If You’re Only Going to Explore One Neighborhood on the West Side, Make It Old Colorado City
I’ve lived on the west side of Colorado Springs for over 20 years, and when people visit and ask me where to go, I don’t send them downtown. I don’t send them to the Powers corridor where every strip mall looks the same. I tell them to drive down West Colorado Avenue and spend a few hours in Old Colorado City.
It’s the one neighborhood in the Springs that actually has a personality. Independent shops, real art galleries, local restaurants, and a weekend farmers market that’s been running for over 40 years. No chain restaurants. No big box stores. Just a walkable stretch of Colorado Avenue lined with old brick buildings, local businesses, and people who actually care about what they’re doing.
If you live here and you haven’t spent real time in OCC, you’re missing out. And if you’re visiting, this is the Colorado Springs experience you won’t get anywhere else in town.
What Makes Old Colorado City Different
Here’s something most people don’t know: Old Colorado City is older than Colorado Springs. It was founded in 1859 during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush — a full 12 years before General Palmer founded Colorado Springs in 1871. It was actually the first capital of the Colorado Territory for a brief stretch in 1862 before they moved it to Golden.
So this wasn’t some suburb that popped up around a highway exit. This was the original settlement in the Pikes Peak region. A supply hub for miners. A rough frontier town that slowly evolved into the arts and culture district it is today.
It got annexed by Colorado Springs in 1917, and the historic commercial district along Colorado Avenue between 24th and 27th Streets was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. That stretch still has buildings from the late 1800s, and you can feel it when you walk through.
The vibe here is the exact opposite of the east side. Over on Powers Boulevard, everything is chains and traffic and identical shopping centers. OCC is walkable, artsy, and independent. It’s the west side at its best — closer to Garden of the Gods, closer to Ute Valley Park, closer to the mountains in general. That’s why I live out here. Less noise, more nature, and neighborhoods with actual character.
Best Shops and Galleries in Old Colorado City
OCC has the largest concentration of art galleries in Colorado Springs — about 15 of them, ranging from local artist co-ops to nationally recognized collections. You could spend an entire afternoon just wandering in and out of galleries if that’s your thing. Here are the ones worth your time:
Michael Garman Museum and Gallery
This is the anchor. Michael Garman’s museum at 2418 W Colorado Ave houses over 500 hand-crafted sculptures, but the real draw is Magic Town — a 3,000-square-foot miniature city built at 1:6 scale. Hundreds of hand-made characters, holograms, detailed alleyways and brownstones. It’s unlike anything else in the city. Give yourself at least an hour. Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Elway, and two U.S. Presidents have bought Garman’s work. It’s that good.
Simpich Showcase
The Simpich family has been making handcrafted character dolls in Old Colorado City since 1952. The original showcase space on Colorado Ave closed in 2021, but David Simpich still does marionette productions at various venues, and the dolls are available through their online store. If you grew up in the Springs, Simpich dolls were a holiday tradition. The craftsmanship is incredible — every face is hand-painted, every costume hand-sewn. Even if the physical showcase is closed, it’s worth looking into their seasonal performances if you’re in town at the right time.
The Galleries Along Colorado Avenue
There are too many to list individually, but walk the strip between 24th and 27th and you’ll find galleries showing paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, photography, and mixed media. Some are local artist co-ops, some feature nationally known work. The quality varies, but there are some genuinely impressive pieces if you take the time to look. The First Friday Art Walk runs from April through December — that’s when the galleries stay open late, serve wine, and the whole avenue comes alive.
Antique and Vintage Shops
OCC has a handful of antique and vintage stores that are worth poking around in. You’ll find old Colorado mining artifacts, vintage furniture, western memorabilia, and the kind of random stuff you only find in places that have been around for 160 years. It’s not curated Instagram vintage — it’s actual old stuff from actual old buildings.
Local Boutiques and Gift Shops
Places like Eclectic OCC celebrate local artisans and makers. All About Colorado is the go-to for locally made gifts, books about the region, and souvenirs that aren’t mass-produced junk. There are over 25 locally owned boutiques and specialty shops along the strip — everything from handmade jewelry to home decor to Colorado-themed gifts. If you need to buy something for someone back home, this is where you do it. Skip the tourist shops near Garden of the Gods and come here instead.
Where to Eat in Old Colorado City
The food scene in OCC has gotten legitimately good over the years. You’ve got real variety here — Italian, Mexican, Greek, pizza, craft beer — and almost none of it is a chain. Here’s what I’d recommend:
Paravicini’s Italian Bistro
At 2802 W Colorado Ave, this is the best Italian restaurant on the west side, and honestly one of the best in the city. They make their own pasta, the ingredients are fresh, and they have a solid wine list. It’s a proper Italian bistro, not a red-sauce chain. Make a reservation — it fills up, especially on weekends. I’ve been looking for good Italian in the Springs for years, and Paravicini’s is the real deal.
Dat’s Italian
A smaller, family-run Italian spot at 2514 W Colorado Ave. JoAnn and Dennis Trujillo opened it in 2010, and they do fresh-cut pasta and homemade mozzarella. The chicken cacciatore and eggplant parm are solid. The atmosphere is cozy — dim lighting, old-school vibe, Frank Sinatra on the speakers. It’s the kind of place where you can tell the owners actually cook the food. Between Paravicini’s and Dat’s, OCC might be the best stretch in the Springs for Italian. I was not expecting that.
Amanda’s Fonda
At 3625 W Colorado Ave, a little further west down the avenue, Amanda’s has been voted Best Mexican Restaurant in the Springs for 13 of the last 14 years by the Independent readers. The recipes go back seven generations, everything is made fresh, and the carne asada is their specialty. The patio seating along Fountain Creek is genuinely beautiful — big trees, water, almost feels like you’re not in the city. Is it the best Mexican food I’ve ever had? I’m still hunting for that perfect spot. But Amanda’s is consistently good and the atmosphere is hard to beat. It’s a solid recommendation.
Pizzeria Rustica
If you want pizza in OCC, this is it. They have a stone wood-fire oven, flour imported from Italy, and house-made mozzarella. The Neapolitan-style pies are thin, crispy, and properly charred. They also do gelato, which is a nice touch after a meal. The building itself is from 1889 and has an adjoining art gallery — so it fits right into the OCC vibe. Make a reservation on weekends or you’ll be waiting.
Jake and Telly’s Greek Cuisine
A fun, lively Greek spot that’s been around since 1997. Gyros, souvlaki, saganaki, moussaka — the real stuff. Their homemade baklava is worth the trip on its own. It’s one of those places that feels like it’s been there forever because it has, and the quality hasn’t dropped off.
Mother Muff’s Kitchen and Spirits
This is what replaced the legendary Meadow Muffins, which was an OCC institution from 1979 until it closed. Meadow Muffins was famous for its wild decor — carriages from “Gone With the Wind,” a boat from “The Ten Commandments,” antiques everywhere. Mother Muff’s carries some of that spirit forward in the same historic building. If you’re a longtime local, you’ll miss the old Meadow Muffins. But Mother Muff’s is doing its own thing and it’s worth checking out.
OCC Brewing
Opened in 2021 at 2316 W Colorado Ave, this is becoming the west side’s neighborhood brewery. Sixteen rotating taps, scratch-made pub food, craft cocktails, and a rooftop patio with Pikes Peak views. The food is more elevated than your typical brewpub — they put real effort into it. Good spot to end a day of walking the avenue.
Monse’s Pupuseria
A Salvadoran restaurant with outdoor seating and 100% gluten-free pupusas and tostadas. This is the kind of place you wouldn’t find on the east side. Homestyle food, authentic flavors, small operation. If you’ve never had a pupusa, this is a great introduction.
The Old Colorado City Farmers Market
The OCC Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM, typically from early June through mid-October, in Bancroft Park at 24th Street between Colorado Avenue and Pikes Peak Avenue. It’s been going for over 40 years, and it’s one of the best farmers markets along the Front Range.
You’ll find local produce, baked goods, honey, jams, handmade crafts, and artisan vendors. It’s not huge — it’s a neighborhood market, not a massive commercial production — and that’s exactly why it works. You can walk the whole thing in 30 minutes, grab some fresh vegetables, a pastry, and a coffee, and then wander into the shops along the avenue that are opening up for the day.
Get there early if you want the best produce. By 11 AM, the popular vendors are starting to sell out and the park is getting crowded. I like to show up around 8:30, hit the market, then grab breakfast somewhere on the avenue.
The market is also a great entry point if you’ve never been to OCC. It gives you a reason to come out on a Saturday morning, and then you naturally end up exploring the rest of the neighborhood.
Territory Days — The Big Annual Event
If you want to see OCC at its most alive, come for Territory Days over Memorial Day weekend. It’s Colorado’s largest street fair — three days, free admission, 180+ food and craft booths, 25 bands on three stages, and the entire avenue from 23rd to 27th Street shuts down for pedestrians. The 2026 event runs May 23-25.
It celebrates Old Colorado City’s history as the territorial capital, and it draws a massive crowd. Fair warning: parking is a nightmare during Territory Days. Plan to park further out and walk in, or ride a bike. But it’s worth experiencing at least once if you live here.
Parking and Getting Around Old Colorado City
Let’s be honest about parking: it’s not great. Colorado Avenue has metered street parking on both sides, and there are a couple of small public lots — one at 2615 W Colorado Ave and a surface lot at 2613 W Cucharras Street. Meters take coins, credit cards, or you can use the ParkMobile app on your phone.
On weekdays, you’ll usually find a spot without too much trouble. On weekends, especially during the farmers market or events, you might need to circle a bit or park on a side street and walk. It’s not terrible — it’s just a historic neighborhood with historic-sized parking. Sundays, all city-operated parking is free.
The good news is that once you park, everything is walkable. The main strip between 24th and 27th is maybe a quarter mile, and most of the shops and restaurants are right along Colorado Avenue or within a block of it. You don’t need to move your car once you’re there.
One tip: if you’re combining OCC with a trip to Garden of the Gods, which is only about 5 minutes up the road, do Garden of the Gods first thing in the morning when parking is easier and the light is best, then head to OCC for lunch and shopping. That’s a solid west side day.
Best Time to Visit Old Colorado City
The best time to visit depends on what you’re looking for:
- Weekday mornings: Quietest time. Easy parking, no crowds, you can take your time in the galleries and shops. Some restaurants are lunch-only on weekdays, so check hours before you go.
- Saturday mornings (June-October): Farmers market day. More crowded but more energy. Get there by 8:30 AM for the market, then stay for lunch.
- First Friday evenings (April-December): The Art Walk brings the avenue alive after 5 PM. Galleries open late, wine is flowing, live music sometimes. This is OCC at its most vibrant.
- Memorial Day weekend: Territory Days. Maximum energy, maximum crowds. Fun if you like festivals, overwhelming if you don’t.
- Summer afternoons: Nice for patio dining and people-watching. The avenue has a lazy afternoon vibe that’s hard to beat when the weather cooperates.
- Winter: Quieter overall, but OCC does a Christmas Stroll and Santa’s Cabin event that’s worth checking out if you’re local.
My personal sweet spot is a Saturday morning in September or October. The farmers market is still running, the weather is perfect, the summer tourist crush has thinned out, and the cottonwood trees along the creek are starting to turn gold. That’s OCC at its best.
Why Old Colorado City Is Worth Your Time
Look, I know most tourists come to Colorado Springs for Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. Those are great — I live here because of them. But if all you do is hit the big attractions and eat at whatever chain restaurant is near your hotel on the east side, you’re missing the actual character of this city.
Old Colorado City is the oldest neighborhood in the Pikes Peak region. It’s where locals go. It’s walkable, independent, and it has more personality in three blocks than the entire Powers corridor has in 10 miles. The food is real, the art is real, and the people running these businesses actually live here.
Spend a morning at the farmers market. Have lunch at Paravicini’s or Pizzeria Rustica. Wander through Magic Town at the Michael Garman Museum. Grab a beer at OCC Brewing on the rooftop with Pikes Peak in the background. That’s a better Colorado Springs experience than anything you’ll find in a guidebook.
The west side is where this city actually lives. Old Colorado City is the proof.
About the Author: Dominic Ferrara has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. After working for Delta Airlines and visiting just about every major city in the United States, he chose Colorado Springs for its scenery, sunshine, and outdoor lifestyle. He lives on the west side near Ute Valley Park, where he e-bikes, camps, and explores the mountains regularly. His recommendations come from two decades of eating, hiking, and living here — not from a weekend visit.
