I have been to Colorado many times in my life, but this was my first time there outside of the ski season. This was also my first time in Colorado Springs and now I am mad at everyone who failed to mention how amazing this state is in the spring and summer! Seriously, I was in awe at every turn with the beautiful nature and amazing food. I wished I was able to spend more time there.

We flew into the Denver airport on a Saturday morning. While there is an airport in Colorado Springs, it was actually cheaper and faster to fly into Denver, rent a car and make the 1 hour drive to Colorado Springs. I was in town with E for a wedding on Sunday night, but we had about 48 hours outside of wedding festivities to do whatever we pleased before it was time to go back to real life on Monday afternoon.

The Housing

We booked a funky little Airbnb tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, walking distance from the downtown area. The space is actually a casita called the “Carriage House Fort” in the backyard of the main house that is also a rental property. The decor was hip and reflective of the area. The bed was in the loft and you had to climb a ladder to get in and out of bed. It was pretty fun until we had to climb up to bed after the wedding with sore feet. The space was small but just the right size for the two of us to call home for a weekend.

Saturday

Our first stop was Switchback coffee while we waited to check into our rental home. This cute little coffee shop has a light and airy vibe that would be any plant person’s dream. I got a superb iced chai latte and we sat on the large patio enjoying the sunshine and properly caffeinating while getting our bearings and preparing for the weekend.

Lunch was at Oskar Blues, a bar and grill with a Cajun twist that is heavy on the music themed decor. The beer menus included a large number of local beers, as well as some of the classics. I highly recommend the Thai Curry Fries, but bring a few friends to share as an appetizer or order it as an entree. It was a massive portion.

As Californians, we were very interested to see how the marijuana dispensaries in Colorado compared to ours. We drove past a few dispensaries close to our rental but quickly learned that most dispensaries in Colorado Springs are medical only and you would need a medical recommendation. One kind lady recommended Emerald Fields (actually in Manitou Springs) as one of the best recreational dispensaries in the area. Likely because there are so few recreational dispensaries, this location was very busy, but it was fairly efficient and felt almost like an Apple store. The attendants walked around with tablets, answered any questions the patrons might have about the products. The attendants then sent your order to the back room for fulfillment for you to pick up at the register.

In the evening we made our way over to Ivywild School, an old elementary school converted into a few restaurants, bars and shops. Our first stop was Axe and the Oak, a distillery that specializes in whisky and moonshine. We arrived just in time for happy hour where I enjoyed the Chai Moonshine Sour while E got a whiskey & soda. Next we walked down the hall to Bristol Brewery, the largest brewery in Colorado Springs and there. Were. Dogs. Everywhere! After I pet every single dog on the patio, we shared the Flagship Flight, which consisted of the brewery’s 6 most popular beers. My favorite was the Mass Transit Ale and E really liked the Compass IPA. Since we had a very large lunch, we opted to share a soft pretzel instead of a full dinner.

After a day of travel, exploration and stuffing our faces, we were tired. As we made our way back to our Airbnb for the evening we stumbled upon a spot called The Rabbit Hole and we just had to stop in for one last drink. This bar has a “secret” entrance that looks like a stairway down to a subway system but at night it is lit up with fairy lights and a chandelier. The bar itself was a dark cellar, decorated with all kinds of Alice in Wonderland art. We were able to walk in and get a table for two quickly, even at almost 8:30pm. However, we noticed everyone who came in after us without a reservation was turned away, so I highly recommend making a reservation or stopping by earlier in the evening.

Sunday

We started our Sunday, like every Sunday on vacation should start: with brunch. We met up with friends at The Exchange, a giant coffee shop in the middle of downtown. I got a fantastic spicy chai latte and I was very intrigued by the breakfast quesadilla they had on their menu so I had to order it. Hot-dang was it great! I don’t know why I have never had a breakfast quesadilla, or even seen one on a menu before. These need to be EVERYWHERE!

After lunch E and I stopped by the Cerberus tap room. While I would have LOVED to have sat on their patio soaking in the sun with a cold beer in hand, we were on a mission. We had just enough time to grab a crowler (a bug 32oz canned beer) to take back to the rental and somewhat leisurely get ready for the wedding that brought us to town in the first place.

The wedding ceremony was at the Air Force Academy, and if you ever have the opportunity to be on the Air Force Base, take it! The entire base is stunning, but the chapel looks like something right out of a futuristic fantasy universe.

Monday

After sleeping off our wedding hangovers and lounging around rubbing each other’s feet (dress shoes are no joke!) we finally got our act together enough to check out of our rental. The last stop of our trip was Garden of the Gods for a little hiking and outdoors before flying back home.

Did you know: the park got its name way back in 1895 when two surveyors came across the land and one said that the area would be the perfect spot for a beer garden once the area around it became more developed. The other man, disgusted by the idea of turning a place so beautiful into a spot for people to get drunk, responded that it was a place “fit for the gods to assemble” and thus it was named Garden of the Gods.

The park itself was incredibly beautiful, and none of the trails were particularly difficult or advanced. The central garden is even paved, making it ideal for two semi-hungover adventurers with sore feet. It would also be a great place to bring small children, or family members who are mobile enough to get around, but maybe not up for moderate or more advanced hikes. From the central garden you can see a good portion of the unique rock formations the park is known for. There are guided tours of the park via bike, Segway, Jeep or trolly offered at the visitor center. We did not do any of these ourselves, but we saw several of the tours around the park and they all looked fun. (Except those Segway tours, those things are dangerous!) About 2.5 hours in the park was enough for us to see most of the highlights but you could easily spend a full day or more exploring all the different trails and hidden corners of the park.

Have you ever been somewhere in the “off season” (does Colorado even have an off season?) and been blown away by how much the place has to offer? Have you ever been so familiar with a landscape and been shocked when you experience it in a new way? I have always felt like I knew what Colorado had to offer because I had been there for skiing so many times but now I am questioning everything I thought I knew. Colorado has my heart, weird blue horse and all!

Cheers,

JetlagLeah