COME TO LIFE / Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs PIKES PEAK COUNTRY: COLORADO SPRINGS & MANITOU SPRINGS COLORADO PIKES PEAK WONDERS Colorado Springs is the state’s second-largest city, but it’s first in the hearts of many visitors as a place of astonishing beauty with more than 55 unique museums and cultural and natural attractions. 1 2 DAY 1 Use your first day in “The Springs” to explore the town. Downtown has plenty of options for breakfast, and the new PikeRide bike-share program makes it easy to get around on two wheels. Head to Tejon Street for window-shopping and latte sipping. Spend time at one of the area’s museums, such as the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (2) (catch the acclaimed theater company in action) or the Ent Center for the Arts , a magnificent cultural building complete with a contemporary-art gallery. Stop in for tea at Miramont Castle (1) , a Victorian castle at the base of Pikes Peak with nine styles of architecture. Or hold out for spring when the brand-spanking-new United States Olympic Museum debuts just blocks away from the Olympic Training Center (they don’t call this Olympic City USA for nothing!). Be sure to visit COLORADO.com/ ColoRoadTrips for even more itineraries! Stop for lunch at the Ivywild School (4) , a 1916 elementary-school-turned-community-market featuring Bristol Brewing Co. , Axe and the Oak whiskey distillery, community gardens and a bakery/eatery selling local items. Or catch the new kid on the block: Lincoln Center , another former school now home to tasty tenants like Goat Patch Brewing, Nightingale Bread, Tailgate BBQ and several food trucks. Every weekday at 12:30pm the newly reopened U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium & STEM Center explores the universe and life on Earth in its open-to-the-public shows. Or, with more than 50 pieces of permanent public art, esteemed cultural institutions and a roster of events and festivals, it’s no surprise that downtown Colorado Springs has been named one of 23 Certified Colorado Creative Districts. First Friday Art Walks are an excellent way to get a taste of the city’s creative culture. @mmmbeans 3 4 QUICK TIP 110 / Red Rock Canyon Open Space is one of the easiest ways to get on trails for all experience levels minutes from downtown. Canyons, ridges, trails, sheltered enclaves, picnic areas, off-leash dog areas and a bike park are just a few of the attractions that make this park a favorite with visitors in the know. 1-800-COLORADO CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MIRAMONTE CASTLE, PIKES PEAK REGION ATTRACTIONS; COLORADO SPRINGS FINE ARTS CENTER AT COLORADO COLLEGE; IVYWILD SCHOOL; CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO, INSTAGRAM/@MMMBEANS.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 110
