Where to Plan Meetings in South Central Colorado

 

By Beth Buehler

 

When hosting meetings in Colorado, take the time to look at the various regions of the state to find the right fit. Destination Colorado Meetings can help you dial in the differences and has an easy online RFP process. Let’s look at where to plan meetings in south central Colorado, specifically at three communities linked by Interstate 25 south of Denver.

 

Colorado Springs

Colorado’s second largest city, Colorado Springs, is a must-consider for groups. Not only is the community home to expansive resorts that conveniently deliver top-notch accommodations, meeting space, dining and activities all in one place, there are important new properties like the 375-room Hotel Polaris and world-class attractions like the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum.

Located 60 miles south of Denver and at the base of the southern Rocky Mountains, attendees are sure to be in awe of Colorado Springs’ majestic Pikes Peak views and the opportunity to ride The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cog Railway in nearby Manitou Springs. There are plenty of options to host outdoor and indoor gatherings at places like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Garden of the Gods Resort and Club, Flying Horse Resort and Club, and The Broadmoor. In addition to the main location of The Broadmoor, the resort also owns the nearby Seven Falls with waterfalls, ziplines and a restaurant and two wilderness experience properties: Cloud Camp and The Ranch at Emerald Valley.

 

In total, Colorado Springs has more than 14,500 rooms at a wide range of boutique, historic and brand-name hotels and over 450,000 square feet of meeting space. The city’s largest meeting is the impressive Space Symposium, which draws more than 10,000 people from 40 countries annually. When looking at where to plan meetings in south central Colorado, take note that the Colorado Springs Airport makes it easy to fly in and out, and nearby Denver International Airport expands the opportunities.

 

Or consider memorable venues like the new Flying W Ranch, Ford Amphitheater, Ed Robson Arena at Colorado College, The Broadmoor World Arena, or Weidner Field, home to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks soccer team. And we’ve hardly touched on attractions, which include the likes of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Ent Center for the Arts, National Museum of WWII Aviation, Pikes Peak Center for Performing Arts, Space Foundation Discovery Center, and ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy. You get the picture. There are nearly endless options in Colorado Springs.

Pueblo

Pueblo, only 45 miles south of Colorado Springs, is Colorado’s 10^th largest city. A major highlight for groups is the Pueblo Convention Center with more than 46,700 square feet of meeting space and a downtown location just steps from the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, which features restaurants and public art to enjoy along the way. The 163-room Courtyard Marriott Pueblo is attached to the convention center, and SpringHill Suites Pueblo and the boutique Station by the Riverwalk (the repurposed Pueblo City Jail with a cocktail bar called The Clink Lounge) are nearby.

 

Additional venues to consider are Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, Colorado State Fairgrounds, historic Memorial Hall, Pueblo Community College, and Colorado State University Pueblo featuring the Occhiato Student Center with 14 meeting rooms and a ballroom. Among the many local points of interest are Union Avenue Historic Commercial District, Neon Alley, El Pueblo History Museum, Rosemount Museum, and Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center’s Raptor Center. For outdoor adventures, explore Lake Pueblo State Park for boating, fishing, kayaking, and other water sports.

 

Trinidad

Keep heading south on I-25 to reach Trinidad, a charming southern Colorado town just miles from the New Mexico border. In fact, the community of about 8,200 residents is situated on the historic Santa Fe Trail that traverses from New Mexico to Missouri. When considering where to plan meetings in south central Colorado, organizers are finding Trinidad to be one of those Colorado gems recently discovered by groups.

 

Groups can find comfortable accommodations and meeting space at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham and Hilton Garden Inn Trinidad Downtown. Both opened in 2023 with Hilton Garden Inn as part of a larger 15-acre retail and entertainment development. The Marketplace food hall in downtown Trinidad also offers groups a fun experience with numerous culinary choices.

Another important facet of the renaissance underway is Space to Create. Trinidad became certified as a Colorado Creative District more than a decade ago, and Space to Create fully opened in 2022 and encompasses an entire downtown block. The upper stories feature affordable live/work apartments for creatives while the lower levels have maker spaces and a cultural facility with 20,000 square feet of open space that can be rented for gatherings.

 

To catch a glimpse of Trinidad’s rich heritage, groups can visit the large granite marker for the Santa Fe Trail in Kit Carson Park, take a free trolley tour of downtown during the summer, and visit Trinidad History Museum and A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art. Outdoorsy attendees are sure to appreciate free time that involves Trinidad Golf Course, Fishers Peak State Park, Trinidad Lake State Park and Trinidad Riverwalk.

 

Where to plan meetings in south central Colorado is made easy when browsing Destination Colorado Meetings website and connecting with the local destination marketing organizations including Visit Colorado Springs, Visit Pueblo and Visit Trinidad.

 

Top Photo: Pueblo Convention Center, courtesy Jacob Rivera

 

Colorado native Beth Buehler has been editor of Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for 20 years, helped launch Mountain Meetings magazine, and was on the team that introduced Southwest Meetings + Events. She has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.