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Family Travel / Ski

Colorado Spring Break Vacation Ideas and Deals!

Colorado Spring Break Vacation Ideas and Deals!

Warmer temperatures, blue-bird skies, stellar snow conditions and an itinerary packed with one-of-a-kind events and activities ensure Colorado is the perfect setting for an unforgettable spring break vacation. Whether it’s the whole family looking for downhill thrills or fun on the ranch, Colorado is the perfect destination to welcome a new season of fresh adventures. 

Staying closer to home? Don’t miss Spring Break in Denver 2017: Over 50 Activities Listed

Ski Swim Stay (Glenwood Springs). For families with pre-teen children in tow, Sunlight Mountain Resort gives parents an affordable skiing excursion where kids 12 and younger ski free with a paying adult. After conquering the slopes, there’s no better way to après than at the world’s largest hot springs pool. The Ski Stay Swim Package lets families choose from several hotels that all offer a free shuttle to and from Sunlight Mountain and many are within an easy walk of Glenwood’s historic downtown.
 
Kids Ski Free (Crested Butte). Crested Butte has long been my favorite resort town in Colorado and their Spring Break does not disappoint. Beginning April 1 through closing day (April 9), kids 12 and under ski free; no strings attached, no parent ticket required, no lodging stay required, no advance reservations, just a good ole free ticket for the littlest rippers. From Camp CB (the resort’s kids’ ski and ride school) to the Adventure Park that includes the tubing hill to a rock-climbing wall, miniature golf and bungee trampolines, there is plenty of fun. On Saturday, March 18, the seventh annual Ski Town Break Down is a spring celebration with live music featuring the Colorado jamgrass revolutionaries, Leftover Salmon. If you want to dump errr drop the kids off, they’ll love Kid’s Night Out while Mom and Dad take on the town.
 
Spring Break on the Ranch (Granby). From March 12 to April 9, C Lazy U Ranch will offer everyone from young students to older couples the chance to relax and participate in some last-minute snow activities such as sledding, ice skating, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and more. A modified kid’s program allows families to eat together, while parents get some alone time in-between meals. As an all inclusive resort, guests can relax as they know meals, activities and lodging are all covered in nightly rates.
 
No School, Kids Rule (Colorado Springs). Available March 17 to April 4, Cheyenne Mountain Resort’s No School, Kids Rule camp inspired experience invites families to forge a new adventure from on‐property movie nights, games and gourmet campfire s’mores to off‐property treks at the only mountain zoo in the United States. At the resort, guests can also explore over 200 scenic acres, swim a few laps, play a game of golf or relax at the Alluvia Spa & Wellness Retreat.
 
Late-season fun (Aspen). There are some great deals and a whole lot of fun in March. The 16th annual Bud Light Spring Jam, the premier spring festival in the Rocky Mountains, will bring two weeks of competitions, downtown concerts and parties to Aspen Snowmass.  Another great options is The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), which is a non-profit environmental science education organization that offers fantastic programs for children and adults.
 
Night Bike Tours (Winter Park). A combination of skiing and mountain biking, ski biking offers an alternative to skiing and snowboarding down the slopes. On Friday and Saturday nights from mid-December to late March, Night Bike Tours are available for two hours of night riding. It’s the perfect way to see the mountain in a whole different light. Tours include a guide, ski bike rental, orientation, gondola lift access, helmet, headlight, glasses and visibility vest.
 
Bird Watching (Monte Vista). With reduced foliage during the early spring months, birds and other wildlife species are easier to spot across the state. During the second weekend in March, the Monte Vista Crane Festival hosts wildlife experts, local naturalists and biologists who present educational workshops, while flocks of dancing sandhills assemble in the neighboring farm fields. Bus tours to the nearby refuge and adjacent farmlands provide visitors with the opportunity to view this spectacle up close and personal, with a knowledgeable local guide. 
 
YMCA of the Rockies (Estes Park and Granby). YMCA of the Rockies’ two locations–860-acre Estes Park Center and Snow Mountain Ranch’s 5,100-acre family ranch–have long been our favorite family getaways. Over spring break, enjoy tubing, ice skating under a covered pavilion, traditional sleigh rides, horseback riding, sledding, Nordic skiing, dog sledding and their line-up of special events like Mountaineering Weekend.
 
Art & History (Denver). Learn more about Denver’s landmark train station, which originally opened in 1881. Denver Union Station underwent a massive $54 million renovation in 2014 to re-open as home to the independent Crawford Hotel, plus an eclectic mix of 12 Colorado restaurants and retailers. The Denver Art Museum offers the Costume Studio, Create-n-Takes, and Family Activity Cart. General admission is free for kids 18 and younger; a special ticket is required for Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume.
 
Guided Adrenaline Adventure (Rocky Mountain National Park). The Stanley Hotel has teamed-up with world-renowned outfitter Kent Mountain Adventure Center, to offer the ultimate play and stay package. For those looking to learn something new, push their boundaries and capture a photo of a lifetime, the adrenaline package includes a full-day of guided backcountry skiing, frozen waterfall ice climbing or an avalanche awareness course. All packages include a Kent Mountain private guide, transportation, basic rental gear, park passes and a range of accommodation types at the Stanley Hotel.
 
National Parks. Peak season for Colorado’s four national parks runs from May to October, making the spring months an excellent time to take advantage of Colorado’s treasures before the rush of summer begins. Discover solitude atop North America’s tallest dunes at Great Sand Dunes, see why Black Canyon of the Gunnison is considered a dark-sky site with very little light pollution, perfect for winter-sky stargazing, imagine what life was like for the Ancestral Puebloans who called Mesa Verde home or take a ranger-led snowshoe ecology walk through Rocky Mountain National Park’s subalpine forest. 
 
Kayaks on Snow (Monarch). Many know kayaking to be a popular past-time during Colorado’s warmer months, but on April 15, those ready to brave the cold can enter the Kayaks on Snow race on Monarch Mountain. The custom course purposely includes banks and plenty of bumps for contestants, who race head-to-head, sliding down the icy path before ending in an icy pond.  
 
For more information, visit www.colorado.com.
Amber Johnson
Author: Amber Johnson

Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.

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Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.

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