Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in the country and Colorado Springs holds some of the most spectacular spots of all. Millions of pictures have been taken of our region by people trying to capture the essence of this area’s stunning beauty. And while a picture is worth a thousand words, nothing compares to experiencing Colorado with your own eyes!
Colorado Springs a go-to vacation destination for locals
If you grew up in Colorado as we did, then you have probably visited at least some of the list below of Colorado Springs attractions that are celebrating a big anniversary this year.
Our kids were just as excited about staying at the Broadmoor or the Cheyenne Mountain Resort as they were about traveling out of the state. All of these attractions are a MUST DO Colorado Bucket List item so write them down and then travel South of Denver to get them crossed off the list.
Like a fine wine, six Colorado Springs attractions are only getting better with age. In 2011, Cave of the Winds, Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Golden Bee, Cheyenne Mountain Resort and El Paso County will celebrate milestones ranging from 150 years to a silver anniversary. Visit the Pikes Peak region this year and commemorate these momentous occasions with various special events and exhibits. For more information, go to www.VisitCOS.com.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway – 120 years
The Cog Railway, the highest cog in the world, was built in 1891 by mattress tycoon Zalmon Simmons, a visitor to the region in the late 1880s, who envisioned a better way than a two-day mule ride to get to the top of Pikes Peak. Spencer Penrose, owner of the world-renowned Broadmoor Hotel, acquired and upgraded the cog in 1925. While the style of the railcar has changed several times over the years, the amazing experience remains the same for travelers bound for the summit of Pikes Peak. www.CogRailway.com
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center – 75 years
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (FAC) opened April 20, 1936 during The Great Depression. The FAC is home to world-class art galleries, Broadway-worthy live theatre and an art school for all ages. The FAC carries the legacy of Colorado’s arts and cultural heritage. The FAC’s building is considered an architectural landmark in the Rocky Mountain region and is listed on the National Register for Historical Places. Throughout 2011, the FAC will celebrate 75 years of history with a series of events. www.CSFineArtsCenter.org
Cave of the Winds – 130 years
Cave of the Winds is celebrating 130 continuous years as a public attraction. Over the years, visitors have toured the subterranean passages exquisitely decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone and helictites. Cave of the Winds is an irreplaceable natural resource of scenic, scientific, educational and historic importance. The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is featuring a free exhibit of historical photographs, artifacts and memorabilia of the Cave. www.CaveOfTheWinds.com
The Golden Bee – 50 years
In 1961, The Golden Bee originally came to The Broadmoor as a collection of panels and fixtures from a 19th-century pub shipped from England and reassembled in Colorado Springs. While it has stayed true to its authentic English pub heritage, “The Bee” has established several traditions of its own: flying bee stickers, yards of ale and a sing-along piano. “The Bee” will mark its 50th Anniversary on May 27, 2011.
The Golden Bee is famous for freshly prepared pub food, and yards of the finest ales from an extensive collection of English and Irish drafts. Enjoy a hearty selection of snacks, appetizers and the true English tradition of fish and chips, a Reuben sandwich, or a selection of pot pies as lively piano tunes fill the 19th-century English Pub. Guests are encouraged to participate in the cheerful atmosphere by joining the nightly Ragtime piano beginning at 7:30 PM and the sing-along beginning at 9:30 PM nightly, and proudly wearing their own “Bees” that change seasonally.
Price Range: $13 – $29
Hours:
Sunday to Thursday 11:30 AM to 12 midnight
Pub menu 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM to 1:30 AM
Pub Menu 11:00 PM to 12 midnight.
Attire: Casual Dress – Bermuda length shorts, denim, and collared shirts are suggested. Please no athletic wear, pool attire or gentlemen’s hats.
RESORT CASUAL – Dressy denim and collared shirts are required. A seasonal sports coat or blazer is suggested. Please no athletic wear, sportswear, shorts, pool attire or gentlemen’s hats.
Casual Dress Bermuda length shorts, denim, and collared shirts are suggested. Please no athletic wear, pool attire or gentlemen’s hats.
Resort Casual Dressy denim, slacks, and collared shirts are required. A seasonal sports coat or blazer suggested. Please no athletic wear, sportswear, shorts, pool attire or gentlemen’s hats
Cheyenne Mountain Resort – 34 years
Cheyenne Mountain Resort opened in 1985 with a focus on delivering exceptional Colorado experiences to visitors from near and far. The AAA Four-Diamond-rated resort is enhancing the original vision of a Colorado lifestyle resort with a $23 million renovation to upgrade guest rooms and refresh leisure areas. Guests can enjoy numerous activities, including indoor and outdoor pools, a private 35-acre lake, indoor and outdoor tennis, an 18-hole golf course designed by Pete Dye and on-site dining. www.CheyenneMountain.com
El Paso County – 150 years
El Paso County celebrates its Sesquicentennial this year. The county has some of the most interesting parks in the region, including Interpretive Paint Mines Park with mushroom-like rock formations called “hoodoos” and Bear Creek Dog Park, frequented by many two- and four-legged visitors. Fountain Creek and Bear Creek Nature Centers serve as the interactive gateways to Bear Creek Park and Fountain Creek Park offering various activities and events for visitors of all ages. www.ElPasoCo.com
Source: Press Release
The attractions and activities that Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region have to offer are the best quality and value in the state, bar none. We are mountains and so much more!
Here, you can get to the top of the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak by car or Cog Railway, or even ride a mountain bike down the mountain. Here, you can hike or horseback ride through the spectacular Garden of the Gods Park, or go deep into caves, and authentic gold mines, or just go deep into our region’s fascinating and colorful history. Only 45-minutes away is the world’s highest suspension bridge, Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.
Take your family on a thrilling whitewater rafting adventure and then see Santa Claus, who lives right here in Colorado Springs at the North Pole, where kids of all ages can enjoy amusement rides and Christmas-themed exhibits year-round. Just outside of Colorado Springs is Historic Manitou Springs, a quaint and charming town that offers its own unique Colorado experience.
In Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region, we have rodeo and mining history, melodrama theatres, museums showcasing the history of the Old West and Ghost Towns, museums of insects, castles, and America’s only zoo that is built right into a mountain. Enjoy our exquisite shopping, railroads and trains, and be sure to visit the Anasazi cliff dwellings that you can walk through and touch. We have all of this, and so much more.
The Royal Gorge Dinner Train has added new locally grown cuisine to the menu and the ability to ride up front with the train engineer. ( We think Sheldon Cooper would be particularly excited about this turn of events!)
Be sure to take advantage of the Pikes Peak Plus Pass, which allows you to buy your attractions and activities tickets online at significant discounts! The PLUS PASS – WET gives you admission into all of the below-listed attractions. The PLUS PASS – DRY gives you admission into all of the below-listed attractions EXCEPT Echo Canyon River Expeditions. Of course, you always have the option to Pick-N-Choose, too!
- Buckskin Joe Frontier Town and Railway
- Echo Canyon River Expeditions
- Ghost Town Museum
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Miramont Castle Museum
- North Pole Home of Santa’s Workshop
- Pikes Peak Highway – America’s Mountain
- Pikes Peak Cog Railway
- Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
- The Western Museum of Mining & Industry
Visit our site today for coupons to all our attractions and activities, a downloadable map of our region, or to buy your tickets online at discounted rates! Visit www.Pikes-Peak.com to start planning your Colorado vacation today!
