1. Crown Yourself at Ice Castles
If you’re in town between January and March, embrace your inner Elsa, Anna, or even Olaf from Frozen at Silverthorne’s Ice Castles extravaganza. Ice is king in this outdoor playground featuring hand-carved ice sculptures, elaborate ice archways, and even an ice bar where every drink, including hot cocoa, is served on the rocks. Kids will love sliding down the ice chutes, exploring the ice caverns, and crawling through ice tunnels that appear as though they’d deposit them smack dab in Arendelle.
There’s also a Castle Quest scavenger hunt game that’s free to play. Scan the QR codes, conquer all of the challenges, and then head to the gift shop to collect your prize.
2. Stay at Hotel Indigo
Between its eclectic decor and family-friendly amenities, this funky four-story property on Blue River Parkway marries the charm of a boutique inn with the modern conveniences of a resort. Kids will have tunnel vision for Hotel Indigo’s indoor pool until they get word of the hot cocoa bar and complimentary nightly s’mores at the outdoor fire pit. Meanwhile, parents will appreciate the hotel’s ski shop, rental bikes, and 24-hour fitness center.
Accommodations range from standard rooms that sleep four people to 3-bedroom suites that will give you no excuse not to invite grandpa and grandma. Four-legged friends are welcome, too. Pro tip: book the Pet Getaway package, which comes with a bandana, travel-friendly dog dish, and a homemade pet treat sourced locally.
While there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance, you can also eat on-site at Kúcu Tequila Bistro. Pronounced “coo choo,” this vibey restaurant with garage-style doors converted to floor-to-ceiling windows boasts a tequila menu with more than 200 bottles. It also serves kid-friendly dishes like mac ‘n queso.
Check rates for Hotel Indigo here.
3. Play at The PlayGarten
If you ask our kids for their rose and thorn of our trip, they’d say the rose was getting to play at The PlayGarten. The thorn? Us telling them it was time to go. This four-story indoor playground, conveniently located downtown, is a lifesaver when it’s raining or on days when the youngins’ seem to have an infinite amount of energy to burn. Here, kids of all ages can climb, run, slide, swing, and play ball in a safe environment—all while parents look on from The PlayGarten’s biergarten featuring 8 beers on tap.
Hungry? Bon appetit! Playgarten is attached to Bluebird Market, where you’ll find around a dozen food vendors. Food purchased on-site is welcome inside. There’s even a dog-friendly outdoor patio (sorry pups, no tails allowed on the indoor turf).
4. Get Wet at the Rec Center
Silverthorne locals love to sing the praises of their beloved 65,000-square-foot rec center, which is adding an additional 23,000 square feet in 2025. With all of the aquatic center’s various pools and waterslides, the kids will think it’s a waterpark. There are even certified lifeguards on duty. That said, Silverthorne’s Recreation Center also offers a hot tub, sauna, steam room, gym, indoor track, and cardio and weight rooms for the older set.
Plus, you’ll find basketball and pickleball courts. Simply purchase a drop-in day pass if you’re on vacation. Or, if you plan on going more than four days during your stay, save money by purchasing the monthly pass. The rec center is open every day of the week.
5. Make a Masterpiece at Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace
Silverthorne is surrounded by some of Mother Nature’s finest work. Meanwhile, one of its greatest man-made assets is Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace. For a flat fee, visitors have access to an array of age-appropriate art supplies and more importantly—a dedicated space to get creative with them. DIY or sign up for a class or workshop to learn everything from jewelry making to embroidery and woodworking.
Forget pottery: my inner ‘80s child had a blast with the Perler beads. Art Spot, which opened in 2023, is also a great place to pick up a Silverthorne souvenir. The attached shop features the work of local artists.
6. Whet Your Appetite Downtown
For a town of only 5,000 year-round residents, Silverthorne has a lot of incredible eateries. We started our mornings at Enza’s Delicatessen & Market: an upscale gourmet deli with a great kid’s menu and adult beverages including breakfast wines and no fewer than five different types of Bloody Marys. Between its tempting “mountain melt” (fancy grilled cheese) menu, its heated patio, and its “angry” and “hangry hour” specials, Angry James was another hit.
We also appreciated all the variety at Bluebird Market, a family-oriented food hall with 13 concepts ranging from crepes to empanadas, and its most anticipated eatery yet—a new western-themed restaurant and historic bar with restaurateur and chef Michael Ulehla at the helm. If the reimagined Old Dillon Inn is anything like Ulehla’s other restaurants, Bread+Salt and Bagalis in nearby Frisco, expect the freshest food and friendliest atmosphere.
For more fine-ish dining in Silverthorne, book a table—or a private yurt—at Sauce on the Blue, a riverfront Italian restaurant with pizza, pasta, and a mile-long bourbon list. We’re talking about more than 100 different whiskeys!
Read More: Colorado’s Best Craft Breweries: Where to Drink From Denver to the Mountains
7. Sled, Slide, and Skateboard at Rainbow Park
We visited this 7-acre park during the winter when it serves as the unofficial town sledding hill. Bring your own sled, or buy one at Target, less than half a mile away. Rainbow Park also offers a Colorado-themed playground—complete with a “bear bridge” and tube slides, two tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a 16,000-square-foot skatepark, and an amphitheater that hosts free concerts. If you visit over July 4th you can even celebrate Independence Day with the National Repertory Orchestra.
8. Mush!
Six-time Iditarod Champion Dallas Seavey’s sled dog team should be Silverthorne’s welcoming committee, at least in winter. These enthusiastic athletes—tails and tongues wagging nonstop—are waiting for you at historic Acorn Creek Ranch, just 12 miles north of town.
After a meet-and-greet where belly rubs are not only allowed, they’re encouraged, get comfy in a custom replica of a 20th-century dog sled. When your Colorado Dog Sledding guide, dressed in vintage musher gear, says the magic word, feel the thrill as 32 paws propel you over the snow.
This is no life-or-death mission like the trek that inspired the first Iditarod. Rather, it’s an unforgettable and ultra-photogenic 45 minutes that will leave you as happy as your new husky friends.
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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 son where they enjoy hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
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