Family Travel

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

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Cooks up Kid’s Cooking Classes

As if there is not already enough to do in Beaver Creek in the winter. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa is stepping up a notch with teen and kids cooking classes. The team from the hotel  announced and sampled the new offering at the Hyatt in Downtown Denver last week. A gathering of writers and their children were treated to a Halloween and fall themed menu in which the kids were the chefs. They were instructed by Executive Chef Christian Apetz. The menu was well thought-out with the kids in mind – as desserts and yummy sweet drinks were made before the main entrees.

Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo: Exclusive Ski Deals, Interactive Exhibits & Curling?

Nothing gets us more in the mood for winter and ski season than when the snow finally flies. Next week, the 21st annual Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo opens for business on Nov. 2-4, 2012 in downtown Denver at the Colorado Convention Center in Hall F. As much a part of the early season ritual as opening day on the slopes, the gigantic sale is a magnet for shoppers on the prowl for skis, snowboards, boots, outdoor clothing, and essential accessories such as helmets, hats, goggles, and gloves. The reason: prices on last season’s inventory are marked down 40-75 percent. New this year, a section of the retail space will be dedicated to summer outdoor gear with everything from hiking boots to camping gear. For information junkies, 24 of Colorado’s resorts will be manning booths with Expo-only ...

Events: Bootown at Heritage Square, Cirque du Soleil, and more!

A new and improved “Bootown” returns to Heritage Square with the largest two level, human maze with 3D special effects. Miner’s Maze Adventureland will capture all the seasonal excitement with activities that celebrate spooky fun for the whole family. The new Scare Crow Express haunted train ride will be decorated with 100 scarecrows designed and constructed by local organizations that represent their companies, groups or teams. Artistic ghosts, goblins and witches as well as everyone else can get creative in Bootown’s giant pumpkin patch where they can select and paint their very own pumpkin or custom design their own sand art. The holiday fun continues on weekends through November 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Go here for pricing. Cirque du Soleil presents Quidam on Nov. 7 – 11 at the 1st Ban...

Ski Deals start in Denver

The weathercasters are calling for snow in the mountains (and maybe even some in Denver). Arapahoe Basin is open and so is Loveland! That means that it is winter in Colorado! The mountains are opening Kids Ski & Snowboard Event. For families that missed Ski Rex AND last weekend’s Colorado Ski Expo, there is one last chance to latch on to some family fun and great deals on ski and snowboard gear for kids. Save 30-50 percent on kids’ ski and snowboard gear and apparel on November 10 and 11 at all five Colorado Ski & Golf’s locations (Aurora, Arvada, Littleton, Colorado Springs and Park Meadows). http://www.coloradoskiandgolf.com/ Ski and Trade

Wild West Corn Maze in Hudson: Tractor Rides, Rabbit Catch, Flying Pumpkins & Fun!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a . . . pumpkin! Flying pumpkins are just one of the many unique things you can see and do at the Wild West Corn Maze in Hudson (located about 30 minutes northeast of the Denver Metro Area). The annual Fall on the Farm Festival is underway, with attractions to entertain kids of all ages. The Wild West Maze offers both a general admission ticket and an unlimited activities ticket. The cost of general admission includes:

Anderson Farms Fall Festival: Kiddie Koral, Pedal Carts and More!

One of my favorite things about living in Colorado is the ability we have to drive less than hour away from the crowded suburbs and insert ourselves into an entirely different landscape. For my family, the start of autumn is ushered in with mountain drives to enjoy the beautiful foliage and trips to the local farms to hunt for the perfect pumpkin. One of our favorite fall festivals is held annually at Anderson Farms in Erie. It is just a 20-minute drive from Boulder, Longmont or Thornton and is easy to find with it’s 24-foot-in-diameter giant pumpkin currently mounted atop one of the farm’s silos. We enjoyed our visit on a beautiful sunny day last weekend and spent more than three hours exploring all there is to see and do (and consume). The cost of admission includes:

Colorado families will love these frugal fall favorites

Fall weekends are all about foliage, festivals and fun — much of it free. Family events this time of year may include live entertainment, face painting, hayrides, hands-on crafts and more. However, when it comes to beer gardens, fancy food and vendors, expect to pull out your wallet. Here is a roundup of some of the season’s top low-cost destinations.

Colorado has many ways to get your leaf-peeping fix; we share 4 faves

Settling on a place to see autumn’s multi-hued masterworks around Colorado is like trying to pick the perfect leaf — there are simply too many from which to choose. To help you select a spot to start with this season, we asked our columnists, all of whom spend more time than most traversing the state, to share their favorite ways to get closer to the colors. 2012 Colorado fall colors Rocky Mountain National Park Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad Peak to Peak Scenic Byway Cathedral Lakes Trail near Aspen

September means Octoberfest: A Round-up of Colorado’s best events!

I love to travel to the mountains to catch a glimpse of the turning leaves. But to drag the kids along – that is a whole different story. I believe they would rather have their eyes poked out. It doesn’t help that the first time I tried to do this shortly after I was divorced – I blew a tire on I-70 and refused to call the kids dad. So, we waited on the side of the road until some nice couple came by and helped us.  I have since then discovered the amazing idea that there are several mountain towns (and Denver) celebrating Oktoberfest – which means they get to have fun (and me too) and I get to see the awesome leaves. Breckenridge The biggest and the best of the Oktoberfest parties is in Breckenridge.

A guide to hiking with kids in Colorado

She wasn’t there, but Maureen Keilty still shudders when she thinks about the terrified youngsters being dragged up Mount Sherman as a storm approached. “It just haunts me,” Keilty says. “This mom called me out of the blue to tell me about it. These kids were crying, and the mom asked the adults, ‘What’s going on here?’ And they told her, well, this is in this ‘best hikes’ book, and we have to get to the top.” Keilty loves Mount Sherman, and yes, you will find the fourteener listed as one of the 100 trails in her book, “Best Hikes with Kids Colorado,” the latest edition of the guide she first wrote more than 20 years ago. But forcing weeping kids up a trail? That’s the fast track to turning them off hiking for go...

Denver Ski Deals Start Labor Day

I can recall my mom telling me that white shoes shouldn’t be worn after Labor Day. (It’s totally ok – because I just won a new pair of Bearpaw boots, YAY!) Labor Day was also usually right around the time that school started for us (kids start their school years way sooner than I recall my own beginning). Labor Day also held other transitional qualities for us as they do now – now Labor Day is the unofficial start to the ski season. I personally couldn’t be happier! I just hope that there is as much snow as there are deals! SKI REX Bargain hunters will enjoy deals on outdoor gear from 30% to 70% off last year’s retail prices at SKI REX at the Colorado Ski & Golf Stores (including Colorado Ski & Sports at Park Meadows and Boulder Ski Deals) starti...

Why Your Family Will Love Flying High at Vail’s Zip Adventures

The Adventure: In early-July, my two sons and I, along with one of their friends, headed up to Vail for a zipline tour with Zip Adventures.. We were looking for fun, adventure and a quick getaway. We were looking to scare ourselves, just a little, and enjoy a beautiful Colorado afternoon. Zip Adventures was even more fun than we’d imagined. As we drove to the 4Eagle Ranch to check in, we passed landing and take off platforms and saw people zipping over the canyon. The older boys, who had both ziplined at a ropes course, quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be simple tower-to-tower flight. Instead, we would be flying 200 feet above a rugged river canyon. The excitement began to build.