Summer Fun Going Strong in Glenwood Springs

Summer activities are in high gear in Glenwood Springs

Even as we all adjust to a new normal that includes face coverings and social distancing, you can continue to enjoy many of the activities you’ve always loved to do in Glenwood Springs. In addition to rides, attractions and cave tours at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, there’s rafting, biking, fishing, comedy shows, outdoor dining, hot springs and much more!

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Spring Break is a Time to Spring Forward

Take a break at a family-friendly spot this year. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is a family favorite for spring break vacations. Learn more about spring break traditions around the country.

Spring break isn’t just for college kids. Your family can use a break—maybe from the winter cabin fever, maybe for that final sprint of the 

kids’ school year, surely for some getaway time together that will make more lifetime memories. After all, vacations aren’t just for summer.

Check out the hot spots online for college spring breaks. Then look somewhere else where you can find fun for the whole family. You probably don’t want to be competing with massive student groups for a spot on the beach or a table in a restaurant.

One nice thing about spring is that it’s still winter—snow season—in some parts of the country and summer—beach season—in others. You can find plenty of family-friendly resorts, pick breathtaking natural beauty, or explore the museums, shops, entertainment and fun in unexpected cities. Check out these lists for ideas:

  • Family Vacation Critic has found 14 desirable spots, from the mountains (Ogden, Utah) to the coast (Hilton Head, S.C.; Panama City, Titusville, and the Florida Keys) to the coast (Carlsbad, Calif) to the coast (the Caribbean and Mexico). They’ve also found fun family things to do in Indianapolis, New York City, and the Wisconsin Dells.
  • HGTV has a Top 10 that includes snow at Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont; sun in San Diego, Calif. and Captiva Island, Fla.; a dude ranch in Arizona; and a surfing school in Hawaii.
  • Good Housekeeping’s 15 recommendations include Lisbon and London; Banff, Canada, and Los Cabos, Mexico; Yosemite National Park and Hawaii.
Get ready to ride at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
  • Family Vacation Critic highlights out-of-the-way places such as Greenville, S.C., Blowing Rock and Beech Mountain, N.C., McCall, Idaho, and Blairsville, Ga., alongside the more familiar Punta Cana, Cancun, Mexico City, Quebec City, Montego Bay, and Palm Springs. It includes Glenwood Springs on a list focused on affordability.

Whatever your family’s interest—ski, swim, scuba, surf, big cities, small towns or back-to-nature, you can find the perfect spot for 2020 sightseeing. You’ll come home refreshed, renewed and ready for the rest of the years.

For a family spring break in Colorado, be sure to learn more about Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Smaller Theme Parks Provide Old-Fashioned Fun

Smaller theme parks maintain a family-feel with vintage and modern attractions.

Far from the madding crowd of big-name amusement parks, dozens of slower-paced, family-style and nostalgic operations dot America with enough charm and attractions to take home a lifetime of large memories. Derek Sailors of North Carolina, who has worked on the encyclopedic Roller Coaster DataBase for years, started his own Facebook page, to boost those sites, including Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and preserve the heritage (he also runs pages for zoos, road trips, and defunct amusement parks). Here are some of his top picks:

Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa. This family-owned operation founded in 1926 is a big park with a small-park Americana feel. Admission is free, with individual prices for each of more than 60 rides, including three wooden roller coasters, a 1913 Grand Carousel, two miniature railways, and a dark haunted house. The compound includes a swimming pool, golf course, campground and restaurants.

Canobie Lake Park, Salem, N.H. This smaller theme park was founded by the Hudson, Pelham & Salem Railways at the end of a new trolley line in 1902. Visitors in those days dressed up for a day of picnicking, sporting events, canoeing, the Penny Arcade, and a ride on the Circle Swing. Attractions today include thrill rides such as the Yankee Cannonball rollercoaster and spinning Ice Jet, family rides including a 1903 carousel and 40-foot pontoon boat, kids’ rides, water rides, arcade games and live shows.

Seabreeze, Rochester, N.Y. This park was founded in 1879 as the last stop on a steam train line with picnic grounds and a lakefront. Mechanical rides were added, including a carousel in 1900. In addition to the vintage 1920 Jack Rabbit rollercoaster, Seabreeze has modern thrill rides, family rides, kids’ rides, a water park, shows and games.

Arnolds Park Amusement Park, Arnolds Park, Iowa. Wesley Arnold bought land on the south shore of West Lake Okoboji in 1864 and started entertaining visitors on the Milwaukee Railroad in 1874. Community leaders raised $7.25 million in 1999 to save the park from demolition and build a Maritime Museum. In addition to a full range of rides, the park hosts concerts and shows and runs a large steamer ship, Queen II, on the lake.

Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, Rossville, Ga. Lake Winnie opened in 1925, focused at first on water-related attraction. The Boat Chute, installed two years later, is the oldest still-operating mill chute water ride in the United States. The site also has a 1916 carousel, an open-air theater, a water park, and a Cannonball rollercoaster installed in 1967.

Plan a Thrilling Romantic Adventure for Two

Add some big thrills to your romance with a visit to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The mountain-top theme park in Glenwood Springs is the perfect place for heart-warming and heart-pounding fun.

Give your romantic relationship a love booster shot. A spur-of-the-moment, micro-getaway that includes Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park could be just the remedy for the mid-winter amour doldrums. The Adventure Park checks all the boxes for a romantic  good time and a great date.

  • Snuggle on the Glenwood Gondola. The orange gondola cars will whisk you and your partner high above the humdrum of the ordinary. Get cozy under blankets that are provided in each cabin as you travel from the valley floor to the park entrance at the top of Iron Mountain. Consider it the grown up version of seven minutes in heaven!
  • Plumb the depths. Explore new territory together. Cave tours offer couples a glimpse of a rare and magnificent underground landscape. See spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, showy aragonite crystals and more. The caverns have also been the site of more than a few marriage proposals and wedding ceremonies!
  • Feel the need for speed on the Alpine Coaster. Sometimes you’ve just got to go a little wild. Let the throttle out on the Alpine Coaster. You determine your speed as you soar down the mountain. The cool mountain air and fast pace are guaranteed to awaken the senses.
  • Be silly in the 4-D Theater. Love isn’t rational. You don’t need to be ten years old to enjoy these 15 minute animated shows. Grab a seat at this family-friendly attraction, put on your glasses and enjoy the surround sound, bumps and breezes of 4-D technology. By the end, no matter your age, you’ll feel like kids again.
  • Unwind with libations. For a more mature pastime, head to the Lookout Grille for an adult beverage and some sustenance. The bar serves a selection of decadent cocktails, beer in bottles and on tap. Wine and a Bloody Mary bar are other options. You can also satisfy your partner’s appetite at the Lookout Grille. The restaurant has an extensive menu of delicious casual dining menu choices.
  • Take in the views. To paraphrase Antoine de St. Exupéry, it not all about looking at each other; it’s looking in the same direction that matters. On your visit to the Adventure Park be sure to walk up to the Viewing Deck above the General Store for landscape views of the Roaring Fork Valley and Glenwood Springs. This is also the perfect spot for a romantic couple’s photo.
  • Attend an intimate concert. Add a little night music to the mix with Friday Afternoon Club FAC features talented local bands and food and drink specials every Friday through February from 5 to 8:30 p.m. The Park’s FAC also includes a free gondola ride after 4 p.m. with a coupon that appears in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent on Fridays. The small indoor venue is relaxed and laid back—perfect for a date night.

Love is a big, bold adventure. Add some thrills to your romance at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park!