Colorado Springs, The City Behind the Mountains
Things To Do Iris Burton August 31, 2026
Things To Do Iris Burton August 31, 2026
Yes, Pikes Peak is incredible. Garden of the Gods is beautiful. But the version of this city I actually want to show you lives downtown, in a coffee shop with your name on the cup, a museum you did not expect to enjoy as much as you did, a dinner spot you keep coming back to for no particular reason.
That is the side of Colorado Springs this guide is about.
Think of it as the version of the city you live in, not just the one you visit, the kind of day that does not need a trailhead or a map, just a little curiosity and a free afternoon.
And if you are relocating here, I think these everyday experiences are especially worth paying attention to.
Because before you decide where you want to live, it helps to know where you might actually want to spend your Saturdays.
Every city has a memory, and Colorado Springs keeps most of hers within walking distance. These are the stops that explain how this place became what it is.
Learn more about the history and people who shaped the Pikes Peak region through exhibits and collections in a historic downtown building.
Address: 215 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Free
Explore the stories of Team USA through interactive exhibits and experiences celebrating Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Address: 200 S Sierra Madre St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Approximately $15 to $25 per person
Spend an afternoon exploring art, exhibitions, and performances at one of Colorado Springs' longtime cultural institutions.
Address: 30 W Dale St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: North End
Estimated Cost: Varies by exhibit or performance
Explore galleries, local artwork, and creative spaces while walking through downtown and nearby art districts.
Address: Multiple locations
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Free to explore
Iris Insight 💡
I always tell newcomers, the Pioneers Museum is the one everyone skips and regrets skipping. It is free, it is downtown, and it quietly explains half of what you will see everywhere else in the city.
The fastest way to understand a city is to sit down in it. Here are my top picks, three coffee shops, three restaurants, and one bonus spot for anyone who wants a beer with their history lesson.
3 Local Coffee Shops Worth Trying
A barista owned specialty coffee shop built around a five senses experience, with a strong community feel and a solid breakfast menu.
Address: 408 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Ivywild, near Downtown
Estimated Cost: $4 to $7 per drink
Often called the coziest coffee shop in the city, set up inside an actual tiny house near Acacia Park, with deck seating in summer.
Address: 120 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: $4 to $7 per drink
Inspired by global flavors and European cafe culture, with beautifully balanced espresso drinks and fresh pastries.
Address: 330 N Institute St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: $4 to $7 per drink
3 Local Restaurants Worth Trying
Eclectic, globally inspired eats and creative cocktails served in a cozy, retro feel room inside a converted 1910 grocery store, a longtime local favorite since 2001.
Address: 702 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: South Downtown, near Ivywild
Estimated Cost: $12 to $20 per person
A globally inspired, eclectic brunch and dinner menu in an exposed brick space known for its map printed tabletops and bottomless mimosas.
Address: 311 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: $12 to $20 per person
A cozy, relaxed pub with a sizable bar bites menu, a strong Irish and local beer list, and live music nights that keep it feeling like a genuine neighborhood spot.
Address: 520 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: $10 to $18 per person
Bonus, Local Brewery
Iris Insight 💡
Ask ten locals for their favorite restaurant and you will get ten different answers, and that is sort of the point. This city does not have one signature spot, it has neighborhoods full of them.
An independent, family run brewery inside the historic Ivywild School, pouring flagship beers like the Laughing Lab Scottish Ale alongside rotating seasonal brews.
Address: 1604 S Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Nearest Neighborhood: Ivywild
Estimated Cost: $6 to $8 per pint
For the afternoons with no agenda at all, just good light and no particular place to be.
A walkable strip of Victorian era buildings turned into galleries, boutiques, and restaurants, with the mountains as a backdrop the whole way down the street.
Address: 2611 Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Nearest Neighborhood: Old Colorado City
Estimated Cost: Free to browse
The main shopping corridor downtown, local boutiques, gift shops, and galleries mixed in with restaurants and coffee stops.
Address: Tejon St corridor, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Free to browse
A concentrated stretch of antique and vintage shops along South Nevada Avenue, worth a slow afternoon for anyone who likes to dig.
Address: S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Ivywild, near Downtown
Estimated Cost: Free to browse
For the days built around someone else's schedule, kids, a game, or just a fountain that needs jumping through.
An interactive splash fountain in Acacia Park, genuinely one of the best free things to do with kids on a warm afternoon. Runs seasonally in warmer months, bring towels.
Address: 115 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Free
A 30 acre park with the Julie Penrose Fountain, open lawns, and an accessible playground, connected to the Pikes Peak Greenway trail.
Address: 126 Cimino Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Free
The Hall of Champions honoring more than 275 rodeo inductees, with a seasonal summer exhibit of retired bucking horses on site.
Address: 101 ProRodeo Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
Nearest Neighborhood: North Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: $12 for adults, discounts for seniors, military, and youth
Colorado Springs' professional soccer team plays at the highest elevation stadium in American professional soccer, with a genuinely electric game day atmosphere downtown.
Address: Weidner Field, 111 W Cimarron St, Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Nearest Neighborhood: Downtown Colorado Springs
Estimated Cost: Tickets vary by seat and opponent, typically starting in the 20 to 30 dollar range
Iris Insight 💡
A Switchbacks game genuinely surprises people. I have taken clients who had never watched a soccer match in their life, and they left already asking when the next home game was.
These are the places that turn a city into a home, the coffee shop where the staff knows your order, the restaurant you return to for no special occasion, the park bench you claim as your own. If you already live here, I hope this sent you somewhere new this weekend. If you are still deciding whether this could be home, I hope it gave you a real feel for the everyday version of this city, not just the postcard.
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Iris Burton | Living The Springs
102 S Tejon St #1100 Colorado Springs, CO 80903
