5 days in Colorado Itinerary

Stunning Garden of the Gods Park scenery, blue skies and the glory of Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain have attracted visitors to Colorado Springs for more than a century.

On the 1st (Fri), brush up on your military savvy at National Museum of World War II Aviation. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 2nd (Sat): learn about wildlife with up-close encounters at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, then stroll around Garden of the Gods, and then deepen your knowledge of military history at United States Air Force Academy.

For photos, traveler tips, maps, and more tourist information, use the Colorado Springs online route planner.

Chicago to Colorado Springs is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of train and bus. The time zone difference moving from Central Standard Time (CST) to Mountain Standard Time (MST) is minus 1 hour. Expect little chillier evenings in Colorado Springs when traveling from Chicago in May, with lows around 42°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 2nd (Sat) to allow enough time to drive to Buena Vista.

The Town of Buena Vista is a Statutory Town in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. Start off your visit on the 3rd (Sun): head outdoors with Four Mile Recreation Area, see Off-Road Tours, and then get interesting insight from Tours.

To find out how to plan a trip to Buena Vista, use our trip itinerary maker.

Traveling by car from Colorado Springs to Buena Vista takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Traveling from Colorado Springs in May, things will get a bit cooler in Buena Vista: highs are around 62°F and lows about 34°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 3rd (Sun) early enough to drive to Denver.

Aptly nicknamed the "Mile-High City," Denver sits at an altitude of 1,600 m (5,280 ft) above sea level, located right where the Great Plains give way to the Rocky Mountains.

On the 4th (Mon), relax and float downstream with a rafting and tubing tour and then take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Mount Evans. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 5th (Tue): see the sky in a new way at Denver Museum of Nature & Science, then get to know the resident critters at Denver Zoo, and then admire the natural beauty at Denver Botanic Gardens.

To see other places to visit, traveler tips, photos, and tourist information, use the Denver tour builder.

Traveling by car from Buena Vista to Denver takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Traveling from Buena Vista in May, Denver is a bit warmer at night with lows of 43°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Tue) to allow time to travel back home.