Plenty of action upcoming in Pikes Peak country

Thirst Staff Report

This story is part of a week of stories about Colorado Springs. See more in our current print issue, with its annual special section on the Pikes Peak region.

When you’re in the Pikes Peak region this summer, spend some extra time checking out the crazy number of options offered to everyone from families with young children to adults who are looking for fantastic libations and music.

With Manitou Springs and Cañon City both celebrating sesquicentennials (150 years), the towns have planned festivities throughout the year. Wherever you set up base camp, an abundance of hiking, biking, four-wheeling, fishing and rafting are available all summer long. We’ve put together a sampling of can’t-miss opportunities in and around Colorado Springs.

Come for the music

The MeadowGrass Music Festival returns to the Springs this summer May 27-29. World-class musicians share the stage with up-and-coming talent that will blow your mind. The family-friendly weekend offers camping, RV space, teen and toddler activities, a beer festival, and dozens of vendors. As a bonus, all the weekend activities are enjoyed with a close-up view of America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak.

...Stay for the libations

The Feast of Saint Arnold says: “Cheers to 10 years.” Yep, the Colorado Springs shindig resumes this summer with plenty of libations, music, food and flat-out fun. “Don’t drink the water. Drink the beer,” says the Patron Saint of Beer.

From brewing to hosting live music, Red Leg Brewing’s expansion has elevated the way folks in the Springs enjoy the craft scene. Manitou Brewing Co. offers great beer and food at the base of Pikes Peak. Goat Patch Brewing has truly established itself north of downtown. From adult coloring night to the military care package drive, the brewery has become a hotspot. Bring your pup to Metric Brewing in the Colorado Springs Knob Hill Neighborhood. New beers are often tapped on Wednesdays and Fridays. For those who are ready for a bourbon and a beer, stop in to the Ivywild School, where you can find the ever-solid Bristol Brewing, as well as Axe and the Oak Distillery - yes, both in the same old schoolhouse.

Photo courtesy Space Foundation Discovery Center

Get into the backcountry

Jump aboard the Colorado Jeep Tours and plan a full day of four-wheeling and rafting. It’s easy to spend a summer day rocking around the backcountry before jumping into a raft on the state’s famous Arkansas River for a topsy-turvy trip through steep mountain canyons.

Downtown food hall

The south downtown Colorado Springs area has been revitalized in recent years, and one centerpiece of the neighborhood is the C.O.A.T.I. food hall. The modern industrial space on South Tejon Street houses two bars and six restaurants, serving Hawaiian, Korean and Creole eats, as well as an eclectic high-end tasting menu and giant sandwiches named for Colorado Springs landmarks. If you need more choices, the same block also offers a Fat Sully’s Pizza, a Denver Biscuit Company location and Dos Santos Mexican restaurant. And the food court also is adjacent to a lager-focused outpost of Pikes Peak Brewing Company, and across the street is Red Swing Brewhouse.

Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear / U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Olympic museum

The 60,000-square-foot U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum dedicated to Team USA didn’t get the attention it deserved upon opening during the 2020 COVID lockdown. Now that the museum is fully open, visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy the accessible and interactive displays. Fittingly for a museum partly dedicated to the Paralympics, every exhibit is accessible for everyone, with a groundbreaking design that takes all visitors up an elevator to the top of a ramp winding back down to the lobby. Note that the flagship Team USA Olympic training facility is still closed to the public, so the museum is the best way to bask in the teamwork, camaraderie and inspiration of the Olympic spirit.

Space museum

On your way to Garden of the Gods, don’t miss the museum of the stars. The non-profit Space Foundation Discovery Center opened in 1983, and is dedicated to education and collaboration regarding space exploration. The headquarters building also houses a small but enthralling museum with activities, displays and education for all ages. The centerpiece of the museum is the “Science on a Sphere,” a giant planetary projection that displays models of the earth, sun, moon and other celestial bodies. Other artifacts include space suits and scale model rockets. The museum also hosts summer camps and year-round science workshops, with access to space mission simulation labs that are not typically open to the public.

The old ball game

The Colorado Vibes offer the old school brand of professional baseball in which young players who are still improving their game play their hearts out for low wages. Meanwhile, the fans are entertained with music, art, and every other form of entertainment that the creative bunch can come up with at Vibes’ headquarters. The team’s stadium is beautiful, easy to access and loaded with fan engagement.