Best Beer Gardens & Outdoor Bars in Colorado Springs

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There’s Something About Drinking a Cold Beer With Red Rock Formations in the Background

I’ve lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years, and I still haven’t gotten tired of this: sitting outside with a cold beer, sunshine on my face, Pikes Peak somewhere in the background, and not a cloud in the sky. The Springs has over 300 days of sunshine a year, and the local brewery scene has figured out exactly what to do with that, build patios, beer gardens, and rooftops where you can actually enjoy it.

This isn’t a ranked list. It’s more of a personal tour from a guy who lives on the west side, e-bikes to beer gardens, and has spent two decades figuring out the best places to drink outside in this city. If you’re visiting or if you’ve lived here for years and want some new spots, here’s where I’d send you.

Red Leg Brewing Company, The Beer Garden Near Garden of the Gods

This is my spot. Red Leg Brewing sits right on Garden of the Gods Road, just a couple minutes from the park entrance, and it has one of the best beer gardens in Colorado Springs. It’s casual, it’s laid back, and on a nice afternoon there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

The outdoor area is spacious, picnic tables, string lights, food trucks rotating through on weekends. They’ve got a solid lineup of craft beers, and the vibe is just right. Not trying to be fancy, not trying to be a scene. Just good beer outside with good people. I e-bike there as part of my regular loop, and it’s become one of those anchor spots that makes living on this side of town so great.

Here’s a practical tip: Red Leg has a big dirt parking lot, and on weekends it fills up fast. If you’re driving, go on a weekday and you’ll have plenty of space. If you’re pulling an RV, same advice, weekdays are fine, but weekends would be tight. The best move is to ride a bike or e-bike there, which is what I do. You skip the parking problem entirely and you’ve earned your beer.

After your beer, you’re right there near Garden of the Gods, easily the most beautiful free park in America. Combine the two and you’ve got one of the best afternoons in Colorado Springs.

More Great Outdoor Drinking Spots Around the Springs

Red Leg is my go-to, and Cerberus is another regular stop of mine. This city is stacked with great places to drink outside, so here are a few more well-reviewed local spots worth checking out, even the ones I haven’t made a habit of yet.

OCC Brewing, Old Colorado City

The OCC Brewing rooftop is a local favorite for good reason. It’s right in Old Colorado City on West Colorado Avenue, and the rooftop patio has direct views of Pikes Peak, regularly called one of the best brewery views in the state.

OCC keeps a nice rotation of beers on tap, and Old Colorado City itself is worth the trip, galleries, shops, restaurants, and the Saturday farmers market in summer. Make a whole afternoon out of it.

Bristol Brewing Company, The Ivywild School

Bristol moved into the old Ivywild School building years ago, and it’s one of the coolest brewery setups in Colorado. They took a 1916 elementary school, kept the character, and turned it into a community gathering spot with food vendors, a coffee shop, and Bristol’s taproom.

The outdoor courtyard is the sweet spot, you’re sitting in what used to be the school playground, surrounded by old brick and mature trees. Bristol has been a Colorado Springs institution since 1994, and their Laughing Lab Scottish Ale has picked up multiple awards over the years.

Cerberus Brewing Company

Cerberus sits just west of downtown on West Colorado Avenue and they do things differently, full brewpub with a serious kitchen, not just a taproom with food trucks. The patio is big, comfortable, and well-maintained with shade coverage for summer and heaters for fall evenings.

The beer selection is solid and they’re not afraid to experiment. If you want good food with your beer without relying on whatever food truck happens to be outside, Cerberus is your spot.

Goat Patch Brewing Company

Goat Patch Brewing has built a great outdoor drinking space, and the patio is dog-friendly, which earns them a lot of loyalty in this city. Colorado Springs people love their dogs almost as much as they love their mountains.

It’s known among locals for quality over quantity in its beer lineup, and it’s grown fast in the last few years, with taprooms around the north end of town, so check their site for the current location and hours before you head over.

Fossil Craft Beer Company

Fossil sits on the west side on Ore Mill Road, and it has a comfortable patio with a relaxed neighborhood feel. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to attract tourists, it’s a spot where locals go to have a beer outside after work.

The beer is well-crafted and they keep a nice variety on tap. If you’re staying on the west side near Garden of the Gods and want a low-key outdoor drinking spot without driving across town, Fossil is a great choice.

Best Time to Drink Outside in the Springs

Colorado Springs gets over 300 days of sunshine a year, so the outdoor drinking season is long. But there’s a rhythm to it that locals know and visitors usually don’t.

Summer (June through August): Mornings and early afternoons are ideal. Almost every summer day, the afternoon thunderstorms roll in somewhere between 2:00 and 4:00 PM. They usually pass quickly, 30 to 45 minutes of rain and then blue sky again, but if you’re sitting on a patio with no cover, you’re going to get wet. Plan your outdoor beers for before 2:00 PM or after 5:00 PM and you’ll be fine.

Fall (September and October): This is the sweet spot. The afternoon storms taper off, the temperatures are in the 60s and 70s, the air is crisp, and the light turns golden. Fall evenings on a patio in Colorado Springs are as good as it gets anywhere. This is my favorite time of year to be outside with a beer.

Spring (March through May): Beautiful but unpredictable. You might have a 75-degree day in March followed by snow the next day. Check the forecast before you commit to a patio, but when the weather cooperates, spring days here are gorgeous. The warmth feels earned after winter.

Winter (November through February): You’d be surprised. We get plenty of sunny winter days in the 40s and 50s, and with direct sun and no wind, a south-facing patio can feel downright comfortable. Layer up and bring a jacket. Several of these breweries have patio heaters that make winter outdoor drinking totally doable.

E-Biking to the Beer Garden

I mentioned this earlier, but I want to spend a minute on it because it’s genuinely one of my favorite things about living here. I e-bike to Red Leg Brewing as part of a regular loop, and it’s changed how I think about going out for a beer.

When you drive to a brewery, it’s transactional. When you ride there on an e-bike, the whole thing becomes an experience. You’re cruising through neighborhoods, cutting through trails, feeling the sun and the breeze. By the time you get to the beer garden, you’ve already had an adventure. The beer is just the reward.

At 6,035 feet of elevation, Colorado Springs is not the easiest place to ride a regular bike. The hills and the thin air will humble you fast. An e-bike takes the suffering out of it, pedal assist on the climbs, more distance without exhaustion. I’m over 50 and I ride 20 to 25 miles without thinking twice, because the motor does the hard parts.

Red Leg is perfect for this because it’s right on Garden of the Gods Road, easy to access from the west side trail system. I ride there, lock up the bike, have a beer or two, and ride home. No parking stress, no worrying about a second beer, just a great afternoon.

Just Go Outside and Have a Beer

Look, I’m not going to overcomplicate this. Colorado Springs is one of the best places in the country to sit outside with a drink. The weather is almost always cooperating, the brewery scene is thriving, and the scenery, whether it’s red rocks, Pikes Peak, or just the Front Range skyline, makes every patio feel special.

If you’re visiting, start at Red Leg near Garden of the Gods and work your way around. If you live here and you’ve been going to the same spot for years, try something new from this list. And if you’ve got an e-bike, ride to your next beer, trust me, it makes the whole thing better.

This city was built for being outside. Might as well have a cold beer while you’re at it.

Colorado Springs Beer Garden FAQ

What’s the best beer garden near Garden of the Gods?

Red Leg Brewing on Garden of the Gods Road is the closest, just a couple of minutes from the park entrance. It has a big, casual beer garden with picnic tables, string lights, and food trucks rotating through on weekends. Ride a bike or e-bike there on a weekend and you skip the parking crunch entirely.

Are Colorado Springs beer gardens dog-friendly?

A lot of them are. Goat Patch Brewing is a local favorite for bringing your dog along, and dog-friendly patios are common around town. Policies change, so it’s worth a quick check of the brewery’s own site before you go.

When is the best time to sit on a patio in Colorado Springs in the summer?

Plan your outdoor beers for before 2:00 PM or after 5:00 PM. Almost every summer afternoon, thunderstorms roll in between about 2:00 and 4:00, usually passing in 30 to 45 minutes. Fall, from September into October, is the real sweet spot: the storms taper off and the evenings are perfect.

About the Author: Dominic has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. He spent his career in IT and chose the Springs for its scenery, sunshine, and outdoor lifestyle. He lives on the west side, 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.

Best Beer Gardens & Outdoor Bars in Colorado Springs

There’s Something About Drinking a Cold Beer With Red Rock Formations in the Background

Red Leg Brewing Company, The Beer Garden Near Garden of the Gods