We are hosting an out of town wedding at the Garden of the Gods Club and need a rehearsal dinner spot for about 100 people. Are there any outdoor venues nearby where we could have a casual cookout?

We stayed at the gorgeous Broadmoor Hotel and Resort that could house something to fit the casual cookout..
Love this place!

broadmoor.com

Flying W Ranch isn't too far from there and would fit your needs quite well. They're a well-known tourist attraction featuring cowboy singers, chuckwagon-style food, Old West storefronts, games, etc. They do rent out the place for private and corporate functions, though they'll want you done and out of there before their main dining time. They also have the option of dining outside or inside their dining hall, which would eliminate concerns about the weather. They're in a pretty location with lots of trees and interesting rock outcroppings. Their website is http://www.flyingw.com/

Thanks for the replies. The Flying W is very close by but can't accommodate us on a Friday night in the summer. I will check with the Broadmoor (I love that place), but they are probably a little too high end for us. Being out of towners makes it hard.

I've priced the Broadmoor for events and they are quite expensive. And the price doesn't go down all that much for simpler fair. Beautiful place, but priced accordingly.

Here's a couple of other alternatives to consider. There's a large park not far south of Garden of the Gods called Bear Creek Regional Park. It has several covered pavilions complete with grills and it is popular for family gatherings, corporate picnics, etc. You could cook on the spot or have it catered. I believe you can reserve places through the City Parks department.

Information can be found on the following page. (There's a pdf link at the bottom of the page for specifics about Bear Creek Park.) http://adm.elpasoco.com/NR/exeres/FB...,frameless.htm

Also, if you wanted to go more formal than a cookout, I'd recommend The Craftwood Inn in Manitou Springs. Relatively close to where you'll be and they can accommodate larger parties. Set in an old rustic house, their specialty is wild game like pheasant, buffalo, elk, salmon etc. The food is excellent and it gives the ambience of being in The West. We had a wedding rehearsal dinner there and it went off very well. Website is at http://www.craftwood.com/

Thank you, sundown. I will check out the park. I wonder if they allow beer and wine to be brought in 4 years ago? Ironically, my other daughter's rehearsal dinner was at the Craftwood Inn. It was lovely, but there were only about 40 people involved vs. 80ish. It seems that everyone charges about the same - $35-40. But this is a party crowd and alcohol would probably double that amount.

The kids have decided on Phantom Canyon Brewery for their rehearsal dinner due to its moderate prices. Any reviews of this place?

Fun choice. Consistently excellent food and beer. It's widely seen as being one of the better casual restaurants in town. The pot roast is exceptional and the entire menu does a great job of having items that don't seem out of place in a brew pub, but are distinctive from what every other place offers.

It's in a historic historic building downtown. Lowest level is the bar and dining, second floor is a billiards hall, and the third floor is seating for special events.