GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
Did you know there are 300 days of sunshine in Colorado Springs? Yes, 300 days! Most people believe Colorado Springs is similar to a mountain town, which is often cold(er) and has either inches or feet of snow at all times (false). The cold season in Colorado Springs only lasts for 3 1/2 months; even during that time, the average daily high temperature is 51ºF. The coldest month is December, with an average low of 21ºF and a high of 44ºF.
Now that you know the weather is unique in Colorado Springs year-round, what is there to do there? Many outdoor options include hiking, white water rafting, beautiful scenic drives, breweries, shopping, and various tourist attractions. We are in Colorado Springs often, so we will continually add to this post about what to do in Colorado Springs. Come back and visit often for new ideas and travel tips to the Springs (as the locals refer to it).
Bishop’s Castle is….. fascinating….odd….unique….. strange….beautiful…. weird….but it is worth a visit. The history of Bishop’s Castle is just like the castle itself – fascinating.
Jim Bishop was 15 years old in 1959 when he (his parents actually, as he was too young) purchased two and a half acres of land for $450.00 at 9,000 feet above sea level. The land was surrounded on three sides by the San Isabel National Forest. For ten years, Jim visited the property with his father as they began the groundwork for building a family cabin on the site.
In 1967, Jim married Phoebe, and in 1969, they decided to start building a cabin. Since rocks were plentiful in the area, Jim began to build a one-room stone cottage.
Over the years, people asked Jim, “What are you building? A castle?” Jim heard that enough that he finally started telling family and friends that he was going to build a castle. Jim would pursue the American Dream – to be Kind of your Castle!
There is so much more to this story – trust us, it is worth the read and visit!
TIP: If you are afraid of heights, there may be other stops on your trip to the Colorado Springs area instead of this destination. The ironwork is fantastic, but some areas have sketchy patch jobs. Some of the stone stairs inside the castle are missing large pieces of the stair itself. If you are taking children to visit, keep them close, as some areas with a steep fall are not blocked well.
Bishop’s Castle is always open and free to visit. Donations are accepted.
The Royal Gorge train is a fantastic combination of breathtaking scenery and delicious food, which happens to be sourced locally and prepared fresh on the train.
The Royal Gorge Route Railroad offers up to four daily departures: 9:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., with a 6:30 p.m. departure on weekends. The 6:30 p.m. departure is approximately 2.5 hours long, while the others are 1.5 – 2 hours long.
We selected the BOUJEE option and enjoyed lunch in the Vista Dome car. It offered spectacular views of the Royal Gorge and the Arkansas River. The Vista Dome car is set up with comfortable booths. One of the bonuses of the Vista Dome car is that you have direct access to one of the open-air cars, which is a must to experience on the train!
You can learn about the train class options, and to purchase tickets, you can visit the Royal Gorge Route Railroad website.
Skyline Drive is a narrow 2.6-mile road that follows the top of a razorback ridge overlooking Canon City. The views are spectacular; however, if you are used to driving on a narrow road with guard rails, it might be a little scary.
The history of Skyline Drive is fascinating! Skyline Drive was built using labor from 60 inmates at the nearby prison. The road was finished in 1905, and in the early days, only horse-drawn buggies and foot traffic were allowed on the road; however, in 1907, automobiles were permitted on the road, which is what you will primarily see on the one-way road now.
The road starts from U.S. Highway 50 and often feels like you are on a roller coaster while driving on it. The single-lane road rises about 800 feet above its surroundings.
While the road is tight, there are many areas where you can pull off safely to get out of your car and take photos. NOTE: This is a one-way road, so once you commit to driving it, you are saved until you reach the end! While it can be a hair-raising, adrenaline-pumping experience, we are confident you can do it…. don’t look straight down on either side of the road.
If the drive doesn’t scare you and you still want better views, check out Old Skyline Drive Trail, which is just a short, 1-mile out-and-back trek that takes you even higher up the razorback ridge and dramatically enhances the view!
While the scenery alone is enough for most people if you have a dinosaur fan with you, we encourage you to watch for the dinosaur prints just past the entrance to Skyline Drive. The prints were found by a paleontology student in 1999. It is believed a family made the prints of ankylosauruses, armored dinosaurs who lived during the Cretaceous Period. The prints were made as they trekked westward through the muddy marshlands.
Skyline Drive is a gift from Cañon City to its visitors, so it is free to visit!
If you are looking for a scenic hike that includes mountain and river views but only includes a slight elevation gain, this is the hike for you! Tunnel Drive Trail is a 3.9-mile out-and-back trail, only gaining 213 ft in elevation.
The trail parallels the Arkansas River, where whitewater rafters float down, and the Royal Gorge Route Rail. Initially, the trail was the site of a wooden irrigation canal that supplied water to Cañon City. It was called the Redwood Stave Irrigation Pipeline in the late nineteenth century. The city stopped using the canal in 1974.
Good news! If you want the pictures of the tunnels, they are at the beginning of the hike. Therefore, after you climb the paved hill at the beginning (trust us, it is manageable, but for those of us a little out of shape, it does take a little work), the dirt trail is completely flat.
You will also see the river at the beginning of the hike, although you follow the river for the entire 3.9 miles, so again, if you want the pictures, this could be a short and easy photo opportunity for you.
TIP: If you plan to do this hike during the summer, we suggest doing it in the morning (before 11:00 a.m.) or in the evening (after 5:00 p.m.) because there is no shade on the trail. The sun in Colorado can be harsh as we are at a higher elevation than you may be used to where you live, so bring a lot of water with you, and wear a hat and sunscreen on any hike you do while visiting.
Dogs are welcome on the trail. However, they must be leashed. You will find garbage cans to dispose of dog waste along the way, so you don’t have to carry it the entire hike.
There is a parking lot at the trailhead of about ten parking spots, so it does fill up early, which means you may have to wait for a spot. There are a few picnic tables along the trail (without any shade from the sun), so there are opportunities to have a picnic if you bring food.
We had to include a picture of our BEING BOUJEE pet mascot, Rudy, at the Tunnel Drive Trail in his favorite backpack carrier. Have you met Rudy yet? If not, check out his introduction and then stop by The Bark Buzz to read his review of carriers, pet clothing, and everything pet-related. He has an opinion about everything – just like his human mom.
Have you hiked Tunnel Drive? We want to share your tips and tricks with our BOUJEE fans.
The Royal Gorge Bridge is America’s highest and most famous suspension bridge. It is 956 feet above the wild Arkansas River, and the Chrysler building in New York City could fit under the bridge with only the antennae spire from the building reaching above the bridge. That is tall!
The building was built in 1929 and withstood the Royal Gorge Fire in 2013, where 90% of the park was destroyed. About 100 boards were charred by the fire, but that was the only damage caused to the bridge during the 2013 fire.
It is beautiful to walk across the bridge and take in the view. However, we suggest taking the Aerial Gondola across one way and walking the other. When we went, we took the Gondola across and then walked back across the bridge.
The Gondola cars were installed in 2013 with the assistance of a helicopter and a specially-trained pilot. Can you imagine watching it be installed? Or being that pilot? Ummm. No thanks!
It is 2,200 feet across the Gorge and 1,200 feet high in the Gondolas. The Gondola experience is included in the price of admission, so you can ride it as many times as you would like!
DOGS: Leashed and friendly dogs are also allowed to ride the tram but at the discretion of the ride operator.
While at the park, there are a variety of activities to participate in, such as the Tommy Knocker Playland. The Playland includes ropes, slides, nets, tunnels, etc. Seasonal attractions in the playland include wax hands, Daisy’s Carousel, and panning for gold at Ole Zeb’s Sluice Box.
For the older kids and adults, the Royal Gorge Park also has a zipline, sky coaster, and a guided climb that allows you to climb the rock walls of the Royal Gorge.
When brothers George and John Pickett explored new caves in the Williams Canyon area in 1881, they discovered Cave of the Winds.
There are two cave tour options for you and your family to consider:
• Discovery Tour: 45- 60 minute tour
• Haunted Lantern Tour: 90-minute tour
The Discovery Tour includes 15 rooms, 1/2 mile of concrete walkways, and 196 stairs. It is a family-friendly tour where you will learn about the history and geology of the cave.
The Haunted Lantern Tour is a 90-minute guided tour with nearly a mile of walking. You will navigate through dark, narrow tunnels, low passageways, uneven stairs, and muddy rooms with original floors by candlelight.
We took the Haunted Lantern Tour, and it was a lot of fun to hear the haunted/ghost stories and unexplained phenomena stories of the caves. Much of the tour was easy to walk. However, one area – approximately 200 yards – required you to duck walk to avoid hitting your head. It was much easier to do the duck walk on the way back at the end of the tour than at the start.
Our tour guide was fantastic and very entertaining. While we are both adults, we suggest this tour for only those over eight years old.
Just to let you know, the entire Lantern Tour is only guided by gaslight lanterns. It is dark. In some sections, very dark. You can take photos at the beginning of the tour in the area where the Discovery Tour begins/ends, but after that, photos are impossible. We took a few pictures when we could, but we highly suggest you check out their website for more photos of the caves.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a place for you to visit no matter the season you visit Colorado Springs – 365 days a year! Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been ranked as one of the top zoos in the country by USA Today 10Best and TripAdvisor.
In 1926, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded by philanthropist Spencer Penrose to house his growing collection of exotic animals. In 1938, Mr. Penrose deeded the Zoo as a non-profit public trust to the people of Colorado Springs “for the sole purpose of establishing and maintaining a zoological park to provide recreation, education, conservation, and scientific facilities in the field of zoology and related subjects, and to preserve the Zoo in perpetuity for the people of the Pikes Peak region.”
We visited the zoo during the holidays and went to an adult-only night called “Electric Safari Moonlight,” which included free food, adult beverages, and live music! The zoo is lit up in beautiful holiday lights, and this year, lighted animal inflatables were added to the experience.
In addition to the lights, the indoor animal displays are open for you to see. However, many outdoor animals are sleeping and cannot be seen.
While you can’t see many animals, you can see the elephants and feed the giraffes, which was an incredible experience – one we highly recommend!
Here are just a couple of the inflatables we saw on our journey through the zoo. Did I mention the weather was AMAZING?!?
The tongue of a giraffe is so long! Ewwwwwww….. but the experience was fun and one that everyone should have while at the zoo – do it!
Zoo Hours
Hours are updated for the season on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website, so check out their website for the most up-to-date information.
Zoo Ticket Prices
Check out the ticket calendar to learn about ticket prices. You must purchase tickets in advance.
Yule Tea at Glen Eyrie mansion is available from the end of November through December.
Tea is served Wednesdays through Sundays in the Castle Music Room and Library from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
*Price is $36 per person plus applicable taxes. Castle tea is served five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Reservations are available every 15 minutes from 11:00 am through 3:00 pm.
This is an excellent option for mothers and daughters or the more mature (older) women. We were surrounded by beautiful women who were enjoying each other’s company. Dress attire is business-to-business casual. Sitting next to us was a group of women wearing their furs. They were decked out for the experience and living their best BOUJEE life!
It was a cloudy day when we attended the tea, but the grounds were still absolutely gorgeous! Plus, the mansion was decorated for Christmas, which was stunning and helped us get into the holiday spirit.
Check out the picture showing the various courses we received during our tea. The food was delicious, and we introduced our taste buds to new foods, which is always fun.
We enjoyed this experience and encourage you to check it out. It is truly a memorable experience.
Reservations can be made by calling 719.265.7050
We are excited to share this not-well-known tourist location with our BOUJEE friends. You won’t find this recommendation on many blogs, so write this one down! You will want to take advantage of it.
If you are looking for a spot for beautiful sunrise/sunset pictures of Garden of the Gods AND Pikes Peak, this is the spot for you! There is a dedicated parking lot for approximately 10-12 cars (no pull-behinds/campers), so you may have to wait a short time for a spot to open up. There is a large, built-in Garden of the Gods map here so you can learn about the rock formations. At night, there is a spotlight on the Kissing Camels rock formation as the BOUJEE gated community of Kissing Camels overlooks this area.
We had to include a picture of our BEING BOUJEE pet mascot, Rudy, at the Overlook in his favorite backpack carrier. Have you met Rudy yet? If not, check out his introduction and then stop by The Bark Buzz to read his review of carriers, pet clothing, and everything pet-related.
TIP: Pick up some take-out food, and, if you are driving a truck or an SUV, back into a parking spot at the Overlook. Then, you can drop the tailgate or pop the trunk and have a great place to sit and enjoy your food. We suggest this option as it is often windy at the overlook, sometimes making it challenging to have a picnic. Plus, you are in the south, and there are lots of prickly plants at the overlook, so watch where you sit or sit.
Pikes Peak is one of Colorado’s 54 fourteeners (a fourteener – generally written as a 14er – is a mountain 14,000 ft above sea level). The view at the top of Pikes Peak is so beautiful that it inspired Katharine Lee Bates in July of 1983 to write the song “America the Beautiful.” There is even a plaque commemorating the words to the song at the summit. Please be sure to look for it while you are up there.
In June 2021, the new Summit House at the mountain peak opened for visitors and was truly beautiful! We can’t even compare it to the former summit house, which was….. not very memorable.
The Summit House provides you a break from the wind and houses a small cafeteria that sells the famous deep-fried donuts (our opinion: They are overhyped and not that great), a small museum, restrooms, and, of course, a gift shop!
How do you get to the top of Pikes Peak? There are three options, but the third is not for our BOUJEENESS. We will mention it, though, as it may apply to some of our fans. Here are the three options in order of our preference:
Did you know the temperature at the Peak is 30-40 degrees colder than what you feel in town? With that said, we have a few recommendations to take with you if as you travel to the Peak:
♥ Water! And bring more than you think you may need.
♥ Boost Oxygen supplement: this option isn’t needed at the Peak, but we are Colorado residents, so we are used to the altitude. However, we repeatedly hear guests at the Peak feel lightheaded or even sick, which can impact their experience at the top. Instead of cutting your visit short, we suggest taking an oxygen can with you. Be a Girl Scout. Be prepared! Bring additional oxygen.
♥ Dress warm. As we stated, it is 30-40 degrees colder and often windier at the top, so we recommend wearing a hat and dressing in layers.
♥ A camera. Who are we kidding… bring your phone, which has a camera. The Summit House has free WiFi; you can upload a Snapchat from the Peak!
Pikes Peak is a MUST-see while in Colorado Springs! Plan for at least 2-3 hours if you drive yourself and 3.5 hours if you decide to take the Cog Railway.
Pulpit Rock Park Loop is approximately 4.2 miles but is a network of many smaller trails, with the climb of the Pulpit Rock ridgeline as the hike’s highlight. The trails need to be marked, so you download a trail map in advance. We suggest using the AllTrails app if you are looking for an electronic database of trails across the United States.
There is no fee to hike the Pulpit Rock Park Loop, and parking is free.
While the view of the front range and Pikes Peak is nice, we prefer the view from the Mesa Overlook. The view from Pulpit Rock includes the busy I-25 and the noise associated with it.
TIP: If you are only interested in climbing to the top of Pulpit Rock, go to the left at the base of the trail, when you can go either right or left. Going to the left, you will reach Pulpit Rock after a short one-mile hike. If you’d like to do a longer trail hike before you reach Pulpit Rock, we suggest you go to the right at the fork in the trail. Also, please keep in mind that there are no restrooms on site.
Seven Falls is precisely what it states in its name – seven cascading waterfalls totaling 181 feet. Visitors can view the falls from either the Eagles Nest platform, accessible via an elevator, or by climbing the 224 steps of the steep staircase.
We took the option of climbing the 224 stairs, and I am so thankful it was during the tourist “off-season” so I could use both handrails to help me up and down. I am not a height person. I may be tall (5’11), but I don’t like climbing a ladder, parasailing, or rock climbing. (Side note: I blame my mother for my fear of heights as I grew up watching her be fearful of heights. I have some emotional baggage I still need to address.) Back to the hike up the stairs… I was told that visitors are going up and down the staircase simultaneously during the busy tourist season. WHAT?!? No, thanks. Since we visited in early December, there were very few people on the staircase, so that I could proceed at my own pace.
Parking is available at 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd (Norris Penrose Event Center). Parking and shuttle transportation is complimentary.
Tickets are only available for purchase at the entrance gate to Seven Falls. Tickets can not be purchased online or in advance. Note: A .8 mile walk is on a paved road from the entrance gate to the falls area. It is a beautiful walk, but just be aware that the road is slightly inclined. For those unable to do the .8-mile walk, a tram is available to take you to the falls. For the rest of us, wear comfortable shoes!
If you get hungry while visiting Seven Falls, a food truck and snack bar are available. In addition, there is an acceptable dining option at Restaurant 1858, a Broadmoor restaurant. Reservations are recommended at Restaurant 1858.
Did you know the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum was selected as the country’s best attraction in 2020 by USA Today? It is a must-visit place if you are visiting the Colorado Springs area!
The 60,000-square-foot museum opened in the summer of 2020 and boasts 12 galleries and truly remarkable artifacts and interactive components, which are great for kids and adults!
Interactive what? Yep, you can experience the training done by athletes to become an Olympic athlete. It is a super fun experience and one that brings a lot of laughs.
This is our BEING BOUJEE friend Cari, who raced against Carmelita Jeter, a female track Olympic athlete who completes this short distance in 3.21 seconds. Yes, Cari definitely false started and still lost to the athlete. It was so fun to watch and experience.
As you progress through the museum, experiences such as this are saved to your digital locker, which you can access when you leave the museum.
In addition to running, you can experience archery, a skeleton track, sled hockey, a ski hill, and Goalball, which visually impaired athletes play.
The museum shares the experiences of almost 12,000 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and spans more than 100 years of Olympic and Paralympic history.
The museum is beautifully designed and full of modern technology that enhances your experience while touring the museum and after you leave via your digital locker.
Here are some of the key areas of the museum:
♥ Virtual Olympic Hall of Fame
♥ Introduction to the Games
♥ Athlete Training
♥ The lab – which looks at the science and technology role in an athlete
♥ Parade of Nations – where you experience walking into the Games Opening Ceremony
♥ Summer Games
♥ Winter Games
♥ World Watches – Stories of the Games’ global impact on history and culture
♥ Rotating Gallery
♥ Medal collection and ceremony
We highly recommend visiting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs if you are seeing the area.
Museum hours:
Sunday – Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museum ticket prices:
Adults: $19.95
Children (3-12): $11.95
Children under the age of 2 are free
SECRET TIP: Ask one of the employees to tell you the reasoning behind the height of each of the four balconies that overlook the main lobby/atrium.
The Mollie Kathleen Mine was found in 1891 and was the first to be struck by a woman in the Cripple Creek and Victor gold camp. Woot! Woot! Power to women back in 1891! There is much more to this story that can be read here, but we shared the critical part – a woman found it.
This tour is unique because it is the only vertical mine shaft tour in the United States. We weren’t sure what that meant, but ultimately, it started with us crowding into a miner’s cage (an open-air elevator) to take a trip 1,000 feet underground….which equates to about 100 stories. To put that into perspective, the One World Trade Center in New York City has 104 stories.
The tour includes viewing actual gold veins in their natural state, looking at a mineral display, and examining mining equipment from different eras. The tour also includes a ride on an underground tram air locomotive, which we have included for your enjoyment. Avoid watching the video if you want to be surprised on the locomotive tour.
Near the end of your tour, you will be given a free gold ore sample to take home! It is an excellent souvenir for young children and adults alike.
The tour is approximately an hour long. We suggest dressing in layers as it can be chilly so far underground. The tour requires about 1/4 quarter of a mile of walking on flat, level terrain.
This tour is not available year-round, so we suggest you check their website for more details and ticket prices.
There is ample parking available at the mine. There is a small gift shop you can visit before/after your tour, which also has a bathroom that we highly suggest you use before the tour begins.
This experience is an adventure, and you might get a little dusty. It may not be the best fit for all our BOUJEE fans, but it was an experience we felt should be shared.
The Penny Arcade (the actual name is the Arcade Amusements in Manitou, but everyone knows it as the Penny Arcade) is a fantastic way to walk down memory lane with your loved ones with over 400 games!
The Penny Arcade is unique as it comprises at least five different rooms in at least four other buildings. Each room offers different games; one is just a large horse racing game. While most games are indoors, there is an outdoor area with a roof over it for young kids to ride small electronic rides ranging from different cars to animals.
Some games award you with tickets that can be traded for prizes. To redeem the tickets, you must go into the skeeball room.
Hours: The Penny Arcade is open year-round but only in the winter if the weather is above 50ºF. The winter hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
TIP: Check out Patsy’s Candy, which is right in front of the Penny Arcade. Their Carmel corn is fantastic!
The Great Sand Dunes National Park is a jaw-dropping sight, and the experience is one we will never forget – for various reasons. For starters, the view is fantastic! Standing there, you see a beautiful mountain landscape with rolling dunes and even a little Medano Creek. The depth of the creek depends on precipitation and snow melt.
Exploring the Sand Dunes can be as challenging or as easy as you would like to make them. Ultimately, the challenge is how far you want to hike/climb. I say climb because there were times we were on all fours climbing to the top.
TIP: Just to let you know, if you decide to hike up the first dune right behind the first sledding area, it is a false summit. This means that when you reach the top of it, there is another dune behind it, and you have to climb to see the broad, expansive view of the dunes and mountains. We learned the hard way.
Sledding hill? Yes, you read that right. As someone originally from Minnesota, sledding on the sand was a must-do! We rented sleds from a place in town before we arrived at the Dunes (sorry, I can’t remember the business’s name). You rent the sleds for the entire day and they come with wax to ensure the sled glides as easily as possible across the sand. I can’t remember the price for each sled rental, but it was around $20. You can also rent sandboards, like a snowboard you stand on to “ski” down the dune. That was too adventurous for us, so we kept with the sleds.
We have a few suggestions for your trip to the Dunes:
♥ Wear closed-toe shoes. It is much easier to walk up the Dunes with closed-toe shoes. Plus, the sand can be scorching depending on when you experience the Dunes.
♥ Bring a lot of water! It can be scorching, and you may be tired from hiking in the heavy sand. Keep hydrated!
♥ Wear sunscreen and a hat! You are closer to the sun in Colorado due to being at a higher altitude.
♥ Bring wipes and a towel to leave in your car to clean up when you are done.
♥ Cardboard and snow sleds DO NOT slide well on the Dunes. Don’t waste your time. Just rent sleds!
The Sand Dunes is a unique experience, but due to the distance from Colorado Springs, it takes an entire day. We drove there and back the same day, which made for a long, exhausting day. There are camping and lodging options close by, so that is an option for you if you don’t want to make an entire day of it.
Let us know if you have any questions about visiting the Sand Dunes! We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this experience!
Atomic Cowboys is a great spot to check out throughout the day as their menu changes. Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The menu is from the Denver Biscuit Company, which is fantastic! We are HUGE fans of the Cinnamon Roll, which is massive…. and you can add Bacon to it! All of the breakfast biscuits are so tasty!
Starting at 11:00 a.m. and closing each day, the menu is for Fat Sully’s, which is all about NY-style pizza. At 4:00 p.m. burgers, wings, fries, and garlic knots are added to the menu.
While NY-style pizza may not be my favorite, the pizza is pretty good overall. What truly makes it a unique experience is the 26″ pizza they offer. Yes, you read that right. It isn’t a mistype. A 26″ pizza!
The 26″ pizza is a must if you are traveling with young kids because it is something they will remember for a lifetime! It may not be the best pizza you have ever tasted, but how often can you order a 26″ pizza? Note: This pizza is only available for dine-in.
Can you imagine fitting a pizza box that size in your refrigerator?
If you want outdoor space to eat, check out seating on the second floor, which also has a view of the mountains.
LeAnn is a mentor and the ultimate BOUJEE glamour gal. When she left daily drudgery behind in favor of following her own personal path to joy, she made a promise to herself that she would help others do the same. All she’s ever wanted is to do is stay healthy, live her best life and give back to others by introducing them to their inner BOUJEE.
