Colorado Springs, Colorado

It was mid-October on a Sunday morning. We were to leave Denver for home later in the day, just enough time for a trip up the highway for a quick visit to Colorado Springs, a mini vacation! We checked out of our Denver hotel room and were on the road about 9:00 a.m. The drive between Denver and Colorado Springs was approximately one hour. Our arrival in town was mid-morning and time for a meal before seeing the sights! The local Village Inn looked inviting. Because the Village Inns in our hometown had closed recently, we were eager to check out this location in Colorado Springs. It was busy, but we were seated immediately. The food was quick and tasty, the atmosphere bright and cheerful, and our waitress charming. It was a good choice.

Our first stop on our Colorado Springs car tour was The Garden of the Gods. I remember driving past the garden years before, not very impressed with what I saw from the highway. This time I was completely amazed by the gorgeous views and natural rock terrain. It could not have been prettier. As we entered the park, the snow began to fall ever so slightly. The clouds were gathering overhead, casting dark shadows over the terrain. Thank goodness we were not walking!

We took our time driving down through the garden. My iphone took some acceptable photos and I was pleased with the results. Each turn in the road had a new perspective of this overwhelmingly beautiful terrain. As we arrived at the base of the garden, we decided to head over to Manitou Springs and Pike's Peak. On a snowy day, the views were bound to be memorable!

Our jaunt through Manitou Springs was relaxing. I really wanted to do some shopping, but was eager to see Pike's Peak on a day like this. We opted to continue down the road for more great adventures and photos.

Driving up the mountain gave us a full picture of Fall in Colorado. There was a closure to the Fall season in the mountains and an anticipation of winter around the corner. You could feel it in the air! We spotted Santa's Village on the way up, sitting idle, waiting for the Christmas Holiday opening, bleak in its appearance without children and cars surrounding it.

As we approached the Park Entrance to Pike's Peak, the entrance fee sign stared at us. We had just a few hours before our flight, not enough time to go to the top of the mountain. We turned around and headed back down the mountain, on our way to the next discovery!

We love to explore mountainous country roads. Just past Manitou Springs, Colorado, we turned off the main road and found the Gated Entrance to a beautiful subdivision on the side of the mountain. The snow was falling thickly by now. It made a unique photo opportunity!

On the way downtown, we found the US Olympic Training Center near downtown Colorado Springs, and took some photos of this famous site. Driving through downtown Colorado Springs, we spotted a huge diamond ring sculpture posed on a corner for all to see! We then headed back out of town toward Denver. Before leaving town, we drove to the Air Force Academy Visitor Center for a quick walk-thru. The guard at the gate asked the usual security questions and then waved us off. The long drive on the campus was not disappointing and the view from the parking lot was worth it all. Inside the displays were informative and the restrooms were especially clean, for those of you who care.

Our last stop before heading back to our home base was the Focus on the Family Campus. It sits on a hill across from and overlooking the Air Force Academy, both sharing equally impressive views. The campus is sprawling and well designed, a must-see for any tourist.

Regretting that we had to leave so soon, we headed back toward Denver. The snow lazily fell all the way back. By the time we climbed into our seats on the plane, our heads were full of good memories and we were talking about a future trip back to this area.

If you only have a short time to visit, I recommend our drive tour. You will see the highlights of the area and leave with a sense of what this town is about! It sits in the high planes of Colorado, majestically sprawling over and around the mountains. Perhaps we will see you at the Village Inn for brunch on a Sunday morning!