Are you planning your next weekend family getaway but don’t know where to go or what to do? Here at Daily Mom, we’re always on the lookout for the best family-friendly escapes, and this time, we come to you with a fabulous suggestion, which outdoor adventurers of all ages will absolutely love. If your kids have been waiting to play with snow before it’s all gone, then Winter Park, Colorado, is the place to be!
About Winter Park
Welcome to Winter Park, Colorado’s one-stop playground for guaranteed family fun and tons of outdoor activities to enjoy all year round!
Situated in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, just 67 miles from Denver, a weekend escape to this mountain destination has something exciting for every outdoor enthusiast. Home to the Winter Park Resort and the National Sports Center for the Disabled, Winter Park is known for its fantastic ski area and the wide variety of fun activities for all ages to enjoy.
A great destination to visit during the warmer season as well, Winter Park offers plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors, and the breathtaking scenery while hiking, biking, river rafting and more. There are also many affordable lodging options to choose from and various dining spots to explore. No matter what kind of an adventure you seek or what adrenaline levels you’re after, at Winter Park, you get an experience you’ll never forget and beautiful moments to keep for life.
Things to Do
Coca-Cola Tubing Hill at Winter Park Resort
Check out the newest tube park, the Coca-Cola Tubing, for all the thrills and excitement you and your little ones can take. Right next to the Vintage Hotel and with easy access to the Village restaurants, the Coca-Cola Tubing has four individual lanes with fun banked curves, making this a hit among the family-friendly activities you could try in Winter Park.
And the best part? You don’t need to walk back up. Just hop on the covered conveyor lift and get back to the top for another run, and repeat!
When you decide that it’s time to take a break, the Hill House warming hut will be waiting for you to pay a visit. Grab a bite and recharge your energy, choosing from the gourmet hot chocolate, fresh-baked cookies, snacks and select specialty beverages available at the Hill House warming lodge. After that, it’s time for the next adventure!
Grand Park Community Recreation Center
Want to get a taste of fun and exciting recreational activities you can do together with your family? Then the Grand Park Community Recreation Center is your next stop. Here you can take a swim in the lap pool, work out in the fitness area, or let your kids have their share of fun, too, at the Natatorium play structures. More specifically, the Grand Park Community Recreational Center offers the following activities:
- Natatorium with 20 ft loop slide, spray and play feature, lazy river, zero-depth entry pool, and 25-yard lap pool with 4 lanes and diving board
- Gymnastic center with trampoline and foam pit
- Climbing and bouldering wall
- Multi-sport gymnasium
- Running/walking track
- Free-weight training area
- Cardio and circuit training
- Yoga, aerobic, dance, group fitness
- Pool party room for rent
- Drop-in childcare
- Beautiful lobby area
Sombrero Stables at Snow Valley Ranch YMCA
When you’re visiting Winter Park, you also want to get a taste of the West and experience all the beauty and splendor the Rocky Mountains have to offer. At Sombrero Ranches, a 5,200-acre YMCA mountain property situated in the beautiful Fraser Valley, you will experience all that and much more. With a wide range of adventures waiting for you, you can be sure there are plenty of unique and memorable experiences to share with your family.
And what better way is there to spend time together and create those memories than a sleigh ride for the whole family? You can join a group ride or book a private sleigh ride, and give your kids a unique experience, straight out of their favorite fairy tales.
Whether in a one- or two-horse sleigh, you are sure to do a lot of dashing through the snow, and love every second of it! With the hot cocoa sleigh ride, which Sombrero Ranches offer, you get to enjoy the scenic landscape around you and during a campfire stop, you can sip on your delicious warm cocoa and have some marshmallows, too.
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Petting Zoo
At Devil’s Thumb Ranch your little adventurers will be delighted to find there’s a Petting Zoo where they can pet animals and learn more about them. Known for its environmentally friendly practices, the resort offers children the opportunity to encounter domesticated animals up-close, find out something more about them, and pet them with curiosity and excitement.
Devil’s Thumb Ranch is committed only to making changes that bring an improvement to the Ranch. With a property of 6,000 acres, the resort is consistently working towards finding “greener” solutions and reducing its carbon footprint, and avoid having a negative impact on the environment.
For that reason, Devil’s Thumb Ranch works with local farmers and vendors with similar practices and makes sure that the discovery of a better, more environmentally friendly solution always comes first.
Food
Heck’s at Devil’s Thumb Ranch
With all the fun activities throughout the day, enjoying a delicious meal sounds like a dream. When it comes to dining at Devil’s Thumb Ranch restaurants, the produce is locally grown whenever possible, seafood is delivered fresh, and all salads, sauces, and desserts are made from scratch, guaranteeing top quality every time. Beef and pork come from high-end suppliers of humanely raised organic meats, all of which is in line with the resort’s sustainable practices.
At Heck’s Tavern, you get nothing but the freshest ingredients and can be sure that each bite is just as flavorful and healthy as it seems. With its unique architectural features, Heck’s Tavern was inspired by the Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, and besides being a source of fine nutrition with top-quality ingredients and an incomparable atmosphere, it also aims to renew and inspire you during your dining experience.
Lodging
If you’re looking for a great alternative to a hotel room, Vacations Inc offers a wide range of Winter Park condominiums you can choose from, depending on what your family needs for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.
All Vacations Inc condos come with a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, cable TV and different bedding options. Since they’re located within complexes, you easily and conveniently have access to common areas and to the following:
- Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
- Workout facilities
- Hot tubs
- Game rooms
- Laundry (Coin-operated in the main areas, though many condos also have a washer and dryer in the unit.)
To help you plan your weekend escape better, you can choose between a number of different room options, ranging from studios to large bedroom units. Your accommodation is tailored precisely to your needs, so whether you need a 2 bedroom apartment or a larger one that can easily accommodate more family members, Vacations Inc has a suitable option for you.
After all, making your stay at Winter Park unforgettable and special from the moment you arrive is exactly what you can expect from these gorgeous mountain accommodations.
With the many fun things you can do and the adventure opportunities you get at Winter Park, your weekend getaway will be one you and your little ones won’t easily forget. Snow, gorgeous landscapes, and tons of excitement for the whole family are just a few of the many reasons you’d want to consider Winter Park for your next family escape.
Photo Credits: Memoirs Photography
