Colorado Springs has plenty of nearby outdoor attractions like Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, but if you're looking for something further afield, you can't go wrong with Royal Gorge.

Seated on the Pikes Peak Cog Train right next to our train ... where you’d typically be able to look down and see Garden of the Gods sprawled out below, we saw nothing but mountaintops peeking ...

consider exploring Garden of the Gods multiple times during your stay to see the rock formations at different times of day. The light just after sunrise and before sunset makes them especially ...