Top 10 Things to Do in Colorado Springs, CO

Have you ever been to Colorado Springs? Do you have a trip planned in the future? If so, check out this list of places you HAVE to see while you're here! Dan and I are including an insert with our wedding invitations that list these attractions since there will be a long break between our wedding ceremony and our reception. Plus, many of our guests are making a vacation out of their trip, so we thought we'd help them out with these ideas!

Garden of the Gods
Location: 1805 N 30^th Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Hours: 8:00AM – 8:00PM
Admission: free

Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Location: 515 Ruxton Avenue Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: 9:00AM – 3:00PM
Admission: $35 (book ahead)

Seven Falls
Location: 2850 S Cheyenne Canyon Road Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Hours: 8:30AM – 10:00PM
Admission: $9.25

US Olympic Training Center
Location: 1750 E Boulder Street Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Hours: 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Admission: free

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Location: 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Hours: 9:00AM – 6:00PM
Admission: $17.25 (and totally worth it!)

Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Location: 10 Cliff Road Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: 9:00AM – 6:00PM
Admission: $9.50

Cave of the Winds
Location: 100 Cave of the Winds Road Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: 9:00AM – 9:00PM
Admission: $18

US Air Force Academy
Location: 4700 Ponderosa Drive USAF Academy, CO 80840
Hours: 8:00AM – 6:00PM
Admission: free
*visitors must go in North Gate unless they have a military ID or a cadet escort

Red Rock Canyon Open Space
Location: 3550 W High Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Hours: from dawn until dusk
Admission: free

The Broadmoor
Location: 1 Lake Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Hours: hours vary
Admission: free to walk around

*Please note that many of these attractions offer discounts for military personnel, students, and children.

• Have you been to Colorado Springs?
• What is YOUR favorite attraction?
• What's the best thing to do where YOU live?

Wine & Painting Date

A few weeks ago, our friends Rianna and Aaron invited Dan and I to go on a double date. We love hanging out with them, so of course we went! We ended up doing a wine tasting at The Sweet Elephant in Old Colorado City, followed by a group painting class, where we painted the Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak in the background. We all had a blast, and I wish they weren't moving away so soon!

This is the painting we were trying to recreate. Beautiful, right?

And this is the one our instructor painted while he taught the class. Gorgeous.

How ours all turned out -- looking good!

Here's Dan's. It's actually not bad at all! Notice the disproportionate F-22 above the Kissing Camels, haha.

This is my finished piece. I really like it, but I was also VERY frustrated while painting it.

Side by side! :)

Looking silly side by side over the fireplace... no, I did NOT leave both of them there!

Holding mine proudly! :)

• Have you ever been to a painting class?
• What is your favorite thing to paint?
• Do you have any ideas for fun, creative double dates?