9 Best Things to Do in Colorado Springs That Kids Will Actually Love

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Colorado Springs has no shortage of things to keep kids busy. The problem is finding experiences that hold their attention past the parking lot. These nine are the ones worth loading them into the car for — outdoor adventures, hands-on history, and a few things you genuinely won't see anywhere else in Colorado.

Up in the Air

1. Colorado Springs Sunrise Balloon Ride

Credit: Colorado Springs Sunrise Balloon Ride

The ground falls away slowly, quietly, and then suddenly Colorado Springs is a patchwork of rooftops and the full spine of the Front Range is right there. Sunrise balloon rides take off in the still morning air when winds are calmest, giving you the cleanest views of the Pikes Peak region. The flight itself runs about an hour, with the full experience covering three hours including setup, flight, and the celebratory champagne toast at landing — juice boxes work just as well for the younger crew. For kids old enough to stand at the edge of wonder without losing it, this one lands differently than any mountain hike.

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2. Breathtaking Colorado Springs Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight

Credit: Viator

Alpenglow moves across the mountains fast at sunrise — pinks and oranges bleeding into the peaks for maybe fifteen minutes before the light shifts — and you want to be airborne when it happens. This hot air balloon flight launches in the wake of the Rocky Mountain Front Range and covers views stretching up to a hundred miles, from the Spanish Peaks all the way north toward Longs Peak. Each flight runs about an hour, with the full experience closer to three and a half hours including pre-flight prep. Winds guide the route, so no two flights are identical. The skill is in how the pilot reads them.

On the Ground and Going Places

3. Colorado Springs Pikes Peak Luxury Jeep Tours

Credit: Colorado Springs Pikes Peak Luxury Jeep Tours

The road to the summit of Pikes Peak is not something you want to navigate while also watching the backseat. This luxury Jeep tour solves that completely — an expert guide drives, handles the National Park entrance fee, keeps everyone hydrated with water and Gatorade, and stops at the best viewpoints on the way up to 14,115 feet. The leather seats help when the switchbacks start. Plan for three to four hours. What you get at the top, on a clear morning, is one of those views kids will reference for years without realizing they're describing the highest point east of its longitude in the entire United States.

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4. Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods Luxury Jeep Tours

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The red sandstone formations at Garden of the Gods look like something a child drew and then someone built at full scale — some of them reaching three hundred feet, stacked and tilted in ways that feel structurally impossible. This two-hour luxury Jeep tour covers the park with a guide who can explain how millions of years of erosion created something this dramatic, which turns the scenery into a conversation rather than just a backdrop. No scrambling required, no trail confusion, no losing anyone behind a boulder. Just the formations, the views, and a narrated ride through one of Colorado Springs' most photogenic public spaces.

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5. Ebike 2 Hour Rental Experience in Manitou Springs, Colorado

Credit: Viator

Manitou Springs is six minutes from the rental shop, which is almost the whole pitch. These Ebikes are thoroughly explained before you head out — how to operate them, how to pace yourself on the climbs — and then you're pointed toward one of the more quietly spectacular parks in the area for a two-hour self-guided adventure. The town's elevation change is real, so the electric assist isn't a luxury, it's the thing that makes this accessible to riders who aren't seasoned cyclists. You set your own pace, stop whenever something catches your eye, and return the bike without having burned through your legs before lunch.

Downtown Discovery

6. Classic 3-Hour Food Tour in Colorado Springs

Credit: Classic 3

The smell of green chile and fresh bread hits you before you even step inside the first stop. This classic walking tour covers four or five downtown restaurants, hole-in-the-walls, and artisan shops — enough food for a full lunch, which kids will absolutely hold you to. You start inside the Antlers Hotel, a building with actual gold rush history, and your guide weaves in stories about Pikes Peak and the art-covered streets of a Certified Creative District. Park underneath the hotel and get your ticket validated on the spot. You leave knowing downtown in a way a quick drive-through never delivers.

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7. Colorado Springs Hands-On Falconry Class and Demonstration

Credit: Colorado Springs Hands

A red-tailed hawk lands on your child's gloved fist, and for once, they are completely silent. That's the moment this falconry class earns its price. A licensed falconer walks small groups through the natural history of hawks, owls, and falcons before the flying demonstration begins — and the birds participate entirely on their own terms, which somehow makes it more impressive. Meet at the reservations booth near the Golden Bee at the Broadmoor, where parking is included in the lot next door. Plan for about ninety minutes. Kids leave with a story no school project could compete with.

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8. Colorado Springs - Guided Walking Ghost / History Tour

Credit: Colorado Springs

The tour guide lowers their voice just before you turn the corner onto a block most visitors never find. That's the move that gets everyone, kids included, completely bought in. This ghost and history walk through Colorado Springs runs about ninety minutes and blends genuinely eerie local lore with the kind of historical storytelling that sticks because it's attached to real buildings you're standing in front of. The format is participatory — guides encourage questions and audience interaction — so reluctant kids usually warm up fast. It's low-pressure, walkable, and one of the more affordable outings on this list.

New experiences get added to this list as the Colorado Springs activity scene keeps expanding — we revisit it quarterly, so check back before your next trip. In the meantime: which of these have you actually done with your kids? Drop it in the comments — especially if you've got a sleeper pick we should know about.