Century after century, water persisted against rock, leaving behind a crystalline trail. As stone gave way to space, a cave was born. Cave of the Winds is an underground mansion of rooms and passages, decorated with limestone stalactites and flowstone curtains. Jewels of nature that took centuries to form are preserved in the spectacular sights at Cave of the Winds. Nestled among the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains this magnificent cavern system and scenic canyon chronicle over 200 million years of geological history. Informative guides lead you through one of three distinct cavern systems explaining their formations and their history as one of Colorado's premier attractions.

Cave of the Winds Website

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is America's only mountain zoo! Experience unforgettable adventures combining breathtaking mountain scenery with more than 750 animals from around the world, including the opportunity to hand-feed the magnificent giraffe herd, which is the largest of any zoo in the world!

All of your favorites are here: from giraffes and lions to monkeys, penquins, hippos and bears. It's also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see more than 30 endangered species like the Siberian tiger and lowland gorilla.

Come nose-to-nose with great apes, ride the 1920's historic carousel, enjoy the children's petting zoo and play area, and see the most spectacular views of Colorado Springs. Zoo admission also includes access to the incredible Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Website

First Friday ArtWalk is conveniently held along West Colorado Avenue between 23rd & 27th Streets from 5-8 pm in Old Colorado City and hosted by 13 individual art galleries displaying their purple and white flags along the avenue. Meet some of Colorado's finest artists during ArtWalk on the First Friday of every month from April to December. Enjoy special appearances, view demos, explore a wide array of artistic styles and enjoy live music. This is the place to find original art, photography, sculpture, fine jewelry, ceramics, glassworks, and more.

First Friday Art Walk Website

Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs. The outstanding geologic features of the park are the ancient sedimentary beds of red and white sandstones, conglomerates and limestone that were deposited horizontally, but have now been tilted vertically and faulted by the immense mountain building forces caused by the uplift of the Pikes Peak massif. Evidence of past ages; ancient seas, eroded remains of ancestral mountain ranges, alluvial fans, sandy beaches and great sand dune fields can be read in the rocks. A spectacular shear fault can be observed where the Tower of Babel (Lyons Sandstone) contacts the Fountain formation.

Garden of the Gods Website

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings is a rare historical treasure. Preserved under a protective red sandstone overhang, authentic Anasazi cliff dwellings, built more than 700 years ago, await you. There are no "Do Not Touch" signs. You are free to touch and even go inside these fascinating architectural remnants of an American Indian culture that roamed the Four Corners area of the Southwest from 1200 B.C. to A.D. 1300. The dwellings are easily accessible to people with limited mobility.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings Website

The most visited mountain in North America and the second most visited mountain in the world behind Japan's Mount Fuji, Pikes Peak forms a stunning backdrop for Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. At an altitude of 14,110 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak is the 31st highest peak out of the 54 Colorado peaks. It is the farthest east of the big peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain, which contributed to its early fame among explorers, pioneers and immigrants and made it the symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush to Colorado with the slogan, "Pikes Peak or Bust." The 8.9 mile Cog Railway operates year round, weather permitting.

Over a half million people reach the summit house every year by the Pikes Peak Highway, Barr Trail or the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The 19-mile Pikes Peak Highway, paved part of the way, is open year round, weather permitting. Barr Trail is the longest of any trails leading to the top of the 54 mountains in Colorado that are over 14,000 feet, and offers the greatest base-to-summit elevation gain in the state: 7,400 feet. About 15,000 people a year attempt to climb Pikes Peak on foot. The 13-mile trail begins at the base of Pikes Peak in Manitou Springs.

It is advisable to bring bottled water and anticipate side effects due to the dramatic change in altitude and thin air.

Pikes Peak Website