If you'll be vacationing in the Denver area this summer, be sure to plan a day trip to Colorado Springs.

Even if you have to rent a car, it's no big deal because the Springs is only about 60 miles from Denver's city center. Plus, there's a lot to do in Colorado Springs, some of which is - are you ready for this - free.

Where to start

I suggest you start your Colorado Springs adventure in Garden of the Gods. There's a good reason they named this area what they did. It's a garden of red stone spires, red earth, and green forest. You'll definitely want to see Kissing Camels, Pulpit Rock and Twin Spires. There will be a ton of other people there as Garden of the Gods is one of Colorado's premier tourist attractions. But don't let that cause you to miss this free, natural wonder.

The second neat thing you can do free is the Air Force Academy. You can stroll around the grounds and peak into the Chapel. You've probably seen its photos as it is the Academy's center piece. There won't be many cadets around as they spend their summers off doing Air Force-type things away from Academy grounds. But there are still plenty of things to see.

Hop on the cogwheel railroad

You won't be able to miss Pike's Peak and you can either drive to the top which costs nothing or take the cogwheel railroad to the summit. Once you get to the top, you can enjoy the same view that prompted Katharine Lee Bates to write the song, American the Beautiful.

Do the Zoo

Other touristy things to do in Colorado Springs include the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with its famous Primate World. A buck will buy you four giraffe-friendly treats a the Rift Valley Exhibit, where the giraffes will lean right over the fence and eat them out of your hand.

You might also want to visit Cave of the Winds and Old Colorado City assuming you have time and energy left.

To get to Colorado Aprings, just take I-25 South.

All in all, Colorado Springs represents a great way to spend a day and see more of what Colorful Colorado has to offer.