Guidebook for Colorado Springs
Food Scene
Overall our favorite place for coffee; friendly staff and a surly-but-loveable owner. An odd location, but fantastic house-roasted beans and great baristas, a huge selection of bourbons and whiskeys…their bottom shelf is anyone else’s mid-range. And waffles and cracker-crust pizza and Taco Tuesdays and Whiskey Sour Wednesdays and a million other reasons that this is our favorite do-it-all place in town.
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Urban Steam
1025 S Sierra Madre StOverall our favorite place for coffee; friendly staff and a surly-but-loveable owner. An odd location, but fantastic house-roasted beans and great baristas, a huge selection of bourbons and whiskeys…their bottom shelf is anyone else’s mid-range. And waffles and cracker-crust pizza and Taco Tuesdays and Whiskey Sour Wednesdays and a million other reasons that this is our favorite do-it-all place in town.
A former elementary school converted to house Bristol Brewery (one of the oldest CO breweries), The Principal’s Office coffeeshop, Axe & Oak Distillery (whiskey), and Old School Bakery. A great space with a vast patio that faces SE for morning sun. Everything here is prepared well and the building is a cool hangout, with occasional concerts in the former gymnasium.
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Ivywild School
1604 S Cascade AveA former elementary school converted to house Bristol Brewery (one of the oldest CO breweries), The Principal’s Office coffeeshop, Axe & Oak Distillery (whiskey), and Old School Bakery. A great space with a vast patio that faces SE for morning sun. Everything here is prepared well and the building is a cool hangout, with occasional concerts in the former gymnasium.
The original all-in-one, with a moderately priced but delicious restaurant (known for their pizza with a gluten-free option), and a wine & coffee bar with a relaxed atmosphere and cute patio out back. There are a toy store and a bookstore in this small complex downtown as well. Also the place Karen and I met ☺
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Rico's Cafe & Wine Bar
322 N Tejon StThe original all-in-one, with a moderately priced but delicious restaurant (known for their pizza with a gluten-free option), and a wine & coffee bar with a relaxed atmosphere and cute patio out back. There are a toy store and a bookstore in this small complex downtown as well. Also the place Karen and I met ☺
Owned/operated by a collection of talented local baristas and roasters; small but creative food menu.
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Loyal Coffee
408 S Nevada AveOwned/operated by a collection of talented local baristas and roasters; small but creative food menu.
Newer coffeshop that is located in a converted elementary school…super friendly staff and really good coffee; fantastic bakery next door (Nightingale Bakery)
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Building Three Coffee
2727 N Cascade AveNewer coffeshop that is located in a converted elementary school…super friendly staff and really good coffee; fantastic bakery next door (Nightingale Bakery)
A coffeeshop in a tinyhouse…great coffee downtown and a small deck to sit and people-watch.
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Story Coffee Company
120 E Bijou StA coffeeshop in a tinyhouse…great coffee downtown and a small deck to sit and people-watch.
Drinks & Nightlife
The first hipster hangout in CoSpgs. It’s been around for about a decade and is definitely too cool for you. Creative cocktails, small but delicious menu, and coffee to round it all out. Famous for their lavender martini and coconut shrimp soup. The ramen bowl is pretty darn tasty, too. Eclectic patio filled with patrons who lament the sunny weather and strong economy we enjoy here.
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Shuga's
702 S Cascade AveThe first hipster hangout in CoSpgs. It’s been around for about a decade and is definitely too cool for you. Creative cocktails, small but delicious menu, and coffee to round it all out. Famous for their lavender martini and coconut shrimp soup. The ramen bowl is pretty darn tasty, too. Eclectic patio filled with patrons who lament the sunny weather and strong economy we enjoy here.
Great patio and deck, and a large outside seating area with comfy Adirondack chairs and cornhole games. Very good menu with upscale pub fare for dining; mostly IPAs but a few other styles on draught as well.
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Cerberus Brewing Company
702 W Colorado AveGreat patio and deck, and a large outside seating area with comfy Adirondack chairs and cornhole games. Very good menu with upscale pub fare for dining; mostly IPAs but a few other styles on draught as well.
A speakeasy-style bar that also houses CoSpgs’ only gin distillery, with a hugely varied cocktail menu based on their gin, and a small selection of nibbles. Our favorite bartender in town is the bar manager/distilling guru here.
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Brooklyn’s on Boulder Street
110 E Boulder StA speakeasy-style bar that also houses CoSpgs’ only gin distillery, with a hugely varied cocktail menu based on their gin, and a small selection of nibbles. Our favorite bartender in town is the bar manager/distilling guru here.
Great beer from a brewery located in an odd industrial location; food trucks rotate through here most nights offering a variety of eats.
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Storybook Brewing
North El Paso StreetGreat beer from a brewery located in an odd industrial location; food trucks rotate through here most nights offering a variety of eats.
A sommelier-curated wine selection, full bar, a small selection of beers on draught, and tapas-sized food selection rounds out the menu; great hidden patio out back that is cool on warm summer nights.
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Swirl
717 Manitou AveA sommelier-curated wine selection, full bar, a small selection of beers on draught, and tapas-sized food selection rounds out the menu; great hidden patio out back that is cool on warm summer nights.
Parks & Nature
Quite literally one of the most stunning, beautiful city parks anywhere on Earth. Hundreds of acres of parkland with miles of trails surrounding a cluster of red rock fins and spires. A visitor's center across from the main entrance offers information on the geologic and human history of the park. Even after 20+ years of living here it never ceases to amaze us.
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Garden of the Gods Club and Resort
3320 Mesa RdQuite literally one of the most stunning, beautiful city parks anywhere on Earth. Hundreds of acres of parkland with miles of trails surrounding a cluster of red rock fins and spires. A visitor's center across from the main entrance offers information on the geologic and human history of the park. Even after 20+ years of living here it never ceases to amaze us.
Another fantastic city park, featuring part of the same rock formation found in Garden of the Gods. Located about a mile south of GotG off of Hwy 24, it is more frequently populated by locals, and on the south end connects to two other hiking trails (Section 16 and The Intemann Trail) if you are up for a day of fun in the foothills.
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Area Aperta di Red Rock Canyon
3550 W High StAnother fantastic city park, featuring part of the same rock formation found in Garden of the Gods. Located about a mile south of GotG off of Hwy 24, it is more frequently populated by locals, and on the south end connects to two other hiking trails (Section 16 and The Intemann Trail) if you are up for a day of fun in the foothills.
Yet another vast city park with a huge network of trails through a variety of landscapes, from open grassland to sandstone canyons. A great place to watch a sunset as well since it is centrally located in CoSpgs and is a few hundred feet above the surrounding neighborhoods.
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Palmer Park
3344-3376 Paseo RdYet another vast city park with a huge network of trails through a variety of landscapes, from open grassland to sandstone canyons. A great place to watch a sunset as well since it is centrally located in CoSpgs and is a few hundred feet above the surrounding neighborhoods.
An off the beaten path park that is definitely one of the more unusual in the region. It is an open sandstone canyon located in the plains about 30mi east of CoSpgs, with multi-colored strata and a thousand gullies, nooks, and crevices to explore. There is very little protection from full sun exposure in the park, and no facilities on site, so plan accordingly and take plenty of water.
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Paint Mine Open Space
Paint Mine RoadAn off the beaten path park that is definitely one of the more unusual in the region. It is an open sandstone canyon located in the plains about 30mi east of CoSpgs, with multi-colored strata and a thousand gullies, nooks, and crevices to explore. There is very little protection from full sun exposure in the park, and no facilities on site, so plan accordingly and take plenty of water.
Arts & Culture
If you want to learn about local history this is the place to be. Located in the former courthouse, there are permanent and rotating galleries with loads of historical artifacts from the Pikes Peak region.
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Museo dei Pionieri di Colorado Springs
215 S Tejon StIf you want to learn about local history this is the place to be. Located in the former courthouse, there are permanent and rotating galleries with loads of historical artifacts from the Pikes Peak region.
An iconic architectural landmark in downtown CoSpgs with a large collection of Chihuly glass (including two chandeliers), an active theater company, and rotating galleries featuring local and touring art installations. Now under the wing of Colorado College, the museum incorporates contemporary works with the deeply-rooted permanent collection of Southwestern fine art.
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Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center presso il Colorado College
30 W Dale StAn iconic architectural landmark in downtown CoSpgs with a large collection of Chihuly glass (including two chandeliers), an active theater company, and rotating galleries featuring local and touring art installations. Now under the wing of Colorado College, the museum incorporates contemporary works with the deeply-rooted permanent collection of Southwestern fine art.
Locally owned in an alley off of Bijou St downtown, this gallery, and it's twin next door SPQR, bring a healthy dose of contemporary art to the CoSpgs art scene with openings of new work on First Fridays.
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The Modbo
Locally owned in an alley off of Bijou St downtown, this gallery, and it's twin next door SPQR, bring a healthy dose of contemporary art to the CoSpgs art scene with openings of new work on First Fridays.
Locally owned in an alley off of Bijou St downtown, this gallery, and it's twin next door The Modbo, bring a healthy dose of contemporary art to the CoSpgs art scene with openings of new work on First Fridays.
Spqr
17 B E Bijou StLocally owned in an alley off of Bijou St downtown, this gallery, and it's twin next door The Modbo, bring a healthy dose of contemporary art to the CoSpgs art scene with openings of new work on First Fridays.
Shopping
Huge thrift store a mere two blocks from the house. We have found so many great things here it is impossible to list them all.
Arc Thrift Store
1830 West Uintah StreetHuge thrift store a mere two blocks from the house. We have found so many great things here it is impossible to list them all.
Essentials
Typical mega-grocery store with anything you can think of. Two blocks away from our house.
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King Soopers
6030 Stetson Hills BlvdTypical mega-grocery store with anything you can think of. Two blocks away from our house.
Organic and natural food market, with a really good organic deli and huge selection of naturopathic and holistic supplements. Two blocks from our house.
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Mountain Mama Natural Foods
1625 W Uintah StOrganic and natural food market, with a really good organic deli and huge selection of naturopathic and holistic supplements. Two blocks from our house.
Walgreens
4315 Centennial BlvdWalgreen's is located 2 blocks from our house.
Getting Around
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
803 W Colorado AveAbout 1.5mi from our house.
Public transportation is lacking in CoSpgs as there is little support for it. There is a bus stop about 2 blocks from our house that will take you to the north end of downtown, where you can transfer and head to the central hub about 2 miles away. These only run about once an hour.
Mountain Metropolitan Transit
1015 Transit DrPublic transportation is lacking in CoSpgs as there is little support for it. There is a bus stop about 2 blocks from our house that will take you to the north end of downtown, where you can transfer and head to the central hub about 2 miles away. These only run about once an hour.