6 Last-Minute, Family-Friendly Spring Break Plans

6 Last-Minute, Family-Friendly Spring Break Plans  |   5280   |   March 18, 2019
By: Kim Habicht

Although the threat of an unannounced flurry is still in the air, Spring Break is just around the corner. If you’re still lacking plans, we rounded up some imaginative and relatively inexpensive ideas to keep both you and your kids safe from cabin fever.

Grab Your Snow Bunnies and Hit the Slopes

March is Colorado’s snowiest month—and this year might even be record-breaking—meaning it’s an opportune time to hit the hill. There’s hardly a shortage of choices, but we recommend looking for resorts with spring break deals. Keystone Resort is readymade for kids, with tons of kid-friendly programming. The resort offers Lift + Lodge discounts, which gets you a hotel room and a lift pass, starting at $292 a night. If you stay for more than two nights, kids 12 or under will ski for free. The Kidtopia program is the cherry on top, with movie matinees, milkshake socials, and late-night fireworks every day to keep your hyperactive ones preoccupied.

Make Your Kids Happy Campers

If mom and dad have to work, Denver’s array of spring break camps will keep your kids busy. Tech-savvy little ones should sign up at the Silicon STEM Academy, where campers will design apps, play with robotics, and tinker with chemistry. Your mini scientist will be easily occupied at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science camps, where kids in kindergarten through sixth grade will watch IMAX movies and planetarium shows, and explore the museum’s latest exhibition, Leonardo da Vinci: 500 Years of Genius. The Denver Zoo is offering a Spring Safari camp, which will have little adventurers going on zoo expeditions and getting hands-on time with animals. And for the bookworm: YMCA of the Rockies features Harry Potter-themed classes, like Quidditch, Wand Building, and a HP trivia game.

Thaw Out in Santa Fe

If you’re ready to get out of Denver, we suggest visiting the sunny oasis of Santa Fe. Only five-and-a-half hours from Denver, Santa Fe offers skiing, exquisite cuisine, and tons of kid-friendly activities. The town boasts state-of-the-art museums like the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, which is offering a spring break family program on March 20. Meow Wolf, an interactive art experience (coming soon to Denver) will wow even hard-to-please little ones with two hours of oddities and storylines packed into a big warehouse art installation. There are plenty of local lodging choices, including the historic La Fonda on the Plaza, which is offering a package deal that will get your family complimentary breakfast and tickets to Meow Wolf and the Harrell House Bug Museum.

Day-trip Out of Denver

Only two-and-a-half hours from Denver, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is within day-tripping distance. The park offers thrills like a haunted mine drop, 4D motion theater, and the alpine coaster, which will whip you through 3,400 feet of track and offer breathtaking views of Colorado scenery. In addition to the theme park, delicious food, luxury lodging, and spectacular outdoor attractions can be found at Glenwood Springs. If you’d like to stay the night, Hotel Colorado offers a Spring Break Pool Party package, where you’ll get four passes to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool every night of your stay.

Travel by Tracks

The journey is the destination on this two-hour-long train ride through the Royal Gorge on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. Young conductors will be delighted to witness Colorado’s stunning scenery, including the rushing Arkansas River, and experience live entertainment like the murder mystery dinner. From March 11 to March 30, the train ride will offer the “Après Adventure” ride—an exclusive dining tour with meals prepared by the on-board 403 Bistro. Tip: Mention “spring fling” while booking, and you’ll get $10 off your ticket.

Staycation in the Springs

If you don’t want to venture too far from home, check out the Great Wolf Lodge’s annual Spring-a-palooza. In addition to decorating the suites with bright colors and blooming flowers, the resort offers deals on accommodations and a plethora of kid-friendly activities like yoga, a bubble party, and a tea party. Don’t miss the lodge’s award-winning water park, ropes course, and arcade, which truly make it a kids’ paradise.