It is home to “America’s Mountain”, Pikes Peak, where Katharine Lee Bates wrote the poem “America the Beautiful”. Early pioneers use to paint their wagons “Pikes Peak or Bust”, and nowadays folks can race to the top in cars, drive, hike, take the Cog Railway or run in the annual Pikes Peak Marathon. Colorado Springs also boasts two of the “Top 100 Events in North America” as rated by the American Bus Association (ABA): The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo July 9-12 and The Colorado Balloon Classic Aug. 30-Sept. 1.
Top Activities
Garden of the Gods Park (and Visitor & Nature Center): #1 Park in the USA and #2 in the world by TripAdvisor® in 2014! The Park is always free and annually, visitors from all 50 states and more than 60 countries discover the beauty and history of this amazing park, which has been designated as a National Natural Landmark.
Pikes Peak – American’s Mountain: Pikes Peak forms a stunning backdrop for Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. It’s the second most visited mountain in the world after Mt. Fuji in Japan. It’s the 31st highest peak out of 58 Colorado peaks. Hike, drive or take the world’s highest Cog Railway to the summit.
United States Air Force Academy: The U.S. Air Force Academy is FREE and open to visitors daily from 09:00 – 17:00. Visitors may access several overlooks across the Academy, the Cadet Chapel, the Honor Court, Arnold Hall, the Cadet Field House, Falcon Athletic Center, Falcon Stadium, the Association of Graduates building and the Visitor Center.
Adventures Out West: Welcome to Adventures Out West. We enjoy showing guests the splendor of our western countryside. Adventures Out West is Colorado Springs premier recreation provider for the past 39 years. We offer Hot Air Balloon Flights, Mountain 4X4 Tours, Segway Tours, Zipline Tours, Guided Hikes, and more! Tour operator net rates available.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway: There isn’t an experience like the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. With an average grade of 12%, the Railway climbs the 14,115 feet to the top of Pikes Peak Mountain on a special track. It’s an incredible ride and one you and your family won’t want to miss!
Ideas for First Time Visitors:
- Garden of the Gods
- Stables at the Broadmoor
- Pikes Peak
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Red Rock Canyon
- Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
- Old Colorado City Historic District
Ideas for Repeat Visitors:
- United States Air Force Academy
- Battlefield Colorado
- Pikes Peak Hwy
- Starr Kempf’s Metal Sculptures
- Glen Eyrie Castle
Special Events
June 17 & 18, 2017 at the Colorado Springs Airport – Airstrip Attack is a half-mile side-by-side roll race and trap speed competition featuring more than two hundred of the fastest, most powerful street cars in the nation. The Pikes Peak Airstrip Attack is currently the only event in the country where participants have the opportunity to come together at a venue of this size and importance while competing for the title of the Mile High Victor. Thousands of automotive and speed enthusiasts are expected to be in attendance as dozens of the industry’s top manufacturers, personalities and performance and lifestyle organizations come out to participate, support and exhibit at the event.
From Aug. 10-13, a world-class and international field of professional, men cyclists will race more than 300 miles in multiple, fan-friendly circuits, combining the exciting elements of each day’s start and finish into the same location. The Colorado Classic will also feature two days of professional women’s cycling, beginning in Colorado Springs on Aug. 10 and concluding the following night with a women’s only event under the lights in Denver.
Each day of the Colorado Classic will showcase an interactive start/finish area, and the daily routes will combine downtown circuits of each city with the beauty of Colorado’s legendary terrain and landmarks.
The inaugural Colorado Classic, designated a 2.HC race by Union Cycliste Internationale (Aigle, Switzerland), will host 18 world-class, domestic and international teams, comprised of 6-riders each. The women’s field expects some of the top professional cyclists in the U.S. The Denver portions of the race will feature a companion festival of national music acts, a marketplace and much more. Details on those plans will be released in the coming weeks.
Rally. There will be hundreds of motorcycles lining the streets of the historic mining town of Cripple Creek, all in tribute to American veterans.
Each year, the motorcycle ride is part of this growing festival. Wave your flag during the Veteran’s Parade and listen to VIP guest speakers. Watch a wild west gun fight and aircraft flyovers. Visit with food and souvenir vendors. Cool off and place your bets in one of the region’s casinos. Most importantly, take pause at the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall at the Cripple Creek High School athletic field.
You don’t need to be part of this motorcycle rally in Colorado to join in on the Friday poker run. The best hand takes all in this old-school format run. On Saturday and Sunday, listen to free concerts and join in on the Saturday night street dance in the Freedom Beer Garden.
The military remembrance ceremonies are the centerpiece of this salute to veteran’s event. On Saturday, everyone is encouraged to attend at Cripple Creek’s City Park. The following day, names of local servicemen who were killed in action over the past year will be added to the Cripple Creek War Memorial near Mt. Pisgah cemetery.
Local Transportation
Gray Line Tours – Colorado
Ramblin Express: Ramblin Express is a locally owned passenger ground transportation company that has been providing service since 1993, with operations in Colorado Springs and Denver. Our diversified fleet consists of modern Luxury Motorcoaches, 21 and 32-passenger Minibuses, as well as high capacity Event Shuttle Buses.
Arrow Stage Lines: Serving both local and nationwide clients, Arrow Stage Lines is family owned and has been in the charter bus business since 1928. We charter coaches for all kinds of groups including VIPs, tour groups, businesses, sports teams, schools, civic groups, weddings, churches, and conventions, and more.
Distance from Major Airports
- Colorado Springs Airport (to downtown) – 10 miles
- Denver International Airport (to downtown) – 70 miles
Founded in 1858 as a gold mining camp, Denver is located at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains, 5,280 feet (1,609 meters) above sea level – exactly one mile high. Denver offers urban adventures for all ages, spring, summer, fall or winter.
Top Activities
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre: is famous for its one-of-a-kind outdoor concert venue that is surrounded by giant, ancient rock formations. During the day, Red Rocks is a free city park with easy hiking trails and a visitor center that includes a Performers’ Hall of Fame. Legendary musicians like The Beatles (1964) and U2 (1983) have performed here, and today, the summer concert series from May through September presents the best artists in jazz, rock, pop, bluegrass and more. Seeing a concert under the stars is a magical experience. Red Rocks Park is located 30 minutes west of downtown Denver.
Denver Beer Trail: Take a self-guided tour along the Denver Beer Trail and sample the craft beer paradise in The Mile High City. Explore the 20 featured breweries, most in the walkable downtown area, and you will find everything from Stouts to Lagers and all the flavors in between. Denver’s craft beer culture is thriving, creative and growing larger every day.
Rockmount Ranch Wear: Rockmount Ranch Wear: is the historic shop in downtown Denver where a true Western icon, Jack A. Weil (1901 – 2008), invented the first cowboy shirt with snaps and helped popularize Western wear as legitimate American fashion. Many of the Rockmount designs are worn by movie stars and music legends, all with the signature design of diamond snaps and sawtooth pockets. The grandson of “Papa Jack” Weil, Steve Weil, continues the traditions today, and the store is located in the heart of downtown at 1626 Wazee Street.
Denver Art Museum: The Denver Art Museum is home to a famous collection of Native American art. Explore the bold contemporary art inside and out of the new Frederic C. Hamilton building, designed by world famous architect, Daniel Libeskind. The museum, located in downtown’s Golden Triangle Museum District, also offers free general admission on the first Saturday of every month and is free for kids under 18 at all times. The Golden Triangle is also home to galleries, fine-art studios, specialty stores and eight museums including Clyfford Still Museum and the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art.
Larimer Square: Historic Larimer Square is Denver’s oldest city block, home to the first saloons and businesses in The Mile High City. Today, the Victorian buildings have been transformed into shops, wine bars and the hottest, chef-owned restaurants. Look for the sparkling lights strung across the street, relax at an outdoor cafe or bar, taste the best of cuisine created by local chefs or find unique clothing and accessories in the boutiques.
Ideas for First Time Visitors:
- Mile High Culture Pass – The best way to explore some of the city’s most fascinating attractions for the bargain “Mile High” price of $52.80 for five attractions (a savings of $25) or three attractions for $25. www.milehighculturepass.com
- Follow the Denver Beer Trail to craft beer paradise http://www.denver.org/dining-nightlife/bars-clubs/denver-beer-trail
- Stop by the downtown Tourist Information Center for all the insider tips on the best ways to discover Denver. http://www.denver.org/about-denver/denver-resources/tourist-centers/
- Rockmount Ranch Wear: Don’t miss the photos on the walls of the many celebrities who have worn these western snap-button shirts invented by “Papa” Jack Weil way back in 1946 at this store.
Ideas for Repeat Visitors:
- Taste the Old West at The Fort Restaurant which is housed in a replica of an 1830s adobe fur-trade fort featuring exotic game and frontier favorites. www.thefort.com
- Get Above It All: the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lower Downtown boasts a rooftop café offering 360-degree views of the city. www.mcadenver.org
- Great Galleries: The www.GalleryGuideDenver.com lists many of the city’s creative spaces and the latest installations.
- Explore on wheels: try exploring The Mile High City using B-cycle, bike share program http://www.DenverBcycle.com or try a Pedi-cab. www.milehighpedicabs.com
- Discover Denver’s neighborhoods: From the stately Victorian houses of Five Points to the hip restaurants and nightclubs of historic LoDo, Denver’s laid-back attitude is exemplified in its neighborhoods. http://www.denver.org/metro/neighborhoods
Special Events
As Cody lay dying at his sister’s home in Denver, he made one final request, “Bury me on top of Mount Lookout.” This exhibit, honoring the centennial of Cody’s passing, will look more deeply into the details leading up to, and following, this momentous yet controversial decision.
Armando’s family moved to Colorado from Mexico in search of the American Dream when he was just five. In 2010 he received his BA in Fine Arts from The University of Northern Colorado. Since graduating, Armando has used his artistic platform to lead, educate and give back. Armando paints portraits to help tell stories, sometimes in his studio or on stages in front of thousands.
Basquiat Before Basquiat focuses on the artistic life of Jean-Michel Basquiat from 1979 to 1980, when he shared an apartment in the East Village with his friend, Alexis Adler. This period stands as an important transitional moment for the artist, as he migrated away from the street toward a studio practice, and anticipates his breakthrough works of 1981. Through paintings, sculpture, works on paper, a notebook, and other ephemera, as well as Adler’s numerous photographs from this period, this exhibition ultimately explores how the context of life in New York informed and formed Basquiat’s artistic practice.
Local Transportation
Direct Rail Service from Denver International Airport to Denver Union Station: In April 2016, direct rail service with begin from Denver International Airport to Denver Union Station in the heart of Lower Downtown. The 35-minute trip will cost $9 each way.
Transportation: General information and links to all transportation options to and from th Denver International Airport.
Denver International Airport: Get information & facts from wi-fi access to airline terminal locationns.
Denver Airport Shuttle Listing: Shuttle company prices are approximately $20 on way / $40 round trip. Please contact each company directly to confirm their rates.
Taxi Service: FLAT RATES are the same for all companies: Denver International Airport to Downtown: Flat rate of $51+ $3.75 gate fee. Trips into Denver International Airportfrom downtown are NOTsubject to any gate fees; only those trips going out from the airport.
Distance from Major Airports
- Denver International Airport – 22 miles
Local Tour Guides
Aspire Tours: Aspire Tours provides in-depth unique experiences to explore, play, and connect in Denver and beyond. Urban Adventure tours, Wild West history, architecture and craft brewery tours in Denver. Tours to the Foothills and Rockies that incorporate sightseeing, history, hiking, photography and gold panning! English spoken. Contact info@aspire-tours.com
A Private Guide: apgsid@comcast.net Groups from half-day to multi-day tours in the Rocky Mountain West – we can handle all your transportation and touring needs. itinerary planning, multi-lingual step-on guides and competitive charter rates. English spoken.
A Guide Out West: aguideoutwest@ymail.com Whether you require a unique Denver city tour or a longer trip “Out West” visiting national parks, red rock canyons, wineries, and more. Certified, highly experienced Step-on Guides and Tour managers. Large / small groups / VIPs / private parties. English spoken.
M.E.M. Japanese Travel Agency: memworld@msn.com Specialize in tours with Japanese speaking guides, sightseeing, technical visits, and home stay arrangements. In business since 1960 and located in downtown Denver. English & Japanese spoken.
Rocky Mountain Guides Association: lbfoos@comcast.net Your best resource for professionals, whether you are seeking step-on guides, walking guides, foreign speaking guides, or naturalist guides. our members also include docents, destination management companies, tour operators, transportation companies, travel agencies and guide educational institutions. Please contact us for a complete directory and listing of experience and specialties. English spoken.
