Adventurous Summer Family Getaways in Colorado
Dreaming of hiking, mountain biking or hitting the water this summer? Colorado is full of adventurous summer family getaways! From the mountains to I-25 corridor, you’ll find something perfect for you family on this list! Let’s get exploring!
Adventurous Summer Family Getaways in the Colorado Mountains
The mountains of Colorado are beautiful in the summer. From hiking and summer festivals to camping and enjoying alpine lakes. Here are some of the best mountain summer family getaways in Colorado.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is an incredible mountain getaway your family will love!
Located about five hours from Denver. Crested Butte shines in the fall with gorgeous aspen groves, but it vastly under-rated as a summer getaway! Your family will enjoy hiking, biking and exploring the adorable little mountain town. Make sure to grab tickets for the Silver Queen chairlift to ride to the top of Mount Crested Butte and hike for great views.
Great family-friendly hiking trails in Crested Butte include the Woods Walk Trail, which is accessible from town! Make sure to stop in at Niky’s Mini Donuts and grab some sweet treats your kids will LOVE! Crested Butte is full of family-friendly things to do!
Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Summer Family Getaway
Contributed by Megan of Let’s Jet Kids.
Steamboat Springs is filled with family-friendly things to do making it a great adventurous getaway in Colorado.
Spring Creek Trail is an easy walk through the trees on a single track right next to a big dirt road. It will lead you to a cute, covered gazebo where you can have a picnic or relax in the shade. Or keep going just a few more steps to sit by one of two ponds with beautiful scenery!
Fish Creek Falls is among the most popular things to visit in Steamboat. Hike the somewhat-steep (but very short) path to a huge, breathtaking waterfall! Stand on the bridge for the perfect family photo.
Head to the mountain at Steamboat Resort. Play in Burgess Creek, take the gondola up for a scenic ride, play some mini golf, try a game of disc golf on the course up the mountain, ride over a mile on the mountain coaster, or hike and bike on the mountain. Steamboat is not short on family activities in the summer!
Breckenridge, Colorado
You might be familiar with Breckenridge as a winter destination, but this ski town has so much to offer families in the summer, as well! From hiking to old gold mines to visiting magical trolls, there will be something for everyone in the family. There are many kid-friendly trails in Breckenridge. A great one for seeing wildlife is Snowflake Trail.
You’ll also find lots of interesting museums for your kids, including a real sawmill, a firefighter museum and a Gold Mine Tour.
Make sure to visit the downtown area and play in the river while enjoying Breckenridge’s famous Crepes A La Carte! While there, you can take advantage of the free Gondola that will take you up to Peak 8 where you can hike, hang out at the resort or spend the day at the Epic Discovery Park for maximum family adventure!
For more, check out guide of summer things to do with kids in Breckenridge!
Telluride, Colorado
Contributed by Rachel and Dana Reed of Traveling Found Love.
Telluride offers the perfect mix of family fun and outdoor adventures during the summer.
The best way to admire the breathtaking landscape of mountain peaks and forests is to enjoy some of the various family-friendly hiking trails. San Miguel River Trail is a perfect 3-mile flat stroll alongside the San Miguel River. If you are looking for a more challenging hike, explore the Bear Creek Trail, a 5-mile moderate round trip hike leading to a gorgeous waterfall.
Continue enjoying the outdoors by spending a few hours at the Telluride Town Park. The park features something for every family member, from playgrounds to a skate park, swimming pools, basketball and tennis courts, and more.
For a relaxing end of the day activity, take the free gondola ride over to Mountain Village, stroll around cobblestone streets and enjoy a tasty dinner in one of the several restaurants.
If you want even more adventure, make your Colorado family getaway part of a larger road trip across the United States.
Family Camping at Jefferson Lake Recreation Area
Colorado is one of the best places for family camping! There are so many campgrounds throughout the state that offer lots of family adventure. Jefferson Lake Recreation Area is no exception!
Jefferson Lake Recreation Area features three campsites that are all great for families. You’ll be surrounded by aspen groves and lodge pole pine trees with lots of shade and beauty! Make sure to pack your paddleboard or kayak and head to Jefferson Lake for some great water sports. The alpine lake is absolutely gorgeous and quite cold! Even in the summer!
Pick from one of several hiking trails within the Jefferson Lake Recreation Area for a family hike! You can loop around the lake or travel the famous Colorado Trail, that goes right through the area!
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Summer Family Getaway
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is located about halfway between Denver and Grand Junction. The famed Hanging Lake hike is here in Glenwood Springs, but even if you can’t get a permit to hike Hanging Lake, there are so many things to do in Glenwood Springs in the summer!
You will definitely have to spend half a day at the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. During the summer, the playground area with a splash pad and incredible water slides is open and perfect for families! (The Glenwood Hot Springs is also a great place to visit in the winter.)
The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is another attractions your family will love. The park is located at the top of Iron Mountain and includes a gondola ride up to the top! You can tour caverns, enjoy amusement rides and explore the Wild West.
Lastly, a guided rafting tour is an amazing way to experience Glenwood Springs and Colorado’s beauty in full. There are many options from easy waters to white waters.
Georgetown, Colorado
Georgetown, Colorado, is a small mining town about an hour outside of Denver. It’s perfect for a day trip or weekend summer family getaway in Colorado.
Georgetown is known for the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad. Kids will love this historic railroad that loops up and around the mountain. The steam engine is really cool and you can ride in open air cars for a great experience. The train ride is a little over an hour in the summer. You can even take a mine tour as part of your train experience.
A stroll around downtown Georgetown is also a really fun afternoon. The historic buildings are picturesque. We love stopping at the general store for ice cream and trinkets.
Make sure to visit Georgetown Lake for fishing and a walking path around the lake. The mountains make for a gorgeous backdrop of the lake. You can also visit the nearby Guanella Pass for lots of hiking or driving up to Mount Beirstadt, one of Colorado’s 14ers.
Colorado Summer Family Getaways In The City
If you are looking to stay in the city, there are still so many options for a great summer family getaway in Colorado up and down the I-25 corridor!
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Contributed by Michelle Moyer of Moyer Memoirs.
Colorado Springs is a perfect summer family destination due to all the active hiking and family sites that this city has to offer. There are so many adventures waiting in this city.
Let’s start at the top and at a very high elevation! Driving Pikes Peak should definitely be on your Colorado Springs itinerary. There are hikes and outlooks that the kids will enjoy as you drive the Pikes Peak Highway. When you reach the summit, the view, as well as the altitude, will take their breath away. Make sure to get everyone a Pikes Peak Donut. They are made with a special recipe for the high elevation!
After you are done visiting America’s Mountain, make a stop at the Garden of the Gods. This is a National Natural Landmark and is filled with deep red and pink sandstone rock formations to climb around and photograph. There are 15 miles of hiking trails for the active families to enjoy, or for the more adventurous, rock climbing is a popular activity.
To round out your outdoor family activities, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings will add a little culture and history to your itinerary. The Pueblo dwellings were moved to Colorado Springs from a collapsed site in southwest Colorado. A museum was established to preserve it and it is quite the site to see embedded into the red rock cliffs of the mountainside. The kids will enjoy walking inside the dwellings, imagining where they cooked their meals, and climbing the rickety ladders to the second floor to see how the Pueblo ancestors lived.
Denver, Colorado
In Denver, there are so many options for fun family outings! Whether you are staycationing or coming in from out of town, you’ll have so much fun exploring.
One of the great things to do in Denver is visit some of the many landmarks in the area. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a natural amphitheatre in the red rocks just outside of Denver. The venue is known for hosting musical acts such as The Beatles, but is open to the public year-round. You can hike, have a picnic in the amphitheatre or exercise on the stadium stairs!
City Park in Denver is another great place to visit in the summer. There are festivals, like City Park Jazz, and fun family activities like renting paddle boats. You can also visit the Denver Zoo or Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
You also, can’t go wrong hiking in Denver. There are so many kid-friendly hikes near Denver, including Dinosaur Ridge, Lookout Mountain and more.
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado, is Denver’s neighbor to the north, and has a completely different feel. It’s is a college town with a lot to do. Your kids will love exploring Pearl Street and all of the patio restaurants and fun shops. Make sure to play on the climbing structures and splash pad, as well!
If you want to hike, Chautauqua Park, is a great place to go. There are lots of trail options and you can see all of Boulder from the mountain side.
In the summer, the Boulder Reservoir is a great place to enjoy boating, swimming and playing on the beach. You can rent kayaks, paddleboards or even pontoon boats at the Reservoir. Pack a picnic and enjoy a day on the beach, or visit Driftwind, a brand new restaurant opening in the spring of 2021.
If you need somewhere to stay in Boulder, check out the historic Hotel Boulderado.
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a mix of old historic Colorado and the great outdoors and makes for the perfect summer family getaway.
Historic Old Town Fort Collins is an old west town that is full of interesting landmarks. Your kids will love learning that Main Street USA at Disneyland was actually designed based on Fort Collins! There are restaurants, shops, fountains, festivals, biking trails and more!
You will also enjoy driving along the Colorado Highway 14 that follows the Cache La Poudre River. The road is designated as a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway for it’s gorgeous views of cascading cliffs and the powerful river.
The Horsetooth Reservoir is a great place to recreate with your family boating or swimming. There is also a lot of interesting Native American history at the Horsetooth Reservoir. Horsetooth Rock is part of a Native legend in which Native Americans slayed a giant that guarded the area so they could live and thrive in the meadow.
