Click the thumbnail photos above to explore exciting activities in the Colorado Springs area, some of which are hand selected by Laura and Allen!
Garden of the Gods Park is a 7 minute drive from the Resort and is a fun day trip for everyone!
Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center is currently open from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday-Thursday, and 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday - Sunday. The Park is open from 5 am - 10 pm.
The Park is a unique biological melting pot where the grasslands of the Great Plains meet the pinon-juniper woodlands characteristic of the American Southwest and merge with the mountain forest of the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak - America's Mountain.
PARK ACTIVITIES
Hiking - There are 15 miles of trails in the park. The Perkins Central Garden Trail is a 1 1/2 mile paved trail that is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Stop by the Visitor & Nature Center to pick up a free map with all of the hiking and biking trails or take one of their guided walks. Take a unique hiking tour with Garden of the Gods Walkabout. Discover lesser-known trails, learn about wildlife, vegetation, geology and history all under the guidance of a trained professional.
Biking - Guided electric bike tours provided by Amp'd Adventures, who also rent e-Bikes and standard mountain bikes. Mountain biking is permitted on select trails in the park, and all one-way roads have paved bike lanes. View a Bike Trail Map for more details.
Horseback Riding - Guided horseback riding is provided by Academy Riding Stables. They offer 1 & 2-hour rides fitted for beginners and experts.
Other Ways to See the Park - Explore Garden of the Gods on a Segway or on a Jeep tour! Short and long tours are provided by Adventures Out West.
Birding - A variety of birds can be seen in Garden of the Gods Park.
Rock Climbing - Rock climbing is permitted in the park. You must fill out the free registration form and abide by all rules. Want to learn how to rock climb? Check out these outfitters and they will teach you in Garden of the Gods Park.
Another one of our favorite scenic drives near Colorado Springs is the Pikes Peak Highway. Take the trip up to the mountain’s summit and overlook the city. This 19-mile road starts at 7,400 feet and climbs up to 14,115 feet at the top of the mountain. On your way up, you’ll see beautiful trees, serene lakes, hills and mountaintops.
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN CLIMB THE MANITOU INCLINE?
This is considered an extreme trail and is an advanced hike! The Manitou Incline gains nearly 2,000 feet of elevation over less than 1 mile. It's not for the faint of heart, but people from all walks (or climbs) of life have successfully conquered it. It is, perhaps, the most unique and challenging trail in the country, attracting runners, military, Olympic athletes, and hiking enthusiasts from around the world. More than anything, the Manitou Incline is famous for dishing out a tough workout.
There are two trails that take you to the Summit of Pikes Peak - Barr Trail and the Crags Trail. Both are long and strenuous hikes, but with proper preparation and good planning, the hike is sure to be an exciting adventure that you'll always remember.
1. BARR TRAIL
The most popular way to get to the summit of Pikes Peak is via the Barr Trail. This 13-mile (one-way) hike gains 7,400 vertical feet in elevation from Manitou Springs to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain.
Length: 13 miles (one-way)
Trail Difficulty: Advanced
Scenery: Forestry, Rock formations, Rocky Mountains, Timberline
Recommended for: Hikers, athletic dogs
Cost: Free2. CRAGS TRAIL
Length: 13.6 miles (roundtrip)
Trail Difficulty: Intermediate
Scenery: Forestry, Rock formations, Rocky Mountains, Timberline
Recommended for: Hikers, athletic dogs
Cost: Free
The Crags Trail is not as popular as the Barr Trail to summit the peak but since it's shorter and has less elevation gain, it is a much easier way to summit this famous mountain. It also offers better views with the Continental divide to the west and it is much less crowded.
The park consists of 4 miles of trails that rise over 500 feet in elevation. It covers 750 acres, containing grassland and geological formations of hoodoos, colored clay and sandstone-capped spires. The site is protected by law because of the fragile environment, as well as the geological and archaeological significance of the artifacts, rocks, animals and plants.
PAINT MINES TRAIL
Paint Mines Trail is a 3.4 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Calhan, Colorado that features beautiful wildflowers and is good for all skill levels. The park has a diverse ecological system, with a combination of prairie, badlands and wetlands that attracts coyote, mule deer, songbirds, horned toads, falcons, rabbits, and hawks.HOW FAR IS PAINT MINES FROM COLORADO SPRINGS?
Paint Mines Interpretive Park is located about 30 miles east of Colorado Springs by the town of Calhan. The park's landscape is a combination of prairie and badlands with colorful hoodoos being the main draw.
Cave tours, spectacular scenery, rides and attractions from mild to wild, you will explore, soar and keep the whole family happy all day long. So much more than just a cave!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is about sharing the wonders of the natural world with kids of all ages and providing memories for a lifetime at America’s mountain Zoo. Named #4 Best Zoo in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, you’re in for way more than just watching.
If you were to see everything at a fast pace, it would take about 1-1/2 hours. To stop and enjoy your favorite animals and have lunch or a snack, it takes an average of 3-1/2 hours. The Zoo is a wonderful relaxing place to wander through, so we suggest allowing ample time to take advantage!
The spa, a Biologique Recherche Expert Center, offers guests an extensive menu of highly personalized treatments; from premier massages and health-inspired body treatments to aesthetic services including body contouring and skin tightening treatments and regenerative facial therapies, all provided by a highly skilled therapeutic team known for their passion, compassion and expertise. The spa features nine treatment rooms, including a couple’s suite with a private shower; a therapy room featuring an Austrian weightless environment bed; a salt inhalation room for halotherapy with infrared deep heat therapy to assist with stress management and detoxification; an herbal sauna; and experiential showers.
Recognized internationally, Spa Director Rebecca Johnston – an award-winning esthetician, one of four inaugural Biologique Recherche American Ambassadors, certified in holistic esthetics and advanced lymphology – combines an extensive knowledge of esthetics with an understanding of epigenetic issues that impact aging and health. The facial therapies at Strata have been designed by Rebecca to deliver unsurpassed results and assist clients in their quest for a healthy and ageless life. She has personally trained each esthetician at Strata to deliver world-class facials. Through her leadership, the majority of service providers, concierges and front desk personnel have undergone 52 hours of certification training with Wellness for Cancer, a nonprofit created to facilitate self-care and better lifestyle choices for individuals who have been affected by cancer. Each team member is trained to facilitate oncology awareness as it relates to spa treatments and personalize each service accordingly.
The personalized Strata experience includes massages, body treatments, facials and salon services that feature products from around the world known for their treatment efficacy. Ranging from organic goat’s milk butter and essential oils to herbal poultice and seaweed harvested from the coast of Brittany, each product is carefully selected. Facial therapies use the singularly effective Biologique Recherche protocols, widely acknowledged to be among the best in the world.
Members of Garden of the Gods Resort and Club and guests staying overnight at our luxury resort can experience the serenity of Kissing Camels Golf Course.
Designed by renowned architects J. Press Maxwell and Mark Rathert in 1961, this 27-hole golf course in Colorado Springs features immaculately groomed fairways, bunkered greens, and towering pines — a picture-perfect backdrop to your game, with every hole offering majestic mountain views.
Colorado Springs and the surrounding region are creating some tasty concoctions with more than 20 craft breweries. Organized geographically, here's a breakout of all the local craft breweries in the area.
Northeast Breweries
BJ'S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE
5150 North Nevada Avenue | Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Must-Try Pint: BJ's PM Porter
Menu: Full menu
C.B. & POTTS RESTAURANT & BREWERY
261 Kaycee Case Place | Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Must-Try Pint: Big Red IPA
Menu: Full Menu
COLORADO MOUNTAIN BREWERY - INTERQUEST LOCATION
1110 Interquest Parkway | Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Must-Try Pint: Unibrau Hefeweizen
Menu: Full menu, Chef Gordon Ramsey raved about the Wellington Meatloaf
GOAT PATCH BREWING
2727 N Cascade Ave Ste 123 | Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Must-Try Pint: Pistachio Nut Brown
ATREVIDA BEER CO.
204 Mt. View Lane #3 | Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Must-Try Pint: El Dorado Kolsch with lemongrass and lime
JAKS BREWING
7654 Mclaughlin Road | Peyton, CO 80831
Must-Try Pint: Blackjack Chocolate Porter
NANO 108 BREWING COMPANY
2402 Wanoka Road | Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Must-Try Pint: Cascadian Dark Ale (Black IPA)
Menu: Pig Latin food truck is often on-site with their popular rosemary gravy fries.
PEAKS N PINES BREWERY COMPANY
4005 Tutt Boulevard | Colorado Springs, CO 80922
Must-Try Pint: Switchback Blonde
PIKES PEAK BREWING CO.
1756 Lake Woodmoor Drive | Monument, CO 80132
Must-Try Pint: Devil's Head Red Ale
Menu: Daily sandwich or panini offered
ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY
3316 Cinema Point | Colorado Springs, CO 80922
Must-Try Pint: White Ale
Menu: Full kitchen and restaurant, mac & cheese and burgers are popular.
WHISTLE PIG BREWING
1840 Dominion Way | Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Must-Try Pint: Whistle Pig Traditional Wit
Menu: Full Menu
Northwest Breweries
RED LEG BREWING COMPANY
4630 Forge Road | Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Must-Try Pint: Blue Nose Brown
Menu: Treehouse BBQ food truck.
TRINITY BREWING COMPANY
1466 Garden of the Gods Road | Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Must-Try Pint: Saison Man
Menu: Full Menu
Downtown Breweries
LOCAL RELIC
320 S Weber St. | Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Must-Try Pint: Wild Strawberry Rhubarb
OSKAR BLUES
118 N Tejon St. | Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Must-Try Pint: Fugli
Menu: Full Menu
PHANTOM CANYON BREWING CO.
2 East Pikes Peak Avenue | Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Must-Try Pint: Two-Headed Dog Imperial IPA
Menu: Full menu, blonde lager and smoked gouda soup, as well as lemon Tabasco fried chicken are favorites.
Southeast Breweries
COGSTONE BREWING COMPANY
3858 Villiage Seven Road | Colorado Springs, CO 80917
Must-Try Pint: Oatmeal Stout
Menu: Neapolitan-style pizza menu
DUECES WILD BREWERY
660 Peterson Rd | Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Must-Try Pint: I'll Be Bock
Menu: Sandwiches and Salads
GOLDCAMP BREWING COMPANY
1007 S. Tejon St. | Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Must-Try Pint: Boettcher's Weizenbock
Don't want a full pint? Try a half for only $3.50
ROCKY MOUNTAIN BREWERY
625 Paonia Street | Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Must-Try Pint: Fruit Cyder or Fruit Beer on tap.
STORYBOOK BREWING CO.
3121 A North El Paso Street | Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Must-Try Pint: The Last Straw-berry Honey Wheat
Menu: Vladi's Food Truck is common with guest appearances by others
METRIC BREWING
1213 N Circle Drive | Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Must-Try Pint (for now, at least): With an ever-changing tap list, there's always something new to taste! Don’t Hassle the Hoff Hefeweizen
Menu: Various food trucks rotate throughout the week
Southwest Breweries
BRISTOL BREWING COMPANY
1604 S. Cascade Avenue | Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Must-Try Pint: Flagship Laughing Lab
Menu: Deli items from The Meat Locker or baked goods from Old School Bakery in the same building.
COLORADO MOUNTAIN BREWERY - ROUNDHOUSE LOCATION
600 South 21st Street | Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Must-Try Pint: Unibrau Hefeweizen
Menu: Full menu, Chef Gordon Ramsey raved about the Wellington Meatloaf
FOSSIL CRAFT BEER COMPANY
2845 Ore Mill Road Suite 1 | Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Must-Try Pint: Megalodon Blonde
Menu: Food truck.
MANITOU BREWING COMPANY
725 Manitou Avenue
Must-Try Pint: Belgian Dark Strong
Menu: Full menu, rosemary and shaved parmesan cheese fries are popular.
SMILING TOAD BREWING COMPANY
2028 Sheldon Avenue | Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Must-Try Pint: Coffee Porter
Mountain Communities BreweriesBIERWERKS
121 East Midland Avenue | Woodland Park, CO 80863
Must-Try Pint: Spring Water Pale Ale - Made with Manitou Springs mineral spring water
Menu: Wisconsin cheese crock.
PARADOX BEER COMPANY
106 Highway 24 | CO 80863
Must-Try Pint: All limited edition bottled brews.
UTE PASS BREWING COMPANY
209 East Midland Avenue | Woodland Park, CO 80863
Must-Try Pint: Kolsch
River Communities Breweries
FLORENCE BREWING COMPANY
200 South Pikes Peak Avenue | Florence, CO 81226
Must-Try Pint: Alpine Loop HefeAlpine Loop Hefeweizenweizen
Located within the Gateway Building of Garden of the Gods Resoirt, Beach & Cable Barista serves Starbucks Coffee, as well as freshly made pastries from our bakery, juices, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, and more.
Open Daily:
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Enjoy a broad selection of dishes in the comfort of your luxurious accommodations. Dine in front of the fireplace or on your patio, sip on perfectly chilled glasses of wine from your personal wine dispenser, and take in the beautiful views of Garden of the Gods.
In-Room Dining Available Daily:
7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Located at Garden of the Gods Resort!
Take in breathtaking views of the red rock formations and Pikes Peak mountain range from our Infinity Pool; or unwind in the hot tub at the Three Graces Pool complex.
INFINITY POOL
Enjoy a front-row seat to Garden of the Gods from our outdoor infinity-edge spa pool. Draw inspiration from the magnificent views chiseled from the million-year-old rocks whose fingers touch the sky, shining from the vibrant brushstrokes of color that paint every sunset. Heated to 84°F, the Infinity Pool is open 365 days a year.
Open Daily: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Food & Beverage Service: Operates seasonally, April – October, Everyday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM**THREE GRACES POOL COMPLEX
The picture-perfect place to bask in the sun, our Three Graces Pool Complex features an expansive outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, private cabanas, lounge chairs, and a bar and grille. This family-friendly pool complex requires a member card or guest room key to access the main gate.
Open Daily: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM