I visited Colorado in October and had originally planned to visit Colorado Springs. However, as I started looking into lodging three days out from the trip, I came across a lot of internet recommendations to stay in very nearby Manitou Springs instead. My main sightseeing goal, Garden of the Gods was in Manitou Springs so I figured, “why not?” internet recommendations are ALWAYS reliable and booked a stayed at the rad Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (my review on that here).
So what do you do in and near Manitou Springs? I recommend picking at least one activity from each of the following categories and then seeing where the trip takes you. Everyone is different so some people might want to load up on outdoors time while others might want to create their own unofficial Manitou Springs food tour. Do you.
Outdoors
- Garden of the Gods – National landmark with sandstone rock formations, mountain views, and open meadows. Free park has a visitor center and paved walking areas as well as multiple less populated entrances and trails. Rock climbing with permit. (More Info: here)
- Manitou Incline – 1 mile, 2000k elevation gain trek up a former cable care line. Can take a free trolley to its base from downtown Manitou Springs. (More Info: here)
Drink (Boozy or Booze Free)
- Red Dog Coffee – Quaint but spacious coffee shop with food, local art, and for those so-inclined booze (my review on that here).
- Manitou Art Center – Grab an extremely low priced coffee and then enjoy the art at 515 Manitou Ave. (More Info: About the Art Center here ; About Venue 515: here)
- Manitou Brewing Company – Can’t believe I missed this one. A truly local 5bbl brewery that uses water from the top of Pike’s Peak. Someone please go and report back. (More Info: here)
- Maté Factor Café – Get coffee and a pastry or mix up your caffeine source and get one of the Yerba Maté drinks that inspired the café name. Interestingly, the cafes only other location is in the also-quaint Savanah, Georgia. (More Info: here)
Food
- Good Karma Café – Great local restaurant with good variety on the menu. I loved my Colorado Trout Benedict and that they sold honey sticks (try the spicy one). (More Info: here)
- Amanda’s Fonda – For some reason, I tend to get Mexican in Colorado and it tends to be good. Had a great experience at Amanda’s – healthy portions, very reasonable prices, and even though I was solo, I still got a whole basket of chips & salsa. It’s Manitou location is just a few miles from the main town center and very close and walkable from Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Lodge. There’s also a Colorado Springs location under the name Amanda’s Fonda. (More Info: here)
- Border Burger Bar – Burgers and beer are always a good idea in a mountain town. Ample seating and a number of TVs make this a good place to catch a game…or Lumberjack competition as I was lucky enough to catch during my visit. (More Info: here)
- Cliff House – The historic, award winning Cliff House at Pikes Peak offers more than lodging. Stop by for a fine dining experience, more casual dining, or just a drink. (More Info: here)
- BaBa’s Burgers & Gyros – Gyros in the mountains? BaBa’s got you covered…and provides juicy burgers for your less Mediterranean travel partners. If you like it, you can also find them in Estes Park, Colorado and Branson, Missouri (More Info: here)
- Adam’s Mountain Café – So you’re a vegetarian sick of the burger and fish recommendations? Adam’s Mountain Café offers hand-crafted, microwave free vegetarian fare with meat add-ons for your omnivore companions. They not only “deal with” special diets, they train their staff to help you pick a tasty meal that fits your dietary needs. (More Info: here)
- And MANY more – For a small town, there are a surprising number and variety of restaurants available). Check with your BFF Google or just take a stroll through town and see what strikes your fancy while working up an appetite.
Tourist “Must Do’s”
- Pike’s Peak – Hike, drive, bike, or take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to Pikes Peak’s 14,000-foot summit to experience the breathtaking views and impact of altitude at 14k feet and along the way. Even driving or taking the train is going to take you 1.5 – 2 hours to reach the peak so prepare for a long day. (More Info: here)
- Miramont Castle – A handicap accessible castle blends the best of the new and old world. This nationally registered landmark is complete with a tea room and garden, Miramont Castle is an easy to access place of interest for Manitou Springs visitors. (More Info: here)
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings – Explore the inside of these Anasazi Cliff Dwellings that are estimated to be between 800 and 1000 years old and learn about their unique history (including how they were preserved and relocated to Manitou Springs!) (More Info: here)
- Coffin Races – This event happens only once a year in October but if you are there at that time and have a sense of humor, you have to go (and fill me in!) Better yet, register for the race and wait as the pallbearer requests roll in. (More Info: here)
MORE!!
These are just a few ideas to get you started. There’s a lot more to explore in and near Manitou Springs. The Colorado Springs website (here) has a lot of great resources and ideas. (I think Manitou may technically be a part of greater CO Springs)
