Hit the Town
The immediate area has plenty to enjoy without straying far from the city limits. Outdoor activities, natural wonders and local eateries and breweries will keep you busy. Explore the town and dig into the local mountain culture.
Colorado Springs Golf Courses
You will find a surprising number of great courses to play here. Cheyenne Mountain, Garden of the Gods Resort, Patty Jewett, Kissing Camels, The Broadmoor and many more offer everything from easy to advanced 9-hole and 18-hole courses. If you don’t visit for the Arkansas River rafting & fishing, golf is a great way to enjoy the area.
Garden of the Gods
This 1300 acre park has trails and nature displays highlighting the unique sandstone geography. It’s a national landmark and is known for the sheer beauty of rock formations packed into the park. Open year-round, every visitor should consider a trip to this monument.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
It’s a few hours to the southwest but you can make a great loop that hits the park before driving north to Salida and up the Arkansas River back to Colorado Springs. You could even make it an overnight that begins and ends in the city with one day in the park and another on a rafting or fishing trip down the river. The park itself is stunning with huge sand dunes backdropped by rugged snow-capped peaks.
Restaurants, Breweries and Distilleries
There’s no shortage of great restaurants with everything from quick burger joints to classy eateries like the Broadmoor. The Colorado Mountain Brewery combines great food with craft beer and Bird Dog BBQ is a good option for excellent meats. The Green Line Grill also has a great burger. Distillery 291, Cockpit Craft Distillery and 1350 Distilling are also well worth the visit.
Take Advantage of a World Class River
Experience the thrill of Colorado Springs rafting along the Arkansas River on our guided tours. Head out fly fishing, whitewater rafting or take a lazy float through the calm stretches. The Arkansas River is the lifeblood of this region and it’s a beautiful river to explore.
Arkansas River Fly Fishing
Brown and rainbow trout are abundant and the fishing season is long with the relatively mild climate around Salida and Buena Vista. Big summer caddis hatches bring fish to the surface and there are plenty of mayflies, stoneflies and terrestrials that do the same. The fish populations are healthy and anglers have high success rates here.
Colorado Springs Whitewater Rafting
The Arkansas River is known around the world for having great whitewater and excellent scenery. You can do a mellow day float, test the waters with beginner and intermediate class III runs or go big with wild class IV rapids. It has something for everyone and a number of different canyons that are inspiring and beautiful. If you are just testing the water for the first time, our Bighorn Sheep Canyon rafting trips are a perfect choice. For a more advanced experience, our Royal Gorge whitewater rafting day trips are an extreme adventure. Or, bring the whole family along for a scenic float trip through Cottonwood Canyon. There’s really a trip for everyone!
Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
The highest suspension bridge in America is located just Southwest of Colorado Springs over the Arkansas River. You can zipline, take a sky coaster, hike, climb and take in the incredible views at the park.
