Forget downtown’s elbow-jostling waits—there’s a 1916 schoolhouse just five minutes south of Tejon where your next date night, birthday bash, or mid-week laptop session can taste as fresh as the farm it came from. Ivywild School has traded chalk dust for charcuterie, report cards for rotating tap lists, and the lunch bell for a courtyard farmers’ market—all while keeping its old brick charm and plenty of parking for everything from cruiser bikes to 25-ft motorhomes.
Key Takeaways
• A 1916 red-brick school now holds restaurants, shops, and fun spots just 5 minutes south of downtown Colorado Springs
• Most food travels less than 50 miles, so plates are fresh and farmers earn more
• Rooms got new jobs: cafeteria → Bristol Brewery, principal’s office → coffee & cocktail bar, gym → 150-seat Wildcat event hall
• Weekend courtyard market sells eggs, veggies, and crafts straight from local growers
• Free Wi-Fi and many outlets make weekday mornings laptop-friendly
• Parking fits bikes, cars, and 25-ft RVs; overflow spaces sit on nearby Navajo Street
• Easy to reach: 10–12 minutes from Pikes Peak RV Park by car, or a scenic bike path ride
• Wheelchair ramps, an elevator, and a kids’ menu welcome all ages and abilities
• Green practices include reused wood, compost bins, rain-watered plants, and spent grains fed to farm animals.
Curious how a shuttered elementary became Colorado Springs’ most talked-about farm-to-table playground?
• Discover why chefs here greet growers by first name—and how that ends up on your plate.
• Get the nitty-gritty on event spaces (yes, the Wildcat Room gym still scores extra credit).
• Map the quickest hop from Pikes Peak RV Park, plus the secret overflow lot locals use on packed Saturdays.
Bell’s ringing—class is in session. Let’s tour the tastiest renovation in the Springs before the next batch of Palisade-peach hand pies sells out.
From Chalk Dust to Craft Pints: A Quick Timeline
Ivywild first opened its doors in 1916, and the wide hallways, red-brick arches, and slate boards felt downright palatial to the neighborhood kids who filed through every morning. That century-old charisma survives today thanks to developers who resisted the wrecking ball and instead leaned into adaptive reuse, a story outlined in the school’s own official history. By retaining original brickwork and wood banisters, the new owners kept the soul of the building intact while giving it fresh swagger.
Fast-forward to 2013: after closing as an elementary in 2009, the property reinvented itself during a boisterous two-day celebration covered by grand opening reports. Brewery co-founder Mike Bristol cut a 24-foot sausage chain in place of ribbon, signaling that the campus would trade cafeteria nuggets for craft pints and charcuterie. Ten years later, Ivywild’s hallways host art shows, bread classes, and night markets that keep the building humming from dawn espresso pulls to last call.
Farm-to-Table, Front and Center
“Local” at Ivywild isn’t a marketing garnish; about 80 percent of ingredients travel fewer than 50 miles before landing on your plate. Partners like Venetucci Farm and Larga Vista Ranch deliver produce mere hours after harvest, so the kitchen can sling peach-burrata flatbreads that taste like summer sunshine and lamb sliders dripping with just-rendered juices. Short supply chains also slash carbon miles, keeping the project’s sustainability report card squeaky clean.
Menus shape-shift with Colorado’s seasons, turning root-veg hashes into winter comfort and sweet-corn street tacos into July’s darling. Chefs scrawl farm names on hallway chalkboards, so you’ll know exactly which neighbor grew that heirloom tomato or honeycrisp apple. The transparency fosters an almost farmers-market intimacy—diners often find themselves chatting with the very growers who delivered the morning’s haul.
Hall Pass: Exploring Each Room
Step into the former cafeteria and you’re met by Bristol Brewing’s 40-barrel system gleaming behind glass windows. Fermentation tanks hum beside repurposed lunch tables, and the spent grain returns to nearby ranches as livestock feed, completing a tidy sustainability loop. Each beer style nods to a piece of local lore, making every pint a liquid history lesson.
Wander farther and you’ll hit The Principal’s Office, a coffee-by-day, cocktail-by-night spot layered with reclaimed chalkboards and antique report cards. A few doors down, Gold Star Pies—recently profiled in a pastry feature—rolls out sweet and savory hand pies visible through street-facing windows. Finish with the Wildcat Room, once a squeaky-floor gym and now a 150-seat event hall kitted out with pro-level AV yet still sporting vintage backboards for character.
Which Ivywild Fits Your Mood?
Weekday mornings draw digital nomads seeking 100 Mbps Wi-Fi, abundant outlets, and baristas who remember regulars’ orders. By noon the crowd morphs into retirees swapping hiking stories over farmhouse-style salads and citrusy IPAs. Early afternoons stay conversational, thanks to thick rugs that dampen echoes lingering from the school’s chalk-board acoustics.
Evenings add a social buzz without tipping into chaos; live sets rarely exceed city decibel limits, giving families room to savor jackfruit tacos while teens eye the vintage foosball table. Tuesdays pour discounted pints for Teacher’s Happy Hour, and Saturday sunrise sees parents lining up for cinnamon-sugar hand pies before hitting Cheyenne Canyon trails. Whether you’re courting quiet productivity or a lively date night, timing lets you dial in the perfect atmosphere.
Straight Shot From Pikes Peak RV Park
Pikes Peak RV Park guests have options: a ten-minute drive via US-24 and 8th Street, a five-minute rideshare that spares you parking duty, or a breezy 30-minute pedal down Midland Trail that parallels Fountain Creek. The route is mostly flat, punctuated by cottonwood shade and postcard views of Pikes Peak—cruise in, lock up at the bike racks, and reward the ride with a cold Laughing Lab Scottish Ale.
Oversize rigs shouldn’t stress; Navajo Street, just behind Ivywild’s main lot, offers elongated parallel spots tailor-made for 25-foot Class C motorhomes. Standard sedans can snag up-front spaces, and cyclists get dedicated loops so wheels stay secure. Either way, transition from driver’s seat to bar stool takes less time than downing the first taster.
Pre- and Post-Adventure Playbook
Kick off the morning at 7 a.m. with a cortado and almond-flour coffee cake, then lace up for the Manitou Incline or a gentle Garden of the Gods stroll. By 10 a.m., the courtyard fills with farm stands hawking eggs, arugula, and small-batch kombucha, perfect for restocking your RV fridge.
Afternoons invite lazy enjoyment—spread out in the south-facing patio, pup at your feet, house-made ginger soda in hand. When golden hour hits, share a charcuterie board that doubles as dinner before catching a free bluegrass set under Edison-bulb string lights. By the time twilight settles, you’ll have forgotten downtown crowds ever existed.
Scoring Extra Credit With Private Events
The Wildcat Room’s original maple floors and soaring rafters deliver instant character, while modern AV ensures slideshows and speaker mics perform flawlessly. Seating tops out at 150, making the space intimate enough for micro-weddings yet roomy for corporate mixers. Sustainability remains baked in: reusable china, digital invitations, and compost bins keep trash bags light.
Booking is a breeze—submit date, headcount, and catering preferences, and the events team responds within 48 hours. Menus can run 80 percent Colorado-sourced, with vegan enchiladas as easily plated as brisket sliders. LED candles replace open flames, satisfying fire codes without dulling romance, and chalkboard signage saves you on printed foam-core.
The Sustainability Report Card
First up: adaptive reuse. By renovating rather than razing, Ivywild avoided thousands of tons of construction waste and preserved the thermal mass that keeps brick walls naturally temperate. Reclaimed gym flooring now forms tables, and door headers find new life as floating shelves, proving style can be circular.
Operationally, the campus composts kitchen scraps, harvests rooftop rainwater for native landscaping, and sorts glass, aluminum, and cardboard into clearly labeled bins. Even the brewing by-product gets a second act—local ranchers pick up nutrient-rich spent grain for livestock feed. That closed-loop philosophy makes every pint or pastry feel like a vote for the planet.
Ivywild proves a century-old brick school can ace modern hospitality, sustainability, and community—all just a 10-minute skip from our gates at Pikes Peak RV Park. Park your rig beside bubbling Fountain Creek, grab a trail map from our office, and make us your homeroom between brewery flights, courtyard markets, and Wildcat Room concerts. Ready for a field trip you won’t forget? Reserve your creek-side, full-hookup site today and let us be the easy A on your Colorado Springs itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How far is Ivywild School from Pikes Peak RV Park and what’s the simplest way to reach it?
A: The schoolhouse sits about four miles east of the park, so you’re looking at a ten-to-twelve-minute drive via US-24 and 8th Street; if you’d rather leave your rig leveled, rideshares usually arrive within five minutes, and cyclists can follow the Midland Trail for a scenic 30-minute pedal.
Q: Will my 25-foot motorhome fit in the parking area?
A: Oversize vehicles slide easily into the parallel spots along Navajo Street behind the main lot, a local overflow zone with enough length for Class C rigs and no tight turns, while standard cars can use the primary surface lot up front.
Q: Is Ivywild School wheelchair accessible?
A: Yes—ramps feed the front entrance, an elevator links every public floor, and ADA-equipped restrooms ensure guests using wheelchairs or walkers can navigate comfortably from brewery taps to bakery counters.
Q: Do I need reservations for dinner or drinks?
A: Walk-ins are welcome almost anytime, yet parties of eight or more—or anyone eyeing the Wildcat Room for a private celebration—should email or call at least a week ahead to guarantee seating, especially on summer weekends and during holiday markets.
Q: How “local” is the farm-to-table menu?
A: Roughly 80 percent of produce, meat, and dairy arrives from farms within 50 miles, meaning peaches are picked the same morning they hit your flatbread and Front Range lamb is delivered fresh twice weekly, cutting carbon miles while boosting flavor.
Q: Are there vegan, gluten-free, or kid-friendly dishes?
A: Absolutely—jackfruit street tacos, quinoa bowls, and almond-flour cookies cover plant-based and gluten-free eaters, while the Blue Star counter serves $8 grilled-cheese plates and fruit cups that keep younger appetites happy without blowing the budget.
Q: Can I post up with a laptop and decent Wi-Fi?
A: The Principal’s Office café opens at 7 a.m., offers free 100 Mbps Wi-Fi, plentiful outlets, and a staff totally cool with screens during off-peak hours; grabbing a second cortado or pastry around 10 a.m. is the unofficial rent for your seat.
Q: How loud does it get for retirees or families seeking a calmer vibe?
A: Mid-day windows from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. stay conversational, thanks to sound-dampening rugs in former classrooms, while evening live-music sets never exceed city decibel limits, so you can choose your preferred atmosphere by timing your visit.
Q: Can we tour the original classrooms and learn the building’s history?
A: Self-guided placards line the hallways, and staff often unlock the old library or music room on request when they’re not booked, giving history buffs a close look at century-old slate boards and trophy cases without booking a formal tour.
Q: What sustainability practices make Ivywild stand out?
A: Beyond the celebrated adaptive-reuse of the 1916 structure, the campus composts kitchen scraps, captures rooftop rainwater for native landscaping, recycles spent brewing grain as livestock feed, and defaults to real china and glassware for events to keep waste out of landfills.
Q: Does Ivywild host recurring events worth planning around?
A: Saturday courtyard farmers’ markets run May through October, Teacher’s Happy Hour pours discounted pints every Tuesday, and December’s holiday light show plus a craft bazaar transform the old gym into a festive marketplace for local artisans.
Q: How do I lock in the Wildcat Room for a birthday, mixer, or micro-wedding?
A: Send the events team an email with your date, headcount, and AV needs; they typically reply within 48 hours with pricing, an 80-percent Colorado-sourced catering menu, and a simple contract outlining deposit and minimum-spend details.
Q: Are pets allowed on the property?
A: Leashed dogs are welcome on the sunny south patio and at outdoor markets where water bowls are provided, though health regulations keep non-service animals out of indoor dining areas.