As the second-biggest city in the Centennial State and one of the hopping hubs of the Front Range, Colorado Springs comes packed with attractions. As a guest of ours here at Royal Gorge Cabins in Cañon City, Colorado, you’re only about an hour away from this major Western metro area: close enough to enjoy the many draws in its vicinity, yet far enough away to savor a much quieter, more rustic home base tucked against the foothills of the Southern Rockies.
In this post, we’ll spotlight six hidden gems in Colorado Springs that you should consider checking out the next time you treat yourself to a luxury glamping or cabin stay with us!
What’s Special About Colorado Springs?
The largest city set above 6,000 feet in the U.S., Colorado Springs, the seat of El Paso County, offers an enticing blend of Old West history, spectacular Colorado Rockies scenery—including the world-famous Fourteener Pikes Peak, not far from town—and modern-day urban energy and entertainment.
How many days are enough for Colorado Springs? Well, given the wide range of attractions and activities available from the heart of downtown to the city’s mountainscape backyard, you can definitely fill up a week or more of sightseeing here. Royal Gorge Cabins provides a great springboard for doing so, offering as we do vista-drenched accommodations and big-time tranquility that are but an easy drive away.
Top Attractions in Colorado Springs to Check Out During Your Stay at Royal Gorge Cabins
What are some things to do in Colorado Springs that aren’t necessarily super-touristy? From photo ops with gray wolves to rodeo and Old West heritage, the following hidden gem-style destinations are well worth a day trip to the Colorado Springs vicinity during your stay in one of our cabins or luxury glamping tents.
Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center
(4729 Twin Rocks Rd, Divide, CO)
The Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for up-close encounters with wolves and other wild canids, to which the center dedicates itself to increasing awareness and outreach. Its “pack”—which comprises not only gray wolves (including the endangered Mexican gray wolf subspecies) but also red and swift foxes, coyotes, and other species and hybrids—hails from all sorts of different sources, from other animal sanctuaries to rescue situations.
Standard hourlong walking tours at this Association of Zoos & Aquariums-certified facility—which kick off with a participatory “group howl”—let you admire these gorgeous creatures at close range. Upgraded experiences allow you to pose with pack members and even receive a (rather sloppy) wolf kiss or two. There are even special two-hour Full Moon Tours led once a month, providing an especially unforgettable experience.
May Natural History Museum
(710 Rock Creek Canyon Rd, Colorado Springs, CO)
Widely known as the “Bug Museum,” the May Natural History Museum does indeed have a focus on insects and other arthropods. This beloved institution houses the largest private collection of insects in the world: some 7,000 specimens strong! Founded on the acquisitions of far-traveling collector James May, the museum’s holdings include some eye-popping butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, scorpions, and so much more.
Out front, meanwhile, “Herkimer,” a huge scaled statue of an ornate Hercules beetle, among the biggest beetles in the world, has been its own museum highlight since way back in 1952.
Ghost Town Museum
(400 S. 21st St., Colorado Springs, CO)
Vintage late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings sourced from throughout the greater Colorado Springs region’s mostly vanished Wild West towns and outposts have been reconstructed inside the long-running Ghost Town Museum, which gives visitors a time-capsule experience back to those rough-and-tumble Colorado Gold Rush and gunfighter days. Admire authentic Old West facades, stagecoaches, horse-drawn wagons, and other artifacts along the wooden promenade, and roll up your sleeves to churn butter or operate other period technologies.
There’s also a gift shop selling old-timey treats and toys, a shooting gallery, and other Wild West-style games. The Ghost Town Museum itself is a historical landmark: an 1899 maintenance shop built by the Colorado Midland Railroad.
ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy
(103 Pro Rodeo Dr, Colorado Springs, CO)
Delve into the history of the rodeo and its cultural significance at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy. Nearly 300 people and some 35 animals are presently in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, which inducts new members annually.
Museum exhibits here include historical rodeo artifacts such as chaps, saddles, and ropes, the National Finals Rodeo Gallery, and the Sculpture Garden and Priefert Arena. In the summer, you can also view retired rodeo-bucking horses.
Manitou Springs Penny Arcade
(920 Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, CO)
A hop, skip, and a jump from Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs—the “Saratoga of the West”—sits at the foot of Pikes Peak and tempts with plenty to see and do, not least walking tours of its National Historic District mineral springs.
Another must-do here is a visit to the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade, where you’ll find dozens and dozens of vintage arcade games: from pinball machines to skeeball. Spread between indoor rooms and an open-air zone, the games and rides encompass an all-ages spread, making this an irresistible attraction for families (as well as the nostalgic young-at-heart).
Space Foundation Discovery Center
(4425 Arrowswest Dr, Colorado Springs, CO)
Multiple exhibits and interactive labs such as the Mars Robotic Laboratory and Drone Zone offer 3,000 square feet of hands-on STEM learning with a focus on and beyond the Solar System at the Space Foundation Discovery Center.
Explore a wide array of space-related artifacts in exhibits related to lunar missions, satellites, and other themes, and take advantage of the center’s wide range of summer kids programming and special events.
Use Royal Gorge Cabins as Your Launchpad for Colorado Springs Fun
Spotlighting these Colorado Springs draws that aren’t all that widely known by most tourists, we’re also necessarily leaving out a host of other regional attractions. From the panoramic summit of Pikes Peak and the rock formations of Garden of the Gods to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, there are many hiking destinations and outdoor attractions in Colorado Springs and its vicinity, needless to say. And the Ghost Town Museum is far from the only spot that’ll appeal to history buffs; the National Museum of World War II Aviation, for one, has some truly exceptional exhibits.
When visiting Colorado Springs, there’s no better choice than booking your stay with Royal Gorge Cabins. With our prime location and exceptional hospitality, staying with us guarantees an unforgettable experience.
