Colorado Springs travel guide

Colorado Springs, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Colorado Springs

Introduction

Colorado Springs sits in east-central Colorado on Fountain Creek, roughly 70 miles south of Denver. It is the seat of El Paso County and the principal city of its metropolitan area, anchoring the southern end of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

As the state's second-most prominent city on the Front Range, it makes a natural base for exploring the corridor between Denver and the southern Rockies.

Before you go

Before you set out, it helps to know that Colorado Springs is generally about as safe as Denver, but a few local cautions are worth keeping in mind. The southeastern part of town is less safe than the western or northern areas, largely because the large Army installation at Ft. Carson on the southern edge brings in thousands of young, energetic men and women, and the businesses that cater to them sometimes attract a rougher crowd. As a rule of thumb, stay north of Platte or west of Wahsatch and you should be fine.

If you're driving, be aware that Colorado has one of the highest death rates from automobile accidents in the country, so drive defensively. Colorado Springs is also known for speed traps, with motorcycle cops and one or more cruisers waiting to catch speeding drivers. For maps, brochures and local advice, the Visitor Information Center on S. Cascade Ave. is open weekdays in the off-season and daily during the summer.

Getting there

Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) sits about 11 miles east of downtown. It's a full-service airport but small enough to get in and out quickly, with free wireless internet, and it's a comfortable place to wait if you arrive early. American, Delta, Frontier, United and Southwest serve it. Denver International Airport (DEN) is another option, roughly 80 miles north; Groome Transportation runs an hourly shuttle between Colorado Springs and DEN, or you can take the A Line rail to downtown Denver and connect onward by Bustang or Greyhound.

By car, Interstate 25 is the only Interstate through the city, running north-south; Denver is 70 miles north and Albuquerque about 380 miles south. Colorado Highway 83 offers a secondary route between east Denver and the Springs, while US Highway 24 links the city with mountain communities to the west and Limon on the eastern plains. Greyhound runs up to five buses per day from Denver and at least one daily from other Colorado and neighbouring-state cities, arriving at its terminal on S Weber St downtown; Bustang also serves Denver and Pueblo.

Getting around

Colorado Springs spreads across a wide area along the foothills east of the Rocky Mountains, running north–south along Interstate 25, with the Air Force Academy to the north, downtown to the south, and Pikes Peak rising to the west. Because the city is so extensive, how you get around depends on where you're staying and what you plan to see. A car is the most flexible option for reaching the region's scattered attractions, and taxis and ride-hailing services are a straightforward way to cover the long north–south distances or reach spots that buses don't serve directly. There is no metro, light rail, or tram system of your own to rely on here, so plan on buses, bikes, walking, and ride-hailing instead.

Local public transit is provided by Mountain Metropolitan Transit, commonly called Mountain Metro, which serves both Colorado Springs and neighboring Manitou Springs. Buses run on fixed routes throughout the week, with shorter hours on Sundays, and there is no service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day; on other holidays, buses generally follow the normal weekday schedule. Two free services are especially handy for visitors:

Walkability varies by neighborhood. Downtown Colorado Springs is central, walkable, and bike-friendly, with independent shops, restaurants, breweries, and galleries, plus views of Pikes Peak and local events throughout the year. Old Colorado City, the region's first permanent town, sits between downtown and Manitou Springs and is known for artisan shops, galleries, bakeries, cafes, and pubs. Manitou Springs is a historic mountain town that's car-free friendly, with natural mineral springs, boutiques, locally owned restaurants, hiking trails, and the Manitou Incline; its main center is fairly flat and walkable, though outlying areas have steeper hills that may challenge visitors with mobility concerns. For two-wheeled exploring, PikeRide is a nonprofit, community-run electric bike share with stations concentrated in downtown Colorado Springs and in Manitou Springs, and a downtown-to-Manitou Springs ride takes about 30 minutes by bike. PikeRide also offers self-guided themed tours — museums, brunch, breweries, and street art — along with curated cycling routes, and bike share pairs well with the bus system for first- and last-mile connections.

For travel beyond the city, Bustang is the state regional bus connecting Colorado Springs to Denver, Pueblo, Fort Collins, and other statewide destinations — a practical choice for day trips without a car. Bustang Outrider reaches rural Colorado and Denver International Airport, and Snowstang offers seasonal service from the Denver metro area to popular ski resorts. Greyhound also runs buses to Colorado Springs from Denver and other cities in Colorado and neighboring states, with its terminal on S Weber St in downtown. If you're arriving from Denver International Airport, you have two main choices: Groome Transportation runs an hourly shuttle service between Colorado Springs and DEN, or you can take the A Line rail to downtown Denver and then continue to Colorado Springs on Bustang or Greyhound. Colorado Springs Municipal Airport is the closest option, located east of downtown, and is small enough to get in and out quickly. Once you're in the city, the combination of Mountain Metro buses, the free THE ZEB and Manitou shuttles, bike share, and ride-hailing will cover most visitor needs — with a car remaining the most convenient way to reach the region's more far-flung sights.

Where to stay

Colorado Springs spreads its places to stay across distinct areas, so where you base yourself shapes your trip. The city's signature resort sits just outside town at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, on a vast spread of grounds with multiple restaurants, golf courses, a tennis club and a spa; even if your budget won't stretch to a room there, it's worth touring the lavish grounds. Nearby, a second resort on Broadmoor Valley Road offers rooms and suites in separate residential lodges, each with a private balcony and views of Cheyenne Mountain.

Food & drink

Colorado Springs covers a lot of ground, from Greek tavernas in Old Colorado City to neighbourhood grills on the north side. For pizza, you can choose between the wood-oven pies at Il Vicino and the New York-style slices at Slice420, which also turns out calzones, pizza rolls and salads. Jake and Telly's in Old Colorado City serves Greek food, with a second-floor patio that makes the most of the local weather. O'Furry's is an Irish-style pub in hole-in-the-wall form, known for its burgers, while Frankie's Bar & Grill has been a neighbourhood spot for burgers and wings and a good place to catch a game. Jun Japanese is popular for its happy hour, and O'sae Sushi Ramen Bistro lets you call your own preferences for maki, sushi, salads and ramen.

Elsewhere you'll find gourmet Italian at Biaggis, funky Shuga's, and authentic Mexican at Pueblo Viejo, run by a family from Jalisco who specialise in chile rellenos. The Airplane Restaurant is a diner where you can eat inside a KC-97 aircraft surrounded by aviation decor, and Sheldon's Luncheonette does breakfast plus daily meat sandwiches or plates at lunch. Rico's Coffee and Wine Bar pairs wine, chocolate, coffee and tapas with music. For drinking, Bristol Brewing Company occupies an old elementary school, and Phantom Canyon Brewing Co. makes a wide range of brews on site along with lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Jack Quinns Irish Pub downtown pours Irish and English beers and hosts an Irish band, while Trinity Brewing Co. keeps its own beers on tap alongside a rotating selection of other microbrews, with food and free Wi-Fi.

What to see and do

Start with the sandstone formations at Garden of the Gods, a city park where you can hike or climb, and cross 30th Street to Rock Ledge Ranch, a seasonal living history museum covering American Indian, early settler, Victorian and Edwardian eras. Pikes Peak dominates the city to the west; you can drive to the summit, take the Cog Rail, or hike the Barr Trail, which is especially colourful with wildflowers in summer. Nearby are the Cave of the Winds tours in Manitou Springs and Seven Falls, a privately owned series of falls and nature trails that fills up quickly on weekends — neighbouring Helen Hunt Falls in North Cheyenne Cañon City Park makes an easier alternative. In town you can tour the United States Olympic Training Center and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, or head to the United States Air Force Academy, where the Cadet Chapel is an icon of modernist architecture and tours run year round.

For museums, try the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy, the Ghost Town Museum, where you can pan for real gold, the Western Museum of Mining and Industry with its hands-on exhibits and mascot burros, or the May Natural History Museum south of town with its huge insect collection. The Garden of the Gods Trading Post holds a large art gallery and gift shop, with buffalo burgers at the Balanced Rock Cafe. Sports fans can catch Air Force Falcons college action, Colorado College Tigers hockey at Ed Robson Arena, the Rocky Mountain Vibes baseball team, or the Switchbacks FC soccer team. Outdoors, hike in Pike National Forest and the city parks, ride horseback through the Garden of the Gods with Academy Riding Stables, cycle down Pikes Peak with a guide, climb at Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon or Cheyenne Cañon, raft the Arkansas River about an hour south, or take your dog off-leash at Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Palmer Park or Bear Creek Regional Park. Cheyenne Mountain State Park offers day use and camping, and you can skate at the World Arena Ice Hall, play sand volleyball, join duplicate bridge games, or see a show at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts.

When to go

Colorado Springs has a dry continental climate with abundant sunshine year-round, so any season you choose will come with plenty of clear skies. Winters are cold and snowy, with December typically the coldest month and many days when the high does not rise above freezing. Snowfall is moderate and usually lingers only briefly thanks to the direct sun, though chinook winds can bring rapid warming and conditions swing widely from day to day.

Spring is the snowiest stretch of the year: March sees the most accumulation and the most days with measurable snowfall, and the heaviest 24-hour snowfalls tend to fall between March and May. The last freeze of the season typically arrives around early May, and measurable snow remains possible into late April. Summers are warm, with dry weather generally prevailing, but brief afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August, when the city receives most of its annual rainfall from the North American monsoon; nights stay relatively cool thanks to the high elevation and aridity. The first autumn freeze comes around early October, and the window for measurable snowfall opens later that month. Sunshine remains abundant through autumn, but temperatures drop steadily toward the cold of December.

Three days in Colorado Springs

Day one: Start your visit at the Visitor Information Center on Cascade Avenue to get your bearings in Colorado Springs. From there, explore the city itself, set in El Paso County within the Front Range Urban Corridor, with the Rockies rising to the west. As you move around town, you will cross Fountain Creek, which runs through the city.

Day two: Use the day to understand how the city connects to the wider region. Colorado Springs sits along the Front Range, and the Army presence at Ft. Carson shapes the area around it. To the north, Denver anchors the corridor, and the Platte and Wahsatch routes tie the region together.

Day three: Plan your onward travel. If you are flying, Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) is served by American, Delta, Frontier, United and Southwest, while Denver International Airport (DEN) is the larger alternative to the north. Ground options include Groome Transportation, Bustang, Greyhound and the Bustang Line. By road, Interstate 25 links the city south toward Albuquerque, and US Highway and Colorado Highway routes connect the Springs to the surrounding mountains and plains.

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