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My friend Sherri LOVES to travel with her family… and I have been fortunate to travel with her with our families, as well as just with our spouses, and enjoyed every trip! She’s super-organized and always plans a great time. Today she shares her thoughts on Colorado Springs, Colorado…
City or town name:
Colorado Springs, CO
Is there an airport there?
Yes there is, and it’s only about 15 minutes from our favorite hotel, the Broadmoor.
Is this a place you have visited more than once? If so, what keeps you coming back?
Yes, we’ve gone at least once a year for the past 5 years, I think. We love the many outdoor things to do and the incredible weather.
What makes this place great for families to visit?
We still haven’t done it all!
Each trip we visit Pike’s Peak, Garden of the Gods and Seven Falls. There’s also a big cave (Cave of the Winds), Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Air Force Academy, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and there’s a gold mine & the Royal Gorge that are not too far away. All of this and we’ve never actually been in downtown Colorado Springs! The small town of Manitou Springs is maybe 5-10 minutes away and is a quaint town to walk through (where you go to catch the cog rail that goes to the top of Pike’s Peak – I always have just driven so we can do the stops along the way – the kids like panning for gold). There’s a great picnic spot at the first (I think) stop/gift shop on the way up Pike’s Peak that has picnic tables that overlook the reservoir. We also walk around here.
How long should a family plan to stay to hit the highlights?
If you’re just doing the first 3 things listed above, I’d allow a day each – you’ll have plenty to see and do in each area while enjoying the wonderful weather. I have to admit we’ve never been in July, or winter months. It’s a wonderful escape from the Houston weather in August!! We try to go for 5 days and are always sad to leave.
What are some of the fun things to do? What were your favorites? Why? What ages would these spots appeal to?
I think I mostly answered this above. I think my least favorite are the Manitou cliff dwellings – there’s just not too much to see there and none of us have wanted to go back (but glad we did it once). My kids have been going since ages 5 and 8 and have loved every trip. Seven Falls might not be the best for younger than 5 if you want to climb the stairs to the top of the falls. A LOT of steps (185) and it can be a little nerve-wracking (the views and trails at the top are great though). Our last trip I had a broken foot and stayed at the bottom – still plenty to see, but I’m looking forward to trying the stairs for our June trip.
What family-friendly places to eat would you recommend? Anything special about them?
Nothing too special I’ve had here. Our family mostly eats in the hotel restaurants. We’ve brought food to our room from Chili’s. We’ve eaten at the little restaurants in Garden of the Gods park. We ate at P.J.’s in Manitou Springs. All okay restaurants, nothing spectacular.
What hotels or other places to stay can you recommend? I can’t really say I’ve looked at any others. I’ve heard people talk about the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, but since we love the Broadmoor and that’s where my husband wants to stay, that’s where we stay.
If adults can fit in a date night without the kids while there, what would you suggest? On our one adult-only trip we went to the Golden Bee at the Broadmoor. It’s a restaurant and pub, but we just went for drinks. They have a man playing the piano (taking requests from books they pass around) and almost everyone in there sings – all at the same time from their tables. It has a 30’s or 40’s feel. It was a fun night! No kids allowed inside after 7 or 8 – can’t remember what time exactly. We tried to take our kids and found this out a few trips ago.
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