Colorado with kids?

[katie01]

We are still trying to come up with next year's vacation ideas for spring or summer. The kids mentioned Colorado today, they have never been there, both DH and I had gone when we were little, but mine was a winter skiing trip, and this would be spring or summer. Our kids are aged 14, 11, and 8. The youngest loves horses, I was thinking of some type of dude ranch, but I know some of those types of places can get expensive, even more than Disney trips. Does anyone have suggestions of hotels, ranches, or resorts that would have things like hiking, swimming, archery, and/or horsebackriding at least nearby? I'd love to hear about any of your Colorado vacations and what you might have seen or done. Thanks!

 

[dotfurio]

We barely ventured into CO but we loved our visit to Mesa Verde NP.

 

[Skippy918]

Rocky Mountain national park! Your kids are old enough for hiking. It's really pretty there. You can also plan a white water rafting trip too.

 

[maxaroni]

We are still trying to come up with next year's vacation ideas for spring or summer. The kids mentioned Colorado today, they have never been there, both DH and I had gone when we were little, but mine was a winter skiing trip, and this would be spring or summer. Our kids are aged 14, 11, and 8. The youngest loves horses, I was thinking of some type of dude ranch, but I know some of those types of places can get expensive, even more than Disney trips. Does anyone have suggestions of hotels, ranches, or resorts that would have things like hiking, swimming, archery, and/or horsebackriding at least nearby? I'd love to hear about any of your Colorado vacations and what you might have seen or done. Thanks!

What area of Colorado? We went to Colorado Springs and loved it. DS was about 15 and had an awesome time. Both DH and I had been to Colorado Springs many years ago,separately. We went to the Air Force academy, did some fly fishing, rafting, jeep tour, drove up pikes peak, cog railway up pikes peak and also bicycled down pikes peak. We also went to garden of the gods. My neighbor is from Colorado and prefers northern Colorado but we had an awesome time.

 

[NHdisneylover]

My brother and sister in law and my nephew really like to spend time at the YMCA family camp near Winter Park. They get their own lodging and can choose lots of on site activities or just leave. Hiking, swimming archery, mountain bike rentals, and more are all available on site and horseback riding should be available nearby if the camp does not organize some rides itself. I have never been, but they have spoken highly of it for years:

http://snowmountainranch.org/?trace_from=epc

I think there is one near Estes Park as well if that location is more appealing to you.

Colorado is definitely a great destination for families with tweens and teens

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My next CO trip will start in the SW part of the state. Actually plan to drive up out of NM into Durango, ride the train, loop up through Silverton, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, then on to CO Springs before heading East through KS & home

 

[NMAmy]

My next CO trip will start in the SW part of the state. Actually plan to drive up out of NM into Durango, ride the train, loop up through Silverton, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, then on to CO Springs before heading East through KS & home

I used to live in New Mexico. My dd was born in Durango and got married there a couple years ago. Guests flew in from Michigan, Texas, California, and the Netherlands and everyone had an awesome time in Durango-in fact, many have told me they're planning future vacations there. It's a great area. One big group went rafting and there's hiking and fishing in the mountains.

 

[katie01]

What area of Colorado? We went to Colorado Springs and loved it. DS was about 15 and had an awesome time. Both DH and I had been to Colorado Springs many years ago,separately. We went to the Air Force academy, did some fly fishing, rafting, jeep tour, drove up pikes peak, cog railway up pikes peak and also bicycled down pikes peak. We also went to garden of the gods. My neighbor is from Colorado and prefers northern Colorado but we had an awesome time.

We are open to any area with nice scenery and fun things to do

NHdisneylover, that camp looks nice and more affordable than some of the dude ranches I have seen, thank you

My brother and sister in law and my nephew really like to spend time at the YMCA family camp near Winter Park. They get their own lodging and can choose lots of on site activities or just leave. Hiking, swimming archery, mountain bike rentals, and more are all available on site and horseback riding should be available nearby if the camp does not organize some rides itself. I have never been, but they have spoken highly of it for years:

http://snowmountainranch.org/?trace_from=epc

I think there is one near Estes Park as well if that location is more appealing to you.

Colorado is definitely a great destination for families with tweens and teens

 

[mom2rtk]

Garden of the Gods is pretty cool.

IMG_5042 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_4343 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Rocky Mountain National Park is great if you go late enough to drive to the top. These shots were from early June, and they had just finished opening the pass shortly before we got there:

Rocky Mountain June Snow by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Rocky Mountain June Snow by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[maxaroni]

We are open to any area with nice scenery and fun things to do

NHdisneylover, that camp looks nice and more affordable than some of the dude ranches I have seen, thank you

We also did a hot air balloon ride.

 

[Allison]

We really enjoyed Estes Park.

 

[justgrace]

Estes Park is beautiful! Check out the famous and historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. It's gorgeous! They have tours and "ghost hunting" adventures (it's supposedly haunted). We've stayed at the Stanley a few times now and just love it! You could book a cabin on the Big Thompson river in the canyon. They have some great ones that have decks that overhang the river. There's so much to do!

 

[jdb in AZ]

We went horseback riding in the Durango area.

 

[Micca]

Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Cog Railroad to Pikes Peak, the little mining towns are cool.

 

[Jaya]

I'll second Colorado Springs. There are so many things to do around there....Manitou Springs, Pike's Peak Cog Railway, Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods. My favorite is a day trip over to Cripple Creek, a picturesque little mining town with a train ride and the Mollie Kathleen Mine, where you can ride a mining elevator car down 1000 feet and tour the mine - wowza!