Our Suggestions for Local Food
and Adult beverages
Your bbq grill is always available for you. Pick up some goodies and go at it. If you would like to eat local (we’ll let you google the regular chains), here are some of our favorite localities. Many of them support Doordash— please meet the driver at the driveway gate.
In Monument:
- Coffee
- Serrano’s Coffee – Local coffee shop on our side of I-25. VERY popular.
- Wesley Owen’s Coffee – Another local favorite coffee shop…get the “T-Rex” Scotch egg.
- Breakfast
- Coffee Cup Cafe – Perfect breakfast house. They don’t skimp on the bacon!
- Beer
- Pikes Peak Brewery – Homestyle brewery with great finger food. Great atmosphere, too!
- Ice Cream
- Lolly’s Ice Cream – A local highlight. All natural ingredients!
- Pizza
- Papa Bear Pizza – Local and family-owned, they make really great pizza.
- Margaritas/Mexican
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- Arlene’s Beans – quick and casual Mexican. Our favorite!
- La Casa Fiesta – Mexican sit-down restaurant in town, and the closest to the house.
- Three Margaritas – Another fine choice for Mexican; has the most traditional flare.
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- Moonshine/Whiskey/Mixed Drinks
- Three Hundred Days (300 Days) Moonshine Distillery tasting room – makes a great selection of liquors. Get the 4-shot sampler for $12 to try out new flavors for your pallet. Our favorites are the Strawberry-Lemonade and Apple-Pie moonshines.
- American Food
- Bistro on 2nd – American bistro dishes from meat to seafood. Dinner only. Cozy place, too!
- Black Forest Foods – Sandwich and fries with sidewalk seating. Their burgers are amazing!
- Broken Bones BBQ – If you like brisket, this is the place to be.
- Rosie’s Diner – If your kids haven’t experienced a 50’s Diner. This is a must.
- Asian
- Columbine Gardens – There are several Chinese restaurants in town, but this is our favorite.
- Jasmine Garden – Another standard Chinese eatery in a casual strip-mall setting.
- Fuji Mount – A variety of Asian options including Hibachi grill entertainment.
In Palmer Lake:
- Bella Panini – A very nice sit-down Italian. Pizza and pasta are all excellent.
- O’Malley’s – Cook-your-own steak and homemade fries, a biker hangout in the summer. Best wings in northern El Paso county!
- Rock House Ice Cream – Have the kids sit on the wall and pull for horns.
Hiking Trail Suggestions
Of course you MUST hit the popular sites (i.e. Garden of the Gods, Manitou Incline, Pikes Peak, etc… see below), but we have a few secret spots we like to recommend. These trails are local.
- Monument Rock (easy and just a mile away) . Start at Mount Herman Trailhead for a 2-mile hike, or drive up Mount Herman Road another mile to cut the distance in half. Monument Rock is tough to miss. Just walk West.
- Mount Herman (intermediate). This is a 2.1 mile walk, but a steady incline to the top of the big mountain to the west of our home. Drive up Mount Herman Road (a little rough for low-clearance vehicles) around the mountain to get to the trailhead. If you want to see a beautiful view, this is the trail to hike! A journal awaits you at the top to make your mark. See https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/mount-herman-trail
- Palmer Lake Reservoir (intermediate). There are two reservoirs, both one and two miles up the trail. If you keep hiking (approximately 4 miles in) you will come to a valley of boulders that is absolutely breathtaking.
- Palmer Lake (easy). Drive up Hwy 105 to the next town, one of our favorite mountain towns to visit. The lake itself has a pleasant trail all the way around it. Perfect for kayaks, water boards, and fishing.
Area Attractions – OUTDOOR FUN
Several Colorado attractions are just minutes away. Consider these (distances from the Fly-by):
- Pike National Forest (hike) 1 mi
- Monument Rock (hike) 1.4 mi
- Monument Lake (picnic, swim, fish, biking, water sport) 1.8 mi
- Historic Downtown Monument (sightseeing, shopping, dine) 2 mi
- Palmer Lake (picnic, swim, fish, biking, water sport) 4 mi
- Western Museum of Mining & Industry
- (experiences) 7 mi. Preserving and interpreting the rich mining history of Colorado and the American West. The multi-purpose exhibit building offers visitors a unique and interactive experience designed to educate the public about the importance of mining and industry and its impact on our daily lives.
- (experiences) 7 mi. Preserving and interpreting the rich mining history of Colorado and the American West. The multi-purpose exhibit building offers visitors a unique and interactive experience designed to educate the public about the importance of mining and industry and its impact on our daily lives.
- Air Force Academy Visitors Center (experiences) 10 mi
- Colorado Renaissance Festival (experiences) 15 mi.
- Weekends mid-June to mid-Aug.
- Weekends mid-June to mid-Aug.
- Pulpit Rock Open Space (hike) 16 mi
- Garden of the Gods Visitors Center (hike, must see picturesque) 19 mi
- Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site (family activity, history, animal encounter) 19 mi
- Academy Riding Stables 19 mi
- Red Rock Canyon Open Space (hike) 22 mi
- There are 3 zip line adventure parks in the local area. The closest is at the Broadmoor. 23 mi.
- Memorial Park (hike, ice skating) 23 mi
- Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings 26 mi
- Comprised of ancestral Puebloan ruins that date back 1000 years
- Comprised of ancestral Puebloan ruins that date back 1000 years
- Cave of the Winds 26 mi
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- 60 minute guided walking tour includes 15 rooms, a 1/2 mile of concrete walkways, and 196 stairs. On this family-friendly tour, you will learn about the history and geology of the cave and see some of the most beautiful formations.
- 60 minute guided walking tour includes 15 rooms, a 1/2 mile of concrete walkways, and 196 stairs. On this family-friendly tour, you will learn about the history and geology of the cave and see some of the most beautiful formations.
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- Manitou Incline 27 mi
- Built originally as a cable car to carry materials to build pipelines on Pikes Peak. Climb 2,744 steps (over 2,000 feet of elevation in one mile). Takes about an hour to go up (then you have to come back down!)
- Built originally as a cable car to carry materials to build pipelines on Pikes Peak. Climb 2,744 steps (over 2,000 feet of elevation in one mile). Takes about an hour to go up (then you have to come back down!)
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (animal encounters) 27 mi
- Cheyenne Mountain State Park (hike) 27 mi
- North Cheyenne Canon Park (hike) 27 mi
- Broadmoor Seven Falls (hike) 27 mi
- Pikes Peak Visitor Center (experiences) 30 mi to the base; 49 mi to the summit
- Brand new visitor center in 2021. Also check out the newly re-opened cog railway.
- Brand new visitor center in 2021. Also check out the newly re-opened cog railway.
- Bishops Castle (experiences) 93 mi
- An elaborate and intricate “one-man project” named after its constructor, Jim Bishop who has been constructing it for 60 years
- An elaborate and intricate “one-man project” named after its constructor, Jim Bishop who has been constructing it for 60 years
Area Attractions – inDOOR FUN
If the weather is inclement, or you just aren’t a fan of the “great” outdoors, these attractions are just minutes away. (distances from the Fly-by):
- Historic Downtown Monument (sightseeing, shopping, dine) 2 mi
- Top Golf (experiences) 7 mi
- Summit Bowling and Laser Tag (experiences) 7 mi
- iFly Colorado Springs. 7 mi.
- Indoor skydiving. This is a must-do life-experience. Its safe…I promise!
- One of Emily’s favorite experiences she did with our kids (and she’s not very adventurous!)
- Magnum Shooting Center (experiences) 7 mi.
- Open to the public; indoor state-of-the-art shooting range. Rents weapons for use that day. Training classes, hosts events, gives experience in safety and weapons familiarity.
- Open to the public; indoor state-of-the-art shooting range. Rents weapons for use that day. Training classes, hosts events, gives experience in safety and weapons familiarity.
- AirCity 360 (experiences) 7 mi
- “The only air coaster in the USA of it’s kind! Defy gravity by soaring through 500′ of airspace. Or try your climbing skills on the SkyTower – A one of a kind vertical climbing obstacle course… The ultimate challenge, is on The City – a first and only one in Colorado, is our MEGA inflatable filled with obstacles and challenges. Race with a friend on the zipWAY- A 60′ dual zipline… Finally the adventure wouldn’t be complete without Extreme Dodgeball, Air-Active Trampoline Zones’, Jump Bags, Arcades, and more!”
- “The only air coaster in the USA of it’s kind! Defy gravity by soaring through 500′ of airspace. Or try your climbing skills on the SkyTower – A one of a kind vertical climbing obstacle course… The ultimate challenge, is on The City – a first and only one in Colorado, is our MEGA inflatable filled with obstacles and challenges. Race with a friend on the zipWAY- A 60′ dual zipline… Finally the adventure wouldn’t be complete without Extreme Dodgeball, Air-Active Trampoline Zones’, Jump Bags, Arcades, and more!”
- Overdrive Raceway (experiences) 7 mi
- The country’s first two-story indoor electric go-kart track. Junior karts go about 20 mph, and the adult karts can go about 40-45 mph. Wow!
- The country’s first two-story indoor electric go-kart track. Junior karts go about 20 mph, and the adult karts can go about 40-45 mph. Wow!
- Focus on the Family Headquarters (tour, famous book store) 12 mi
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park. 14 mi
- Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame (experiences) 15 mi
- everything to know about rodeo, its history and impact on Western American culture
- everything to know about rodeo, its history and impact on Western American culture
- Garden of the Gods Visitors Center (even if you just drive through the park and don’t do any hiking, this is a must see picturesque location) 19 mi
- Downtown Colorado Springs (sightseeing, shopping, dine) 20 mi
- Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (experiences) 20 mi
- Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (experiences, history) 20 mi
- Old Colorado City (shop, dine) 22 mi
- US Olympic Museum (museum, experiences) 22 mi
- Interactive and state-of-the-art exhibits. Explore and inspire about the Olympic dream.
- Interactive and state-of-the-art exhibits. Explore and inspire about the Olympic dream.
- Broadmoor World Arena (shows) 25 mi
- Outlets at Castle Rock (shop, dine) 26 mi
- Manitou Springs (shop, dine) 26 mi
- Miramont Castle 26 mi
- Built in 1862, experience life as it would have been in Victorian times. From the Castle itself, where you can view 30 rooms with in authentic Victorian furnishings, to the Queen’s Parlour Tea Room where you can enjoy fun, and creative multi-course teas and signature lunches.
- Built in 1862, experience life as it would have been in Victorian times. From the Castle itself, where you can view 30 rooms with in authentic Victorian furnishings, to the Queen’s Parlour Tea Room where you can enjoy fun, and creative multi-course teas and signature lunches.
- Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree (shop, dine) 36 mi
- Denver Tech Center (dine) 40 mi
- Downtown Denver (shop, dine, sightsee) 50 mi