Visit Santa At The North Pole In Colorado Springs

Take your children to visit Santa at the North Pole in Colorado Springs. Right at the base of Pikes Peak is one of the most exciting places for children of all ages--the North Pole! This is a magical place open from the middle of May through Christmas Eve. Your children can sit on Santa Claus's lap in a quaint cabin. You can see and touch the North Pole. Seeing reindeer, magic shows, going on fun rides, toy shopping, and Christmas decoration shopping are all part of the great day you and your kids will have at the North Pole from March through December.

My kids loved it and so did I! There are some snack places to eat with indoor and outdoor facilities, depending on the weather.

Santa Claus is not a mall Santa with a fake beard and a pillow under a cheap suit. Santa is a real man with a real beard and real clothes, not a cheap and flimsy costume. There is not a long line of children so that Santa gives your kids 30 seconds of time. Santa takes his time and actually has a real conversation with your children. He listens to them and they feel like he knows them. My kids had a blast talking with him and seeing him at his home. Santa happily poses with them so you can snap photos. His elf is nearby if you want a professional photo taken for a fee, but it is not required.

Away from Santa, you can ride a variety of rides and there is a train that goes around the park. Shows, including a great magic show, play several times throughout the day.

The first time we went was on a warm October day. Then a rain storm came up. Fortunately we had jackets in the car so we got them and order burgers and fries while the rain fell. After that, we continued our visit.
We also took the kids just a few days before Christmas one year, as you can see in the photo above. It was cold outside, but we rode all of the rides, visited all of the animals and had a blast there. That was so much fun. It was a sunny day, not bitterly cold and we just bundled up and got to see Santa just days before he took off in his sleigh. This visit to see Santa at the North Pole was our final Christmas in Colorado Springs so we wanted to make it special for the kids. (My husband was attending Bible College in Colorado Springs. He graduated the next spring and we entered the ministry, but that is for another hub!)

With the beautiful trees on Pikes Peak as a backdrop, North Pole is a picturesque place. Make sure you bring your camera and some money for souvenir Christmas decorations. We still place the decorations we bought there each year on our Christmas tree and think back to the wonderful times we had when we got to visit Santa at the North Pole in Colorado Springs!

Cog Railway Up Pikes Peak

A fabulous way to see Pikes Peak is to travel up the mountain by Cog Railway. Sit back, enjoy the incredible beauty and let the train take you up to the summit. It is so much fun.


It takes the train 75 minutes to go nine miles one way up to the summit at 14,110 feet. Of course, once you reach the summit, you will want to get off the train and look around at the view and the beauty on the mountain. Take plenty of photos.

When you are chilly, go into the restaurant and get something to eat and something hot to drink because, trust me, it is really cold up there.

Do not forget your jacket! Wear good walking shoes or comfortable sneakers and warm socks. One more thing, take your camera. The views are amazing.

Stop in the gift shop and pick up some souvenirs. Then go out and enjoy the view once more. Wait for your train and begin the 75 minute trip back down the mountain.

If you are like me, you will want to go up again the next day, this time by car.

Rates vary depending on the time of year.

Rates are as high as $33.50 for adults and $18.50 for children through age 12. If you hold your two year old or younger child on your lap for the entire trip, he/she rides free. A bit of advice here. 75 minutes is a long time to hold a squirmy little one on your lap one way. Be smart and buy the ticket for your little one. You will have more room to stretch out and you will have a more enjoyable time.

The Cog Railway is a wonderful way to enjoy beautiful scenic Pikes Peak. I urge you not to miss it when you visit Colorado Springs.

Bike Down Pikes Peak

Did you know that you can actually ride a bike down Pikes Peak? If you are in pretty good shape and you want to see nature up close and personal and have a great adventure, give it a try.

Yes, there is a company called Challenge Unlimited that will provide a car ride up to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet and then will provide bikes for you and your party to descend the 20 miles back down to the bottom of one of the most famous and beautiful mountains in the world.

Call for reservations as they need to know you are coming in advance!

Once you arrive at the top of Pikes Peak, you will be provided with a bike, a helmet, some appropriate clothing for mountain weather, and some directions. You will not be on your own, but you will travel with your guide and group.

There will be stops along the way for you to rest and take photos and learn about this amazing mountain.

Your guide will give you some mountain history and his/her knowledge of the vegetation and wildlife along the trail.

During the summer months you can choose a morning trip departing at 6am or an afternoon trip departing at 2pm. During the spring and fall, there is just one trip a day, either at 8am or 1pm, depending on the needs of guests.

Morning trips cost $115 per person and include breakfast and lunch. Afternoon trips cost $95 and include a light snack.

Groups are limited to 35 riders at a time.

If you would like, you have the option of riding the Cog Railway up Pikes Peak and then bike down Pikes Peak for $135 per person.

To get more information, check out their web site.

Colorado Springs Is Beautiful

Colorado Springs Colorado is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. It is a great vacation spot because there is so much natural beauty and there are so many things to do.

Welcome to Fun In And Around Colorado Springs. My name is Juanita and I am so glad you stopped by to visit. My family and I lived here for four years while my husband attended Nazarene Bible College.

We had a great time living near Pikes Peak, which inspired the words to America The Beautiful. This truly is a majestic mountain, with snow on the top almost the entire year. We had an incredible view of this gorgeous mountain from our living room window. Below is the awesome view of Pikes Peak from our backyard. 

It very seldom gets uncomfortably hot in the summer. In the winter, it snows, but usually melts within a few days and then snows all over again.

While we were there, my husband, David, got a good education and we got a living souvenir! Our daughter, Tiffany, was born at Memorial Hospital five months after we arrived. She is very proud of the fact that she was born in Colorado.

Our boys, Andrew and Matthew, were four years old and one year old, respectively, when we moved to Colorado Springs Colorado and they had a great time playing in the beautiful outdoors there.

Below is a photo of me holding my beautiful daughter with Pikes Peak behind us. Life was good in the Rocky Mountains, the best!

At Christmastime, we got to visit Santa at the North Pole, right on the base of Pikes Peak. Our children got to sit on Santa's lap, right in the midst of his workshop. We saw Santa's live reindeer and touched the icy North Pole! Our kids were delighted and so were we!

Driving up Pikes Peak is a MUST for any visitor to this beautiful city in Colorado. The view is incredible as you drive up. Take a jacket. It is cold, even in the summer! Yes, we found that out the hard way! During the summer, thunderstorms can quickly develop. All of a sudden, dark clouds appear over the top of Pikes Peak and the rains pour down. We got soaked more than once while we were out and about. We soon learned to always keep jackets and umbrellas in the car. Thank you for visiting Fun In And Around Colorado Springs. I hope our information is helpful to you as you plan an unforgettable trip to the area.