This winter, we spent a few days in Beaver Creek, Colorado. It’s no secret that Colorado is a winter wonderland with plenty of skiing and snowboarding opportunities. But what if your family wants to do some other fun activities besides hitting the slopes? Here are the top kid-friendly things to do in Vail Valley, Colorado, during winter.
1. Go snow tubing
Tubing is a popular winter activity, especially for younger kids not yet ready to ski or snowboard. Luckily, Colorado offers many great tubing hills to choose from. We opted for Frisco Adventure Park, located near the charming town of Frisco, which we explored and enjoyed afterward.
💡 Good to know
Note that at Frisco Adventure Park, Tubing Hill reservations are required, and a full payment is needed to make a reservation.
The tubing hill is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday for the 2023/2024 season.
Coming from Beaver Creek, where we were staying, our travel time took longer than expected, and it took us 1 hour 45 minutes rather than 45 minutes to reach the park.
Despite leaving earlier, we were still late. Fortunately, given the poor weather, they rescheduled our time slot for later. Otherwise, according to their website, they are pretty strict with missed time slots.
We had 1 hour to enjoy the slopes, and given the snowy weather and the little ones, we went down four times (it takes about 30 seconds). And we felt that that was more than enough. Afterward, we spent some time in the main building, where they had a waiting area with dining sets, couches, and a cafe to grab a sandwich or hot cocoa!
2. Take a sleigh ride
We highly recommend taking a sleigh ride if you’re looking for a fun winter activity for the whole family during your Colorado vacation.
We booked a ride with Bearcat Stables in Edwards (located only 20 minutes away from the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek where we were staying at). Nestled in the heart of the Vail Valley, this historic stable offers horse-drawn sleigh rides that provide stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Since we wanted to secure our spot, we booked our ride a few weeks before our stay.
We arrived a bit early, so we first enjoyed hot cocoa in the rustic cabin to warm up. After that, we were paired up with our draft horses, Lefty and Pancho, and our girls got to pet the massive but gentle horses after our ride.
As soon as our knowledgeable guide snapped the reins, we were off, gliding through the snowy meadows. During the ride, we learned interesting facts about the stable’s history and our horses. After a peaceful 30-minute ride, we returned to the stables, where the kids roasted marshmallows over a fire pit. It was a perfect way to end our experience!
Don’t forget to dress warmly in winter gear, including jackets, hats, gloves, and snow boots, as you’ll be outside for at least an hour. Cozy blankets are also provided.
3. Go sledding
If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity with your family, Nottingham Park in Avon, Colorado, is a great option. This park is a popular spot for sledding and is suitable for kids of all ages. It’s located near Avon Elementary School in the Vail Valley and is easily accessible.
Best of all, it’s free to the public, so you can enjoy a day of winter fun without breaking the bank. Although we haven’t had the chance to visit the park ourselves, we have heard great things about it from locals who highly recommend it as a top sledding destination in the area.
4. Go ice skating
Another exciting winter activity that you should try is ice skating! We were lucky to have an ice rink, Beaver Creek Ice Rink, right in front of the hotel where we were staying at.
💡 Good to know
Here is the pricing for ice skate rentals at Beaver Creek Ice Rink: $5 admission with your own skates, $10 admission and rentals for ages 12 and under, and $15 admission and rentals for ages 13+.
It was our daughter’s first time skating, but she quickly picked it up!
Here are some other outdoor ice rinks you can use while visiting Vail Valley in Colorado:
- Vail Ice Rink/The Arrabelle at Vail Square. This rink is located right in the heart of Vail Village. Nestled at the base of Vail Mountain, it offers beautiful alpine scenery surround the rink. Public skating sessions are available daily during the winter season.
- Nottingham Park. The town of Avon hosts this public outdoor rink on Nottingham Lake. It’s open and free for public skating during winter when conditions permit. Skate rentals are $8.00 for 2 hours.
- Solaris Plaza Rink. Vail Village has a small outdoor rink in the Solaris Plaza that operates seasonally, and it is $15 for kids and $20 for adults.
5. Roast marshmallows
One of our favorite things about winter vacations is gathering around a crackling fire to roast marshmallows as the snow falls softly around us.
This classic camping tradition is our kids’ favorite. Enjoying it surrounded by snow, breathing crisp fresh air, and warming our toes by the fire only made it extra special.
While our hotel also provided s’mores kits, we had the perfect roasting session at Bearcat Stables after our sleigh ride.
6. Grab a cookie
Have you heard of “Cookie Time” at Beaver Creek? It’s a daily event you don’t want to miss! Every day at around 3 pm, you can smell the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies at the base of the Centennial Express Lift. The best part? They’re completely free! Can you believe they give away half a million cookies a season?
You can enjoy two cookies at a time, and they’re so delicious. Just look for the chef hats and follow the aroma!
7. Visit a museum
On your Colorado trip, make sure to visit local museums! For example, the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame located in Vail. It was founded in 1976 to celebrate the state’s skiing and snowboarding history and culture (admission is free). The museum houses the largest collection of Colorado ski memorabilia, with over 13,000 artifacts and exhibits covering topics like the 10th Mountain Division, ski technology and fashion, equipment evolution, and more.
The Hall of Fame section of the museum honors over 200 individuals who made significant contributions to Colorado’s skiing heritage.
Another great museum to visit is Frisco Historic Park & Museum, located in the charming mountain town of Frisco, about 70 miles west of Denver. It offers a look into Frisco’s fascinating history as a booming mining town in the late 1800s.
The museum consists of several historic buildings, including a restored 1880s log cabin, the old Frisco Jailhouse, and a one-room schoolhouse. The amazing part is that you can tour the historic buildings, go inside and see rooms decorated to reflect pioneer life in the late 19th century.
8. Soak in an outdoor pool
If you ever visit Colorado during winter, you must try soaking in an outdoor hot tub and heated pool! Even though it’s freezing outside, with the temperature dropping to 20°F, the hot tub feels like a hot spring, with a temperature of 103°F.
Our girls find it fascinating being in the pool while it is snowing, and they begged us to go every day during our stay at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek! Somehow, they even managed to build tiny snowmen on the side of the hot tub!
9. Spot a wild animal
One of the most amazing experiences during our trip to Colorado’s Vail Valley was an up close and personal encounter with elks. These majestic animals roam down from the mountains in winter, and we were lucky enough to see them while taking a sleigh ride near Beaver Creek.
Here are some of the wild animals you can see in the winter in Colorado’s Vail Valley:
- Elk – large herds of elk descend from the higher elevations in winter and are often seen around Vail and Beaver Creek. We also saw bulls with impressive antler racks while on the road!
- Bighorn Sheep – these mountain sheep with curling horns traverse steep rocky slopes and can sometimes be spotted along mountain roads.
- Mule Deer – look for these large deer with big ears and black-tipped tails browsing open meadows.
- Moose – though rare, moose are occasionally seen in forested areas and wetlands around Vail.
- Bald Eagles – listen for their piercing cries and look for these iconic birds in trees near open water.
With a little patience and some luck, the winter landscapes of Colorado’s Vail Valley offer the chance to see iconic wildlife in a beautiful snowy setting.
Bottom Line
With so many fun winter activities besides skiing and snowboarding, a Colorado vacation offers something for every member of the family. From thrilling snow tubing and sledding to peaceful sleigh rides and museum visits, the charming mountain towns of Vail Valley offer great experiences. Just remember to pack your snow boots, down jacket, and warm layers and get ready to embrace the snow and make memories together.
