Manitou Springs is one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon; shopping, eating and people-watching. Regardless of your budget, you can find something to do, buy, or eat. Last summer Manitou was evacuated due to the Waldo Canyon Fire and this summer, they have had to deal with flash-flooding issues. The city’s resilient though and less than 24 hours after a fast and intense downpour brought a torrent of muddy water full of debris, trees and even a car rushing over the Waldo Canyon burn scar, the city was mostly cleaned up and ready for business. If you’d rather spend time enjoying the great outdoors than checking out cool clothing and household goods, or sipping a glass of wine while sampling some great food; there’s plenty of hiking, biking and natural beauty to experience too.
The day after the (first) flash flood, my friend Kelly and I decided to spend some time (and money) in Manitou, revisiting some favorite places and checking out a couple of new businesses….
We started the afternoon off with food at one of my favorite restaurants around, Crystal Park Cantina. It opened up in 2011 but my husband and I just discovered it this year and since eating there that first night, I’ve been back on a regular basis. The food is delicious, with fresh ingredients and lots of home-style Mexican dishes to choose from. I happen to LOVE the Cantina burger and tend to order it almost every time, (a 6 ounce all-natural Angus beef patty with manchego cheese mixed with jalapeno and cilantro and caramelized onions served on a great harvest, Santa Fe corn bun with chipotle mayo and cabbage slaw with a choice of warm house potato chips or sweet potato fries $9.) Every single bite is delicious and full of flavor. (Wish I was eating one right this second!) They also have some of the best and freshest guacamole around. An interesting tapas you should try is the filo shrimp which is wrapped in shredded filo, sautéed and served with red pepper sauce. When my husband and I first sampled that, all we could say was “wow!” ($9 for 4 large shrimp.) If cocktails are in order, the Cantina Margarita ($7) is a mighty fine way to go.
I prefer sitting on the patio when dining there, which is where Kelly and I opted to sit while we ate and planned our shopping trip.
Hmm, wonder who that glass of wine is waiting for?
After filling up on delicious food and liquid refreshment, we headed to La Henna Boheme, which features “Bohemian” chic women’s clothing, unique gifts and gorgeous henna body art (from $5 and up.)
These tanks, in various colors, are so soft, they are like wearing your most comfy pj’s. At $16, they are not only fashionable and comfortable, but affordable. They also have dresses made from the same material.
Lots of fabulous items in the 50% off section (which is where I normally head first!)
Accessories galore, all at reasonable prices.
Kelly’s wearing a dress and long tank she bought at La Henna Boheme.
Know someone who likes comic books? How about vintage toys, collectibles or video games? If so, you need to check out all that CK Comics has to offer!
Whether you’re a collector of comic books or just looking for a fun read, there are hundreds and hundreds to choose from….new and old.
They also have a section with chairs and a comfy sofa you can relax on while making your decision on what to buy.
Sandbags are a common sight in Manitou right now but the town is open for business! No matter what Mother Nature brings, the town rallies with the citizens and business owners coming together and getting things cleaned up.
One of my favorite places to visit in Manitou is the Arcade, which has lots of fun and inexpensive rides for the kids, vintage arcade games, penny games, and more. Perfect for families with kids or a date night….young and old will enjoy the Arcade!
My 3-year old grandson loves to visit the arcade. Most of the rides are 25 cents.
I didn’t even put any money in this game! There will come a time Grandma can’t “trick” him!
After an hour of rides and games, an ice-cream cone is a “must.”
While the games and rides aren’t free, you CAN walk through the area and check out all the old pinball machines and games from the 50′s to current times. But even though they aren’t “free”, they are pretty darn cheap! The penny arcade has games from 5 to 10 cents and the younger kids can (for 25 cents) enjoy the small car rides. This is good, cheap fun for the entire family. There’s also games like Guitar Hero, tons of pinball machines, air hockey, skee ball and shooter games. You can plug in arcade amusements, Manitou springs and find tons of websites describing all the cool games and history behind some of them (I don’t play games that much so couldn’t pick out the best!)
Breathtaking scenery as you shop.
Time for liquid refreshment and a bite to eat again…
Swirl Wine Bar offers fine wines, microbrews, spirits and tapas….
There’s plenty of intimate seating sections inside and outside. Love the patio area, which is so comfortable, you may end up spending more time there than you planned!
One of the things I like about Manitou is the town “spirit” and how everyone supports one another. Love this painting by local artist Liese Chavez that Swirl Wine Bar has hanging on their wall.
Check out more of her unique and beautiful work: http://www.etsy.com/shop/liesechavez
And for those of you who enjoy the great outdoors, (and a bit of a challenge,) the Manitou Springs Incline is for you! Even though thousands have hiked it, it didn’t become legal to do so until February 2013. I haven’t personally tried it but have a lot of friends who have (and survived!)
Last summer we featured a few stores I found great bargains at. And while the merchandise has changed, the deals and unique items are still available…just a few more fabulous places to shop….
There were so many things I wanted to cover, I had to do a second post which we’ll feature tomorrow with more fun and unique things to do in Manitou!
love the article about Manitou!
Tracy…I just saw your comment and realized I didn’t reply! Thank you!!
This is wonderful! My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary this weekend, and I wanted to spend some family time in Manitou! Any other ideas for a cheap romantic date?
Brittney…Congrats on the anniversary. One of my favorite evenings in Manitou was walking around the town and trying out several places with a drink at one of the more expensive restaurants or appetizer, dinner at a more affordable place (which we split), and something sweet at another place. That way we got to “experience” some of the finer dining establishments without breaking the bank and get some local flavor from some of the “quirkier” places. If you like fondue, the Mona Lisa is a good place to stop in and The Craftwood Inn is romantic too. You could call to see if they have any “specials” for your celebration. The Cliff House has a “Table for Two” special that includes 2 salads, 2 filet mignon dinners and 2 crème brulee trios for $59. I did enjoy having some wine at Swirl and of course, as I mentioned in the article, The Cantina has a patio where you can dine and enjoy the weather. The Cliff House also has a fabulous bar (Red Mountain) where you can order fabulous appetizers that are totally affordable, and you can sit out on the balcony, which overlooks the town. Hope this helps and have fun!!