Colorado with kids...

[love2tow]

Good morning all,
My wife and I are trying to plan a trip to Colorado with our 4 year old daughter and our 1 year old son. We are looking to head out at the end of June or early July. I ski in Vail every year but don't know much about what other areas have to offer for young families. Any suggestions?

I have 31 ft travel trailer and am looking for full hookups if possible. (No dry camping. Fun for me, not the family)

Also, activities for the kids is a must. We would like to do some hiking but also need outdoor things that tailor to the little ones.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

[love2tow]

Cdash wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
The big issue for you is the long, boring drive from Illinois to Colorado for a 1 year old and 4 year old. That's a long time for children to be confined to a car seat. If it were me I'd plan on no more than 4 or 5 hours of driving per day. Everyone will be in a better mood when you stop. Plan on places with a pool to wind down and relax.

Pick a location such as Colorado Springs and spend your vacation doing things in that area. Traveling from place to place will not matter to the children. A zoo is a zoo. A trail is a trail. Google the city for things to do with children. You'll get a lot of ideas.

Have fun planning!

Having camped with kids this age, I would never consider this. You'd spend too much of your vacation traveling.

We would drive, let the kids run at each rest stop, get back in and drive. The fewer days traveling the better. Eventually they fall asleep and you can get some miles in.

I think this varies depending on the child. As I stated above, my daughter is in it for the long haul. My 1 year old son; jury is still out. When we have long travel days, we leave at 1:30 or 2:00 am. By 7:00, they are just waking up and we have some miles under our belts. But, I've always loved driving those weird hours. And, there is no better time to drive across Nebraska 😉

[love2tow]

tatest wrote:
My experience is with two children spaced ten years apart, then three grandchildren with the same age spread, all of them traveling from age 1 or earlier. Plan the trip for the potential interests of the older child.

At age 1 it doesn't matter where you go, just getting outdoors is usually all that's needed for adventure. A four year old is old enough to recognize that a trip is to a special place and might even remember it for life. Still, that age will not have an appreciation that one natural wonder or unique adventure is any more special than another. It is the same for theme parks, one can be as good as another, unless the child is already "primed." Most that watch TV are primed for Disney, but my four year old grandson has been fanatic about trains and cars since two years so gets more out of any type of unusual transportation.

At age four I would take my grandson into the Southern Rockies, starting across U.S. 50 (Bent's Fort to explore, Pike's Peak, a train ride through Royal Gorge and looking down into the gorge from the bridge) then maybe down to US-160 and west into Durango for the Durango to Silverton railroad journey. This all still works for my 14 year old granddaughters as well, but they are more adventurous and would enjoy rafting down the Arkansas River; that would likely be too frightening for tots or toddlers.

If you have enough time, a good loop trip would be US-50 across to Montrose, then down US-550 to Ouray, Silverton, Durango, and come back east through Pagosa Springs, down US-84 dipping into New Mexico to get to the Cumbres Pass. But this sort of traveling vacation tends to work better for adults and older children. I found that when they were younger mine have been more comfortable with a destination vacation, coming back every day to a "home" in the same place.

Thanks for all this. We have been trying to see the vacation through the eyes of our four year old and then hopefully accommodate our little guy. I have a new found respect for anyone who travels with small kids. We got extremely lucky with our daughter. When she was two, we drove to Disney which ended up being about 26 hours of drive time. (Two 13 hour travel days) After our week there, she was looking forward to the drive back. And even now, any time I take the trailer ANYWHERE, she is in the truck with me. My wife and son; completely different story 🙂

[patperry2766]

Colorado has some AWESOME state parks. I think most of the of the larger ones have flush toilets and pay showers, so you might be able to consider a place without FHU.

We have been to Mueller SP near Colorado Springs and Ridgway and were quite happy with both of them.

[Cdash]

2gypsies wrote:
The big issue for you is the long, boring drive from Illinois to Colorado for a 1 year old and 4 year old. That's a long time for children to be confined to a car seat. If it were me I'd plan on no more than 4 or 5 hours of driving per day. Everyone will be in a better mood when you stop. Plan on places with a pool to wind down and relax.

Pick a location such as Colorado Springs and spend your vacation doing things in that area. Traveling from place to place will not matter to the children. A zoo is a zoo. A trail is a trail. Google the city for things to do with children. You'll get a lot of ideas.

Have fun planning!

Having camped with kids this age, I would never consider this. You'd spend too much of your vacation traveling.

We would drive, let the kids run at each rest stop, get back in and drive. The fewer days traveling the better. Eventually they fall asleep and you can get some miles in.

[2gypsies1]

The big issue for you is the long, boring drive from Illinois to Colorado for a 1 year old and 4 year old. That's a long time for children to be confined to a car seat. If it were me I'd plan on no more than 4 or 5 hours of driving per day. Everyone will be in a better mood when you stop. Plan on places with a pool to wind down and relax.

Pick a location such as Colorado Springs and spend your vacation doing things in that area. Traveling from place to place will not matter to the children. A zoo is a zoo. A trail is a trail. Google the city for things to do with children. You'll get a lot of ideas.

Have fun planning!

[Cdash]

We did 2 weeks traveling around Colorado for our big summer trip last year. This post covers many of the places we did and I would recommend them. The two places we went that they didn't list was Rocky Mountain National Park and Gunnison(the Grand Canyon of Colorado). See my comments in the below quote:

Thom02099 wrote:


Cheyenne Mountain Zoo this is a great zoo with elephant and giraffe feeding opportunities, we all loved it! Cheyenne Mountain State park is close by and very nice!
Pikes Peak Cog Railway (in Manitou Springs) We just drive up to the peak, skipped the railroad. It was cloudy and didn't see much other than a few trams on the way up, but we couldn't be that close and not go
May Natural History Museum
Cliff Dwellings and Cave of the Winds (close together) We did this and did the tour that you had to climb the ladder and squeeze through a tunnel - will remember this on for a long time. Nice private campground practically across the street with a pool which provided some much needed downtime for the kids
Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad (up in Cripple Creek)
The Canon City/Royal Gorge area (about 45-50 minutes SW of Colorado Springs)
This is just to name a few off the top of my head. H E R E is a link a more complete list of things to see/do in that area. You may want to consider Mountaindale Cabins and RV Resort outside of Colorado Springs as a base camp location. It's a bit out of town, but easy to get to various sights/locations mentioned.

The previous suggestions from others are also very good recommendations. Just depends on where you want to be and how much you want to see, in whatever time you have allotted.

Great Sand Dunes NP is a wonderful place to visit. H E R E is a campground just outside the park that could work for you. There's also a KOA in Alamosa, a bit of a drive, but a good base camp location. We went here. Worth going, but in the middle of no where. We stopped for a few hours on our way out of Colorado, didn't camp in the area. Be aware that there are places that rent sand sleds outside the park that you can bring in to go dune sledding, but the climb up the hill gets tiring.

Either place to stay, you could consider going down to Antonito and doing the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. Did that with my kids (when they are just a bit older than yours) and they loved it. There's also an alligator farm near the Great Sand Dunes, that could be something different for the kiddos AND the parents. H E R E is the link to them.

Whatever you decide, make sure you get your reservations going ASAP. You will need them.

[RedRocket204]

Lots of good recommendations so far. I would add to avoid anywhere near Denver, stay further than a 3 hours drive. Reasoning? That is where you will get the most crowding as Denverites escaping the city is very common within that drive range.

Also, do yourself a favor and avoid Estes Park. Estes Park used to be a gem but it has become so touristy, it is much more about money than a CO experience. I will not be going back there ever again.

Southwest CO is great as already mentioned. Crested Butte area is great, same with Buena Vista/Salida area and lots to do in all those areas.

[tatest]

My experience is with two children spaced ten years apart, then three grandchildren with the same age spread, all of them traveling from age 1 or earlier. Plan the trip for the potential interests of the older child.

At age 1 it doesn't matter where you go, just getting outdoors is usually all that's needed for adventure. A four year old is old enough to recognize that a trip is to a special place and might even remember it for life. Still, that age will not have an appreciation that one natural wonder or unique adventure is any more special than another. It is the same for theme parks, one can be as good as another, unless the child is already "primed." Most that watch TV are primed for Disney, but my four year old grandson has been fanatic about trains and cars since two years so gets more out of any type of unusual transportation.

At age four I would take my grandson into the Southern Rockies, starting across U.S. 50 (Bent's Fort to explore, Pike's Peak, a train ride through Royal Gorge and looking down into the gorge from the bridge) then maybe down to US-160 and west into Durango for the Durango to Silverton railroad journey. This all still works for my 14 year old granddaughters as well, but they are more adventurous and would enjoy rafting down the Arkansas River; that would likely be too frightening for tots or toddlers.

If you have enough time, a good loop trip would be US-50 across to Montrose, then down US-550 to Ouray, Silverton, Durango, and come back east through Pagosa Springs, down US-84 dipping into New Mexico to get to the Cumbres Pass. But this sort of traveling vacation tends to work better for adults and older children. I found that when they were younger mine have been more comfortable with a destination vacation, coming back every day to a "home" in the same place.

[Busskipper]

love2tow wrote:
Good morning all,
My wife and I are trying to plan a trip to Colorado with our 4 year old daughter and our 1 year old son. We are looking to head out at the end of June or early July. I ski in Vail every year but don't know much about what other areas have to offer for young families. Any suggestions?

I have 31 ft travel trailer and am looking for full hookups if possible. (No dry camping. Fun for me, not the family)

Also, activities for the kids is a must. We would like to do some hiking but also need outdoor things that tailor to the little ones.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

I Love Colorado and have 4 Grand daughters there 10 - 8 -and 4 year old twins - so you might say we have a little experience with the little ones - (Reality is they could care less. They want to be with you and outside skipping rocks and playing in the water.) One year we had the two older ones in Maroon Bells, after hiking up to the upper lake and back as we were getting into the car after what I would call an Epic Hike I asked what they enjoyed the most "Skipping Rocks and throwing Sticks in the Stream" so ..........

But the point is WE enjoyed it and they loved it! Weather is critical that time of year so look into the State Parks, they can give you a place to stay - as for enjoyable just be sure you have a GOOD child Pack - for the One year old and be ready to Piggy Back the 4 YO. Look at exploring Ski Resorts - often they have summer programs that the kids can enjoy(and meet other Kids) - Breck has Tiger Run - Golden has Clear Creek CG- Stagecoach SP is just outside of Steamboat - Dinosaur NM is fun - maybe in a year or two with the Green River and the Bones - Need to just be ready to head for the Hills if it starts to get too hot .

Zoo in Denver is fun - our GD's loved Clear Creek in Golden - Rec Center the Creek right outside the RV - town for treats - Library to read a book and just plain FUN.

Boulder is Great for the farmers market - Lyons has a little Camp Ground that would allow you to be in town and a park and stream with RMNP just down the road.

4runnerguy and Thom are the authorities on Colorado so you might just do a couple of advanced searches with their names and you should get ton's of info.

Hope this is of some help,

[BB_TX]

My wife and I, our son, his wife and our three grandkids, and his wife's parents went to Fun Valley Family RV Resort just west of South Fork, CO every year from the time our youngest granddaughter was a month from being born, and for the next 9 years. Lots of on site activities for kids. Check their web site. We love it and still go back, just DW and I. Son and his family have moved on to beach vacations. A fun place. But many people do not like it for the very reason there are so many families with kids. And it can get quite crowded around July 4th.

In the same area are many rivers and lakes, Creede (old mining town with mining ruins you can visit), Pagosa Springs (hot springs), Wolf Creek Pass (likely still snow on top end of June), Great Sand Dunes (fun in late June when the creek is still flowing across the lower dunes), Cumbres & Toltec Steam railroad (would do that again), float trips down the Rio Grande, and just a beautiful area. And there are other RV parks in the area if the crowds and kids are not your thing.

[love2tow]

Wow, thank you all for your responses. I looked into Glenwood Springs and also the Mountaindale Cabins and RV Resort. I have inquiries into both of them. Both sound like there is plenty to do with kids and also fun for the adults. The sand dunes look like something that will be fun when they get a little older.

[Thom02099]

Ah yes....camping with little ones! I remember those days, my kiddos were the same age apart (3 years) and about that age when we were taking them on camping trips in our tent camper.

So. Activities for the kiddos and FHU campground/RV park. For kid friendly camping, it's hard to beat Colorado Springs as a base for activities. There's an abundance of things to see/do that your children may enjoy. Things like:

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Pikes Peak Cog Railway (in Manitou Springs)
May Natural History Museum
Cliff Dwellings and Cave of the Winds (close together)
Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad (up in Cripple Creek)
The Canon City/Royal Gorge area (about 45-50 minutes SW of Colorado Springs)
This is just to name a few off the top of my head. H E R E is a link a more complete list of things to see/do in that area. You may want to consider Mountaindale Cabins and RV Resort outside of Colorado Springs as a base camp location. It's a bit out of town, but easy to get to various sights/locations mentioned.

The previous suggestions from others are also very good recommendations. Just depends on where you want to be and how much you want to see, in whatever time you have allotted.

Great Sand Dunes NP is a wonderful place to visit. H E R E is a campground just outside the park that could work for you. There's also a KOA in Alamosa, a bit of a drive, but a good base camp location.

Either place to stay, you could consider going down to Antonito and doing the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. Did that with my kids (when they are just a bit older than yours) and they loved it. There's also an alligator farm near the Great Sand Dunes, that could be something different for the kiddos AND the parents. H E R E is the link to them.

Whatever you decide, make sure you get your reservations going ASAP. You will need them.

[ependydad]

I have a 12 year old and a 3 year old. We enjoyed Colorado Springs.

Pics from Colorado Springs

[2lazy4U]

It's kind of hot there in summer, but Fruita has a wonderful dinosaur museum, very interactive. An earthquake you can be part of, a dino that spits water, all kinds of things kids love. You can camp about a block away by the Colorado River at the state park, which is very nice.

On your way there or back, stop in Glenwood Springs, where I currently live, and take them on the gondola up to Glenwood Caverns, which is very cool, as well as having some crazy rides, like a swing that goes out over the canyon edge. Also rafting here, which would be perfect that time of year, as well as a beautiful bike path along the river - you can rent bikes. Lots to do here that time of year and it's not hot, very nice in summer. You can also hike to Hanging Lake, though it gets crowded. Lots of other places to hike and see nearby. And a few nice campgrounds, Rifle State Park being one, if you don't mind the 25 mile drive to Glenwood. Or try the Hideout in town if you prefer being here. And kids love the Glenwood Hotsprings and there's also a new one in town down by the river, very classy.