Taking the Kids: To Olympic City

Welcome to Olympic City. Not Paris, where the quadrennial 2024 summer games open July 26. Olympic City USA is Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Fun fact: This is the first time the Olympics will be in Paris since 1924.

We picked up that fun fact and many others at the 60,000- square-foot United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, the second largest city in Colorado and about an hour south of Denver, that has adopted the moniker “Olympic City.”

Besides the terrific museum, Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center where some 15,000 athletes train every year. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee is headquartered in Colorado Springs as are more than two dozen national governing bodies and paralympic sport organizations.

During a tour of the training center campus, led by elite athlete Anne Cover, we watched wrestlers – men and women – train, as well as paralympians, in a massive weight room and also watched shooters practice. “We used to feel like animals in the zoo when people watched us, and now I’m doing the same thing,” said former Olympian Emily Shertzer, who was taking the tour, showing her partner where she had lived and trained for three years before the Beijing Olympics.

Another interesting fact: The United States is one of only four nations where the government doesn’t support Olympic athletes.

(Opt for the Podium Package, a joint ticket for the guided tour of the Training Center and admission to the Olympic and Paralympic museum, saving 20 percent on tickets – $38.95 for adults and $24.95 for youth 5 to 12, $32.95 for seniors, military, first-responders, educators and healthcare workers.)

Cheer on Team USA during the Paris Summer Fest at the museum where you can meet Olympic and Paralympic athletes, watch the events on the museum’s 40-foot screen and test your mettle against champions at the six interactive sports exhibits. See the collection of Olympic torches and medals.

In downtown Colorado Springs, the newly renovated historic (the building dates from 1902) Mining Exchange Hotel just launched its “Go for the Gold Package,” which includes a welcome drink at the Golden Hour, the hotel’s indoor-outdoor courtyard bar, two tickets to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum and a $50 credit to BLK MGK, the hotel’s on-site coffee shop, where we enjoyed excellent sandwiches in the comfy space. Relax and play a board game!

You might meet former or aspiring Olympians and Paralympians hiking or biking. The Manitou Incline is well-known for its 2,000-foot elevation gain over less than one mile up 2,768 steps, one of the most challenging trails in the country. Other challenging trails include cycling routes in the free Gardens of the Gods Park and up and down Pikes Peak (There’s also a Pikes Peak Cog Railway to reach the Summit Visitor Center.)

Another fun fact: Poet Katherine Lee Bates was so inspired by the views that in 1893 she penned the poem “America the Beautiful”. That poem, of course, later became one of our most popular patriotic songs.

For those curious about the history of this region, the free Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum has just reopened following a year-long $8 million renovation. There is a new Camping in the Rockies play space where young kids can practice camping and a new 50 percent off deal for “The Story: Women Expressing Creativity” exhibit showcasing how women have always told their stories through art and creativity.

Garden of the Gods Park has miles of bicycle-friendly trails ranging from paved to unpaved for both road bikes and mountain bikes, as well as plenty of hiking trails, Segway tours, rock climbing and horseback riding amid the famous red rock formations.

Learn about the ancient Olympics, as well as the origins of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games at the museum. The galleries showcase Team USA athletes and their journeys to the games. Engage virtually with Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Famers by searching inductee profiles by name, year, or sport to view their remarkable highlights and impressive achievements.

With the help of the comprehensive, interactive athlete map, guests can learn everything they want to know about each Team USA athlete throughout history.

Test your mettle against famous Olympians like Jesse Owens in track and field, your aim in archery, your balance in Alpine skiing, as well as your balance in skeleton.

See athletes’ gear worn when they won, like Serena Williams’ signed tennis ball and John Register’s prosthetic leg decorated with American flags that helped him win silver in the long jump at the Sydney Paralympic Games.

“It is really cool to learn all of the history before the Olympics, and what it takes to be an Olympian,” said Emmalyn Wilson, 15, visiting with her family from Indianapolis. A softball player, she’s glad softball and baseball will return to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I liked seeing the highest level of sports,” added her brother, Everett,12.

It’s certainly not easy to make it to the games, visitors like the Wilson kids learn. Every year, the museum exhibits note, nearly a half- million athletes compete at the collegiate level. Hundreds of thousands more participate in other regional competitions. But only a handful will be selected to represent America at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Visitors can scan their passes at certain exhibits for a deeper dive.

Another fun fact: A new sport this year is “Break,” break dancing, especially popular in France, and the first dancing competition in the summer games.

Becoming Your Personal Best (BYPB) is a museum program built to help today’s youth as they face incredible challenges, connecting them to Olympians and Paralympian mentors who share their own powerful stories of resilience.

Throughout the museum are inspiring thoughts from athletes like Serena Williams, who won four gold medals in three Olympics. “It doesn’t matter what your background is and where you come from,” she said. “If you have dreams and goals, that’s all that matters.”

Go, TEAM USA!

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)