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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- I'm mesmerized and terrified at the same time.
I'm standing at the top of a steep metal staircase, preparing to descend along Seven Falls, one of the most stunning waterfalls in Colorado. Looking down to the bottom of the falls stirs a tinge of vertigo. So I stare at my feet instead while gripping the two handrails tightly - one step at a time. Everything is wet from the splashing, raging water. A group of young summer campers who've just passed me on the stairs are singing Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" as they scamper back onto solid ground. I feel ya, kids.
Feelings of fear aren't usually on the menu when staying at a five-star golf resort, but The Broadmoor isn't just another golf resort. Guests can mix the resort's legendary pampering with rugged outdoor adventures in the nearby mountains.
The Broadmoor, home to 784 rooms, suites, cottages and more, remains America's most prestigious mountain playground. Almost every "who's who" of the last century - presidents, celebrities, athletes, etc. - has visited. Hosting the 2025 U.S. Senior Open on its East Course June 26-29 adds another feather in its golf cap. The United States Golf Association has already announced the championship will return to The Broadmoor in 2031 and 2037.
If you're looking for the most perfect weekend blending equal parts nature, golf and getting spoiled, there's no better place. Here's how my wife and I did it earlier this month:
Staying in style at The Broadmoor
If you can't get a direct flight into Colorado Springs, flying into Denver provides relatively easy access to The Broadmoor. It's a straightforward 90-minute drive to Colorado Springs, home of the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Before afternoon check-in, we stopped to explore the nearby "Garden of the Gods". The free walking trails are paved, so it's a leisurely stroll to enjoy the towering red rock formations.
Not even the Garden of the Gods, however, can top the scenery at The Broadmoor - inside or out. Our room overlooked Cheyenne Lake, which separates the East and West buildings on what feels like a sprawling campus. My wife remarked that The Broadmoor's architecture, sitting against a backdrop of imposing Cheyenne Mountain, reminded her of Italy, where we honeymooned all those years ago.
Every hallway and every room tells a story at The Broadmoor. These photos show off its history and character better than I ever could with words. Here are my five favorite places at the resort's main campus:
While we were too early in the summer season to dine at the Michelin-starred Penrose Room, we still ate like royalty.
The Golden Bee remains my favorite golf resort bar in the world. You're not a real golfer until you've been "stung" by a waitress/waiter who throws a souvenir bee that sticks to your clothing. Most golf resort bars serve similar menus or a listless atmosphere. Not the Golden Bee.
As good as the bolognese pasta at Ristorante Del Lago and the breakfast buffet at the Lake Terrace Dining Room both were, lunch at the 1858 Restaurant at the base of Seven Falls topped them all. Probably because food tastes better after such an adrenaline-fueled hike. Seven Falls is called the "grandest mile of scenery in Colorado" with good reason. After the 20-minute hike through a stunning box canyon to the base of the 181-foot falls, those who climb the 224 steps to the top and back again have earned a fine meal. Fees to see the falls are $24 per person, and reservations are required at 1858. Shuttles run between the resort and falls, although my wife and I walked the extra mile between them to collect a few more steps.
While some luxury resorts might feel too glamorous to bring the kids, The Broadmoor isn't one of them. There's a bowling alley in the West Building and a large outdoor pool complex located on one side of Cheyenne Lake. The spa, located on the opposite side, allows guests who haven't booked a treatment to enjoy its saunas, steam and oxygen rooms for a surcharge. We used the facilities as one last reset before we checked out.
Since my wife doesn't play golf, I've been searching for something else we can enjoy together besides hiking. An hour-long pickleball lesson at The Broadmoor Tennis & Pickleball Club might have solved our problem. Our instructor taught us the game's rules (stay out of the kitchen!) and strategy. We had so much fun that we're already shopping for paddles.
Name any form of entertainment or outdoor activity - fly fishing, camping, whitewater rafting, falconry - chances are, The Broadmoor has it.
Playing golf at The Broadmoor
If you're still not sold that the Broadmoor stands with Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and Bandon Dunes (and a few select others) as one of America's most inspiring golf trips, maybe watching the U.S. Senior Open will convince you. The Broadmoor, which is hosting its ninth USGA Championship this week, is one of just seven clubs to have held a U.S. Amateur, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open.
TV Schedule
NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock will provide live broadcast coverage of the 45th U.S. Senior Open Championship. Rolex is the exclusive presenting partner of coverage for several USGA championships, including the U.S. Senior Open, which will finish without commercial interruptions. All times are mountain.
Thursday, June 26 - 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Peacock). 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Friday, June 27 - 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Peacock). 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Saturday, June 28 - Noon-4 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, June 29 - Noon-4 p.m. (NBC)
Like the hotel, the clubhouse decor masterfully tells this history. The fact that it houses the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame gives it even stronger golf museum vibes.
I've already written an in-depth review of the iconic East Course, which is hosting its third senior major in addition to two prior U.S. Women's Opens and the 1959 U.S. Amateur won by Jack Nicklaus. Read it here:
The West Course is no slouch, either, having hosted the 1967 U.S. Amateur. Each course features holes from both Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones Sr., twisting up and down, side by side, on the mountain slopes. I've found the resort's 6,400 feet of elevation doesn't really give much of an advantage of hitting it farther because so many holes play uphill.
The Ross 18 dates to 1918 before the entire property was rerouted when the RTJ holes were built in 1952. But you wouldn't really know that holes from each course were designed by completely different architects from separate time periods based on how well everything fits together. Other than the fact you're in a golf cart, the entire round feels timeless. Although there are a few water hazards, it's the penal rough, angles off the doglegs, deep bunkers and perplexing greens that provide a thorough examination of your golf game.
And, if you fail the test - like I do every time - there's always the spa.
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