I spent the Fourth of July holiday visiting a friend from college in Colorado Springs, Colo. She moved to the city, about one hour from Denver, two years ago, and I’ve been meaning to visit the entire time. In addition to wanting to see my friend, I’d continually been told how beautiful the area is, and it is also home to a 5-star resort I’d heard nothing but rave reviews of — all around, a win-win. It was great to finally visit, and I was not disappointed. It was all as beautiful as I’d been told.

I flew into Denver on the morning of July 3. Laura, my friend, picked me up at the airport, and we spent the day exploring Denver and the surrounding areas. We headed to Mimi’s Café in Golden, Colo., for brunch before a tour (and three free samples) at the Miller Coors Brewing Factory. After the tour, we headed into Denver where we spent the afternoon sampling the roller coasters at Elitch Gardens, the country’s only downtown amusement park. For dinner, we headed to 16^th Street Mall and indulged at Yard House Restaurant, as we caught the tops of fireworks in the distance. And that was only Day One!

We started the morning of July 4^th with a scenic drive along Gold Camp Road. I think the photos speak louder than any words.

We finished the day with a barbeque and fireworks. It was nice to watch the fireworks with long-term Colorado Springs residents. Because of the fires, they hadn’t seen fireworks in town on the Fourth of July since 2008.

Friday started with chorizo huevos rancheros smothered in green chile sauce (a Colorado Springs must-have) at Rudy’s Little Hideaway Restaurant, followed by a drive and walk through Garden of the Gods, where the unique, natural stone formations are the main attraction.

We spent the afternoon shopping in nearby Manitou Springs before heading over to The Broadmoor for a two-night stay in the lap of luxury.

After check-in, we headed to dinner at the resort’s newest restaurant, Summit. We indulged in the mussels, goat cheese macaroni and cheese with bacon and mushrooms, tenderloin wrapped in bacon and pork. We opted to enjoy dessert at Play, a fun entertainment spot onsite with bowling alleys and games. We both had a signature adult milkshake to end the night.

Sadly, it was my last day before I knew it. But, we made the most of it. Waking early, we walked around the resort’s lake before stopping for breakfast.

While I indulged in a spa treatment, Laura tested the lake-side infinity pool. We then met up for a tennis lesson before heading back to relax by the pool. Dinner was at the fine-dining Penrose Room. Before I knew it, it was time to pack up and rest before my 3 a.m. shuttle to the airport. All in all, a wonderful trip; I can’t wait to see what else awaits me on my next visit to Colorado Springs. 

— Kim Krol, managing editor