COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – Standing at the gateway to the Rocky Mountains is The Broadmoor – one of the West’s most historic and iconic resorts. Originally a casino in the late 1800’s, when real cowboys roped up their horses for a getaway of drinking and gambling, the property became a luxury resort that opened in 1918.

Today The Broadmoor offers a new kind of uniquely Western experience – one where you can still get your hands dirty but also manicured at the spa. Situated on 5,000 acres, The Broadmoor has a trio of luxe wilderness properties (Cloud Camp, Fly Fishing Camp, and The Ranch at Emerald Valley) and three attractions: The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Seven Falls and The Broadmoor Soaring Adventures zip line experience.

One can spend the day fly fishing; horseback riding; hiking; exploring the ancient sport of falconry (even hunting with the majestic birds); on a Wild West adventure with archery, pellet guns and tomahawk throwing; or out on an authentic cattle drive via the resort’s Ranch at Emerald Valley. 

Guests play “hide and seek” to first find the cattle, who move freely about on the open range, and then drive them onto their summer or winter pastures near the slopes of Pikes Peak – the peak that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to pen “America the Beautiful.” Back at The Ranch at Emerald Valley, luxurious cabins and a welcoming lodge sit amongst the surrounding 100,000 acres of mountain wilderness. (Rich furnishings and modern amenities keep this from resembling any 1800s facilities, quite thankfully.)

At The Ranch at Emerald Valley, cowboy cuisine reigns supreme, with “Cowboy Coffee” served each morning starting before dawn and a weekly cookout around a campfire (complete with entertainment – usually a Sam Elliott-esque gentleman with a guitar). Beyond the Ranch, The Broadmoor resort and its many restaurants give cowboys and the West their due, with dishes like Colorado trout and wagyu steak (raised exclusively on the resort’s own Eagles Nest Ranch) gracing the menus.

The Broadmoor campus itself has 17 restaurants, cafes and lounges; nearly 800 rooms, suites and private accommodations; a Forbes Five Star spa; two championship golf courses; award-winning tennis; and a myriad of additional activities like rock climbing, as well as a host of family-oriented programs for every season.

But what was true back in the Wild West days of Colorado is still true today. The Broadmoor mixes adventure with relaxed luxury and Western hospitality, framed by those stunning scenic views and inspiring mountains. And you certainly can’t get that on Netflix.