We decided to take a swing through Colorado, primarily to go to Colorado Springs, having heard such wonderful things about it. It was drizzly and grey during our visit, but the scenery did not disappoint.

All of the state park campgrounds were full, so we ended up staying in a pricey RV park, where they had us packed in like sardines. We felt so small in there with all of the behemoth motorhomes and fifth wheels. But just down the road, was the Garden of the Gods, and it was aptly named.

The name of the park was given by the previous owner of the  park. He purchased the land with the intention that it be a park, forever free and open to the public. When he first saw the landscape he declared, “This is a Garden fit for the Gods”, and the name stuck. When he passed away, it was his wish to have the land remain a park, so it was gifted to the City of Colorado Springs on the condition it retain its name and it always be free for the public.

The rock formations were beautiful and while similar to some of what we saw in Moab, the surrounding lush gardens made it feel surreal –  you expected a dinosaur to poke its head around the corner.

We didn’t cross paths with any dinosaurs, but we saw a number of deer along the walking trails. They were obviously quite accustomed to people roaming around in their territory, as they stood their ground and went about their business. Pippa wasn’t so sure about them, but she held her tongue.

The small village of Manitou Springs was nearby and we wandered through the streets looking for all of their natural water springs, most identified by beautiful bronze sculptures or old sculpted fonts. The water was naturally carbonated and tasted slightly different at each fountain.

Colorado Springs is also home to a number of craft breweries and we were drawn to one in particular – Bristol Brewery. It was set up in an old elementary school, sharing space with a community garden, a bake shop and an assortment of other local businesses.

Best of all, they had a dog friendly patio, so Pippa was able to join us for a lovely afternoon sampling their beers. I was particularly fond of a seasonal pineapple wit beer – not too sweet, with a hint of fruity sourness.

I have a feeling Colorado Springs is a city we will return to. We only scraped the surface of what this area has to offer!