What to do with kids in Colorado Springs over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by two museums, zoos and play places: none of them opens on Christmas Day. Plus five dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.
Dec 24 · Dec 25 · Jan 1
Holiday hours from each place’s own page, side by side. Many are standing rules (“closed Christmas Day”) that hold year to year, but a quick check that morning is worth it.
“Not posted” means the place’s own page doesn’t say. Call or check the morning of.
Day by day
Pick a day to see what’s on. Many places close early on Dec 24 and Dec 31, so check each card’s times.
Chapel Hills Mall · 1710 Briargate Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Good to know: Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot).
The Citadel Mall · 750 Citadel Drive East, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Good to know: Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 2 evenings (Nov 30, Dec 7).
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo · 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, CO
Good to know: The zoo’s lights festival, ranked among the best zoo lights in North America by USA Today 10Best readers.
Pikes Peak International Raceway · 16650 Midway Ranch Rd, Fountain, CO 80817
Good to know: Drive-through LED scenes, plus a holiday village stop with Santa.
Acacia Park · Downtown
Good to know: The area’s only outdoor ice rink. Schedule, special events and tickets are on the Downtown Colorado Springs site.
Nothing posted for New Year’s Eve yet. Noon Year’s Eve events usually post in late November.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo · 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, CO
Good to know: The zoo’s lights festival, ranked among the best zoo lights in North America by USA Today 10Best readers.
Pikes Peak International Raceway · 16650 Midway Ranch Rd, Fountain, CO 80817
Good to know: Drive-through LED scenes, plus a holiday village stop with Santa.
Rainy-day backup
These don’t post holiday hours yet, so check before you go. More on our indoor play page.
Keep planning
November: things to do in COSEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in COSEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in COSFree days, free events and places that never chargeIndoor play in COSIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Library storytimes in COSBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in COSHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Thanksgiving weekend in COSParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Christmas parades in COSParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
The Nutcracker in COSBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in COSChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Splash pads in COSSpraygrounds with addresses and last season’s hours
This week in COSDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
Of the two places we checked, none posts Christmas Day hours as open; Garden of the Gods Park and Western Museum of Mining & Industry are closed. A park or a drive past the lights is the easy plan.
On the calendar: Santa Photos at Chapel Hills Mall and Santa Photos at The Citadel Mall.
None of the places that post New Year’s Day hours says it’s open.
On the calendar for Jan 1: Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Magic of Lights at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.
Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Magic of Lights at Pikes Peak International Raceway and Skate in the Park. Check each one’s calendar for the exact nights; some close on certain days.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 21, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in COS, through the holidays.
