Travel to Colorado Springs with Kids
We just got back from our summer roadtrip to Colorado Springs. The kids had a blast and we had some nice downtime. I highly recommend the Colorado Springs area, (or any area in Colorado really) if you are headed on vacation with kids. Here are the activities we found to be doable in Colorado Springs with kids (ours are 4 and 5). As well as some that we don’t recommend!
If you are roadtripping, also be sure to check out my tips and tricks for traveling with toddlers and babies!
Garden of the Gods
The first stop we made was at Garden of the Gods. It is a FREE park with some fun rock formations. You can drive through or hike through, or a little of both. The kids thought it was a neat experience. Mia had fun taking photos of the rocks.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free | Can be busy – pull offs full if driving through |
| Driving option for tired kids | Not much shade when walking |
| Spend as little or as much time as needed |
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Only about 10 minutes from Garden of the Gods, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings was a quick little pitstop for us. The parking was reasonably close to the exhibit and the cliff dwellings only took about a half hour to go though, including the little museum. The kids liked walking through the windows and up the stairs exploring the dwellings. They brought to life a little bit of history.
| Pros | Cons |
| Not a large amount of walking | Cost Money – $12 per adult; $7.50 per kid |
| Kids can explore | |
| 3 and under are free |
Campground Activities
Sometimes the place you stay offers great activities of the kids too! We stayed at KOA Holiday in Fountain Colorado, just southeast of CO Springs. They had a list of activities throughout the day including bubble parties and wet wagon rides. They also had a jump pad, splash zone with slides, and a pool. The kids definitely had fun on our downtime. Oh, and you don’t have to have a camper or a tent to stay there. We stayed in a cabin that had beds and provided linens. They also have cabins with kitchenettes.
| Pros | Cons |
| Included with stay | Splash zone water was cold. |
| Multiple activities at different times of the day |
Helen Hunt Falls in Colorado Springs
Helen Hunt Falls are just on the west side of Colorado Springs and you can drive right up to them. There is also a short 1/2 mile hike along the stream to a few look out points. The kids handled it well and had fun. We even saw some hummingbirds and a trail guide told us a few things about them.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free | Parking could be difficult some days |
| Kid friendly hike | |
| Pretty scenery |
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
These activities are listed together because your tickets to the zoo include a drive up to the Shrine of the Sun. We bought 2pm admission tickets to the zoo and drove up to the Shrine at 1pm. The drive up is quite a ways and very steep but the views of Colorado Springs when you reach the top are pretty spectacular. We were the only ones there at the time and the kids were able to run a bit.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was easily done from 2 to 5. My favorite exhibit (and Wyatt’s) was the giraffes that you can feed all day for $3 a serving. They were very friendly giraffes! Mia’s favorite part was seeing the reptiles that are in very decorative cages. There are also opportunities to feed the goats and elephants, but we didn’t do those. The zoo does have some steep sidewalks and we did get tired before we were finished seeing all the exhibits!
| Pros | Cons |
| 2 Exhibits for the price of 1 | Costs were around $20 per adult |
| Very interactive zoo | Steep sidewalks |
| Great views at the Shrine | Steep drive to the top on a narrow road |
What NOT to do with kids in Colorado Springs
On our whole trip, there was one thing we did that I probably would not suggest you do with kids: the St. Mary’s Falls Hike. We decided to go as everyone else in our family was going and we figured if the kids got tired of hiking, we’d just stop and turn back. Well…. we ended up doing the whole 6 miles there and back and the kids made it, but not without some complaining. We also did a lot of carrying. Wyatt was carried the whole three miles back, and it was steep. The last half mile seemed like it was straight up. There wasn’t much shade for the first mile and a half. It was definitely a test of all our endurance. And we made it, but probably won’t be attempting anything similar for a few years!
Enjoy Some Family Time!
I hope these ideas help you get to planning your next trip to Colorado Springs. This is definitely not a comprehensive list, just the things we did that we enjoyed! There is also the Cave of the Winds, the Cog Railway to Pikes Peak and many other activities! If you have been to Colorado Springs, what’s one of your favorite stops there??
