Planned Your 2019 Vacation Yet?

The Giant Canyon Swing at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
The Giant Canyon Swing at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
It’s not too late—Tuesday, January 29 is National Plan Your Vacation Day. For the ultimate Colorado adventure, plan a trip to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park today.

If you’re thinking, I’ve got all year to plan a vacation, you might be wrong. The first month of twelve has almost slipped away in the blink of an eye. The fact is every year more than half of Americans (52%) fail to use all their time off, creating a stock pile of 705 million unused vacation days, up from 662 million days the year before. There are a few more days left in January, the month for new beginnings. Stop forfeiting your hard-earned vacation days and start enjoying them instead.

Vacation planners are happier

As in most endeavors in life, those who plan ahead are more likely to succeed. That includes planning for and taking time off for vacations. According to a press release by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), “The most effective remedy for American workers who want to use more vacation days is better planning. Yet just over half of households set aside time to plan the use of their vacation time each year.” According to the USTA research, planners have a distinct advantage over non-planners: They use more of their time, take longer vacations and are happier.

This video featuring Samantha Brown, travel expert and television host of Places to Love, sums why National Plan Your Vacation Day on Jan. 29th is the best way to jump start your 2019 vacation plans.

Vacation planners are doers

There are also other benefits of setting aside a specific day to plan your annual vacation. First, by penciling in a getaway on your calendar, you instantly have a task list you can tackle that helps to bring your vacation from blurry idea to focused reality. Such a list might include letting the boss know months in advance when you’ll be out of the office, shopping for the best flight deals, booking lodging reservations and pre-planning your in-destination activities.

Vacation planners have more fun

Secondly, anticipation is delicious. Looking forward to something in the future creates powerful, positive emotions. Planning a vacation to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park for example, you might anticipate riding the Giant Canyon Swing or two adrenaline-pumping thrill rides. You might look forward to taking cave tours that delve deep under Iron Mountain to showcase a stunning underground landscape. Perhaps you want to dance under the stars? You can do that too with a regular schedule of musical performances kicking off in summer 2019.

In addition to visiting Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, your vacation dreams might also expand to include other things-to-do in Glenwood Springs like geothermal soaking at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, hiking to Hanging Lake, sampling award-winning beers at area pubs and breweries or rafting through scenic Glenwood Canyon. Planning ahead allows you to take in all the possibilities.

Plan your visit to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park today

Please note Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is temporarily closed until March while we install our new, high-capacity gondola. Look for more details and information about this exciting new addition on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park: Who Does That?

Ever wonder who works the various jobs at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park or what it’s like to be employed at America’s only mountaintop theme park?

As Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park prepares for a hiring spree for the upcoming summer season, three employees share their insights and experiences. To learn more about summer employment, check out the video above. Our mission is to make people smile; if it’s yours as well, we invite you to apply for an opportunity to join our team.

RYAN MOREAU

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

Tram base supervisor. I pretty much take care of operations at the base and that includes running the tram, manning the register and supervising the day-to-day operations at the tram base.

How long have you been at GCAP?

About nine months.

What keeps you at GCAP?

I love it! I’ve worked lots of retail jobs; the people at those other jobs were never happy—neither my fellow employees nor the customers. My naturally happy personality didn’t fit in there. Nancy, who is the general manager at the Park, noticed me at my old job and scouted me out.  She liked my work ethic and said she was going to hire me one day. She did! Thank you Nancy!

What’s the best part of your job?

I get to sell smiles for a living and it’s fantastic! GCAP is a very unique workplace. I have never experienced anything like it. I am part of an awesome company that feels more like a family than a job. GCAP is a company that’s going nowhere but up, and I want to be on board with them for the ride so to speak.

Do you have a memorable customer story?

I love the guests. There are a lot of neat people who visit the caverns. There are so many great stories, but one of my favorites is of a guest who was afraid of heights. She was very nervous about riding the tram. She wanted to see our amazing caves so bad though that she was able to tackle her fear of heights, get on top of that 7,100 foot mountain, and have fun. It was awesome!

DAN CHANEY

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

I’m a cave tour guide. I do all the tours — walking and crawling.

How long have you been at GCAP?

I just wrapped up two years.

What keeps you at GCAP?

This job suits me to a T! I’ve been an earth sciences nerd for ages. I’m an amateur geologist, fossil hunter and prospector, so to say I’m at home in a cave is an understatement! Glenwood Caverns has a great product and outstanding management; it’s a testament to who Steve and Jeanne Beckley (the owners) are as people that working here it feels like a family.

What’s the best part of your job?

I love that I get to share what I know with the public. I’m one of those people who can remember details for 30 years—I’m a top-notch Trivial Pursuit player—I’ve been called the Bill Nye of Caves!

Do you have a memorable customer story?

You mean have I had a personal moment with a customer? Yes! Every day! One that stands out is when I had a geophysicist on one of my tours. This is a scholarly guy who really knows his stuff. Well, after the tour he let me know that he learned a few things he hadn’t known before. I took that as quite a compliment. Another time involved a grandfather and his grandson. After learning something new about cave science, I remember the boy saying with such enthusiasm, “Wow grandpa! That’s so neat!” It’s rewarding to engage with all kinds of guests, from all backgrounds, from all over the world.

DONNA WALKER aka “MAMA DONNA”

What’s your job at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (GCAP)?

I’m a grill cashier at the Lookout Grille.

How long have you been at GCAP?

I’ve been in Colorado for eight years — transplanted from Georgia — and worked at the Caverns for five years.

How did you get your nickname?

(Laughs) A bunch of guys in the kitchen started calling me that and it sort of stuck. I like to take care of people and make them smile.

What keeps you at GCAP?

It’s a great place to work! I love the location on top of a mountain and riding the gondola to work every day.  I love the customers, especially the kids. I’ve been able to see some of the kids of our regular customers grow up over the years and that’s a lot of fun. I also like the fact that GCAP offers military discounts. My son Dusty Walker is a bomb specialist in the US Army, and I’m proud of him and of all our veterans. When veterans visit, I like to go out of my way to thank them for their service.

What’s the best part of your job?

I’m a people person. If I can make someone’s day better I will. If I see a mom is struggling with her kid for example, I’ll make a whip cream face on a plate with chocolate eyes and a smile. That pretty much turns the kid’s day and the mom’s day around right away.

Do you have a memorable customer story?

This one time a gentleman gave me a great compliment. He said I should be on the Dr. Phil show to show other people how customer service is done. I just like to work with the public. It makes me happy to make other people happy.

If you’re on a mission to make people smile, consider joining the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park team this summer. Visit glenwoodjobs.com for more information.

Play all year with an Annual Pass for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Annual Passes for Glenwood Caverns
Our annual passes are the very best value for spending time at the park. They pay for themselves on your second visit! The Annual Thrill Pass provides unlimited access to the park, all rides, attractions and events, for a full year. The Annual Tram Pass allows you to ride the Iron Mountain Tramway as often as you like. Both include a 10% discount at our restaurants and gift shops. Give us a call at 970-945-4228, ext. 0, or stop by during business hours. During the winter, that’s any day except Monday.

Enjoy Winter on the Mountain at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Santa at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

America’s only mountaintop theme park sparkles and shines during its annual Winter on the Mountain celebration. From mid-November through late February, a half million lights — that’s 35 miles of light strands — decorate the buildings and attractions. The plaza is a focal point for all, with fire pits for roasting s’mores, a giant Christmas tree with a light show timed to music and visits from Santa and carolers. The Alpine Coaster is lighted for nighttime rides, and the 4D Motion Theater and laser tag arena are open as well. The Lookout Grille hosts Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) from 5 – 8:30 weekly, with live music, food and drink specials, and free tram rides after 4 p.m. by mentioning FAC at the base. There’s also live music throughout the holiday season; check our website for the schedule.

New Melodrama at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Part ghost story, part mystery and part romantic comedy, “Trouble Bubbles at the Iron Mountain Hot Springs” at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is an updated version of the American melodrama that’s sure to delight the whole family.

You can catch a performance at the Adventure Park all summer, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at noon and 2:30. It’s free with admission to the park.

The story follows Sheriff Warren Peace, newspaperman Avery Braveman and plucky Hotel owner Jenna Rossity as they unravel the evil plot of Professor Thaddeus Mack, all in the midst of ghostly shenanigans. As the show unfolds, the colorful characters of the Old West are brought to life by a troupe of young actors who hail from the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.

Take your special event to new heights at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Planning a special event? Consider a mountaintop destination where your guests travel to the venue on a gondola! Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, can help you plan a reunion, party, wedding, reception, company event or team building, or banquet that your guests will always remember.

With breathtaking views, activities for all ages, lots of dining options and affordable pricing, we make planning a snap. Give us a call at 800-530-1635, ext. 118

Family fun at Glenwood Caverns’ Mountain Fall Festival

Join us for mountains of fun at our second annual Fall Festival! Through Oct. 30, 2016, you’ll find a pumpkin patch, fall photo opportunities, and food and drink specials. There’s even more fun on Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. with hayrides, family-friendly games, scavenger hunts, face painting and pumpkin decorating.

On Saturday, Oct. 22, we’ll have live Oktoberfest music by Alpine Echo and cans-for-a-tram rides from noon to 5 p.m. You can ride the tram free with the donation of at least one can of food for the Lift-Up food pantry!

The park features several vantage points with panoramic views of the fall colors in Glenwood Canyon and the Roaring Fork Valley. The tram, the Lookout Grille, the Mine Wheel and viewing decks at the Giant Canyon Swing and above the restaurant are some of the best places for leaf peeping and photos.is text.