Posts Tagged ‘Colorado’
Looking for things to do while in Colorado Springs? Here are the top ten things to do:
1.Pikes Peak– This is the famous mountain that is synonymous with the phrase “Pikes Peak or Bust”. At 14,110 feet about sea level, it’s not the highest mountain in either North America or in Colorado, but it is the most famous in that this famous landmark is perhaps best known as the spot which inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write America the Beautiful. At dusk looking towards Pikes Peak you can see why Bates penned the words “purple mountains majecsty” and from the summit of Pikes Peak you can see the “spacious skies” and” amber waves of grain” that inspired the poem.You can reach the summit of Pikes Peak in one of three ways. First, you can hike to the top. That’s a 14 mile hike up and a 14 mile hike down. While many people do this each year, you’ll probably want to consider either driving or taking the Cog Railway.
2. Air Force Academy — The Academy is open to visitors daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Visitor’s Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m
3. Garden of the Gods — This city owned park is a favorite of visitors and is free and is open from dawn until dusk every day. This park is made up of giant red sandstone formations worn smooth over millions of years by the elements. The park has a wide variety of nice, easy hiking trails and a visitors’ center that explains the formations. We recommend stopping at the visitors’ center before entering the park.
4. Flying W Ranch – Experience the old western town, cowboy stage show and the chuck wagon dinners. If you’ve never done something like this or even if you have — this place is not to be missed.
5. Olympic Training Center – is where athletes from around the country come to train at the high altitude.
6. Seven Falls and North Cheyenne Canyon – a beautiful waterfall (actually 7 of them) and hiking trails. Pack a picnic lunch and bring your camera.
7. Cheyenne Mt. Zoo — The country’s only mountain zoo. The Cheyenne Mt. Zoo (CMZ) with its 500 types of animals sits on the side of a mountain at 6,800 feet above sea level. One of the better zoos in the country, the CMZ features a Rocky Mountain habitat that includes moose, mountain lions and even grizzly bears.
8. Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs– great shopping, restaurants and in the summer you’ll find the free Manitou Springs trolley runs throughout Manitou Springs (with many stops along Manitou Avenue) from the Garden of the Gods Trading Post to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.
9. The Broadmoor Hotel and Resort — the place where the President of the United States stays when he comes to Colorado. Walking through this hotel you will discover photo’s of the famous who have stayed here. If you aren’t going to stay at this great hotel, then at least make a reservation at one of its eleven great restaurants.
10. Downtown Colorado Springs — a great place to shop and dine. You’ll also find some great parks including Acacia Park with its famous Uncle Wilbur Fountain as well as America the Beautiful park. Some of the great restaurants downtown include the Phantom Canyon Brewing Co., The Famous, Giuseppe’s Depot Restaurant and Jose Muldoon’s.
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Although we live in Colorado, it’s rare that we get to enjoy the beauty and majesty of our colorful state. So, when family comes to visit we somehow manage to take the time to enjoy the state along with our visitors.
We used River Runners as our rafting company and did their family float trip as well as a second trip the same day that was a class IV rapids. We would highly recommend River Runners as most of their guides have been guides for many years and we have used them for all of our Colorado rafting trips
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While some of our rafting party braved the second trip, the rest of us went to the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. The Mt. Princeton hot springs are just a few miles from Buena Vista and due to the lack of some of the more pungent minerals that are commonly found in most host springs, the Mt. Princeton 100 degree pool has little to no odor.
Rogers Tips:
- Unless this is your first rafting trip and you are intimidated by rafting, you have young children, or you just want a very relaxing trip, consider a rafting trip that has class III rapids.
- If you plan to visit the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, buy your tickets from River Runners as they will save you 50% off the walk-up price.