Attractions

The best things to do in Colorado Springs.

A hand-picked guide to 21 local landmarks, museums, and adventures that make this town worth exploring. The classics that are here year-round, no calendar required.

Outdoor

Red rocks, waterfalls, and the trails that put us on the map.

Free

Photo: K. Mitch Hodge / Unsplash

Garden of the Gods

Towering red sandstone formations with free trails and a visitor center.

1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Map Website

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain, Colorado Springs

Ticketed

Photo: Joshua Woroniecki / Unsplash

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain

Drive the highway or ride the cog railway to the 14,115-foot summit.

5089 Pikes Peak Hwy, Cascade, CO 80809

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: John Fowler / Wikimedia

Seven Falls

A 224-foot cascade tucked in a box canyon, lit up after dark in summer.

1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80905

Map Website

Free

Photo: Ahodges7 / Wikimedia

North Cheyenne Cañon Park

Waterfalls, granite walls, and miles of hiking right inside the city.

2120 S Cheyenne Cañon Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Map Website

Free

Photo: Dicklyon / Wikimedia

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

Free trails winding through dramatic red rock, great for hiking and biking.

3550 W High St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Map Website

Free

Photo: Rick Jacoblang / Wikimedia

Palmer Park

More than 700 acres of bluffs and trails with wide-open city views.

3650 Maizeland Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Map Website

Museums

History, art, space, and the Olympic movement, all in one town.

Free

Photo: ForgottenColorado / Wikimedia

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

Free local history housed in a grand 1903 courthouse downtown.

215 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Lumen Wilde / Wikimedia

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Interactive, world-class tribute to Team USA athletes and the Games.

200 S Sierra Madre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Map Website

Space Foundation Discovery Center, Colorado Springs

Ticketed

Photo: Bill Anders / NASA / Wikimedia

Space Foundation Discovery Center

Hands-on space science museum with a simulated Mars landscape.

4425 Arrowswest Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Jeffrey Beall / Wikimedia

Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

Art museum, theater, and galleries on the Colorado College campus.

30 W Dale St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Map Website

Penrose Heritage Museum

Free

Free museum of antique carriages and Pikes Peak race history.

11 Lake Cir, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Joey Chacon / Unsplash

ProRodeo Hall of Fame

The only museum devoted to the sport of professional rodeo.

101 Pro Rodeo Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80919

Map Website

Family

Animals, caves, and a little Old West make-believe for the kids.

Ticketed

Photo: Caleb Minear / Unsplash

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

America's only mountainside zoo, famous for hand-feeding giraffes.

4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Avrand6 / Wikimedia

North Pole, Santa's Workshop

A Christmas-themed amusement park at the foot of Pikes Peak.

5050 Pikes Peak Hwy, Cascade, CO 80809

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Caleb Jack / Unsplash

Ghost Town Museum

Walk through a re-created Old West frontier town under one roof.

400 S 21st St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Obiwan23 / Wikimedia

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Explore Ancestral Puebloan dwellings you can walk right into.

10 Cliff Rd, Manitou Springs, CO 80829

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: James St. John / Wikimedia

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park

Guided cave tours plus zip lines and a cliff-edge coaster.

100 Cave of the Winds Rd, Manitou Springs, CO 80829

Map Website

Fun

Quirky towns and grand resorts worth a whole afternoon.

Free

Photo: Lexi Laginess / Unsplash

Manitou Springs

A quirky mountain town with mineral springs, shops, and arcades.

Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, CO 80829

Map Website

Free

Photo: ERoss99 / Wikimedia

Old Colorado City

Historic district packed with galleries, boutiques, and cafes.

2400 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Map Website

Ticketed

Photo: Tim Chambers / Wikimedia

The Broadmoor

A storied five-star resort open for dining, drinks, and the grounds.

1 Lake Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Map Website

Free

Photo: EconomicOldenburger / Wikimedia

Cripple Creek

A historic gold-mining town with casinos and a scenic railroad.

Cripple Creek, CO 80813

Map Website

Hours, prices, and seasons change. Check the official website before you head out. Spot something we should add? Let us know at hello@happenincos.com. Photos licensed via Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons; credit on each image.