The Perfect Colorado Road Trip Itinerary

For the last few days of our Colorado trip, we decided to rent a car and drive from Denver to Colorado Springs and make a few stops along the way! We visited the town Golden, The Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater, and finally ended up in Colorado Springs. The drive was so beautiful because as you go south you get closer to the mountains and the view is incredible. We loved the places we chose to stop in on our little road trip so if you want to copy our route, read on for all of our tips!

Golden, Colorado

Golden is a small town about 30 miles west of Denver. It has an old west vibe since it was a popular mining town in the early 1900s. The town is only a few blocks long but it’s so cute and has some amazing views of the mountains. We only stopped for a few hours but here’s what you need to do while you’re there:

Have breakfast at Cafe 13
Take a photo in front of the “Welcome to Golden” sign
Visit the Golden History Museum (it’s free!)
Sit and admire the views on Clear Creek
Walk into some of the shops on Washington Ave.
Pop into the Coors Brewery

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater

Next up for us was the Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater. It’s a huge park surrounded by these giant red rocks (hence the name lol). There is also a concert venue inside which was can only imagine is an absolutely amazing experience. We only stopped here for a few hours but it was totally worth it. The views are incredible and if you have more time you can even hike up one of the many hiking trails inside the park!

Colorado Springs

We finally ended up in Colorado Springs where we stayed for a few days! Colorado Springs is a gorgeous city right in the middle of the mountains. There are so many different things to do and see here that we couldn’t fit them all in! Shanna’s brother is in the army and is stationed at Fort Carson (which is in Colorado Springs) so he gave us a local’s perspective on the city which was awesome. And we even got to tour the army base! Colorado Springs is a place we can definitely see ourselves coming back to.

Where to Stay in Colorado Springs

We stayed at an Airbnb in Southeast Colorado Springs and the location was perfect! It was nearby the town but also the outdoor attractions like Garden of the God’s, Pike’s Peak, etc. We recommend staying there or in the downtown area to have the easiest access to everything you want to do.

Best Things to in Colorado Springs

Walk around Garden of the God’s Park
Head up to Pikes Peek
Take a walk through Old Colorado City
Visit the Manitou Incline
Go see the U.S. Olympic Training Center
Take a tour of the Fort Carson Army Base

Where to Eat & Drink in Colorado Springs

Bambino’s Urban Pizzeria
Switchback Coffee Roasters
Jose Muldoon’s
Supernova Bar & Arcade
Brass Brewing Company

Check out our Vegan Guide to Colorado for more!

Make sure you watch our Colorado Road Trip vlog for even more tips on what to do in Colorado! We had such a great time here and we can’t wait to come back again soon!