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Colorado Family Multisport Adventure

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

Saint Augustine, who never went on our Colorado family vacation

We love family tours.

The key to our family tours is that we provide a structure that offers flexibility of different ages, abilities, and interests. For example, you can participate in some activities with your kids while at other times choose to have a nice glass of wine with a fancier dinner or take a longer hike while we take care of your brood. A huge positive for you as the trip planner is that with our guides in charge, it is they who are responsible for driving, directions, reservations, planning, and answering “Are we there yet?”

And Colorado is about as great a family tour location as exists. It is no beach vacation or Disneyland. Picture river rafting on the Colorado River, horseback riding in the Rocky Mountains, and bicycling on a paved path along an alpine lake. Add to that visiting a ghost town, touring a historic abandoned mine, and exploring Independence Pass at 12,095 feet in elevation. Throw in some delicious Colorado cuisine, a visit to a craft brewery, and plenty of pool time. Top it off with a rodeo and this is an outstanding Colorado Family Vacation for both adults and kids.

We recommend this tour for kids age 5 – 14 but for private tours can accommodate any ages. We strive hard to keep our prices reasonable as we know paying for the family can take a bite out of the budget. We think when you add up all the costs of lodging, transportation, meals, guides, and activities you will find this a reasonable cost for an amazing experience.

Note we usually run one or two public family tours each year. Check out our current calendar for details.

Private Tour Info

Want to make this a private vacation? Gather your family and friends, choose your date, and we'll do the rest!

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Details

Other Info: Kids staying in a room with their adult(s) receive a lower price of $2,125

Adults wishing to have their own room can pay a single supplement of $800. Aunts, uncles, and grandparents are welcome on this trip too! This trip is appropriate for kids ages 5 - 14.

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Trip Highlights

  • Walk the mountain towns of Aspen, Leadville, and Frisco
  • Hike to Hanging Lake, a National Natural Landmark, and explore Independence Pass at 12,095 feet in elevation
  • Ride a horse (or pony) in the Rockies and river raft on the mighty Colorado River!
  • Visit a ghost town, explore an historic gold mine, and attend a real rodeo
  • Bicycle on a mostly flat paved trail along Dillon Reservoir
  • Swim in hotel pools four of four nights
Day 1
We meet you at Denver International Airport at 11:30 in the morning and shuttle west into the Rocky Mountains. With a short stop en route to enjoy Vail Pass, we continue over the Rocky Mountains and into Glenwood Canyon, carved by the Colorado River. We'll stop in the canyon for a hike to Hanging Lake, which is literally perched on a ledge and appearing to defy the laws of nature. After the hike, we head into Glenwood Springs to our hotel, which has not one but two pools (indoor and outdoor), which we'll enjoy while we have a picnic dinner on the hotel grounds.
Day 2
We transfer in the morning to No Name Reststop along the Colorado River for a bit of whitewater rafting! The highlights are the Shoshone Rapids, Class III fun for the whole family. After rafting, we head to the cute mountain town of Basalt for lunch on your own. In the afternoon, we'll drive to the village of Snowmass, Aspen's little sister, where we'll check into our condominiums and enjoy the outdoor pool with views of the ski mountain or a hike on your own on a local trail. This evening we'll split up for dinner, with adults enjoying a nicer restaurant while the guides lead the kiddos to a more casual meal.
Day 3
In the morning we shuttle just up the road to Aspen, home to many of the rich and famous. We'll ride up the tram to the top of Aspen Mountain, which boasts awesome views and a handful of fun activities for kids and families. If you are eager for a workout, you can choose to hike up the mountain instead or walk down from the top - with or without the kids, who will be just fine with our guides. You can wander Aspen for lunch on your own and then we drive to the Ashcroft Ghost Town for a view of what old-time mining towns in Colorado used to be like. Back in Snowmass, we'll shuttle to the weekly Snowmass rodeo, where we'll have a casual BBQ dinner and where any brave kids who want to can try their hand at sheep riding!
Day 4
We depart relatively early to head up and over 12,095-foot Independence Pass where we'll get out and wander around in the rarified alpine air. Down the other side, we drive into the fantastic old mining town of Leadville which, at 10,000 feet, is the highest incorporated city in North America. In Leadville, you can wander the streets, including checking out the saloon where Doc Holliday shot a man during the wild west heydays. After lunch, we'll visit the historic Matchless Mine, a wealth of gold followed by bankruptcy and tragic times for its owners. Then it is on to Keystone Mountain Resort for horse and pony rides. After riding we'll check into our Dillon hotel and head down the street to the Dillon Dam Brewery, one of the famous craft breweries of Colorado - considered the "State of Craft Beer" - for our farewell dinner (don't worry, they have a great kids menu!)
Day 5
We rent bicycles after breakfast and cycle on a flat, paved path along the Dillon Reservoir. The reservoir is one of Denver's main water supplies and we'll ride across the dam that creates the reservoir. After our ride, you'll have time to eat lunch in Frisco, a central town of Summit County and Colorado's winter and summer playground. Then it is off to the Denver Airport with a 2:30 PM estimated arrival and goodbyes to our newfound friends.
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Trip Accommodations

NIGHT 1 >> CEDAR LODGE / GLENWOOD SPRINGS
There is nothing fancy about the Cedar Lodge but it is an outstanding hotel for a family tour. The lodge boasts not one but two swimming pools and not one but three picnic areas on site. Plus, there are lots of room configurations that will fit any family.
NIGHTS 2 & 3 >> STONEBRIDGE INN / SNOWMASS VILLAGE
Snowmass is the little sister to famous Aspen, just down the road. We love Snowmass because it is less crowded, less pretentious, and less pricey. The Crestwood has been voted the "number one resort for families" for years and makes a perfect centralized base for exploring. Heated outdoor pool and hot tub on site!
NIGHT 4 >> DILLON INN / DILLON
Located between the towns of Silverthorne and Dillon, right along the Dillon Reservoir. Our final hotel has an indoor pool and the biking trail is right out our front door!
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Arrival and Departure
We will meet you at Denver International Airport at 11:30 AM on the first day of the tour. Many flights get into Denver early enough that you can fly in that day. Alternatively, you can fly in the night before, book an airport-area hotel, and we'll pick you up there. We finish back at the Denver airport at 2:30 PM on the final day and you can safely fly out at 4:00 PM or later.
What's Included:
  • One or two Zephyr guides accompany each trip.
  • Double occupancy lodging is included. If kids stay in your room (and we can often get a suite) they get a discount of 15% off the tour price. If you are a solo adult in your family group, you may pay a single supplement to have your own room.
  • Dinners and breakfasts are included. Gratuity for these meals is also included. We leave lunches open so that you have time to explore and enjoy the local flavors en route.
  • All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day.
  • All group activities are included.
  • NOT INCLUDED Beverages, desserts, lunches, gratuities to your guides, personal expenses, and travel to and from the destination.
Weather
The best time period for this tour is June through September. Because we are in the very high country (Leadville) and not so high country (Glenwood Springs), temperatures will vary greatly on the same tour. However, during these months Colorado has mostly blue skies and little chance of rain except an occasional afternoon storm rolling through the Rockies. Given the mountain environment, we will be prepared for anything.
Type of People Who Will Enjoy This Tour

Kids of any age are welcome but this trip is most appropriate for kids five through 14. (On private tours we will adapt the tour to the group.) We as guides can vouch that kids are the true experts at having fun and it makes this tour special for everyone. This trip includes activities that both kids and adults will enjoy, sometimes together and sometimes separately. We know you love your little darlings, but we realize it is nice to have an occasional break for an adult drink or longer hike — our guides are more than happy to oblige you in this! We plan a couple separate activities and a dinner for kids and adults (your older teenagers can make up their minds which group they would like to join these times!). Adult family members traveling on their own without kids (such as uncles, aunts and grandparents) will also love this trip.

Ability Level

This Adventure is rated For All Abilities. No experience is required for horseback riding and river rafting, although there are minimum age restrictions and alternative options for these activities.

Changes to Your Itinerary

While everything under “What is Included” will remain the same, the actual restaurants, hotels, and activities listed in our itineraries are subject to modifications. Changes that are out of our control are common – a restaurant closes or loses its awesome chef, a winery changes its visiting hours, a hotel gets remodeled, a road or trail undergoes construction. You are entrusting us to create an outstanding vacation for you and so it is possible we may take the liberty of making necessary changes (even at the last minute, during the guides’ scout trip) to the itinerary that will improve your overall trip experience. If there is any one experience that is going to make or break your trip, please discuss this with us in advance! We will attempt to keep our website itinerary as current as possible and communicate any major changes with you in the weeks prior to the tour.

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