Just Wander More

Are you planning a trip to Colorado? You are in for a treat when you set out to explore and add fun family adventures in Colorado Springs to your bucket list. In fact, the entire state of Colorado is brimming with amazing hikes, beautiful scenery, majestic mountains, and hidden gems.

Colorado Springs is about one hour away from Denver International Airport with the Rocky Mountains as a stunning backdrop. If you are looking for things to do in Colorado Springs with kids, you’ll find plenty of amazing adventures in “the Springs” in the spring, summer, winter and fall.

Fun Family Adventures In Colorado Springs

If you are looking for an awesome destination that has zoos, museums, family adventures, hiking, and AMAZING natural landscapes, look no further than Colorado Springs. You’ll create lasting memories with your family, where you’ll reminisce years from now with, “Remember that cool place in Colorado…”.

The family adventures in Colorado Springs are sure to impress outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.

1. The Garden of the Gods Trails and Park

Colorado Springs often ranks among the top places in the nation to live according to US News. In 2022, it ranked #2 behind Huntsville, Alabama. It makes a great place to visit too. You might just find yourself wanting to return permanently!

Colorado Springs is home to the amazing Garden of the Gods—supernatural red rock formations that create one of the most unique and picturesque parks in the world. “The Garden” is simply breathtaking.

The land was donated by Charles Elliott Perkins to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909 with the stipulation that it always remain FREE to the public to enjoy.

As you walk along one of the Garden of the Gods trails from the main parking area—the Central Trail—you’ll find a plaque embedded prominently in a rock formation that states:

“The Garden of the Gods given to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909 by the children of Charles Elliott Perkins in fulfilment of his wish that it be kept forever free to the public.”

Garden of the Gods Trails & Park Hours

November 1 – April 30 5:00 am – 9:00 pm
May 1 – October 31 5:00 am – 10:00 pm

Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center Hours

Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Off Season 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Garden of the Gods Trading Post Hours

Summer Hours 8:00 am to 8:30 pm
Winter Hours 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Best things to do along the Garden of the Gods Trails:

Complete the Junior Ranger guidebook
Join Park Naturalists on 45-minute nature walks
Listen to nature presentations
Enjoy the Living History Tour (leaves from Rock Ledge Ranch)
Sign up for a rock climbing class
Visit the Garden of the Gods Trading Post for their famous fudge, mementos and lunch
Rent and join a bike/electric bike tour
Attend a photography workshop
Enjoy a jeep, trolley, or segway tour
Explore Rock Ledge Ranch
Participate in the weekly 5k Fun Run—Gallop in the Garden
Explore all of the Garden of the Gods trails

Note * ALL climbers must have a valid rock climbing permit before climbing within the park. Climbing without a permit may result in a $500 fine and loss of climbing privileges for up to 12 months.

Favorite Family Hikes Along the Garden of the Gods Trails

Perkins Central Garden Trail – A paved 1.5 mile loop that is family friendly
Ridge Loop Trail – The trail is only 0.4 miles in length
Siamese Twins Garden of the Gods Loop Trail – This popular trail is 0.5 miles long with great photo opportunities.

2. Visit Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Your visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) will build memories that will last a lifetime and will top the lists of favorite things to do in Colorado Springs with kids! USA Today 10 Best ranks Cheyenne Mountain Zoo #3 for amazing zoos across the United States. The zoo might just be the most fun of the family adventures in Colorado Springs!

CMZ hosts one of the largest giraffe towers (the name for a grouping of giraffe) in North America. With the arrival of Bailey’s baby giraffe in October 2022, there are officially 17 giraffe in the herd.

The zoo also has the proverbial “lions, tigers and bears” (and a couple of grizzlies no less).

You’ll also find hippos, penguins, a Komodo dragon, a python, leopards, Wallabies, budgies (parakeets), frogs, monkeys, lizards, elephants, mountain tapirs, okapi, lemurs (who can see a lemur without thinking of King Julian from Madagascar, “Which one of you is attracted to me?”), mangabeys, gibbons, orangutans, lowland gorillas, macaques and siamangs, Rocky Mountain goats, a moose, river otters, lynx, porcupines and bald eagles.

Whew. I may have missed a few animals, but you’ll love all of the animal sightings.

When our family visited the orangutans a few years ago, the orangutans were being really friendly. I turned around to grab my camera and heard, “Ahhhhh, that was so cute!” from all the people around me.

“What? What was so cute?”

Our youngest daughter had leaned up to the window by an orangutan’s face and he gave her a kiss through the glass. You should have been there, I heard it was amazingly cute.

You too can have fun and enjoyable experiences at the zoo. The hours for the zoo are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. ALL guests will need to purchase advance tickets, but your visit will be on of the best family adventures in Colorado Springs!

3. Air Force Academy

The U.S. Air Force Academy is open to visitors. You may wish to begin your visit at the Barry Goldwater Visitor Center. It is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. It may be one of the most motivational things to do in Colorado Springs with kids.

As you tour the visitor center, you may be interested in learning about the planes, the cadets, cadet life on campus, the history of the academy, as well as information about the honor code on campus.

Follow a paved nature trail from the visitor center to the Cadet Chapel. The iconic chapel, closed for the past three years for repairs, is projected to be open again in 2027.

If you happen to visiting the Air Force Academy for a football game, the excitement on the campus is palpable. Stop by the gift shop for your official AF paraphernalia. Once you enter the stadium, you will find that fans of the Air Force football team are some of the nicest in the nation.

Be sure to prepare yourself for the pre-game festivities, most notably the skydiving team and then an exhilarating flyover. The flyover is among the BEST things to see and experience as family adventures in Colorado Springs!

5. Broadmoor Hotel Colorado Springs

The Broadmoor was built in 1891 and began as a gambling casino, though the casino was later destroyed by fire in 1897. A hotel was added to the site and has since become a luxurious destination and resort in Colorado Springs.

The distinctive pink stucco of the building blends into the landscape and adds a unique style to Colorado Springs.

The Broadmoor welcomes guests to a legendary Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort with impeccable service and distinctive amenities. Here, the spirit of the West inspires the adventurer within, providing endless opportunities to explore the picturesque mountains, streams, and canyons that have inspired generations. Experience an iconic Colorado Springs resort where personalized luxury offers an escape from the ordinary and modern details blend seamlessly with the timeless European elegance of our historic hotel.
Broadmoor Hotel

The hotel offers elegant rooms, conference space, a spa, golf course, an outdoor lake with a walking path, boutiques, restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis courts, to name just a few of the amenities.

While visiting the Broadmoor or simply looking for family adventures and things to do in Colorado Springs with kids, you can enjoy:

Broadmoor Soaring Adventure with 10 zip lines on two courses
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Fly Fishing
Falconry
Hiking
Rock Climbing
Biking
Wild West Adventures
Even a Broadmoor Scavenger Hunt

6. Explore Pikes Peak

You can take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, a 3.5 hour round trip experience beginning at the Manitou Depot and stopping at the Pikes Peak Summit, or choose to drive. Both options require a reservation but are equally awesome family adventures in Colorado Springs.

Whether you take the cog railway or drive, prepare yourself for vistas of breathtaking scenery on your way to the summit of America’s most famous mountain at 14,155 feet.

Why is it America’s most famous mountain? Katherine Lee Bates penned the lyrics to “America the Beautiful” during a visit to Colorado. The words came to her as she viewed the Rocky Mountains from Pikes Peak.

7. Seven Falls

Seven Falls is a natural wonder in Colorado Springs that has often been called the “grandest mile of scenery in Colorado”. That statement could apply to so many areas in Colorado, but Seven Falls is without a doubt pretty spectacular.

At the base of the falls, you’ll fine Restaurant 1858 featuring a rustic setting and authentic Colorado favorites (open seasonally). Chris and I enjoyed lunch on the patio on a beautiful Fall afternoon and listened to the sounds of the falls as we ate.

Seven Falls is located in a box canyon between the majestic Pillars of Hercules where the water plummets 181 feet to the base of the canyon.

Put on your hiking shoes for the 224 stairs you’ll climb to reach the top of the falls. From there, you’ll enjoy the stunning views of the valleys below, amazing rock formations, and Colorado Springs hiking trails that follow the streams that feed the falls from the Pikes Peak watershed.

8. The Olympic Training Center

Of the three Olympic and Paralympic Training Centers in the United States—Lake Placid, NY, Chula Vista, CA and Colorado Springs, CO—the center in Colorado was the first to be built in 1978. The high elevation of Colorado has long been thought to be an effective benefit to athletes in their training.

If you are training at this facility, you have access to an indoor shooting range, an Olympic-size swimming pool, the velodrome, plus numerous gymnasiums, weight rooms, and a sports science laboratory. Additionally, athletes staying on the campus have access to the athlete center, dining hall, and dormitories.

Tours are offered to the public. Check for ticket prices before you go. If this is one of the family adventures in Colorado Springs that you choose, please note that all tickets must be purchased in person at the facility.

Schedule for General Public Tours:

October 1 – March 30: Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday 9 am to 4 pm
April 1 – September 30: Monday to Saturday 9 am to 4 pm

Address: 1 Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Also located in Colorado Springs is the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum.

Address: 200 S. Sierra Madre Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

9. Manitou Springs and the Manitou Incline

“Manitou (/ˈmænɪtuː/) – …is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in the Native American theology.” Wikipedia

Manitou Springs is located 6 miles west of Colorado Springs, 6 miles from the Pikes Peak Highway, and a half mile from the Garden of the Gods.

This quaint Colorado town is popular among tourists who love to explore the historic downtown, drink the mineral water from natural mineral springs available to the public in the downtown area, explore art galleries, be entertained by street performers, attend festivals, shop at unique boutiques, and dine at restaurants along the creek.

For fun things to do in Colorado Springs with kids, they may enjoy fishing at the stocked pond in Schryver Park.

If you are feeling fit and adventurous, consider reserving your spot to hike the Manitou Incline. This “hike” is no joke as you ascend 2,768 steps up from the base of the Incline. The difficulty level is “Extreme” and you’ll be feeling it in no time.

It is considered to be one of the coolest yet most challenging Colorado Springs hiking trails.

You may wish to allow some time to acclimate to Colorado’s elevation if you are not native to the area.

You will need to make your reservation in advance for this popular hike. The distance is almost a mile (or 1.4 km) with 2,020 feet of elevation gain. Check the above link for parking information.

10. The Ghost Town Museum

Colorado is home to a number of Ghost Towns.

Kids of all ages will love to mosey around the Ghost Town Museum in the Springs. It is another one of the perfect family adventures in Colorado Springs that has been preserved over time. “In 1858, the cry “Pikes Peak or bust!” opened the Colorado territory to the gold.”

While the term “Ghost Town” might conjure up spooky connotations, today it simply references a piece of Colorado’s history. The collections within the Ghost Town Museum include structures, artifacts and memorabilia. All work together to give a glimpse into what a “town” on the frontier might have looked like 100 years ago.

Address: 400 S 21st St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Plan your visit and get your tickets.

Day Trips from Colorado Springs

11. Buena Vista

If you are looking for something new, exciting and memorable, you can’t go wrong with a white water rafting adventure in Buena Vista. Whether you are looking for a gentle beginner rafting adventure through Class I & II white water or a more advanced Class IV technical experience, you can find some of the best white water rafting in USA along the Arkansas River in Buena Vista.

You may also enjoy visiting the local farmer’s market, watching a movie at one of the few remaining drive-in theaters in Colorado, hiking, and amazing drives through the Collegiate Mountains.

12. Great Sand Dunes National Park

Sand Dunes National Park is actually one of the popular things to do in Colorado Springs with kids that is actually outside of the Springs, but your kids would love the adventure. If you have an America the Beautiful annual park pass, you can use it here.

Once you arrive, there are plenty of a shaded picnic areas close to the parking area if you wish to stop for a picnic lunch before moving on to the dunes.

Important: Wear good shoes and socks. You may fill your socks and shoes with sand as you walk, but that is preferable to burning your feet on the sand if you wear flip flops or open water shoes. The sand can reach temperatures as hot as 150°.

Test your balance by renting a sand board or sled specifically designed for sand. They feature a special board and wax and can be rented at locations outside of the national park. You will want to plan ahead.

If you are lucky enough to visit the dunes when the Medano Creek is running, it is perfect for wading through and splashing in. The creek rarely gets deeper than 2 inches, with occasional surges up to 4 inches.

Be sure to wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bring water! There is no shade once you are on the dunes.

13. Mesa Verde

Chris and I had lived in Colorado for 19 years before we took the opportunity to visit Mesa Verde National Park on our “state-cation“. Mesa Verde is a hidden treasure and one of the most unique things to do in Colorado in the summer.

You will want an early start for Mesa Verde to avoid crazy crowds and to visit at a cooler time of the day. As the National Park sits atop a mesa, it gets pretty hot in the summer months.

The visitor center is outside the park, and once you enter Mesa Verde National Park there is still a twenty-minute drive to reach the top of the mesa.

Most cliff dwellings can only be visited on a ticketed tour with a ranger. Tours are offered May to October. Tickets are available online 14 days in advance of tour. Read more about Cliff Dwelling Tours and buy tickets on Recreation.gov.

14. Hot Springs

When you live in a state with towns and cities named Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Pagosa Springs, Manitou Springs, or Idaho Springs, you’ve gotta begin to think that there’s something to those names.

Wouldn’t you think that a city called Steamboat Springs would have some pretty awesome springs? HOT SPRINGS!?! If that’s what you are thinking, then you would be right!

The hot springs closest to Colorado Springs include SunWater Spa in Manitou Springs, Desert Reef Hot Springs, and Cottonwood Hot Springs.

15. Denver

Denver is the perfect home base for a trip to Colorado. From here you’ll discover amazing hikes, phenomenal drives, and stunning landscapes. Denver, in the Centennial State, IS an outdoor enthusiasts dream.

As the capital city of Colorado, Denver features the mile-high steps, Denver Broncos, museums, botanical gardens, a hopping theater and music scene at the Denver Performing Arts Center, amazing Christmas events, the mansion of Molly Brown (survivor of the Titanic sinking), a jumping off point to ski resorts and mountain towns, and the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.

16. Boulder

Boulder is nestled into the mountains at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with the dramatic sheer cliff faces of the Flatirons to the west. The hikes and views are second to none.

You’ll find an eclectic mix of fun adventures for the whole family including the BolderBoulder 10k race in the spring, summer festivals, shopping, hikes, and dining along the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall.

17. Chimney Rock National Park

The tagline for Chimney Rock is “Where Culture is the Adventure”. It may be a little off the beaten path, but this archaeological wonder in Southwestern Colorado is a hidden gem. Walk in the footsteps of the Puebloans and discover the structures they built and artifacts used in everyday life 1,000 years ago.

Chimney Rock is definitely one of the coolest places to visit in Colorado in the summer.

The Puebloans were sky watchers and lived by sky wisdom. They relied on the sun, stars, and moon for their living, growing seasons, and festivals.

Take a self-guided tour through Chimney Rock National Monument. You’ll find trained volunteer interpreters along the trails who are willing to answer question and share the history of the site. The walking tour includes six excavated and stabilized structures.

My Favorite Things for Your Family Adventures in Colorado Springs

Many of My Favorite Travel Things will make your visit to the colorful “Centennial State” so much more enjoyable, especially if you plan to hike any of the Colorado Springs hiking trails or explore the Garden of the Gods trails. For more ideas, also check out my Amazon Storefront!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colorado Springs a fun place for kids?

Yes. With all of the amazing family adventures in Colorado Springs, your kids will go home asking when they can go back!

Can you drive through the Garden of the Gods?

Yes. Driving through the Garden of the Gods is free and only takes about 20 minutes. That is, if you don’t stop. Chances are, the stunning views will entice you to stop and your visit will be much longer. Plus, you’ll probably want to stop and visit the Garden of the Gods trading post. Mmmmm, the fudge is divine.

Is Colorado Springs a good place to live?

As noted above, yes, it ranked #2 in 2022 as one of the best places to live. There is an abundance of outdoor adventure, beautiful views, great local schools, and many family adventures in Colorado Springs.

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Final Thoughts on the Top 17 Fun Family Adventures in Colorado Springs

Did you know that “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver was recorded in 1972 and was later adopted in March 2007 as the official second state song for Colorado? A visit to Colorado Springs might just have you humming the tune. Better yet, add it to your road trip playlist and sing along!

There’s just something about these mountains that inspires greatness and a desire to create lasting memories, whether it’s tasting fudge at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, exploring on the Garden of the Gods trails, or discovering Colorado Springs hiking trails. Even better, there are so many fun things to do in Colorado Springs with kids that you will want to visit again and again.

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This blog post is originally from 17 Fun Family Adventures in Colorado Springs, Colorado and written by Jolayne