Colorado Staycation - Pikes Peak Region

Digging a little deeper in downtown Colorado Springs

By Steve Graham

The city part of Colorado’s second largest city is sometimes overlooked. Visitors to Colorado Springs might barely stop for gas or lunch in town before heading up to Garden of the Gods, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or Cave of the Winds.

We love all those landmarks, too, but we also want to highlight some other local attractions. Several downtown spots new and old are certainly worth a staycation. Check with websites of each destination to be informed about Covid-19 restrictions.

FINDING YOUR ENTERAINMENT

Exit Interstate 25 at West Bijou Street to see the charming downtown area, with restaurants, brewpubs and high-end hotels. The greater central area is bounded by the Old North End and a recently revitalized New South End. The north end is just past Colorado College, alongside the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail. At the other edge, you’ll know you’re in the south end from the striking sculptures in America the Beautiful Park and the gleaming new U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.

America the Beautiful Park. Photo: courtesy Visit Colorado Springs

The 60,000-square-foot museum, dedicated to the athletes and events of both the winter and summer games, is slated to open later this year. It will include a mock parade of nations, a real Olympic torch and the scoreboard from the 1980 Miracle on Ice hockey game.

The centerpieces of America the Beautiful Park (recall that the patriotic tune was originally titled “Pikes Peak” and was inspired by a trip to Colorado Springs) are the Continuum sculpture in Julie Penrose Fountain and the fantasy playground, with its “Quirks.” These interactive artworks include hammocks, spinner bowls and turntables, which were all created with the help of nearly 100 students at area elementary schools.

While in the neighborhood, get a preview of the new downtown stadium. The future home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club is slated to open in 2021.

But it’s not all about the future. Learn about the past at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. Housed in a stunning old courthouse, it honors both Native Americans and early regional settlers. 

If you need a fun and easy way to get between all these landmarks, try a PikeRide shared e-bike rental.

OPTIONS FOR NESTING

Later this year, Kinship Landing is scheduled to open just south of the Pioneers Museum. The 40 spaces in this boutique hotel will include shared bunk rooms, queen rooms and suites. The hotel also will host events and a café.

West of downtown is the legendary Broadmoor. Experience the stellar service that makes it the only triple five-star resort in Colorado. Forbes has given the hotel its top rating since 1960, and now the spa and Penrose Room restaurant each have ratings to match.

Photo: courtesy Fossil Craft Beer Co.

WHERE TO FUEL UP 

Start the day with artisanal toast and java from house-roasted beans at Loyal Coffee, across the street from the new Kinship Landing.

Just around the corner is Coquette’s, a hip woman-run restaurant that is also the only 100-percent gluten-free bakery in Colorado Springs.

On the next block is the Trolley Market, a full block of restaurants and breweries around a common dining area with games and fire pits. Options include the Denver Biscuit Company, Dos Santos street tacos and Fat Sully’s pizza.

WHERE TO ENJOY LIBATIONS

While checking out the Trolley Market, enjoy a Black Walnut Old Fashioned in a plush velvet high-back chair at Cork & Cask whiskey and wine bar. Or get a cocktail or craft beer at the Atomic Cowboy.

Soon, Pikes Peak Brewing Co. in Monument will open its second taproom as a new anchor for the Trolley Market. The brewery is known for some of the region’s best IPAs, as well as the Tava Raza, a wild American kettle sour made with raspberry puree and named for the Ute Indian term for Pikes Peak.

Spotlights 

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Looking to relive The Miracle on Ice? Or, do you want to see an Olympic torch up close and personal? Well, soon you will be able to. Colorado Springs is the proud home of the brand new United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Slated to open later this year, the state-of-the-art-facility spans 60,000 square feet and contains artifacts, media and technology commemorating U.S. athletes from past and present.

“Colorado Springs is a wonderful community that rallies around Team USA,” Museum CEO Christopher Liedel said. “We can’t wait to open our doors and tell the amazing stories of our Olympians and Paralympians.” 

Upon opening, the museum plans to be open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Entry will be $24.95 for adults and $14.95 for children. You can find more information at the museum’s website, usopm.org.

Fossil Craft

While you’re poking around Colorado Springs, you wouldn’t want to miss out on one of its finer watering holes. Drive, walk or ride (nearby mountain biking is top-notch) to Fossil Craft Beer Co. for a cold pint.

Fossil Craft opened in 2014 with a small tap room and brewery space on the west side of town. Since its opening, Fossil Craft has expanded its taproom and made cult favorite brews along the way. 

Head Brewer and Co-Owner Josh Mater had a plethora of home-brewing experience in Colorado Springs and his native Houston before turning the hobby into a business. “We thought we could make as good or better beer than what was offered,” Mater said.

Taproom staples include their Megalodon Blonde and Mammoth IPA. But, if you hop in at the right time, you might get to try a local-favorite, the Oreo Stout, which contains 6-7 pounds of Oreos per half barrel of beer!

If you’re looking for outdoor activity followed by a cold libation, jump on the Red Rock trail system for miles of mountain biking fun and swing by Fossil Craft after the ride.

Find out more at fossilcraftbeer.com.

Pioneers Museum

The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is much more than just a gorgeous building. Visitors will learn about Native Americans and other early settlers. Photo: courtesy Visit Colorado Springs

SPRING-ING AROUND THE REGION

Interesting small towns surround Colorado Springs, making for some great day trips. And it’s Colorado, so there is great craft beer at every stop.

OLD COLORADO CITY  

Start where the first settlers started. Old Colorado City, just west of Colorado Springs on U.S. Highway 24, was the first capital of territorial Colorado. 

Today, it’s full of shops and diverse  restaurants, including Greek, Thai and Ethiopian restaurants, in addition to the classic pasta dishes at the beloved Paravicini’s Italian Bistro. 

After walking the strip on Colorado Avenue, quench your thirst at Fossil Craft Beer Co. It’s a little bit hidden across the highway, but worth the hunt for the reliable flagship mainstays and creative seasonals, including a peach cream ale and a prickly pear sour. With a recent expansion, there’s plenty of room to enjoy some of the area’s best craft offerings.

MANITOU SPRINGS 

Keep heading west on Highway 24 and you’ll reach the resort town of Manitou Springs. At the base of Pikes Peak, the burg is known for its namesake mineral springs and the ancient Manitou Cliff Dwellings. 

Also check out Miramont Castle, an eclectic Victorian chateau and tearoom that dates to 1895. For a more unusual buzz, check out the Maté Factor Café, which specializes in Yerba Maté, a traditional South American tea full of both antioxidants and caffeine. 

Kids will enjoy the penny arcade and the abundance of candy and ice cream shops. Grownups will enjoy the history and the hops at Manitou Brewing Co., a five-barrel brewpub housed in the old Burro Linebuilding, where visitors would rent a burro for the ride to the top of Pikes Peak. The brewers expect to tap some new barrel-aged varieties after adding a wood cellar two years ago.

Royal Gorge Railroad. Photo: courtesy Visit Colorado Springs

CAÑON CITY  

About one hour southwest of Colorado Springs is Cañon City, gateway to Royal Gorge. Surrounding the Royal Gorge Route Railroad Station is the quaint and historic downtown. Segway tours of the town are available, and highlights include the fossil-rich history museum, an arts center and the charming Arkansas Riverwalk Trail. 

World’s End Brewing Company is also right in the heart of downtown. The recent addition to the area serves classic beer styles and a sizable menu of sandwiches and other traditional pub fare. 

OLYMPIC-GRADE WORKOUTS

Not everyone can train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, but anyone can take inspiration from the athletes in Olympic City USA, and try some of the epic workout challenges in the Pikes Peak region.

RUN THE MANITOU INCLINE  Some masochist saw an abandoned rail car route running straight up a mountain and said, “I’m going to run that.” It has since become a rite of passage for Colorado fitness buffs. Hike or run more than 2,000 feet straight up on a one-mile trail. To avoid congestion on the Incline, there is no turning back. The only way back down is on the 2.5-mile Barr Trail. 

CYCLE THE PIKES PEAK HIGHWAY  For a few years, the Pikes Peak Highway has been open year-round to the hardiest road bikers in the region. The road is fully paved, and climbs more than 4,800 vertical feet over 150 turns on the way to the 14,115-foot summit. It is a 12.5-mile trek each way, and be warned that the temperature is likely to drop 3 degrees for every 1,000 feet in elevation.

HIKE THE PANCAKE ROCKS TRAIL  This 5-mile out-and-back trail opened for the season in May. It is found off Highway 67 near Woodland Park. The trail has great views of aspens, Sentinel Rock and the namesake flat-top rock formations.

Steve Graham is a freelance writer and former newspaper editor who likes taking his two young boys biking, hiking and brewery-hopping in northern Colorado.