Fall & Winter Activities

Colorado Springs features a wide variety of seasonal adventures to explore. For a festive day during fall, embark on a hike around Pikes Peak and admire the changing leaves, or enjoy a hayride and a stroll through the pumpkin patch at Happy Apple Farm. When winter arrives, you can stop by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to see twinkling Christmas lights, try out snowshoeing in Mueller State Park, or have an up-close encounter with wolves, foxes, and more at Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center.

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Ranked among the best zoos in the country by USA Today and America's only mountain zoo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo spans 140 acres and features more than 750 animals across varied terrain, as well as fun Mountaineer Sky Ride over the Rocky Mountain goats and grizzly bears. 

You don’t need to be a child to enjoy a zoo—not to mention the award-winning Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! Located only ten minutes from our resort, this unique zoo experience guarantees genuine animal interactions. At it’s heart is one of North America’s largest reticulated giraffe herds, where your family can view our long-necked friends face-to-face. The Zoo’s newest exhibit, Water’s Edge: Africa, displays impressive homes for Nile Hippos and African Penguins. Their beautifully taken care of animals inspire conservation, education, and general family vacation memories.

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Cave of the Winds

The Cave of the Winds is an absolute local favorite! Once you leave the beautiful canyon vistas and enter the chambers of the vast cave system, the tour will boast geological wonders and unique-to-Colorado history. It’s incredible! After exiting the mouth of the cave, you will have plenty to do between the Wind Walker Challenge Course, Bat-A-Pult zipline ride and the climbing wall.

If you’re brave enough to tip over the edge of the cliff on the Terror-Dactyl plunge, make sure to leave your sunglasses with the attendant, because yes, you really go 100-miles per hour, and yes you will scream.

Click here to read 'Our Review on Cave of the Winds'

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Garden of the Gods

This location is more than just an epic name. Colorado Springs’ god-sized playground is packed with miles of trails weaving around towering dusty-red formations that frame Pikes Peak perfectly. You can put on your hiking boots and explore on foot or you can pick up the pace by riding a Segway or an open-air Jeep. Adding to the full cowboy effect, horseback riding tours are also available.

For a bit of retail therapy and relaxation, we recommend beginning or ending your adventure at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post where you can fuel up on Starbucks, enjoy lunch on the patio and shop local-made souvenirs to take home as a badge of honor.

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Pikes Peak

Rising 14,115 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak dominates the scenery of Colorado Springs from every vantage point. In fact, it was the very summit that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful” when she climbed the purple mountain majesty in 1893. And now, it’s your turn to peak our iconic “14er” yourself! From Cheyenne Mountain Resort’s central location, you have easy access to plenty of options to ascend the mountain. How you choose to go up will depend on whether you want to test your endurance, or simply kick back and enjoy the view.

At the top is the Pikes Peak Summit House which is now open after extensive construction to renovate and modernize the iconic location. The restructuring of this iconic location included high-tech exhibits that give a deeper dive into the 50-million-year-old mountain. Don't miss out on their world-famous donuts (yes, they are made at 14,115 feet!)

Read Our Guide on Getting Up America's Mountain

Pikes Peak Cog Railway

Pikes Peak Highway and Summit House

Broadmoor Seven Falls

Known as the “Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado,” Broadmoor Seven Falls is a magnificent series of waterfalls that will satisfy the most discerning of view seekers. Rising 1,250 feet between the towering Pillars of Hercules, it’s easy to understand why Seven Falls was the only waterfall in Colorado to earn a spot on National Geographic’s list of International Waterfalls. Go behind the falls to be enveloped in cliffs and cascading water or climb 224 challenging steps alongside the falls and you’ll be rewarded with stunning vistas of valleys, rock formations, and golden prairies.

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Royal Gorge

For a leisurely trip that promises both breathtaking scenery and delicious food, hop aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. On the two-hour train ride, you’ll wind through the soaring, 1,000-foot granite cliffs of Colorado's grandest canyon and past the rumbling Arkansas River—all while sitting back and enjoying a locally sourced breakfast, lunch, or dinner, prepared fresh on the train!

Whether on the train or not, the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is definitely worth a visit. Admission to this unique park includes access to America’s Bridge, the Gondola ride, and the Children’s Playground. The Cloudscraper Zip Line (America’s highest zip line!) and Royal Rush Skycoaster are thrilling ways to soar alongside the bridge. No matter how you experience it, the vistas are out of this world.

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United State Olympic & Paralympic Museum

When in Olympic City, one must visit the brand-new Olympic Museum! Located downtown, this museum is infused with modern technology, interactive exhibits and a rich history that celebrates mankind’s greatest athletic achievements. It will leave you in absolute awe.

It’s also worth noting that when open again, the Olympic Training Center, where Team USA prepares for the iconic global games, offers tours giving you the opportunity to see how hard our athletes work. Be sure to explore the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Rotunda.

Museum Website Training Center Website

Museum located 11 minutes from Resort

Training Center located 17 minutes from Resort

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

If your kids have a penchant for getting their hands on everything, then Manitou Cliff Dwellings is the sensory-driven history lesson they’ve always wanted. Look, explore, and touch Anasazi artifacts and ruins, dating back 800 to 1000 years, in this unexpectedly thrilling 40-room museum. Carved into the orange cliff sides of Manitou Springs this is a unique learning experience for the entire family. 

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Space Foundation Discovery Center

Space Foundation Discovery Center is a dedicated space, science and technology center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is an interactive, education-focused destination that advances awareness, access and training in space exploration and space-inspired industries for students, teachers, families and space enthusiasts. Partnerships with government and commercial enterprises support exhibits like the El Pomar Space Gallery; Northrop Grumman Science Center, featuring Science On a Sphere®; and Lockheed Martin Space Education Center, including the Mars Robotics Lab, the Education Activities Center, and the AGI Space Missions Simulation Lab.

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Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center

Travel back in time at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, a 20,000-square-foot world class museum of which 12,000 feet are dedicated to dinosaur displays, located in Woodland Park, Colorado. The RMDRC is on travelchannel.com as one of America's Best Dinosaur Exhibits. The museum features fossils from North America's Cretaceous Period including marine reptiles, pterosaurs and dinosaurs. Visitors can read the stories of each specimen and view a working fossil laboratory where important recently discovered specimens are being freed from their rock matrix and undergoing restoration. Children always enjoy our play area and hands-on educational activities.

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ProRodeo Hall of Fame

Rodeo is truly a sport born in the history of America. It is the heritage of a unique breed of men who brought civilization to the Western United States. The American cowboy of the late 1800s gave birth to this original American sport – rodeo.

At the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy the colorful history and equally colorful legends of professional rodeo live on. Visitors are greeted by the larger-than-life statue of The Champ, the legendary Casey Tibbs aboard the famed saddle bronc, Necktie. Inside, guests start their tour in the Hall of Champions featuring over 344 inductees and then continue their way through displays that detail the changes in saddles, chaps, hats and other rodeo equipment over the decades.

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Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum

Located in the historic 1903 El Paso County Courthouse, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM) builds a lasting connection to the Pikes Peak region by preserving and sharing our cultural history. The CSPM is a free admission museum where visitors of all ages are invited to delve into the history of the region through innovative exhibits and dynamic programming.

The CSPM has a mobile exhibit that allows visitors to explore the history of Colorado Springs on the go. Story of Us Mobile, https://mobile.cspmstoryofus.com, is a great way for visitors to explore history while they are visiting other places. It has features like history tours and plenty of 'then and now' photos.

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Miramont Castle Museum

Owned and operated by the Manitou Springs Historical Society, their mission is to preserve and restore the architectural integrity of Miramont Castle, and to provide educational experiences and resources not only on the Castle itself, but on the history of Manitou Springs, its indigenous people and artifacts.

Experience life as it would have been in Victorian times. Inside the Castle itself you can view 30 rooms with authentic Victorian furnishings. In the Queen's Parlour Tea Room you can enjoy fun, and creative multi-course High Tea, Light Victorian Tea, and Prince/Princess Tea Packages.

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Western Museum of Mining and Industry

Open since 1970, the Western Museum of Mining and Industry (WMMI) is committed to preserving and interpreting the rich mining history of Colorado and the American West. As soon as you enter our 27 acre campus, you feel like you have stepped back to a different era. Take time to explore the collection of historic machinery outside, then be ready to say WOW when you see our collection of WORKING machines inside, including the 1895 Corliss Steam Engine…so big that the museum had to be built around it!
Our museum brings history to life and tells the important story of our western heritage. Plan to spend an hour or two exploring our many exhibits including:

• What’s Mined is Yours Mineral Display
• Walk-Through Mine Shaft (built with the Colorado School of Mines)
• Chilean Miners Rescue Pod
• Colorado’s largest collection of Fluorescent Minerals
• Gold Panning

Open Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm. Tours at 10am & 1pm.

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Air Force Academy

Experience the history and get a taste of cadet life with a tour of the official Air Force Academy, where cadets are developed into leaders for our Air Force and nation. 

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MANITOU SPRINGS

Amongst the friendliest cities in the US and one of the best small towns, an excursion for the trendy and the artsy alike. Get mountain views and downtown vibes, just six miles west of Colorado Springs.

Plus if you look in the dictionary, under the entry “heart-pounding”, you will find the Manitou Incline. Revered by military personnel, Olympians, and seasoned hikers as one of the most difficult trails in the country, this 2,768 step climb with 2,000 feet gain in elevation is quite the accomplishment. Yes, the incline is only a mile long, but you will see people bail out due to the strain, so make sure to bring plenty of water! 

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OLD COLORADO CITY

Live like a local. Visit the West Side neighborhood’s weekly Farmer’s Market, stroll down the First Friday ArtWalk, and sample goods from local shops.

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CRIPPLE CREEK

Connect with the past in this historic mining town. Test your luck in a casino, tour a functional gold mine, and peer into the life of a 19th-century prospector.

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Weidner Field

Weidner Field is a soccer stadium located in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. Opened on April 24, 2021, it is home to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, which competes in the second level of U.S. men's professional soccer, the USL Championship (USLC). While designed mainly for soccer, with a capacity of 8,000 for that sport, the stadium will be capable of hosting other types of events, with a capacity as great as 15,000 for concerts. Sitting at an altitude of roughly 6,035 feet (1,839 m) above sea level, the facility has the highest elevation of any stadium used by a professional team in the American soccer pyramid. It replaces the former Weidner Field, now known as Switchbacks Training Stadium, a smaller venue in the east of the city.

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UCHealth Park

UCHealth Park is one of the premier ballparks in the Pioneer League, featuring stunning views of Pikes Peak and the Colorado Front Range in majestic Colorado Springs. At 6,531 feet above sea level, UCHealth Park is the highest professional baseball park in North America.

This is home to the Rocky Mountain Vibes, Colorado Springs' Minor League Baseball team. Grab a hot dog and catch a baseball game amongst the mountains. Don't forget to say hi to the Vibes' mascot, Toasty who helped welcome the Milwaukee Brewers Rookie-advanced affiliate into their inaugural season, and Toasty could not be more excited to welcome the young team to wonderful Colorado Springs.

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North Pole - Santa's Workshop

One family-friendly secret is that Christmas in Colorado Springs begins in May! The North Pole—Santa’s Workshop is an enchanting vintage amusement park nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak, offering panoramic views and Christmas cheer all year long. Take a ride on one of two dozen rides, munch on their famous funnel cake, and of course, meet the jolly man himself! (Just make sure you are on the nice list before you do!)

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