Shop the Top: Merchants’ Point of View

 ‘Shop your Way to the Top,’ a new Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park marketing campaign provides a community boost during the Grand Avenue Bridge project.

Glenwood Springs has passed the halfway point of the largest highway construction project in western Colorado in 25 years. Upon completion, the Grand Avenue Bridge will not only be a safe and effective corridor for vehicular travel with wider lanes and better traffic flow, but a welcoming, new gateway to Glenwood Springs and all it has to offer.

During the construction, the bridge is closed through mid-November. A detour takes drivers on an alternate route through town bypassing some of the town’s major shopping districts including downtown Glenwood Springs and the Glenwood Meadows Shopping Center.

To encourage shopping and lend a helping hand to merchants during this time, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has come up with an innovative plan that benefits store owners and their guests. It’s called Shop your Way to the Top.  Here’s how it works: Shop at stores or restaurants in Glenwood Meadows or in downtown between Cooper and Colorado Avenues and 6th to 10th Streets. Make a minimum purchase of $16 and receive a free tram ride – valued at $16 – to the top of Iron Mountain, the location of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. If the receipt is for $32 or more, then two free tram passes can be redeemed, with a limit of four free tram rides per receipt!

It’s easy too; just bring your receipt to the Glenwood Caverns tram base cashier to redeem. Visitors can also upgrade tickets to a Tram & Cave or Funday Pass if they choose. Shop your Way to the Top purchases can be made until the bridge opens and those receipts are valid through Dec. 17, 2017.

Here’s what Glenwood Springs merchants are saying about Shop your Way to the Top:

“I’ve told my customers about it and they are just delighted! I ask them if they’ve taken the tram before and often they say no. I tell them, well now’s your chance,” said Vicki Van Engelenburg, owner of A La Carte, a clothing and gift boutique on Grand Ave. She added, “The Shop your Way to the Top campaign has been very successful and positive for us, bringing in customers that might not have stopped otherwise. There’s also camaraderie among businesses in Glenwood Springs that we’re all in this together, I appreciate the Caverns’ efforts to support my business and others during this project.”

From Miles Rattet, owner of The Fourth Dimension, a men’s apparel and home decor store on Cooper Ave., “We were super excited to be included in this. The Cavern’s campaign is fantastic for the entire community; it enriches our whole town by bringing us even closer together. Shop your Way to the Top is a great example of how businesses can work together to support one another and it’s a model for our community going forward in the future.”

According to Mike Mercatoris, owner of two Glenwood Springs’ restaurants – Zheng Asian Bistro at the Glenwood Meadows and The Grind on Grand Ave. in downtown, “The Shop your Way to the Top campaign has been awesome!” He added, “The bridge construction has definitely been a ding in our business, but the cool thing is Glenwood Caverns doesn’t have to do this. They really aren’t impacted the way downtown or the Meadows are. It really shows their character and the character of Glenwood Springs. It’s been cool to see our patrons, especially locals respond to the program. They get pretty excited when they find out in addition to a great meal they can get a free tram ride and take in some of the most amazing views of the Roaring Fork Valley from the top.”

Who says there’s no such thing as a free ride? With Shop your Way to the Top, claiming your free ride is as easy as enjoying yourself by shopping and dining in Glenwood Springs – at the Meadows or downtown. Show us your receipt, then kick back for a free tram ride to one of the most scenic overlooks around, or spend the day checking out the caves, rides and attractions at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

It’s Fright Season at US Theme Parks

Count on theme parks, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park included, for a screaming good time at Halloween and year-round. 

Many amusement parks across the United States dress up for Halloween – some for tricks, some for treats. There’s the frightful transformation of Pittsburgh-area Kennywood’s Raging Rapids into the Voodoo Bayou, Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream Blood Asylum, in
Williamsburg and Knott’s Berry Farm’s Pumpkin Eater, Voodoo Maze, Ghost Town Streets, and 13 haunted mazes. More kid-friendly choices range from the Sweet Trick or Treat Trail at Hersheypark to pumpkin decorating and the Not-Too-Spooky Howl-O-Ween Radio Show at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa.

Other theme parks stay haunted all year – the scary installations are called “dark rides” in the industry. There’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood studio, a drop tower that goes on to a “fifth dimension” star field where you hurtle toward doom. Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando and Hollywood includes a ride through Hogwarts Castle with threating spiders, dragons, Dementors, and Death Eaters. For a more classic fright, check out the Spook-A-Rama at Coney Island in New York or the Haunted Mansion at Knoebels in Elysburg, Pa. Curse of DarKastle at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., combines the traditional scares with 3-D CGI animation and other modern features.

Check out USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2017 selections for seasonal spooky them parks to find one near you this month, or TripSavvy’s list for a scary treat any time.

Family-owned Theme Parks are a Rarity

Cliffhanger Roller Coaster Glenwood Caverns
Ride the Glenwood Canyon Flyer

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is one of just a few family-held theme parks in the U.S.

Changing tastes in entertainment and strong competition from new diversions mean family-owned theme parks must find innovative ways to attract people to their playgrounds. While mega-parks like Disneyland and Cedar Point cater to corporate investors for more and more roller coasters, smaller parks like Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park carve our niche with unique locations – like a the top of a mountain or inside a cave  – responsive service and often a dose of the old days.

Fewer than half of the Top Ten parks recommended by Grandparents.com are corporate-owned. Family-owned playgrounds on the list include Knoebels in Pennsylvania, Holiday World in Indiana (sometimes considered the oldest U.S. theme park), Adventureland in Iowa and Morgan’s Wonderland in Texas.

Our closest cousin in the family of family-owned theme parks is Herschend Family Entertainment that started with Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, and now has 23 locations in six states, including Dollywood – known as Silver Dollar City Tennessee until Dolly Parton partnered.

Like Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Silver Dollar City in the Ozarks started with a cave originally explored in the 19th century that eventually became a tourist attraction. (It was originally called Marble Cave but changed to Marvel Cave when the smooth rock turned out to be limestone rather than marble.) They still give tours, and they’ve added thrill rides, restaurants and other amusements over the years.

Silver Doller City has a Giant Barn Swing designed, like our Giant Canyon Swing, by S&S Worldwide, which also has installations at Cedar Point and Dollywood as well as in Russia, Sweden, Japan and the United Kingdom. Silver Dollar City also has an eight-story drop tower, FireFall.

We’re proud to be among the family-owned theme parks that are there for your family.

A Mountain-full of Colorado Fall Fun

Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Autumn in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is spectacular, but fall at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, America’s only mountaintop theme park, is over-the-edge for seasonal colors, family-fun and thrills! 

Autumn splendor is on full display at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park where for four weeks you can experience your favorite Colorado fall activities including Octoberfest, leaf-peeping, hayrides and more. Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of fall at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

Every Day. All of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s rides and attractions are open for the fall season – that includes the Alpine Coaster, Giant Canyon Swing, Cliffside Roller Coaster, Canyon Flyer and the Flying Eagle Zip Ride.

Color Viewing. The Park’s mountaintop location is ideal for spotting colorful fall foliage. Views include Glenwood Canyon, the Roaring Fork Valley with Glenwood Springs in the foreground and the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Sopris and the Elk Range. 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.

Saturdays Only.  In addition to all the daily happenings at the park, on Saturdays (Sept. 30, Oct.7, 14, 21 & 28), from noon to 5 p.m., visitors can spend the afternoon participating in family-oriented activities such as tractor-driven hayrides, fall-themed games for kids, face painting and pumpkin decorating.

Octoberfest. Grab your dirndls and lederhosen. For two consecutive Saturdays, from noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 14 and 21, the oompah band Alpine Echo, will regale visitors with German music including the crowd-pleasing chicken dance, polkas, waltzes, Bavarian pub songs and everyone’s favorite from the Sound of Music – Edelweiss.

Festive Food & Drink Specials. All month long, the Lookout Grille will be serving bratwurst and sauerkraut, seasonal beers, spiked apple cider and festive fall drinks for kids. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the General Store with homemade fudge, including some with pumpkin flavoring.

The Details. Face painting, kids’ games and hay rides are included with admission; pumpkins are just $3 each. Regular admission rates apply. Funday Passes, which include the tram ride, cave tours and unlimited turns on all open rides, cost $54 for adults and $49 for kids 3 to 12. Tram rides cost $16 for adults and $11 for kids. Through Oct. 29, the park is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It will be closed Oct. 30 through Nov. 9.

Other Great American Theme Parks to Explore

Photo op from Exclamation Point

You won’t find a theme park on top of a mountain, much less inside a mountain, anywhere but Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. But if you’re interested in collecting a variety of rolling, watery, funny, tasty, accessible, thrilling, and good old-fashioned theme parks, we like this list from Grandparents.com.

  1. Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1963 and family-owned until 2001, this 48-acre park calls itself a Kingdom for Kids. It has more than 35 rides, attractions, and shows, including a water play area, three roller coasters (one wooden), a log flume, a riverboat ride, animatronic dinosaurs, bumper cars and high-dive shows.

  1. Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania

Knoebels was founded on July 4, 1926, and is still family-owned. Part of its attraction is free admission, free parking, free entertainment and free picnic facilities. The park has more than 60 rides and attractions, including six roller coasters (one wooden), arcade games, mini-golf, a bald eagle habitat and two carousels originally built more than 100 years ago. You can still catch the brass ring for a free ride.

  1. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana

Opened in 1946, with the water park added in 1993, this 125-acre family-owned park was one of the first to offer unlimited soft drinks to visitors. The park is divided into Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and 4th of July themed sections, with food and music as well as rides reflecting the season. It has three wooden roller coasters, one steel coaster and two water coasters.

  1. Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach in Athol, Idaho

Opened in 1988, with the water park added in 2003, this 413-acre playground is the northernmost U.S. theme park. It has 66 rides and attractions, including one of five giant inverted boomerang coasters in the world, five other roller coasters (two wooden), a Ferris wheel, bumper boats, a drop tower, a log flume, water slides, two wave pools and a popular steam train.

  1. Adventureland Amusement Park in Altoona, Iowa

This family-owned playground, opened in 1974, with the Adventure Bay water park added in 2010, has more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions, including five roller coasters and a whitewater river raft ride. It has numerous kid-friendly rides, a petting zoo and three game areas – Alpine Games, County Fair, and Dragon Island.

  1. Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut

Lake Compounce, founded in 1846, is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States. The 332-acre playground was completely renovated after it opened under new management in the mid-1990s. It has 44 rides, including one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world and one of the newest, the mountainside Boulder Dash, among its five coasters. Lake Compounce, where cold drinks are free at hydration stations, also has a lakeside train ride, a drop tower, a Ferris wheel and a log flume.

  1. Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas

Built in 2010 by Gordan Hartman after his daughter was born with cognitive and physical delays, Morgan’s Wonderland is the world’s first theme park designed for children with special needs, although it is open to everyone (the accessibility is also convenient for older adults). The 25-acre nonprofit park has about 25 wheelchair-accessible attractions, including a carousel, Ferris wheel, train ride, wheelchair swings and Sensory Village. The three-acre Morgan’s Inspiration Island water park was added in 2017. Children with disabilities are admitted free.

  1. Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California

Knott’s Berry Farm started on a berry farm that also sold preserves and pies in the 1920s, then added restaurants and shops, and finally built a Ghost Town in 1940. It expanded with a Camp Snoopy in 1983 and was sold by the family in 1997. Soak City, a water park, was added in 2000. The playground has five themed areas – Ghost Town, Fiesta Village, The Boardwalk, Camp Snoopy and Indian Trails. It has 35 rides, including nine roller coasters, two water rides and train rides. Knotts.com

  1. Carousel Gardens Amusement Park in New Orleans, Louisiana

This center in New Orleans City Park is focused on the 1906 Live Oak Ladybug Rollercoaster, locally known as the Flying Horses but has 16 other rides including a drop tower, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, a Tilt-A-Whirl and a miniature train. It is closed for most of the winter.

  1. Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio

Cedar Point, opened in 1870 and second only to Lake Compounce for longest-running park, attracts more than 3.5 million visitors a year, the most of any seasonal theme park. The 365-acre playground has more than 70 rides, including 16 roller coasters, two water rides, a 136-foot Ferris wheel, a 1912 carousel,and a train ride along Lake Erie. Performances are in the Extreme Sports Stadium, the Celebration Plaza Stage and smaller venues.

10 Oktoberfest Celebrations in Colorado and Nearby

Oktoberfest at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is coming up soon in October; in the meantime embrace your inner German with these other celebrations that start in September.

We started our Oktoberfest tradition at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park two years ago with extra activities for families, including a pumpkin patch, face painting, and hayrides. Last year, we added an Oktoberfest band for a weekend, and it was such a hit we’re doing two weekends this year – stay tuned for all the details. Our rides will continue to be open this fall, and we’ll have plenty of beer, brats, and other food and drink specials.

Most Oktoberfests in the Rocky Mountains get moved to September, but in Glenwood Springs, October weather is perfect for us at the Park on top of Iron Mountain. If you want to get ready for our celebration, here are our Top Ten suggestions for events in Colorado and nearby.

  1. The Denver Oktoberfest, September 22-23 and 29-30

Denver will host the 48th Annual Stein Hoisting National Championships, the Keg Bowling National Championships, the 12th Annual Long Dog (Dachshund Derby), and a bratwurst-eating contest. There will be music on a downtown German stage.

  1. The 23rd Annual Breckenridge Oktoberfest, September 8-10

Breckenridge lays claim to the largest Oktoberfest street party in the Rocky Mountains. More than three dozen vendors will sell genuine German cuisine and brew. German-themed games include Hammerschlagan, a nail-driving contest. There will be Bavarian lederhosen, oompah music, polka dancing, a 5K run, and a ceremonial keg tapping.

  1. Oktoberfest at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Sandy, Utah, August 12-October 15 (Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day)

This event started in 1973 and now draws a total of more than 60,000 visitors. The biergarten has more than 50 varieties of beer, both traditional German and local brews. Authentic German food and music, handmade arts and crafts, and children’s activities are on tap.

  1. Vail Oktoberfest, September 8-10 and 15-17, 2017

Vail’s admission-free event includes traditional food and Paulaner beer, Bavarian music, dancing, yodeling, and contests for bratwurst eating, keg bowling, stein lifting, and best Oktoberfest costume. Free concerts are on Saturday nights. Children’s events include crafts, entertainers, and a 1K fun run.

  1. Ninth Annual Steamboat OktoberWest, September 15-16

Steamboat’s Friday Beer Stroll among participating restaurants features Colorado, not German, beer. Saturday’s event in Gondola Square at the Steamboat Mountain Village includes live music, all the Colorado beef you can taste at an “I Love Beef Cook Off” from local restaurants, and 45 Rocky Mountain brewers, each sampling two beers, in the beer garden.

  1. Keystone’s Oktoberfest, River Run Village, September 2

The Das Bier Burner 5K initiates the events at noon, with a pint of craft beer for any adult who crosses the finish line. New Belgium Brewery will bring Colorado craft beers with German roots. Concerts and kids events are free.

  1. FORToberfest, Fort Collins, September 16

The last music festival in Old Town Square includes 10-plus hours of live music – funk, bluegrass, rock, indie, and more – seasonal beer from more than six local breweries, and bicycle booths. Costumes are encouraged. Admission is free.

  1. Red River Oktoberfest, New Mexico, October 6-8

At the annual Oktoberfest in Brandenburg Park, you can vote for the best brews from local microbreweries, eat German food, buy crafts from local vendors, and listen to German oompah music. There will be a Miss Oktoberfest contest, competitive stein holding, chicken yodeling, and brat-eating, as well as activities for kids.

  1. Art & Oktoberfest, Boulder, September 29-October 1

This event in Boulder’s Band Shell Central Park includes arts and crafts, music, German food, polka, and a German beer garden. Dancing and polka lessons will be held in front of the bandshell.

  1. Grand Targhee’s 2nd Annual Oktoberfest, Alta, Wyoming, September 16.

This festival includes brats, sausages, pretzels, music, and beers from local microbreweries. Events for children include face painting, potato sack races, and a pumpkin toss.

Great Eclipse: Follow the Moon Shadow

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers safe mountaintop viewing of the Great Eclipse of 2017.

Visitors to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Monday, April 21, can watch the solar eclipse from our mountaintop safely. The Great Eclipse of 2017 that will sweep across the continental United States passes so close to us that the moon will cover 90 percent of the sun. That’s the darkest we’ve seen in daylight since about 1900.

The eclipse will start here about 10:20 a.m. and peak at about 11:45 a.m. It’s extremely dangerous to look at the eclipse with the naked eye, so we’ve stocked 200 special glasses for protected view. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so bring the kids and grandkids. They’ll be bragging about the experience for generations to come.

You can also become a citizen-scientist, contributing to NASA’s Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program by collecting data and reporting it through the free smartphone app GLOBE Observer. “No matter where you are in North America, whether it’s cloudy, clear or rainy, NASA wants as many people as possible to help with this citizen science project,” said Kristen Weaver, deputy coordinator for the project. “We want to inspire a million eclipse viewers to become eclipse scientists.”

Of course, when broad daylight returns in the early afternoon, you can always find shade underground in the caverns.

Music on the Mountain Returns August 19

Music on the Mountain, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s mountaintop concerts begin again and run through September.

Music on the Mountain resumes Saturday, August 19. After a brief summer hiatus the popular Glenwood Springs concert series takes to the stage once again for six evenings of musical entertainment. A different band entertains the crowd each week through September 23. Come for the live music and stay for an evening of dancing, delicious food, drink specials, and spectacular views. Even the breaks between sets are fun-filled – with prize drawings for t-shirts, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Funday passes, and Iron Mountain Hot Springs day passes.

In addition to providing six weeks of late summer entertainment, Music on the Mountain also helps to serve the community. Guests can ride the tram or an adventure vehicle and enjoy the concerts free with the donation of a canned food item for the Lift-Up community food pantry. At last count, Music on the Mountain attendees had donated over 64,000 cans of food!

For Saturday shows, rides to the mountaintop start at 4 p.m., with music from 6 – 10 p.m.; on Sunday, Sept. 10, rides to the park begin at 2 p.m. The band plays from 4 – 8 p.m.

During the concerts the park is fully operational with outdoor rides open until dusk. The Laser Tag arena and 4D Motion Theater are open until the park closes. For the best value, we recommend purchasing the Funday Pass at the walkup window for just $38 with the free tram ride.

Come and listen to all your favorites from roadhouse blues and southern rock to modern renditions at America’s only mountaintop theme park. The lineup features award-winning artists with a heavy focus on rock classics.

Saturday, August 19 — Fifty50 (classic, modern and original rock) sponsored by Swire Coca-Cola

Saturday, August 26 — The Gerry Goodman Band (Stevie Ray Vaughan cover tunes, classic rock) sponsored by Young Services

Saturday, September 9 — Already Gone (American resort rock) sponsored by Community Banks of Colorado

Sunday, September 10 — Christian Music on the Mountain (The Orchard from Carbondale) sponsored by Glenwood TV

Saturday, September 16 — Poser (classic rock) sponsored by Bighorn Toyota

Saturday, September 23 — Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones cover band) sponsored by Glenwood Insurance Agency

Scream Time vs. Screen Time

Vaccine is good news for travel industry

A family excursion to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park could be just what the doctor ordered for digital excess.

Parents, psychologists, and medical and educational professionals are increasingly concerned about the amount of time children are spending on digital media. Studies show that excess screen time can hamper the development of vital life qualities from social interaction and homework preparation to exercise and sleep.

One recent study in the United Kingdom even found a correlation between screen time and mental illness. The American Academy of Pediatrics last year issued new guidelines urging a Family Media Use Plan that puts consistent limits on media use for children older than 6 (younger children should spend at most an hour a day on the screen).

Rules and limits are important to curb the excess, but experts also advise real-life excursions that are irresistibly more enjoyable than all-day web surfing, video gaming, or texting. “Start with fun,” says Dr. Ann Steel, a video game and internet addiction specialist in Bellevue, Washington. “It can be more fun to add new activities into your children’s lives than limiting or taking away their technology. Often kids view their screens as the most pleasurable activity in their life, so we should start by offering healthy yet enticing options.” Also, let’s face it, parents who want to promote more positive behavior in their kids need to watch their own levels of digital interaction. “Your kids aren’t the only ones who need to turn the devices off and stop to smell the roses,” says Anna Hughes, an author at Screen Time Labs.

With our combination of nature features, thrill rides, and other attractions, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park can immerse your whole family in the real world with plenty of time for curiosity, exploration, conversation, and relaxation without needing a keyboard or screen at your fingertips. It’s a break from the digital, and the shared experience will keep on stimulating social interaction as you remember the beauty and excitement of the great outdoors. You’ll probably want to come back for more!

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park: What Our Visitors Say

Alpine Coaster at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Few accolades could mean more than this recent headline by Jamie Swartzendruber on her WineGlasSlipper blog, also published in Denverkids.com: “Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park: It doesn’t get more Colorado than this!”

“Voted one of USA Today’s 10 Best Caves, Glenwood Caverns is a must for your family summer fun list,” Jamie wrote. “Three cave tours offer varying levels of difficulty to suit the whole family! I have a little dare devil, so this year, we opted for the Wild Cave Tour (10-year age requirement AND we finally made the cut). What is it? Only the most extreme caving expedition a kiddo is permitted on, an adventure for the true thrill seeker.”

Our Giant Canyon Swing was more thrill than she bargained for, Jamie said. “With a scratchy voice and trembling hands, I exited the swing of terror, a theme park walk of shame, through the line of sweet little girls waiting to get on,” she wrote.  Wide eyed, they kindly asked if I was going to be alright. I may still have the occasional nightmare, but hey, check that one off my list…. Though I struggled with the Giant Canyon Swing, the kids LOVED it! They rode several times, throwing their hands in the air or striking nonchalant poses. I may have felt theme park envy. The Alpine Coaster was another top-pick. Scary enough to cling to the breaks but enjoyable enough for mom to survive. I’m sure the views are fantastic, but I’ll admit, my eyes were steady on the tracks and my heart was still jumpy.”

Summer fun on the Giant Canyon Swing

We get that a lot. People love the mountaintop experience here – exploring inside the caverns, taking in the view from the summit, screaming over the edge. Here’s a sampling of our online reviews from visitors who have come from across Colorado and the country.

From Iowa, on TripAdvisor, where we have a Certificate of Excellence: “The Alpine Coaster was a lot of fun. It was extremely fast if you want it to be, and you can control (the speed of) the actual sled you are riding on. I had never been on one before and it was my favorite thing to do at the Adventure Park. I rode it numerous times. You don’t have to worry, at the end a lift takes your sled back to the start of the ride and that is cool.”

Take a cave tour at Glenwood Caverns for National Caves and Karst Day!

From Longmont, on TripAdvisor: “By far the easiest way to go caving. Both the original Fairy Caves and King’s Row are easily accessible. The guides are experienced cavers and are a lot of fun. There’s nothing like these caves anywhere else in the US. The tram makes it easy to get to from town.”

From Florida, on TripAdvisor: “This place was fun! We come from the land of Disney and Busch Gardens, but this place dared you! We had a blast riding the Alpine Coaster and the zip line shot! I wish I could say I tried the swing, but I chickened out. I loved the caverns tour and caves. All this was on top of a mountain that you reach by taking a gondola. That was an adventure by itself!”

From Littleton, on Yelp: “A fun day of adventure for the kids and adults alike. We did the combo pass with Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Glad we came here on a sunny day. Tram ride is a great way to go and very scenic. Alpine Coaster was worth going on again and again.”

From our own Facebook page: “We loved everything: the gondola ride up, the incredible views, the rides and cave tours! Everyone was really nice! The Caverns tour guide was SO excited to tell us about the caves! He had lots of fun scientific and historical information! Just a really fun place to spend the day with the family! We also got some amazing pictures.”

Come see for yourself. And thanks, Jamie (We’re proud that it doesn’t get any more Colorado than this.)