Just a drive down the I-25, rests the beautiful mountain town of Colorado Springs, CO. If you have a day off during this wonderful fall, the neighborhood known as Old Colorado City is filled with original art masterpieces, delicious treats, and the most unique gifts and is sure to be worth-while!

Where to start?

After driving down I-25 and following the traffic signs, you’ll end up somewhere on Colorado Avenue. There’s plenty of street parking and free lots surrounding the area, but if you need accessible parking I suggest this lot that is located in the prime of the shopping areas.

Once you’ve parked and grabbed your sunglasses and wallet, you’re ready to go!

What’s for lunch?

I would suggest starting your adventure with some tasty food! After all, shopping and sight-seeing are no fun on empty stomachs. Both of the highlighted restaurants below offer dine-in options as well as take-out.

Right across from the lot mentioned above is a mouth-watering restaurant, Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna. You can smell the delicious flavors being sautéed as you go down the street! It almost feels intoxicating as you whiff the day-long roasted meat and the sticky sweet honey from their bakery. Unfortunately, the building itself is not wheelchair accessible as there is a large flight of stairs to get to the entrance. But they make take-out an easy process, and the slight inconvenience is worth it. You can view their lunch menu here, and if those options don’t tempt you, we’ve got one more lunch suggestion.

A little further West on Colorado Avenue is another enticing dining option, the savory Dat’s Italian! Upon entering this authentic Italian restaurant, you are enveloped by the scents of garlic, basil, and bread within this family-owned business. Their portions are huge, so I would recommend going in to share a meal, or to get ready for some tasty leftovers. You can view their menu here.

If those places aren’t making your stomach growl, there’s also Pizzeria Rustica, the Thunder and Buttons Tavern, or La Baguette Bakery and Café.

Now where to?

After filling your stomach with the tastiest foods Old Colorado City has to offer, you’re ready to go on your shopping adventure!

Each art gallery and exhibit are unique, and almost all of them have art from local vendors. Although they’re all wonderful and deserve your business, I am going to highlight two of them.

45◦ Gallery – A framing shop and art gallery combined; this shop offers a variety of art styles. They sell pieces from over 30 local Colorado artisans, including pottery, paintings, and jewelry. This family-owned business feels very welcoming and accommodating to whatever your art or framing needs are. While you wait for help, you are encouraged to visit their boxer Boyd, who is usually sleeping or greeting the other costumers. You’ll also find their daughter creating her own pieces of art that she hopes to sell when she gets older. They are open for casual shopping and visiting, and they offer individual appointments if that is easier for you.

Chavez Gallery – A unique interactive art gallery with wacky characters, this gallery is an experience. Upon entering, you’re welcomed by the couple who own the gallery, the Chavezes. They will offer you a complimentary cup of water or lemonade and offer explanations of their work as needed. If you go during their monthly shows, there’s always live entertainment and fun games to play. Right now, with the pandemic, they are limited to shopping by appointment only and host virtual events on Facebook.

In case buying art doesn’t interest you, Old Colorado City offers unique walk-through exhibits where you can simply enjoy the experience.

Michael Garman’s Magic Town is an immersive 3,000 square foot miniature city where the buildings and people are created at a 1:6th scale. You can peek through the tiny windows, watch a petite movie at the theatre, and peer down allies to see characters appear and disappear! They offer popcorn with the ticket, as you can sit in the exhibit as long as you’d like. There’s even a daily scavenger hunt that offers prizes.

Need some goodies and treats for the road?

Well, you’ve seen some of the best galleries and exhibits Old Colorado City has to offer, and now you’re ready to head back home. But not yet! You have to swing by these two iconic shops to get some goodies for friends (or just for the ride home).

Although this franchise can be found nation-wide, nothing beats getting a caramel apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory after a long adventure in Old Colorado City. They offer a wide variety of fudges, candy and caramel apples, truffles, and so much more! With baskets and mystery boxes, these decadent treats serve as a great pick-me-up for anyone!

For those with a sweet tooth that is not satisfied by chocolate, I would recommend you visit The Honey Cottage! Offering a surplus of honey options, there is bound to be something there for everyone. They sell the standard honey varieties, along with whipped honey, honey sticks, honey skin care and soap, and CBD-infused honey. The owners are honey enthusiasts and advocates; they will let anyone sample as many honeys needed to find the right fit, and will offer guidance in choosing the right honey skincare line.

That’s all, folks!

I hope you enjoyed this little walk-through itinerary of the beautiful shopping area of Old Colorado City. If you take any of my advice, make sure you do so safely: wear your masks in the stores and on the streets. We want these small businesses to stay afloat during these difficult times, let’s support them and keep them safe!