Colorado Staycation in Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs has been one of those places that I’ve wanted to check out since seeing it off the highway on the way between Denver and Moab. It looked like a cute little mountain town but seemed so far away from where we live in Littleton.
During my husband’s vacation week, we were attending a wedding in Utah over the weekend, so I wanted to find a good staycation option in Colorado for the first half of the week with the kids. This was our chance to spend a few days in Glenwood Springs. I discovered that, not only is it WAY closer than I thought, but it made for the perfect three-day getaway! Here is the breakdown of what we did on our trip and a great itinerary of how to spend a weekend in Glenwood Springs.
Day 1
Glenwood Springs is an easy 2 1/2 hour drive from Denver on Highway 70. If you have the option to go during the week, I highly recommend it to avoid traffic, but even on a Friday, it’s a beautiful scenic drive through the White River National Forest.
Once we arrived, we checked into our hotel at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. We stayed right at the lodge, which was an easy walk across the street to the Hot Springs. Our room also had a balcony that overlooked the Hot Springs, and my kids loved the space. The hotel has 107 rooms and has been recently renovated. Since this was a last-minute trip, we stayed in a double queen room, but next time we’ll be staying in one of their incredible suites - primarily to avoid having to lie in dark silence at 7 PM to accommodate the kids’ bedtimes!
On our trip, we had a little side adventure to Urgent Care after my daughter developed a rash, and we needed to make sure that she was ok. But if that had NOT happened, what I recommend doing (and what we would have done) is spending the first evening at the Hot Springs. The Lodge includes unlimited access to the Hot Springs, and it’s such a large area with multiple pools, so getting the lay of the land is a great first-night activity and a great way to decompress after the drive.
We did manage to grab dinner at Glenwood Canyon Pub, which had phenomenal beer and burgers! The Pub is Western Colorado’s most awarded brewery and offers 12 different types of beer styles.
Day 2 Morning
The next day, we started the day with breakfast at the Hot Springs. I loved that the “continental breakfast” was right at the Hot Springs Poolside Grill with amazing views of the resort! Much better than a stuffy hotel room somewhere, and the food was delicious. Their blueberry muffins were a huge hit with my picky-eater kids!
Afterward, we headed to Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park for the day. This is the only mountaintop theme park in the world, and there were SO many things we loved about this incredible amusement park. Here are just a few:
The only way to the top is the gondola!
My kids LOVED this! It’s an immediate “ride,” and the views of the surrounding mountains were stunning. Each gondola holds up to six people and it’s wheelchair (and stroller) accessible. What a way to kick off the day!
My 3-year-old could go on a lot of the rides!
I’m always hesitant to go to amusement parks with my kids because they’re so little and there’s usually not much that they can do. But right away, my husband and son were able to jump on the Alpine Coaster. This two-person coaster races down 3,400 feet of track where you control your own speed. Both my husband and son loved this one!
After the Alpine Coaster, Grayson and I went on the mini rollercoaster, the Wild West Express. He had an absolute blast! Some other rides for his age and height were the Giddy-Up - a kid version of a drop ride where they go up and get bounced around before making their way back to the ground, the Mine Wheel - a ferris wheel in mining carts, a 4-D Motion Theater, and Laser Tag.
I didn’t have to worry about losing half the family when we were doing different activities.
While they were zooming around the mountain on the Alpine Coaster, the Little Feet Playground was a perfect place to wait with my 1-year-old. We all got to do something fun at the same time! The nature-themed playground had a musical flower garden, activity panels, and a log to crawl through. Madison had a great time. The park is also nice and small, which made everything accessible.
The Caverns were magical!
The true star of the show here, though, is the caverns. Glenwood Caverns, also known as Fairy Cave, has been designated a National Natural Landmark. The caves sit at 7,100 feet in elevation and date back to between 1.34 and 1.69 million years old! We chose to do the King’s Row Tour, which is about 40 minutes and heads to the most decorated cave in Colorado. We traveled 150 feet below the surface, and it was an amazing reprieve from the heat! The cave stays a cool 52° to 55° (11°C to 13°C) year-round. Our guide into the caverns made this truly special, though. She made Grayson her helper, and he got to lead the group on the tour and even got his own flashlight. We learned a lot and the kids enjoyed themselves. Other cave tours include the Historic Fairy Tour, which is a good option for anyone who wants to avoid the 120 stairs. And for those looking for an extra adventure, the Wild Tour takes you into the tiny spaces, spelunking below Iron Mountain.
Dinner with a view
After our cave tour, I met with the sales manager, Suzanne, and she took me up to the incredible park lookout and showed me the areas that are used for large groups. The Lookout Grille Restaurant offers panoramic views of the mountains and is an amazing place for food and drinks. Highly recommend the Adult Icee’s! We also saw the tent, which is an amazing spot for private groups or big family gatherings. In the fall, they host Octoberfest, complete with Oompa band, German-inspired food, and craft beer.
Rollercoasters and Thrill Rides
We can’t wait to come back when the kids are older to check out some of the thrill rides as well. The Defiance Rollercoaster looked the most epic with its over 100° free fall! The Crystal Tower is similar to the Tower of Terror but drops into the Crystal Grotto. And the Canyon Swing flies out over the 1,300-foot cliff. Overall, this is a fantastic theme park for all ages!
Day 2 Afternoon
After riding the gondola back down, the kids took a much-needed nap back at the hotel before we went back to the Hot Springs. The Hot Springs date back to 1888 and have the world’s largest hot springs pool - over 2 blocks long! The Yampah Hot Springs is a section with 5 pools full of a blend of 15 minerals and natural water. The Shoshone Chutes are the #1 thing I can’t wait to try on our next trip! This whitewater tubing ride is meant to imitate the path of the Colorado River rapids and looks like a blast.
Our kids loved the Sopris Splash Zone. There were interactive water play areas and three waterslides that Grayson could go down on his own. The waterfall in the pool mimics nearby Hanging Lake, and the Grand Fountain Splash Pad was another great area for the kids.
Unfortunately, a storm was rolling in so we headed back to the hotel and were so exhausted that we decided to eat in the room. I went next door to the incredible Hotel Colorado and picked up takeout. The Colorado Hotel dates back to 1893 and has incredible decor both inside and outside, and a beautiful patio and outdoor bar where I waited for my to-go food from their restaurant Baron’s. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Day 3
After an early night, the next morning we enjoyed another poolside breakfast. If you have the time, this is another great day to enjoy more of the Hot Springs Resort, since check-out isn’t until 12:00 PM. We had to get back to fly to our friend’s wedding, so we had to hit the road, but we will absolutely be back!
