How to Spend Three Days in Colorado Springs

We enjoyed Colorado Springs, Colorado, enough on our month in nearby Fairplay that we ended up visiting the city and the Pikes Peak region on four different trips. 

I felt like we needed two full days in the city itself and one extra for day trips nearby. The Colorado Springs itinerary I’ll share with you here is then a combination of those trips, as most people don’t have the luxury to drop by multiple times per month.

I’ll also include a few things we didn’t get to despite our best efforts. There are enough things to do in Colorado Springs that you’ll certainly want to come back to this one.

How Many Days You Need in Colorado Springs

You should spend at least two days in Colorado Springs, especially if you want to visit both the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. Both of those popular attractions benefit from an early start.

With three days, you can add the Broadmoor Seven Falls or set aside a day for a day trip out of the city. That’s about as much as we had on our visits to Colorado Springs.

The Best Time to Visit Colorado Springs

The best time to visit Colorado Springs depends on what you want to do while you’re here. We visited in the summer. While that’s peak tourist season in Colorado Springs, we didn’t really feel the crowds outside of the Garden of the Gods and The Broadmoor.

Early fall may be ideal overall. Temperatures cool down, but you’ll be treated to fall foliage and fewer tourists. Spring means milder temperatures, but hiking trails may be muddy or have lingering snow.

Winter is the quietest time. Though temperatures can drop to freezing, it’s popular with winter sports enthusiasts and deal-seekers.

What to See in Colorado Springs in Three Days

You can spend three days in Colorado Springs like this:

• Hike at Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon.
• Explore the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.
• Visit Old Colorado City and the Old North End Historic District.
• See the view from Pikes Peak.
• Tour the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
• Feel the spray at the Broadmoor Seven Falls.
• Visit the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.
• Indulge in happy hour at Goat Patch Brewing Company.
• Enjoys meals at 503W or Juniper Valley Ranch.

Three Days in Colorado Springs: Day 1

This Colorado Springs itinerary assumes three full days in the city, so your days will be pretty full from morning to night. 

Don’t worry. I get to bed at a decent hour these days.

If you’re starting your trip on a Friday afternoon, feel free to adjust as needed. I’d just recommend that you don’t miss out on the Garden of the Gods. The park is easily the highlight of any trip here.

If you have the majority of the day to work with on your first day in Colorado Springs, grab a quick snack to-do to fuel up for some light trekking.

Stop 1: Garden of the Gods

The Garden of the Gods is a free public park that’s home to sandstone rock formations rising hundreds of feet high. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Colorado Springs.

Meet the Kissing Camels, strike a pose at the Balanced Rock, and even test your mettle with some rock climbing of your own at the Garden of the Gods. Start your day here early. It does get crowded.

If you’re here to hike, I’ve got a guide for hiking at Garden of the Gods.

Note: History buffs, don’t miss out on the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site. You’ll learn about the history of local people in the Pikes Peak region over several different time periods.

Stop 2: Garden of the Gods Trading Post

Before you leave the Garden of the Gods, pop by the largest gift shop in Colorado for all of your handicraft needs, a dose of local history, and a bison burger.

This idea for the shop began in 1917, when local entrepreneur Charles E. Strausenback wanted to offer tourists visiting the park options for gifts and snacks.

Construction of the original trading post you’ll visit today wasn’t completed until 1929.

It has dramatically expanded since the 1920s into a mix of shopping, dining, and one of the biggest art galleries in the region. It also offers some stellar views of the red rock formations just outside its doors, too.

Stop 3: Manitou Cliff Dwellings

I thought the Manitou Cliff Dwellings would be pretty silly, to be honest. It’s basically a smaller replica of Mesa Verde National Park, which we didn’t get to see as planned during our Colorado travels because we got COVID.

Well, it was silly, but it was also a lot of fun.

The place is super dog-friendly so you can bring your pup along to pose in all of the little window nooks reconstructed to resemble Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. The modest museum below the main site is also dog-friendly.

Fun fact: If you have more time in Manitou Springs, the Cave of the Winds Mountain Park is just north of the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. That park offers cave tours and a variety of more adventurous activities like zip lining.

Stop 4: Old Colorado City

I usually hate the old “Just take a stroll!” advice on other Colorado Springs travel guides, but Old Colorado City really was made for walkin’.

Here are a few stops you can make as you explore this charming part of town on the west side of Colorado Springs:

• Bancroft Park: If you’re visiting in the summer months and into October, this park is home to a farmer’s market every Saturday from 7am-1pm. It’s a lovely urban park and a good place to get in some people-watching. 
• Buffalo Ridge Trading Post: Pick up souvenirs for your loved ones at this locally-owned small business. If you’re not sure what you want when you walk in, the friendly staff can help you out with that, too. 
• Thunder & Buttons: The second iteration of this bar is named after two bull elk who were hitched to a carriage run by a long-time Colorado City resident in the 1880s. The first restaurant under the same name went down in a fire in 1989.

Stop 5: Colorado Springs Breweries

The Colorado Springs brewery scene offers a lot of choices no matter what you’re after with your draft.

We picked Goat Patch Brewing Company for its high ratings. While the tasters felt a little pricey, I did not regret their Limeade Shandy.

Here are a few more that were on our list if you like options:

• Cerebus Brewing Company: Come for whatever is on tap, which typically includes a variety of Belgian beers, pale ales, and amber pints. Stay for the yummy food menu they serve up alongside their pours.
• Phantom Canyon Brewing Company: This brewery comes with some historical heft. It operates out of the historic three-story Cheyenne Building, which was a hotel from 1909-1963. The beers look yummy, too.

Stop 6: Dinner

If you’re at a brewery with food, feel free to linger there to relax after a busy first day. Otherwise, choose from any one of the best restaurants in Colorado Springs.

Our favorite was 503W, an Asian-influenced eatery that serves up things like Korean tacos and rice bowls with the freshest ingredients. 

Here are a few more yummy options as you eat your way through Colorado Springs:

• Four by Brother Luck: Visit Colorado Springs’ celebrity chef at this eatery inspired by four different food regions. The focus is Southwest cuisine, but there are touches from Western Europe, Latin America, and Native American staples.
• Pizzeria Rustica: This place brings a little bit of Italy to Colorado Springs with its artisanal wood-fired pizzas. Not sure what to order? Start with the Rustica, topped with that classic combo of prosciutto and fresh arugula.
• Shuga’s: Soups, salads, and sandwiches with an international twist make this a great stop for lunch. A weekend brunch offers up Mediterranean plates and lighter fare to start your day off right.

Three Days in Colorado Springs: Day 2

Pikes Peak could be treated as a day trip from Colorado Springs, but as it’s such a marquee attraction in these parts it should be made a priority on any itinerary.

As with your first day in the city, start as early as you can. Pack some morning snacks and caffeine to-go. I love a good cafe, but the outdoor attractions in Colorado Springs are way more exciting than its coffee culture.

Stop 1: Pikes Peak

We drove up to Pikes Peak on a separate day trip from Fairplay. It’ll take you a few hours to visit America’s Mountain on its own, so keep that in mind as you plan your travel throughout the region.

If you’re driving, reserve a day pass ahead of time along with a timed entry for the top. It’s silly to make the drive all the way to nearly the top and not go all the way to the visitor’s center at the VERY top. 

There are yummy donuts up at Pikes Peak that are the only kind produced at an altitude above 14,000 feet anywhere in the world.

There’s also a nice interpretive walk around the top that will give you more information about what you’re looking at from each overlook.

Here are a few more tips to make for a successful visit to Pikes Peak:

• Make sure you know what you’re doing with your gear shifting before you make the trip. There is a mandatory brake check station midway down where we watched people get pulled over when their brakes were checked and too hot.
• Don’t ride your brakes all the way down. The folks there are trying to keep your brakes from failing, which could end with you going over the mountain.
• While up at the top, see the old Pikes Peak Summit House with images of handlebar mustaches on men who got there in very different circumstances. Learn about the first woman to summit the peak, in her bloomers no less.

Fun fact: We got kudos for our 97-degree brakes from the checkpoint guy.

If you want to linger here, you can stop by Manitou Brewing Company at the base of Pikes Peak. Just make sure there’s a designated driver available for the challenges of getting up and down the mountain.

Stop 1 Alternative: The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

Another option instead of driving the winding, at times precarious road is The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Reserve train tickets in advance because this is one of those excursions that do sell out. 

If you take the train, you’ll get dropped off in the same spot as you would if you drove. You don’t miss out on anything at the top. You do need to pay for parking at the depot, though. They’ll let you know where to park when you get tickets.

Don’t want to park at the depot? There are several parking lots in Manitou Springs for folks planning a scenic train ride. You have options. 

Stop 2: Woodland Park

Woodland Park is technically part of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area, but I have to say it has a vibe all its own.

If you haven’t been able to take a ride down the Cog Railway, visit one of the old cars on display at the Woodland Station. 

If you’re here with the family or dinosaur lovers like Brian, check out the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. It’s a fossil museum focused on inhabitants during the late Cretaceous period.

Stop 3: Peak View BBQ and Taproom

All of that high-altitude adventuring has likely made you hungry. Hit up the Peak View BBQ and Taproom before returning from whence you came.

I honestly didn’t expect much when I saw its location in a strip mall. The generous helpings and the pickles they stick on their pulled pork sandwiches introduced me to something I didn’t know I needed. 

Stop 4: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

The super interactive U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum is well worth a visit.

You could spend quite a bit of time there interacting with the virtual games and watching video clips that will surely make you emotional in public. 

The museum is divided into sections that focus on either the summer or winter games, so no matter what you’re a fan of, it’ll be represented here. Purchase your timed entry tickets online for a breezy experience.

Alternative Stop 4: Olympic & Paralympic Training Center

We chose to do the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum over the training center, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t love to check this out, too.

These are the national headquarters for USA Swimming and USA Shooting, so a visit is a must if you’re into those sports. 

As this is an active training facility, you must visit on a tour. Reservations in advance aren’t necessary. Tours are available Mondays-Saturdays every hour on the hour from 9am-4pm. Just come by ahead of your desired time to get yourself on the list.

Stop 5: Old North End Historic District

This neighborhood has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982. 

It’s worth at least a drive-through as you gape at the giant homes, none of which seemed the same. That’s because this has always been a middle- to upper-class part of town, and likely remains upper-class by the looks of it.

If you’d like to visit, Cascade Avenue is a great place to start.

The boundaries are Unitah Street on the southern end and East Washington Street to the north. Try the intersections of East Jackson or Del Norte streets if you want to put something in your map app.

Stop 6: Dinner

Revisit one of my favorite Colorado Springs eateries from day one or go off on your own. Colorado Springs has a nice eating eating.

You’ll be just north of downtown Colorado Springs if you’re following along on my three-day itinerary, so you have lots of options. The underground Rabbit Hole was one that was on my list for return trips. It looks like a real scene.

Reservations are required at that one, though, so plan ahead.

Three Days in Colorado Springs: Day 3

Stop 1: The Broadmoor Seven Falls

This one tops Colorado Springs activities for many visitors, but it just didn’t work out for us. 

The Seven Falls were closed during our first visit. On our second visit, there was a one-hour wait for the shuttles to get to the falls. We tried finding parking at a trailhead nearby with no luck, so decided to eat lunch, instead. 

If you choose to go, I’d recommend starting your day here. You can’t drive right up to the falls but must park at a nearby trailhead or at 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road. That’s also the site of the Norris Penrose Event Center. 

You’ll have to take a shuttle from there, but as I learned, lines later in the day get long. If you do make it, you can reward yourself with a fancy meal at Restaurant 1858. Their patio is set up right above the rushing water. 

Stop 2: Golden Bee

When we realized we weren’t going to get to see the waterfalls again, we didn’t want to skip out of town without seeing The Broadmoor’s luxe compound. 

We decided to stop by the Golden Bee for lunch to make the effort worth it. The gastropub arrived in the United States panel by panel from London back in the 1880s. It wasn’t put together again until the 1960s, but that fact alone got me through the door.

We had fish and chips, a bison burger, some beer cheese, and little bee stickers stuck onto our clothing. Let me explain that last part.

When you arrive, the server will attempt to fling something at you. Let them. They’re bee stickers, and they mean you no harm.

The portions were big and the ambiance was great, but I will say this one is pricey for pub food. I guess we have to subsidize getting this one to Colorado Springs piece by piece.

Stop 3: Red Rock Canyon

Garden of the Gods is spectacular. If you felt like you didn’t get your fill of red rock formations because of the crowds at the park, the Red Rock Canyon Open Space is another option. 

We combined the Contemplative Trail with the Sand Canyon Trail Loop for just under two miles of hiking. If you want to see the quarry, you can reach it on the Red Rock Canyon Trail. 

No matter which trail you choose, most of the hikes in the park will be easy and family-friendly. The park is also pet-friendly, but bring your pups lots of water if they’re tagging along. 

Note: If you’re a summer traveler, you may want to start at this park, especially if you’re hiking. We enjoyed nice enough weather even in July, but the city can get hot. That may mean some tough decisions on what to prioritize on your trip.

READ MORE: Love an aggressive hike? One of the scariest we’ve ever done is in Colorado. Check it out!

Stop 4: Colorado Springs Museums

Colorado Springs is known for its sunny weather, but if you happen upon some rain, there are several historical museums for you to peruse during your visit.

You can also just pop by one because you like your weekend trips with a side of history. We do. Our pick was the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

This museum in downtown Colorado Springs operates out of the 1903 El Paso County Courthouse. Permanent exhibits detail the history of the area. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. You don’t need a ton of time for this one.

Here are a few more of the most well-regarded Colorado Springs museums:

• National Museum of World War II Aviation: See ​​28 fully restored flying aircraft and historical documents from World War II. If you’re flying into Colorado Springs, you’ll have easy access to the museum, as it’s located at the airport.
• Penrose Heritage Museum: This free museum looks at the heritage of the Pikes Peak region through the lens of historical artifacts. The focus is on local entrepreneur Spencer Penrose. 
• Western Museum of Mining & Industry: Take a deep dive into Colorado mining history at this museum. Exhibits include gold panning stations and a large collection of fluorescent materials.

Stop 5: Juniper Valley Ranch

This is easily the most beloved restaurant in Colorado Springs. It’s been in this spot south of downtown Colorado Springs since 1951, when sisters Ethel Shirola and Evelyn Ellis wanted to share their take on comfort food.

It’s retained its original purpose by serving up fried chicken, homemade gravy, handmade biscuits, and seasonal pies to hungry patrons fresh off hikes in the area.

The skillet-fried chicken was obviously the highlight of our visit, but if you’re here on a Sunday as this itinerary intended, you can treat yourself to their Nashville hot chicken.

It’s the perfect way to finish up your trip to Colorado Springs. I love waddling out of places, personally. Call the ranch to make a reservation if you don’t want to get shut out.

More Things to Do in Colorado Springs

If you have more time in Colorado Springs, there’s so much more to see. Here are a few more things to do on an even longer trip:

• Climb 2,000 in under a mile along the Manitou Incline, a favorite of local Olympic athletes.
• Visit the Glen Eyrie Castle, an English Tudor-style castle built in 1871.
• See the multi-faith chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, one of the city’s best architectural sites.
• Tour the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy.
• Learn how to climb with a beginners’ lesson at the Pikes Peak Alpine School.
• Check out the art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
• See the “highest” animals in the country from 6,700 feet at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
• Go back in time at the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade.

Day Trips From Colorado Springs

If you have more time in Colorado Springs, the city is a great base for day trips. Two that are still on my list are the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, a sanctuary for wolves in Divide, and the mining town of Cripple Creek.

Here are some of our favorites that we did get to:

• Royal Gorge Bridge & Park: This is both a bridge and a modest amusement park in Cañon City, about an hour and a half from Colorado Springs. If you’re interested in a visit, I have a complete guide to the park.
• The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey: If you’re already in Cañon City visiting the Royal Gorge Bridge, you may as well top off the visit with a wine tasting. Make a reservation for a seated tasting, but you can go on the cheap at the bar for $5. 
• Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: See some of the largest petrified stumps in the world. I thought the park was just as impressive — if not more so! — than Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park. 

READ MORE: Does that last one sound intriguing? Check out my guide to these must-see fossils.

Where to Stay in Colorado Springs

We made all of our trips out to Colorado Springs from nearby Fairplay, but Colorado Springs itself is a great base if you want to find accommodations there. 

Use the map below to find options no matter what your budget for Colorado Springs hotels:

Colorado Springs is always worth a visit.

This city is a great base for all kinds of outdoor adventures. It also boasts a vibrant cultural scene and decent food options if that’s what you’re after. The city has more than enough attractions to keep you busy for at least a long weekend.

As Colorado’s second-largest city, it’s also a natural travel hub and base for day trips.

I’m sure I’ll find myself back in the Colorado Springs area again soon enough. Colorado always seems to be calling me back!

Traveling elsewhere in the region? Check out these guides:

• A Guide to a Colorado Fave: Fort Collins
• Visiting Cheyenne? Use This Detailed Guide
• A Monster Guide to Salt Lake City Day Trips
• Top Day Trips to Take From Cheyenne
• How to Plan Your Next Vacation in Wyoming

Visiting California, too? Read these next:

• A Detailed Guide Epic California Travel
• Plan a Trip From Santa Barbara to Solvang
• Should You Eat at The French Laundry?
• Top Things to Do on a Trip to Santa Barbara
• How to Drive to San Francisco From LA

Want to see more?