An Upscale Resort Near Garden of the Gods
Explore the Edge of the Rockies & Pikes Peak
Located in the heart of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods Club and Resort is just minutes from many fun attractions to experience while on vacation. Feed the giraffes at America’s only mountain zoo, take a step back in time in an old ghost town, or roar with dinosaurs. The region features more than 60 incredible Colorado Springs tourist attractions, including Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods National Landmark, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center, all of which are ready to make your next vacation to our resort near Garden of the Gods the experience of a lifetime.
For more information on the following attractions,
click here to view the 2016 Colorado Springs Official Visitor Guide.
We hope you enjoy your stay with us and everything southern Colorado has to offer!
Local Attractions Around Colorado Springs
Academy Riding Stables
Experience the year-round pleasure of horseback riding in the spectacular Garden of the Gods Park. Academy Stables’ wranglers are real cowboys with the knowledge and skills to help you get the most enjoyment from your ride.
www.arsriding.comAir Force Academy
The Air Force Academy is located just off exit 156B on Interstate 25, 14 miles north of downtown Colorado Springs. Visit the Cadet Chapel, the Field House, Arnold Hall, and the Honor Court.
www.usafa.af.mil/information/visitors/Cave of the Winds
Take the Discovery Tour along well lit pathways while learning how caves are formed. See formations created through thousands of years of slowly dripping water, which has deposited amazing treasures beneath the surface. Also take the Lantern Tour for a truly entertaining trip into the darkest interior regions of the cave with only a candle to light the way.
www.caveofthewinds.comChallenge Unlimited – Pikes Peak by Bike
Bike down over 7,000 ft. from the top of Pikes Peak, led by professional tour guides. You don’t have to be an experienced rider. It’s fun, safe and easy; if you can sit on a bike, you’re in! Other tours and bike rentals are available.
www.bikithikit.comCheyenne Mountain Zoo
During your stay at Garden of the Gods Club, take some time to visit the only mountain zoo in the United States. Feed the famous giraffe herd, which is the largest in the world! Come nose-to-nose with great apes, lions and tigers. There is an incredible kids’ activity area and petting zoo, along with breathtaking city views and mountain scenery.
www.cmzoo.orgColorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Docent-led tours of the Fine Arts Center are available at 1:00 pm every Saturday and Sunday, and of the FAC MODERN at 1:00 pm every Saturday. No reservations are required; just meet the docents at the front desk.
www.csfineartscenter.orgGarden of the Gods Trading Post
Visit the largest art gallery and gift shop in Colorado. Eat lunch at the Balanced Rock Café. You can shop for Colorado collectibles, t-shirts, and glassware. Also enjoy the motorcoach and group-friendly venues with ample parking.
www.gardenofthegodstradingpost.comGarden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center
This is the place to start a visit to the Garden of the Gods. Enjoy the entertaining 12-minute big-screen history and geology movie. The Visitor and Nature Center has three gift shops with hundreds of Colorado-made items; 30 interactive, hands-on educational nature exhibits; and a balcony café overlooking the Park and Pikes Peak. Summer bus tours of the park are also available, included with a free map of the park and brochures on area attractions.
www.gardenofgods.comGhost Town
Experience an 1800s Old West town frozen in time and preserved indoors. Step back in time to Colorado’s Gold Rush days and have fun! Enjoy a seasonal activity of panning for real gold! Also enjoy many other hands-on activities. This is an amazing place with thousands of artifacts on display, and it is great for kids! Shop at the museum store, which has a wide variety of Colorado gifts.
www.ghosttownmuseum.comHistoric Manitou Springs
Here is the base camp to the Pikes Peak recreation area. Taste the waters that made Manitou famous! Enjoy the one-of-a-kind shops and unique dining. Experience Colorado’s most famous artist enclave, along with a great year-round climate and amazing scenery!
www.manitousprings.orgHistoric Old Colorado City
Shop at over 100 unique stores. Dine at sidewalk cafés and restaurants. Then relax on a carriage ride as you enjoy the ambiance of this historic district.
shopoldcoloradocity.comManitou Cliff Dwellings
Experience the architecture of the ancient Ancestoral Puebloan. Visit two museums featuring cultural displays to explore, and don’t miss the Native American dancers in June, July, and August!b
www.cliffdwellingsmuseum.comMiramont Castle and Museum
This was originally built in 1895 as a private home and is now restored as-built, with nine unique styles of architecture. Enjoy the miniature museum included in the tour, which is definitely a castle favorite! Don’t forget to stop by the wonderful Victorian Gift Shop!
www.miramontcastle.orgNorth Pole – Home of Santa’s Workshop
Get warm with a cozy fireside chat with Santa himself. Enjoy our amusement rides for the entire family, or browse the gift shops for ornaments, dolls, toys, or souvenirs. Enjoy a wide variety of entertainment ranging from live magic shows, to animated elves and moose.
www.santas-colo.comOlympic Training Center
Free public tours are conducted on a year-round basis by USOC Ambassadors. The tour includes a 12-minute film and 45-minute walking tour of the complex. Nearly 70% of the tour is outdoors. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to view athlete training facilities including sport center gymnasiums, weightlifting and wrestling facilities, the USA shooting center, coaching and sport science, the aquatics center, and sports medicine. Life-size figures with narrative panels adorn the Irwin Belk Olympic Pathway and provide information about Olympic and Pan American sports.
usoc.orgPikes Peak Cog Railway
This is the world’s largest cog railway. Since 1891, millions have taken the trip to 14,110 feet! Enjoy the scenery of cascading streams and forests of quaking aspen and pine. Visitors frequently see bighorn sheep, marmots, and other wildlife. Open year-round; call 719.685.9033 for schedule!
cograilway.comPikes Peak Summit House – Glen Cove and Crystal Reservoir
At Crystal Reservoir, you can enjoy hiking, fishing, dining at fine restaurants, and visiting the gift shop. Visiting Glen Cove, you can participate in panning for gems, dining at fine restaurants, visiting the gift shop, and relaxing at the picnic area. The Summit House has a breathtaking view from the elevation of 14,110 feet! Open year-round, weather permitting.
www.colorado.comPikes Peak Highway
The Pikes Peak Highway entrance is conveniently located 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs on Highway 24. The beauty of being so close to the city is that you can spend your time enjoying the mountain instead of getting to the mountains. Plan for your round-trip journey to the summit to take 2-3 hours. The safe, scenic highway provides you the opportunity to enjoy Pikes Peak at your leisure. Along the way, you’ll discover the North Slope Recreation Area, Crystal Reservoir Gift Shop, Historic Glen Cove Inn, and the Summit House. There are three lakes for fishing, picnic areas, hiking trails, and breathtaking views.
visitpikespeak.comRock Ledge Ranch Historic Site
The Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site is an educational, non-profit living history farm and museum, which depicts life in the Pikes Peak region in four time periods: American Indian area in 1775; 1860s Galloway Homestead; 1880s Chambers Home and Ranch; and 1907 Edwardian Country Estate.
rockledgeranch.comSeven Falls
You haven’t seen Colorado until you’ve seen Seven Falls. Ride the in-mountain elevator to Eagle’s Nest Lookout. Seven Falls is Colorado’s best choice for educational family fun! Computerized lights make the falls come alive at night. Enjoy the self-guided audio tours and unforgettable hiking trails! Other entertainment includes Native American dancers, three gift shops, and a snack bar. Open year-round.
sevenfalls.comWines of Colorado
Enjoy free wine tasting from Colorado’s 42 wineries, along with creekside dining!
winesofcolorado.comWestern Museum of Mining and Industry
The mission of the WMMI is to educate the public about the history and continuing contributions of mining in the American West through its collection, restoration, exhibition and interpretation of artifacts related to mining, metallurgy and their support industries. The emphasis of WMMI's collection is placed on the technology and technological history of metal mining and metallurgy, as well as the social history of the American Mining West.
wmmi.orgWorld Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame
This is the international repository for the sport of figure skating from ancient to modern times.
worldskatingmuseum.org
Attractions in Surrounding Mountain Communities
Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
Take a ride through time and learn about gold mining history. Trains depart every 45 minutes mid-May to mid-October, so get aboard! Also enjoy special stops for points of interest and photo opportunities!
cripplecreekrailroad.comMollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour
You can tour original 1890s gold mines 1,000 feet underground and witness displays of gold mining equipment operations. Enjoy a ride on an air-powered mine train 1,000 feet underground!
goldminetours.comPikes Peak Heritage Center at Cripple Creek
11,600 square feet of interactive, educational exhibits! Learn about the region’s rich and colorful gold mining history and current-day mining activity. Visitors of all ages will also learn about dinosaurs that once roamed this region, geologic history and the area’s flora and fauna.
visitcripplecreek.comEcho Canyon River Expeditions
A Colorado tradition since 1978! This is the state’s single largest outfitter. Have some fun with exclusive Raft-n-Rail with a Royal Gorge route.
raftecho.comHistoric Royal Gorge Route Railroad
This historic train travels through the Royal Gorge on the old D&RG train line. Enjoy the comfortable coaches, open-air observation decks, elegant dining cars, full service bar and concessions, and glass-top dome cars. A Vista Dome grill menu is available, along with plenty of shopping at the railroad gift shop!
royalgorgeroute.comRoyal Gorge Bridge and Park
“There is a Colorado you might not have seen before…where looking down is even more breathtaking than looking up.” Enjoy awe-inspiring views of scenic beauty. This is the world’s highest suspension bridge, steepest incline railway, and longest single-span of aerial tram. Open year-round!
royalgorgebridge.com