Recently, Lara and I spent a few
days in Colorado for a belated honeymoon. Using Denver as our base of
operations, we took in plenty from that city as well as from Boulder and
Colorado Springs. Here is the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway
Located at
515 Ruxton Avenue in Manitou Springs, the Manitou and Pike’s Peak Railway (also
known as the Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cog Railway) provides travel by rail to and
from the Pikes Peak summit.
At
14,000-plus feet in the air, the summit of Pikes Peak provides a view that is unparalleled.
Not only do you get to look out over several states, but on a hot summer day,
the top of the mountain is cool and brisk. Getting there, of course, is easier
said than done. The truly brave may opt for hiking or for driving along the
hairpin turn-laden Pikes Peak Highway. For the rest of us, there’s the cog
railroad.
First, the
bad: tickets are $38 per adult during the summer months and should be booked
ahead of time, the seats are hard and uncomfortable, and parking is quite
chaotic (as is Manitou Springs traffic on your way out). The train ride also
takes at least three hours (total), and you’ll need to bring water.
Now the
good: the ride is relaxing, the conductors are amiable, and you will get a
chance to pick up bits of interesting scenery and local history on the way up. The
donuts sold at the summit are also quite tasty.
What it
brings in expense and hassle, the railway makes up for in relaxing, stress-free
travel. Plus, you really cannot beat that view.
8/10
Phantom Canyon
Located at
2 East Pikes Peak Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs, Phantom Canyon is a
brewery that serves pub fare for lunch and dinner seven days a week. There is a
full bar with rotating beer offerings, and private event space is available.
I first
visited Phantom Canyon a few years ago and was impressed. They no longer make
their own root beer, and their menu seems smaller than I remember. While some
of the luster has worn off, it’s still an above-average option for Colorado Springs.
With dark
woods, multiple TVs, and a long bar, Phantom Canyon definitely looks the part
of a brewpub. The menu follows suit, mixing the requisite snacks (beer
pretzels, wings), sandwiches and burgers, and entrees (fish and chips, fried
chicken) with a few surprises (Thai fried rice, a bison patty melt) along the
way.
As was the
case in 2012, the soups and desserts are particular strengths. My wife and I
opted for the lager and smoked gouda soup and the pork green chili. The former
was rich and velvety; the latter hearty and smoky. We also split a confusingly
named dessert duo that consisted of more than two items: frozen chocolate soufflé,
beignets, raspberry gel, and fresh raspberries. The plate was rather abstractly
arranged, and by the time we finished eating everything, it looked like a
murder scene, but it was quite delicious.
Neither
service nor pricing left any room for complaint. We didn’t have to wait
terribly long on our food, and we didn’t have to pay terribly much for it (the
dessert was $6 and soups are $4/cup or $6/bowl). Come on a Sunday when mimosas
and house-brewed drafts are only $3 each, and drinks are a steal. My wife gave
high marks to the Rozay All Day, a lemon-and-hibiscus pink lager that reminded
her of herbal tea.
It may not
be what it once was (I really miss that root beer), but Phantom Canyon is still
a good find: fun, tasty, and affordable.
8.25/10
Bonus Tip: Garden of the Gods
Located at
1805 North 30th Street in Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods is a
free public park that is noted for its red rock formations. There are trails
for hiking and biking, and Jeep and Segway tours are available. The nearby
visitors center doubles as a museum.
We drove
through Garden of the Gods rather than stopping, but even from the car, there
was plenty of scenery to admire. Your phone may tell you that you are in
Colorado in 2016, but your eyes will convince you that you are in Arizona or
New Mexico, ages ago.
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