Family Travel

Check-out oodles of adventures in Colorado including where to find the best family travel getaways & Denver kid friendly activities.

These Colorado swimming pools make summer vacation a cool destination

“Which way to the pool?” For families with children, certainly for mine, it’s the most pressing question at check-in. Pools can make or break your summer vacation. Despite all the adventuresome, enlightening and awe-inspiring events on your schedule, a water feature can turn out to be the highlight of a trip. Sometimes the right pool can even be your destination. The draw of sparkling-blue, chlorinated water is why we haven’t taken our 6- and 8-year-old girls out of the country yet. (Well, that and we don’t have a few extra grand lying around.) If we took them on a European tour now, I imagine they’d be asking, “Why doesn’t the 18th-century castle we’re staying in have a pool?”

Family-friendly Colorado: Top places to take the kids around the state

When I moved to the Colorado Rockies from New York City 19 years ago, I couldn’t get enough of the new-to-me outdoor lifestyle here. I bought a bunch of secondhand Patagonia clothing, rode my first mountain bike and visited my first national park. Six years later, when I became a mom, I had no intention of ending outdoor explorations of my adopted state. Sure enough, my daughter camped for the first time when she was 2 months old, in a tent in the woods near Leadville. My sturdy son climbed the log ladders to reach Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park when he was just a toddler. I want my kids to grow up appreciating all of the treasures in their backyard — from our high-mountain peaks to our powerful whitewater rivers to our cowboy heritage. Not one to eschew man-made thrills, I...

Come Hail or High Water: Our Family’s Shortest (and worst) Camping Trip

I have tried to instill a love of nature in my kids–just last week we went hiking four times, my daughter recently returned from YMCA of the Rockies’ traditional overnight Camp Chief Ouray and at the end of July they’re both enrolled in Avid4Adventure’s Survival Skills Camp. We are an outdoor-loving family! But my favorite childhood memories are of camping and that is one area in which we’ve fallen short with my own family.  There is nothing like the sense of community at campgrounds, playing with new BFFs, eating tin foil dinners and s’mores, exploring and exploring some more, and telling stories around the campfire. Here’s a recap of our camping trips since having kids. Trip 1: Hadley had just turned 1 and was a horrible sleeper so she wailed all...

Events: Colorado Renaissance Festival, Indepence Day and More!

Colorado Renaissance Festival. June 15-August 4, 2013 (weekends only), flash back to the 16th Century and journey through a medieval city. Enjoy full-armor jousting, tasty turkey legs, music and a marketplace featuring more than 200 artisans. The Colorado Renaissance Festival goes from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m., tickets are $8-18.95. 650 W. Perry Park Ave.,Larkspur, CO 80118. http://coloradorenaissance.com/ Looking for ideas for the 4th of July? Don’t miss Fourth of July shows, events in Colorado and cancellations as well as these 10 ways to celebrate as well as the following: Independence Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park. July 3, Civic Center Park (Broadway and Colfax), Denver, 8 p.m. The fourth annual Independence Eve Celebration will feature a free patriotic concert by The Colorado Sy...

Fourth of July shows, events in Colorado (and fireworks cancellations)

Fourth of July celebrations around Colorado will have all the traditional features such as hot dogs, parades, American flags and apple pies, but many will lack the holiday’s staple fireworks. That’s because several cities and counties have enacted fire bans making fireworks illegal, as well as, canceled their public shows. Most cities in Alamosa County, Douglas County, El Paso County and Jefferson County are adhering to bans and not allowing residents to part take in private use of fireworks. Other municipalities like Boulder, Denver and Pueblo will keep the same public restrictions but have pyrotechnicians host shows. Below is a partial list of where and when firework displays around Colorado are taking place and public restrictions:

Summer Fun at The Beaver Creek Rodeo

My kids were convulsing with laughter. We were at a rodeo on a cool, Colorado mountain night and a big ornery bull was misbehaving. Circling the arena, the bull avoided the cowboys trying to lead him back to his stall. Instead, he was bucking and jiving, kicking and snorting and doing all those bad bull things. Then the rodeo clown let him have it. “Hey bull,” he yelled. “Did you know your mama is a cow and your sister is a heifer?” The crowd roared. Cowboys and Greenhorns  Bull riding was the last event of the night at the Beaver Creek rodeo and we were primed after a hour or so of good old-fashioned entertainment. The evening’s first event was Bronc Busting, where cowboys try to ride an impossibly agile horse for 8 seconds. No cowboy stayed on, but the event got the crowd warm...

Colorado’s Nearly Perfect Playgrounds

We are lucky to have several stellar playgrounds and parks in Colorado. It seems like every city or suburb wants to out-do each other. With each new playground opening, families are the winners in this fierce competition. But still, I dream of the Ultimate Playground, with all the best features brought together in one astonishing configuration of fun. Here are the best features of the best playgrounds in Colorado. If recreation planners took each element, they could build a super-playground. It may even be able to fold itself into a massive crime-fighting robot given the right conditions. The Perfect Playground has Water Features: It seems like every new playground includes fountains. They go by different names, including splash pads, spray-grounds, band-aid looseners, and place-to-get-you...

Events: Backyard Campout, Chocolate Festival, Wild West Day and More!

Great American Backyard Campout. On June 22, 2013, thousands of people across the nation will gather in their backyards, neighborhoods, communities and parks to take part in a one-night free event that is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. The event encourages an experience for all generations to connect with nature. Go here to register for free, find a campsite and learn more about the program. www.nwf.org/great-american-backyard-campout. Make Music Denver. Who’s playing? The word is out and Make Music Denver on June 21 is a fun event whether you are participating or just listening. Over 90 bands and performers performed last year and they expect even more this year. Remember that even if you do not pre-register you can still come down and pick a spot on the 16th Street Mall t...

Events: Father’s Day, BBQ Challenge, Kingdom Days, Greek Festival and More!

Need ideas for Father’s Day? Be sure to go here for a listing of events.  Breckenridge’s Kingdom Days, June 14-16, brings a robust lineup of free activities including blacksmithing demos, gold panning, historic hikes and more. The annual Outhouse Races, the centerpiece of the weekend, showcases competitors rolling down Main Street to vie for the Gold Throne, Silver Moon or Bronze Bucket awards. “Open House on History” tours of Breckenridge historic sites are FREE during Kingdom Days – explore the house of an escaped slave-turned-prominent businessman, pan for gold and much more. Call (970) 453-9767 to reserve space on guided tours; visit www.GoBreck.com for all other event information. The Town of Frisco will host its 20th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge in Frisco, Colorado, June 13-15...

Denver FREE Days Fall/Winter 2013

In addition to the many free concerts, festivals and events during the summer, our community facilities (supported by YOUR tax dollars) have free days as well! Plus, don’t forget to scroll all the way to the bottom to see the locations that are open on a monthly/daily/regular basis. Be sure to double-check with the venue because these dates are subject to change. JUNE Saturday, June 1-3 – Denver Chalk Festival Saturday, June 1 – Denver Art Museum Saturday, June 1 – Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Saturday, June 1 – Arvada Trails Day Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2 – Free Fishing Weekend  (fish without a fishing license) Sunday, June 2 – Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys Tuesday, June 4 – Children’s Museum of Denver ...

Save money and sanity on a road trip with kids

Considering a road trip this summer? Colleen Lanin is the founder of travelmamas.com and author of The Travel Mamas’ Guide and offers these suggestions for keeping the drive fun and affordable. Don’t overdo it Keep in mind that children do not have the patience for super-long road trips that you might. Even if you know how to get to your destination, look up your route online and develop a rough plan for when to stop to play and explore along the way. Eat on the go Snacks keep children entertained (and quiet!) while traveling. Bring along lots of healthy items like whole-grain crackers and cereals, trail mix and sliced fresh fruits and veggies. Keep fights to a minimum by giving each child their own snack bag. To save money and time, consider eating meals…. Read more: Sav...

Events: National Get Outdoors Day, El Jebel Shrine Circus and More

El Jebel Shrine Circus. On June 7-9, the Great American Circus is in town. The circus is a combination of strength & skill, beauty & mystery. With amazing lighting and sound, watch as their human and animal performers transform you into the magical world of circus. The circus is a fun family adventure that is for everyone.Tickets are $14-35 and the event is at the 1stBank Center. 11450 Broomfield Lane, Broomfield. http://www.denvercircus.net/schedule.php Theatre-Hikes Colorado. June 8 and 9 11 a.m.; June 15 and 16 10:30 a.m.; June 23, 10:30 a.m. Join Theatre-Hikes Colorado for an exciting retelling of “Snow White” by Marjorie Sokokoff where audience and actors take a moderate hike amidst the scenic backdrop of Boulder Open Space while scenes from “Snow White” are performed along th...