Exploring the Most Unusual Things to Do in Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, Colorado, is best known for its stunning landscapes, from the towering red rocks of Garden of the Gods to the snow-capped peaks of Pikes Peak. Visitors flock here for outdoor adventures, military history, and a vibrant arts scene.
But beyond the well-known attractions, there’s a different side to this city—one filled with unexpected, offbeat, and downright unusual experiences.
For those looking to go beyond the typical tourist stops, there are plenty of unusual things to do in Colorado Springs, CO.
Imagine dining inside a retired military tanker, exploring a backyard filled with towering wind-powered sculptures, or stepping into a miniature city where the buildings come to life. These aren’t the kind of attractions you find in every travel guide.
Many of these spots have fascinating histories. Some, like the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, date back centuries, while others, like the Airplane Restaurant, were repurposed from relics of the past.
There’s also a museum entirely dedicated to insects, an arcade packed with century-old games, and a park where the rocks are painted in nature’s colors. Each place has a story to tell, whether through art, history, or sheer creativity.
This guide explores the quirkiest, most surprising attractions in Colorado Springs—places that challenge expectations and offer something different from the usual sightseeing.
Whether you’re a local searching for something new or a visitor looking for an experience you won’t find anywhere else, these destinations promise to make your trip unforgettable.
1. Starr Kempf’s Kinetic Sculptures: The Hidden Wind-Powered Art Show
Why It’s Unusual?
Tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood, Starr Kempf’s kinetic sculptures stand as towering metal creations that come to life with the wind.
These massive, intricately designed sculptures rotate, twist, and move with a hypnotic grace, creating an almost surreal experience for anyone who stumbles upon them.
Unlike traditional art installations, this collection isn’t in a museum or public space—it’s part of Kempf’s former home, making it a rare private display that art lovers and engineers alike admire from the street.
Why It’s Unique?
Starr Kempf, a sculptor and mechanical genius, created these massive wind-powered pieces throughout the mid-to-late 20th century.
His designs combine sleek aesthetics with intricate mechanics, allowing them to sway and spin unpredictably in the breeze.
Each sculpture can reach up to 50 feet tall and is constructed with precise engineering to remain stable while in motion.
The pieces blend technical mastery with artistic vision, making this collection, unlike any other outdoor display in Colorado Springs.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Watching the sculptures move in harmony with nature, especially on windy days.
- Seeing how engineering and fine art merge in a way rarely found outside museums.
- Exploring a quiet residential street that unexpectedly doubles as an open-air art exhibit.
2. May Natural History Museum: The Bug Collection That Might Creep You Out
Why It’s Unusual?
A museum dedicated entirely to insects isn’t something you come across every day. Yet, just outside Colorado Springs, the May Natural History Museum boasts one of the largest private collections of preserved bugs in the world.
With over 7,000 specimens, including enormous beetles, bright butterflies, and some of the rarest spiders ever documented, this place challenges expectations.
Outside, a massive fiberglass Hercules beetle—nicknamed “Herky”—greets visitors, hinting at the unique experience inside.
Why It’s Unique?
This collection started with entomologist James May, who spent decades gathering insects from around the world.
Many of these specimens are now extinct or incredibly rare, making this museum a must-visit for anyone curious about nature’s smallest creatures.
The museum, established in 1952, houses everything from delicate dragonflies to beetles the size of a human hand, all preserved in incredible detail.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Seeing insects up close that most people will never encounter in the wild.
- Learning about exotic species and their roles in ecosystems worldwide.
- Exploring a collection curated over decades by a single passionate collector.
3. Manitou Springs Penny Arcade: A Nostalgic Game Haven
Why It’s Unusual?
Walking through the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade feels like stepping into a time machine. This attraction features hundreds of vintage arcade machines, some dating back to the early 1900s.
Unlike modern arcades, this place is an open-air collection of pinball machines, claw games, and rare mechanical attractions spread across multiple small buildings.
Why It’s Unique?
Many of the games still function exactly as they did decades ago, with some requiring just a penny or nickel to play.
The arcade’s oldest machines—such as the Mutoscope picture viewer and antique fortune tellers—offer a rare glimpse into gaming history.
You won’t find flashy modern graphics here; instead, the arcade preserves the charm of early coin-operated entertainment.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Playing original pinball machines from the 1930s and 1940s.
- Trying out hand-cranked mechanical games that predate video screens.
- Discovering rare arcade cabinets that still cost just a few cents to operate.
4. Paint Mines Interpretive Park: Where Nature Looks Like a Painting
Why It’s Unusual?
Colorado Springs is known for its rugged mountain views, but the Paint Mines Interpretive Park offers something entirely different.
Located about 30 miles east of the city, this geological wonder features brightly colored clay formations shaped by thousands of years of erosion.
The unusual hues—ranging from deep reds to soft yellows—make the landscape look like something from another planet.
Why It’s Unique?
The park isn’t just a natural attraction; it’s an archaeological site with evidence of human activity dating back at least 9,000 years.
Indigenous peoples used the vibrant clay to create pottery and paint, leaving behind a history that still fascinates researchers today.
The mix of cultural significance and surreal scenery makes this one of the most unusual outdoor destinations near Colorado Springs.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Hiking through multicolored rock formations that feel almost otherworldly.
- Exploring trails that reveal both geological and archaeological history.
- Seeing how nature’s slow transformation creates stunning visual effects.
5. The Airplane Restaurant: Dining Inside a Boeing KC-97
Why It’s Unusual?
Most restaurants have four walls and a roof, but this one has wings. The Airplane Restaurant, located near Colorado Springs Airport, is housed inside a retired Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter.
This massive military aircraft, built in the 1950s, has been converted into a fully functional restaurant. Guests can eat inside the fuselage while surrounded by aviation memorabilia.
Why It’s Unique?
While airplane-themed restaurants exist in other cities, few offer the chance to dine inside an actual aircraft.
The interior retains many of its original features, including the cockpit, which remains open for visitors to explore.
This mix of history, novelty, and dining creates an experience you won’t find in a typical restaurant setting.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- I’m sitting inside a real military tanker while enjoying a meal.
- Exploring the cockpit and pretending to be a pilot.
- Learning about aviation history through memorabilia and aircraft relics displayed throughout the restaurant.
6. Ghost Town Museum: A Step Into the Wild West
Why It’s Unusual?
The Ghost Town Museum isn’t your typical Old West exhibit. Instead of walking through an outdoor replica, visitors enter a fully enclosed museum that recreates the look and feel of a real 19th-century frontier town.
The museum, established in 1954, preserves actual artifacts from abandoned mining settlements in Colorado.
Old storefronts, saloons, and a working blacksmith shop fill the space, giving guests a glimpse of life during the region’s gold rush.
Why It’s Unique?
Many of the buildings inside the museum were salvaged from real ghost towns and relocated to Colorado Springs.
The collection includes everything from antique wagons and mining tools to fully stocked general stores with original merchandise.
The setting feels authentic, with wood-plank sidewalks and period lighting allowing visitors to imagine what life was like in the late 1800s.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Panning for gold at an indoor mining station.
- Exploring actual relics from Colorado’s abandoned mining towns.
- Testing an old-fashioned printing press and telegraph machine.
7. Michael Garman’s Magic Town: A Miniature City With a Story
Why It’s Unusual?
Michael Garman’s Magic Town is more than just a miniature model—it’s a full city, complete with moving figures, changing street scenes, and hidden details that bring it to life.
Built by sculptor Michael Garman in the 1970s, this 3,000-square-foot display captures the energy of a working-class American neighborhood, where each building and character has its backstory.
Why It’s Unique?
The model city isn’t static. Lights flicker in the buildings, figures shift positions, and alleyways reveal unexpected details.
Garman used mirrors and optical illusions to make the town feel much larger than it actually is.
The exhibit combines sculpture, storytelling, and interactive features, making it one of the most detailed model cities in the country.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Spotting hidden scenes that change each time you visit.
- Watching as lights, sounds, and movement create a living city.
- Learning about Garman’s artistic techniques and the stories behind each character.
8. Space Foundation Discovery Center: A Hands-On Space Adventure
Why It’s Unusual?
The Space Foundation Discovery Center is the only museum of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region. It offers interactive exhibits on space travel, satellite technology, and deep-space exploration.
Opened in 2012, the center is a hub for STEM education. It features real astronaut suits, space mission simulators, and a massive collection of artifacts from NASA and private space companies.
Why It’s Unique?
Unlike traditional museums that focus on history, this center looks toward the future.
Visitors can control robotic arms like those used at the International Space Station, experience what it’s like to land a spacecraft and study meteorites from beyond Earth.
The museum also hosts rotating exhibits featuring new advancements in space exploration.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Trying out astronaut training simulators.
- Touching actual space rocks and meteorites.
- Learning about Colorado’s role in the space industry, including Lockheed Martin’s local operations.
9. Manitou Cliff Dwellings: Ancient Homes You Can Walk Through
Why It’s Unusual?
Unlike many ancient ruins that are off-limits to visitors, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings allow people to step inside, touch the walls, and explore the interiors.
These sandstone structures, originally built by the Ancestral Puebloans over 700 years ago, were carefully relocated and preserved in the early 1900s to protect them from vandalism and erosion.
Why It’s Unique?
While the dwellings were moved from their original location in the Four Corners region, the preservation effort has allowed generations of visitors to see what daily life was like for Indigenous people centuries ago.
The site also includes a museum with artifacts, pottery, and tools from the Puebloan era.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Walking inside ancient cliff dwellings without restrictions.
- Seeing centuries-old pottery and tools up close.
- Learning about the history of the Ancestral Puebloans and their architectural techniques.
10. Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center: Where Fossils Come to Life
Why It’s Unusual?
This isn’t just a museum—it’s an active fossil preparation lab where visitors can watch paleontologists restore dinosaur bones in real-time.
Located in nearby Woodland Park, the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center houses full-scale dinosaur skeletons, ancient sea creatures, and one of the largest collections of fossilized eggs in the country.
Why It’s Unique?
The facility specializes in preparing fossils for museums around the world, meaning many of the skeletons on display are real specimens, not casts.
The collection includes rare finds like the Pteranodon, a massive flying reptile, and the Nodosaur, an armored dinosaur that once roamed North America.
What Unusual Experiences Can Be Obtained?
- Watching fossil restoration as it happens in the working lab.
- Learning how paleontologists extract and clean dinosaur bones.
- Seeing full-scale skeletons of prehistoric animals found in the Rocky Mountains.
