Colorado Springs is a wonderful place to visit. It is one of our favorite cities and we just love it there. The beautiful scenery, the delicious food, glorious sunsets, what more could you ask for? And it’s home to the Air Force Academy and Ft. Carson Army Base. There’s so much to see and do here.
Places to visit in Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak, Old town Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, US Olympic and Paralympic Museum, Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs Ghost Museum, National Museum of World War II Aviation, Broadmoor Hotel and some dining suggestions.
Pikes Peaks
The Rocky Mountains most famous peak in Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak. It is so beautiful to look up and see this magnificent, snow covered mountain. It was the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates, which is a beautiful song about America. She initially wrote the words as a poem in 1895, and later was made into a song.
The cog railway is train ride from Manitou Springs to the summit of Pikes Peak. It is a 9 mile journey that takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. We parked at Manitou Springs and boarded the train there. It was a fantastic ride up and back to the Peak. The view from the summit is spectacular.
The cog railway is train ride from Manitou Springs to the summit of Pikes Peak. It is a 9 mile journey that takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. We parked at Manitou Springs and boarded the train there. It was a fantastic ride up and back to the Peak. The view from the summit is spectacular.
There are five states (Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Utah), you can see from the summit, if the sky is clear. We didn’t see that many states because it was a bit cloudy when we visited. Picture taking of Pikes Peak’s incredible scenery is a must.
If you do ride the cog rail up to the summit, take plenty of water with you. Altitude sickness can hit you when you never expect it. There are no restrooms or places to purchase water on the railway. For information regarding tickets and availability, visit Cog Railway
You can also get to the summit either by hiking or driving up the Pikes Peak Highway. It’s a little over a 13 mile hike and can take 6-8 hours for experienced hikers. Just a little note for the average person.
Old Town Colorado Springs
A street filled with cafes and small, independent shops is a great way to spend an afternoon. It’s a charming bit of old town Colorado Springs. There is a town square at the end of the block, and sometimes on weekends there are farmer’s markets and arts and craft vendors. A wide variety of places to visit.
My favorite place to visit is the Original Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store. I just love their rocky road caramel apples!
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Colorado Springs
Garden of the Gods. 
Stunning rock formations make up the National Natural Landmark that is called the Garden of the God in Colorado Springs. It has a visitor and nature center and is located across the street from the park. In the summer you can take a shuttle bus from the visitor center to the rock formations. Or you can stay in your car and drive through the park to enjoy the stunning rock formations. There are places to park and hike and enjoy the beauty of nature.
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US Olympic and Paralympic Museum
This fabulous museum explores the history of Team USA in the Olympics and Paralympics games. Look at the website for additional information – US Olympic and Paralympic Museum
The Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is a service academy located north of Colorado Springs. Cadets here receive a Bachelor of Science degree after 4 years and upon graduation will be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force. This is one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado, and was established April 1, 1954. Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs Ghost Museum
A great way to see and explore what the Wild West looked like years ago! Ghost Town Museum
National Museum of World War II Aviation
This museum is dedicated to the role military aviation played during World War II. There are aircrafts, exhibits and vehicles to look at and to be awed by what an important role aviation played in winning the war. There are currently 28 fully restored flying aircraft, with several on-going restoration projects. World War II Aviation Museum
Broadmoor Hotel. 
The Broadmoor Hotel is a gorgeous place to visit and even better to stay there. Breathtaking views of the Cheyenne Mountains, and Pikes Peak will be yours to enjoy and let your mind take in the beauty of nature. You can also see NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) from the Broadmoor. It’s pretty awesome to see the antennaes up there, knowing our military is keeping us safe. For the kids, it’s the place that tracks Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
We stayed there twice and loved it both times. The first time we stayed there 3 days and I didn’t leave the hotel grounds once. There is something for everyone there. They have a movie theatre where movies are shown once a day, bowling alley, tennis courts, golf course, indoor and outdoor pool. The outdoor pool area is fantastic. There are two slides for people to go down – the grandkids loved it. Paddleboats are available for a leisurely boat ride around the lake.
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The restaurants there are fantastic. We loved the Italian cuisine at Ristorante Del Lago. The service and food was outstanding. La Taverne is a great place for delicious steaks, and for lunch we ate at the Grille. You can’t go wrong with the places to eat at the Broadmoor. Broadmoor
Where to Dine
The restaurants in Colorado Springs are very diverse. You can find a family friendly local diner where locals go for lunch and then to a Michelin star restaurant for dinner. There is something for everyone. One old fashioned diner we have visited and loved is Gunther Toody’s (Gunther Toody’s). It’s a typical 50’s diner with an old fashioned juke box in the entry.
Several restaurants to visit are Marigold Cafe & Bakery. We dined there for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our sandwiches and dessert. The bakery display was mouth watering and it was hard not to take one of everything home with us! La Bella Vita is an Italian restaurant with delicious upscale food. The atmosphere was great and the food divine. For German food, try the Edelweiss Restaurant. There are plenty of choices for everyone.
Airplane Restaurant. 
A very unique and interesting restaurant is the Airplane Restaurant, located (appropriately) near the airport. The restaurant is constructed around a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker, which was built in 1953. In May 2002, the plane became the focal point of the restaurant.
You can actually eat in the plane, which was converted to seat approximately 40 diners. The rest of the restaurant can seat diners who can enjoy the many pictures and aviation memorabilia throughout. The cockpit is also available for pictures, it makes a great photo op!
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http://theairplanerestaurant.com/
Take your time and drive around one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas have so much to offer to everyone. I can’t wait to go back!