I believe we left Tulsa around 4am and drove straight there- arriving around 4pm! The kids were surprisingly so good for us! My parents joined us on this trip, so my mom rented a VRBO, which was perfect. We were close to many of the landmarks, we wanted to check out, and the kids had a cozy place to unwind in the evenings.
The first night, we were itching to get out and check out our surroundings. So the 4 of us took a short walk in the vicinity of the VRBO. We were lucky enough to see a gorgeous sunset that first night!
On the second day, we ventured to downtown Manitou Springs, Cave of the Winds, and eventually a brewery. (We somehow always end up at a brewery if possible)
The third day was by far the favorite of the whole group, at least for the 4 of us...Garden of the Gods! Although it was a little rainy, the kids were troopers and we hiked up to some high points. Towards the end of the day, Brian took us on an unplanned drive (I say unplanned because we had about 50 miles left in the tank and the park was set to close at 5pm..but Brian lives for excitement like that). We had no idea where we were going and I was just hoping to make it out/down alive. Thankfully we all survived.
The fourth day was another favorite...Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. I have to admit, it was pretty cool! There were some neat views and there were so many animals to see! The kids even got to feed a giraffe and rhino!
The next day, we did some more hiking (unfortunately I forget the name of the area and my phone wasn't "smart" enough to pick up the location) but again, gorgeous views and lots of fresh air.
On the sixth day, we took the kids to The North Pole! No, not really, but it was a kid sized amusement park with a Christmas theme. I think we caught it at the perfect age. They had fun on rides "not too scary" and Poi Poi and Gong Gong even got in on some of the action!
Overall, it was a great trip for us. I think it was just the right amount of fresh air, amazing views, and quality time with Poi Poi and Gong Gong.
