5th Friday, time for a different kind of review!

In case you missed it, in the beginning of August, me and two of my writer friends did a mini writer’s retreat at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs. We absolutely loved it there and plan on going back. I highly recommend Glen Eyrie if you’re looking for a relaxing vacation with plenty of scenery.

Glen Eyrie is a castle built by the founder of Colorado Springs, General William Jackson Palmer. (No, he isn’t in the Dr.Quinn TV series – in fact, I couldn’t find anything in Colorado Springs that had anything to do with Dr. Quinn!) General Palmer lived there with his wife until he died in 1909. The estate eventually changed hands before being purchased in the 1950s by the Navigators, a Christian organization. They’ve added various lodges and recreational areas and continue to operate Glen Eyrie as a vacation resort, conference center, summer camp destination, and historical site.

The first night we stayed there, we got to sleep in one of the historic castle rooms. The bathroom wasn’t historic, thank goodness, but we had a lovely turret-styled window seat. The castle has a grand staircase, huge fireplaces, elegant drawing rooms, and a beautiful veranda where we ate breakfast every morning. Due to scheduling, we had to stay in a lodge room for the rest of our stay. It was cheaper, but also like your standard hotel room.

While there, we enjoyed hiking trails, seeing signs of bear, watching bighorn sheep on the rocky promontories, and looking for rattlesnakes. A courtyard cafe took a lot of my money when we sat in the shade writing and playing games. Everywhere you looked, there was jaw dropping scenery. Glen Eyrie is on the north side of Garden of the Gods, so basically, you’re in the middle of all the red rock formations.

In the cooler (and less busy) evenings, we drove two minutes to Garden of the Gods (no fees to get in!) and drove around and hiked. You can also pay to go horseback riding or on jeep or bike tours in and around Garden of the Gods. Two years ago, I visited Rock Ledge Ranch, a living history historical site right next to Garden of the Gods. It was amazing!

And if all that neat nature and history isn’t enough for you, Glen Eyrie and Garden of the Gods is less than 15 minutes from every fast food and In-&-Out you could ever want. Nearby Old Colorado City is sketchy, but full of gift shops. And, if you need more mountains, you’re just outside of Pike’s Peak!

Bottom Line: If you’re planning a vacation out west, you can’t go wrong with Glen Eyrie, just west of Colorado Springs, as your base camp.