Winter in the Rockies is world-class, but summer is no consolation prize. Starting around Memorial Day, Colorado mountain towns pack in so many opportunities for adventurers of all ages that there’s no way you can try them all by Labor Day.
For a week’s worth of the best family activities in Colorado’s mountains, make Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, or Vail your home base. Count on walkable downtowns, accessible nature, kid-friendly programming, and calendars packed with family-friendly festivals and events that are destinations in their own right.
Regardless of when you can go, below are 10 things to do this summer: rain, shine (or even snow).
1. Participate in the GoPro Mountain Games
Vail’s annual GoPro Mountain Games aren’t just a spectator sport. Everyone in the family, even the four-legged members, can dash, pedal, climb, dive and boulder their way to the podium. Different waves and courses, ranging from family-friendly fun runs to the famous 45-degree pitch Pepi’s Face vertical challenge, cater to all ages and abilities.
Sign up for the Nature Valley Mountain Mud Run, the Lucid Kids Bike Race, or, new this year, the Kids Mini Dash. Kids can also participate in several climbing clinics, join a jam session at the mobile pop-up music camp, and learn how to SUP or kayak in the paddle pool. You’ll also find plenty of drop-in yoga classes, live concerts, and meet-and-greets.
The four-day festival attracts an impressive lineup of musicians, artists, and professional athletes. Of course, the real stars are the pups available for adoption during the Eagle County Animal Service’s Yappy Hour.
2. Bunk and Bond at Antlers Vail
Between the bunkrooms, full-service kitchens, outdoor gas-fired grills, and creekside pool complex featuring a heated outdoor pool (the walkways are even heated) and two hot tubs, Antlers Vail is a no-brainer for families looking for a fun basecamp just a short stroll from Eagle Bahn Gondola.
The 87-condo property even offers a complimentary shuttle to the grocery store and farmer’s market, where you can stock up on essentials. That said, Antlers Vail has an impressive lending library. Think Pack n’ Plays, dog bowls, night lights, furniture covers, rice cookers, sound machines, and even ice cream makers! If you can forget it at home, they can let you borrow it for your vacation.
Book your stay at Antlers Vail here.
3. Burn Unlimited Energy at Epic Discovery
Chase one adrenaline rush after another at Epic Discovery, a mountain-top mecca where family fun meets Vail Valley views. Your Adventure Pass gets you a full day of mountain-top fun, including ziplining, tubing, mini golfing, climbing and bouncing on the bungee trampoline.
The aptly-named Forest Flyer™ alpine coaster is your ticket to traversing down the mountain at 20+ miles per hour. Soar back up to the summit via the Scenic Gondola: kids 12 and under ride free.
4. Hike with Llamas
When llamas tag along, hiking isn’t just exercise; it’s entertainment. Thanks to Paragon Guides, Colorado is one of the few places in the world where you can hit the trails with these fluffy, long-lashed ungulates.
They’re happy to carry your picnic setup in exchange for pets and pictures. Need them to carry your extra layers, too? No probllama.
5. Make a Mess at Imagination Station
Afternoon thunderstorms can’t cramp your style in the best Colorado mountain towns for families, especially Vail, where the Imagination Station offers indoor experimental play ranging from virtual reality games to paint-your-own pottery and an interactive light wall.
There’s also a daily guided activity where pint-sized artists can make shrink art, slime, or conduct kid-friendly science experiments. By the time the paint dries, it will be sunny again.
6. Go Dog-Sledding in a Golf Cart
Mushing in Breckenridge in July means wildflowers, not whiteouts. Shout “gee” and “haw” as you race around a scenic 2-mile circuit in the Swan River Valley in a golf cart pulled by 40 paws and 10 wagging tails. You’ll also enjoy a high-energy meet-and-greet with these elite athletes back at Good Times Adventures.
According to the latest census, this Breckenridge kennel is home to more than 150 of the world’s happiest and most photogenic Siberian Huskies.
7. Beat the Clock at Escape Room Breckenridge
Forget cookie-cutter franchises. Breckenridge’s OG escape room, founded by a local puzzle enthusiast in 2015, features original challenges so beloved by gamers that they have nearly 2,000 five-star ratings on Google.
Choose from four themed rooms where you can embrace your inner secret agent, detective-in-training, imprisoned sailor, or aspiring wizard.
Bond, as you combine your brainpower to beat the clock with the help of your game master. Pro tip: Some clues may be red herrings.
8. Adventure at Altitude in Breck
Scenic chairlift rides are a given. But did you know Breckenridge Ski Resort boasts alpine slides, gemstone panning, mini golf, and other family-friendly summer activities, too?
Rope swing your way through the canopy at Alpine Camp, crash through the trees on mountain bikes, or get in line for the Gold Runner Coaster, where you control how fast you take the hairpin curves. Choose your own adventures à la carte or get the most bang for your buck via a value pass.
9. Float, Fly Fish, or Tackle a Via Ferrata
Visiting Breckenridge in the summer without spending time on the water borders on sacrilegious. Between the nearby Arkansas River, Blue River, Colorado River, and Clear Creek, there are thrilling rapids and scenic routes for everyone.
And if you go with AVA, you can bundle rafting with ziplining, rock climbing, fly fishing, and more. Ages 12 and older can even harness up for the European-inspired Via Ferrata, which culminates with a 78-foot rappel.
10. Discover Copper Mountain’s Summer Playground
Copper Mountain not only offers year-round skiing and snowboarding thanks to its innovative “snow farming” technology, but it also claims to have one of North America’s longest mountain coasters. Then there’s the Wrecktangle, an outdoor obstacle course for wannabe ninja warriors as young as five, and West Lake’s two-person bumper boats.
Save money by purchasing a Copper Mountain Summer Village family day pass or taking advantage of free activities like pickleball, disc golf, and hiking.
Need a hand planning your trip? Here are the sites and services we rely on most, from booking tools to travel products we love.
Inspire your next adventure with our articles below:
- 6 of Colorado’s Best Mountain Towns to Visit This Summer
- Colorado’s Top 7 Hot Springs: Natural Bliss Awaits
Author Bio: Living across Europe and South America unlocked Carri’s passion for traveling. Never shying away from a new adventure, whether swimming with the pigs in the Bahamas, bird watching in the Galapagos, or Heli-Hiking in British Columbia, you never know where you will catch Carri next. She resides in Colorado between freelance trips with her husband and 2 kids where they enjoy hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
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