountain landscape. Great for walks, shopping and eating. 8 minute drive to main street.
649 locals recommend
Manitou Springs
Known for its mineral springs, shops, restaurants, nestled between mountain landscape. Great for walks, shopping and eating. 8 minute drive to main street.
Historic town close by known for local shops and yummy restaurants. 4 Min drive to main street.
388 locals recommend
Old Colorado City
Historic town close by known for local shops and yummy restaurants. 4 Min drive to main street.
Traveler advice
Ways to save
Coupons "Discover Downtown Pass"
Go to >> discover.downtowncs.com and you can get a FREE coupon book with discounts to local restaurants and more.
What to pack
Bring a Warm jacket even in the Summer.
Colorado weather is very unpredictable. Temperature can drop up to 20 degrees in one day. Keep in mind if you travel up to the mountains be prepared and temperature is a lot colder than Colorado Springs take a jacket.
Getting around
Uber, Lyft and Electric Bike Station
Our city does offer, Uber, Lyft and there is an electric bike station down the street by the Cerberus restaurant. Plenty of car rental companies near by as well.
Don't miss
So many hiking trails nearby!
If you are new to the area and love the nature and hiking. I highly recommend you downloading the free "AllTrails" app. The logo is green with a white mountain silhouette. You can search by area and filter your search for hiking trails. The app is pretty good about rating the difficulty level for all trails, and includes reviews with pictures. I've been living in CO for 4 yrs and to this day still use it to get informed on the hiking trail. Keep in mind this is high elevation and depending on where you travel from the difficulty might be different for you. Always be prepare for your safety :)