CO Springs - What to do?

[WestKyHunt]

My wife and I are making our first trip ever west in late July (her first time ever west of the Mississippi river)

Any must do's/see/eat in the area?

We will be there for 7 days

 

[BoulderBulls]

Pikes peak, the Broadmoor, garden of the gods are some good starters.

 

[Bigjay73]

Dinner at the Rabbit Hole, drinks at the Wobbly Olive

 

[Bigjay73]

11 mile canyon is a nice spot for a picnic

 

[tread]

In addition to the ones previously mentioned, The Air Force academy is an interesting visit. Good burgers at the skirted heifer.

 

[Dsnow9]

The incline!

 

[Bugle 'Em In]

Yeah, what Dsnow9 says…go experience the Manitou (sp?) incline.

 

[Bigjay73]

Eff the incline, but walking around Manitou is cool, they even have spots where you can drink the spring water

 

[polski]

Rudy's for barbecue.

Skirted Heifer for burgers.

Not sure what your fitness level may be but you could look into hikes at Mueller State Park and/or The Crags.

Take a drive west on Hwy 24 to Wilkerson Pass for great views of the Collegiate Peaks. Drive a little further west and relax at Princeton Hot Springs.

Skip the Incline.

 

[Otto Matic]

Stay the hell out of downtown Denver!
Street people and lunatics!
Eldest worked in downtown Denver until the morning greeting of the homeless guy wearing nothing but a backpack, spoke as he urinated in the planters in front of the building, finally sent the kid back to rural Oklahoma!
Not to mention dodging the poop piles on the sidewalks, and we ain't talking "pooch poo"!

Denver may have been a beautiful place to visit at one time, no more!

 

[FamilyMan]

I believe that if I were ever to make it back to the Colorado Springs area I would want to make the scenic drive up to Cripple Creek again. I remember that being well worth the time.

 

[jlmatthew]

I live in the Springs and the places recommended above are the places I try to avoid. Just way too crowded anymore

 

[Otto Matic]

I live in the Springs and the places recommended above are the places I try to avoid. Just way too crowded anymore

Back in 1975, I thought, "Man! It would be far out and groovy to live in Colorado!"
In 1983, the wife and me made that dream come true!
"YEAH!"
How quickly a dream became a nightmare!
Town was so full of California hippies and cheap "pass through" laborers, the chance of finding work that could sustain a family of four was somewhere betwixt "slim & none"!
Then the nightmare soured.
Poorly equipped and prepared for a winter of record proportions (869" accumulated snowfall!), pennies were scraped together and family tapped to return to an atmosphere where we knew HOW to struggle, jobs WERE available and groceries didn't have to be "trucked" in!
What a rude awakening! LOL!
I can look back on it now and laugh!
Young, dumb and full of pi$$ and vinegar!
Took us 15 years in the Dallas/Fort Worth "Metro Mess" to turn our world back around.
The kids had a good life, they just couldn't see mountains from the front porch. Didn't seem to hurt them any! LOL!
They were young enough they didn't realize they were suffering too!

 

[Mudranger1]

I live in the Springs and the places recommended above are the places I try to avoid. Just way too crowded anymore

Back in 1975, I thought, "Man! It would be far out and groovy to live in Colorado!"
In 1983, the wife and me made that dream come true!
"YEAH!"
How quickly a dream became a nightmare!
Town was so full of California hippies and cheap "pass through" laborers, the chance of finding work that could sustain a family of four was somewhere betwixt "slim & none"!
Then the nightmare soured.
Poorly equipped and prepared for a winter of record proportions (869" accumulated snowfall!), pennies were scraped together and family tapped to return to an atmosphere where we knew HOW to struggle, jobs WERE available and groceries didn't have to be "trucked" in!
What a rude awakening! LOL!
I can look back on it now and laugh!
Young, dumb and full of pi$$ and vinegar!
Took us 15 years in the Dallas/Fort Worth "Metro Mess" to turn our world back around.
The kids had a good life, they just couldn't see mountains from the front porch. Didn't seem to hurt them any! LOL!
They were young enough they didn't realize they were suffering too!

@jlmatthew is just full on vinegar these days!! LOL Colorado has is ups and downs but still lots to explore

 

[elkduds]

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in COS is worth a visit. Wear walking shoes, it goes up the side of a mountain. A Scheel's store just opened, heard that is special if you like shopping. A new Olympic and Paralympic museum just opened downtown. If you want to stretch your legs, Bear Creek Park and Nature Center is nice, also Starsmore Center and the trails @ N. Cheyenne Canyon, Stratton Open Space. In that southwest part of town, Ivywild School is the happening brewery. There is a 3D archery range @ Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Old Colorado City has a nice vintage downtown area, calmer than Manitou. Paravacini's is the best restaurant in OCC, and the best Italian in COS. Cannabis is everywhere. Allegedly some nightlife on Tejon Street south of downtown. Dining is pretty average, I'm fond of Salsa Latina, Bird Dog BBQ. The Broadmoor resort is truly world class; their Golden Bee tavern is open to the public, Penrose Room is not (2021). Pay to park @ Broadmoor, stroll the extensive grounds and pond for free. The Broadmoor also has a fantastic collection of paintings by western artists on public display. The Penrose House nearby also has excellent art, as does the Fine Art Center @ Colorado College. Garden of the Gods is worth the crowds, park the car if you can find a space and walk about. GoG Visitors' Center is pretty good. Enjoy!

 

[elkduds]

Back in 1975, I thought, "Man! It would be far out and groovy to live in Colorado!"
In 1983, the wife and me made that dream come true!
"YEAH!"
How quickly a dream became a nightmare!
Town was so full of California hippies and cheap "pass through" laborers, the chance of finding work that could sustain a family of four was somewhere betwixt "slim & none"!
Then the nightmare soured.
Poorly equipped and prepared for a winter of record proportions (869" accumulated snowfall!), pennies were scraped together and family tapped to return to an atmosphere where we knew HOW to struggle, jobs WERE available and groceries didn't have to be "trucked" in!

'83-84 was a very good year to be a ski resort worker. It snowed over 100 inches in Crested Butte between Christmas and New Year's, with much more on the mountain.

 

[LaSportsman]

Stay the hell out of downtown Denver!
Street people and lunatics!
Eldest worked in downtown Denver until the morning greeting of the homeless guy wearing nothing but a backpack, spoke as he urinated in the planters in front of the building, finally sent the kid back to rural Oklahoma!
Not to mention dodging the poop piles on the sidewalks, and we ain't talking "pooch poo"!

Denver may have been a beautiful place to visit at one time, no more!

Same for San Diego but man its a great city if you love outdoors

 

[WestKyHunt]

Any recommendations for Rocky Mtn Oysters?

 

[TOGIE]

Any recommendations for Rocky Mtn Oysters?

may be worth the trek up to denver for ya. the oysters are good.

Denver Steakhouse | Denver's Oldest Restaurant | Buckhorn Exchange

Visit Denver's oldest restaurant and steakhouse. Eat the best wild game meats in an official old west museum. Denver's most unique, locally owned restaurant. Establish 1893.

www.buckhorn.com

 

[Otto Matic]

Any recommendations for Rocky Mtn Oysters?

Yeah, go find a REAL chicken fried steak.