Manitou Springs sits four miles west of Colorado Springs via Highway 24. From Colorado Springs, you can take the Pikes Peak Trolley (Mountain Metro Transit Route 3) from downtown to Manitou Avenue — it runs regularly and avoids the parking headache. By car from Denver, take I-25 south to Colorado Springs and follow the signs west on Highway 24; the total drive is about seventy miles and takes just over an hour in normal traffic.
The nearest commercial airport is Colorado Springs Airport (COS), about fifteen minutes east by car. Denver International Airport (DEN) is the main regional hub, roughly ninety minutes north. Car rental is available at both airports and is essentially required to reach Manitou Springs independently, though the trolley connection from downtown Colorado Springs works if you are already in the city.