Serenity Springs Wildlife Center
No billboards will anounce it's presence as you speed along US route 24 east of Colorado Springs. Yet the Serenity Springs Wildlife center is a unique attraction worthy of a short trip out into the Colorado plains.
Serenity Springs is a wildlife santuary that speciallizes in big cats. Frankly, seeing big cats in a zoo can be downright booring. They are typically sedentary in middle of the day when you are most likely to visit them. Often, they are hiding in the back of a very large enclosure. For better or worse, this is not the case at Serenity Springs. Here, they have dozens of large felines that have been abused, abandonded, or neglected by zoos, carnivals, and nieve private owners. All of these animals have been raised by humans and almost all of them are excited by your presense.
Visiting Serenity Springs is a unique experience. There is no other place that I know of that gives you the opportunity to get this close to these unique and beautiful animals. This is not a zoo. The only way to visit is to accompany a volunteer on a guided tour. During the tour, you are separated from the animals only by a chain link fence no more robust than what you might find in your typical back yard!
I am fortunate enough to have visited Africa, and have I seen lions and leaopards in the wild. In some ways, this is a more incredible experience in that you will get to see the animals up close, gaze into their eye's and hear their roar.
Make sure to plan you visit carefully, and read their web site before going. Their hours are limited and their location is obscure. I can assure you, you will not regret the trip.