Achieve Your Vacation Goals in

With the world at your fingertips like never before, you can be sure to achieve your vacation goals—as long as you set those goals carefully. That requires some reflection and choices even before you start lining up specific plans.

Are you looking for a getaway from the routine? A chance to experience exotic cities or natural beauty? An enriching historical or cultural experience for your kids? A way to create treasured family memories? Ask not just where you want to go but why you want to go there. Once you’ve considered these questions, be sure to write down the answers—or, better yet, tell a friend about them. TheCompassIsCalling.com says that people who write down their goals are 42 percent more likely to achieve them while those who tell others are 78 percent more likely.

Gather Ideas

Once vacation goals are established, consider the best strategy for achieving them. Would one trip of two or three weeks be more appropriate or several long weekends throughout the year? What are the places where you are most likely to have the experience you want? A fast-growing tool for this kind of research is Instagram—carefully filtered to avoid marketers and to define your choices precisely, it can show you the real experiences that other ordinary people have had on their vacations in those places. Jenni Fink in a Newsweek article provides a guide.

 

Plan Ahead & Save Money

Once you’ve matched a location to your vacation goals, planning the trip will become an exciting, targeted activity, according to the blogger Ramit Sethi. You will be able to investigate the most effective uses of time and money in that particular place, and you may discover that the destination can be enjoyed more economically than you expected. Also, your pre-planning gives you an opportunity to find discounts, choose affordable seasons, and even set aside money in a savings account regularly to cover costs. The less you put on the credit card while you’re on vacation, the more you’ll enjoy the trip—and the return.

Enjoy your Vacation

You can’t manage what you can’t measure. When you take the time to set shared strategic goals and carry out a plan to achieve them, you’ll have the pleasure of a successful preparation as well as a successful trip.

For a Colorado vacation that checks the boxes for family-friendly, affordable, thrills and new experiences, make plans to visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

May your 2020 journeys and destinations be rewarding!

Month-long, Family-fun Octoberfest Returns to Glenwood Caverns

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park celebrates autumn at Octoberfest, Oct. 1- 31 with a pumpkin patch, leaf-peeping and food and drink specials daily. On Saturday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 19, visitors can also enjoy hayrides, face painting, kids’ games, keg bowling, music by local band Alpine Echo and a beer garden.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is once again celebrating the harvest season with a month-long, family-friendly Octoberfest. From Oct. 1 through 31, daily fun at the mountaintop theme park includes a pumpkin patch, fall photo opportunities, and Octoberfest food and drink specials. There’s even more fun on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 19, with hayrides, games for kids, face painting, and pumpkin decorating and an oompah band. There are additional activities for adults this year with stein-holding contests, keg bowling and a beer garden.

“October is one of our favorite months at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Our guests can enjoy traditional harvest season activities, Octoberfest favorites, changing colors and beautiful fall weather,” Nancy Heard, general manager for the park, said. “We’ve added some new things this year as well, including a beer garden, a stein-holding contest and keg bowling on Oct. 12 and 19. Plus, the crowds are smaller here and in Glenwood Springs this time of year, and our new gondola whisks you up and down the mountain in no time.”

Daily Activities in October

Every day in October is special at the park with a pumpkin patch, a deal at just $3 each, and fall photo opportunities. In addition to the colorful maple trees and flowers in the plaza, the park features several vantage points with panoramic views of the changing colors in Glenwood Canyon and the Roaring Fork Valley. The gondola, Lookout Grille, 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.

The Lookout Grille serves autumn favorites all month, including bratwursts and sauerkraut, pretzels, seasonal beers, spiked apple cider and festive fall drinks for kids. The popular Bloody Mary Bar is open and stocked with dozens of garnishes so that guests can create their own creative concoctions. The General Store adds a seasonal favorite, pumpkin, to its selection of homemade fudge flavors and features fudge-covered apples as well.

All of the park’s rides are open through the end of the month, weather permitting. Halloween-themed decorations lead guests on the trails to the ride, while spooky music sets the tone for a ghostly, one-of-a-kind experience for those who dare to drop.

Saturday Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 19

In addition to everything listed above, the park is pulling out all the stops on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 19, from noon to 6 p.m., with more options than ever. For families with young children, there are hayrides, games for kids, face painting, pumpkin decorating and live music. Everyone can take home free, fall-themed souvenir photos from the AIRi Photo Booth.

Celebrate Octoberfest at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

For adults, beer is the name of the game this year with three new ways to enjoy it. A beer garden located in The Fort features Samuel Adams Octoberfest and a selection of seasonal brews along with bratwursts cooked on the grill, sauerkraut, Bavarian pretzels, popcorn and roasted nuts. Two local teams are making special appearances to pour the beer: the 10th Mountain Roller Dolls roller derby team on Oct. 12 and the Defiance Rugby Team on Oct. 19. In addition, stein-holding contests test competitors’ strength, and keg bowling is barrels of fun.

Polka dancing and lederhosen take center stage in the plaza from noon to 4 p.m. as local band Alpine Echo entertains festivalgoers. The band features John Levin on drums, bass and vocals; John Pataky on accordion, drums and vocals; Joe Pologar on horns and vocals; Charles Smith on lead guitar and vocals; and Gerhard Rill on strings, keyboards, accordion, horns, drums, bells and vocals.

Face painting, kids’ games and hayrides are included with admission; pumpkins are just $3 each. Regular admission rates apply. Gondola rides cost $19 for adults and $14 for kids. Funday Passes, which include the gondola ride, cave tours and unlimited turns on all open rides, cost $58 for adults and $53 for kids 3 to 12.

Sustainability on the Menu

Eco-friendly products including straws, flatware, cups and plates help reduce the company’s impact on the environment, adding to sustainability practices already in place.  

Protecting and preserving the environment was a top priority for Steve and Jeanne Beckley before they reopened Glenwood Caverns and the Historic Fairy Caves to the public in 1999. It remains so today at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, which is evident from the increase in sustainability practices at the mountaintop Lookout Grille this year.

Eco-friendly Products & Practices

The onsite restaurant is now using eco-friendly forks, spoons, straws, plates for banquet meals, packaging for grab-and-go items like yogurt parfaits, pretzels or veggies with hummus and to-go boxes from Eco Brand, which is based in Boulder, Colorado.

This mindset is spreading. Lookout Grille kitchen manager Aaron Shockley recently noticed how much compost material was accumulating and decided to do something about it. The food compost is now being donated to Big Rock Ranch where it is put to good use feeding chickens.

 

Green Values from the Get-Go

“We have worked diligently over the years to protect the cave. From the start, we installed the airtight doors in the tunnel to King’s Row to maintain the original levels of temperature and humidity so that the cave didn’t dry out,” Jeanne Beckley, who co-owns both companies, said. “There have been computer monitors in the cave since we opened to ensure we sustained these levels, protecting the cave as well as the environment for the unique species that live inside of it.”

A few years ago, the Adventure Park replaced all of the lights inside the cave with LED lights to reduce its electricity consumption and the heat generated by the incandescent lights, which helps protect the humidity levels and the cave’s tiny creatures. Since the LED bulbs don’t have to be replaced as often, employees have less direct contact with cave formations as well.

“It seems only fitting that we now focus on reducing our use of plastic and move toward more paper and compostable products in the restaurant. Also, we hope our guests notice and are motivated to make some changes of their own,” Beckley added. “These changes fit our value system. We care deeply about the environment and will continue to look for ways to reduce our impact.”

Learn more about Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and plan a visit today!

Interior Decoration: Cave Features

Reflecting-Pool-at-Glenwood-Caverns-by-Ken-Headrick-sm

Caves are so much more than holes in the ground, they are rooms ornately arranged by Mother Nature. Check out the wide variety of cave features that form as water dissolves rock to make caves.

The long process by which water carves caves out of limestone leaves behind fascinating formations as the mineral-rich water flows, loses carbon dioxide or evaporates, and leaves the minerals shaped like flowers, bathtubs, cones, needles, rafts, shields, chandeliers, balloons, columns, or bells, among other things.

The most familiar cave features are stalactites reaching down from the ceiling and stalagmites reaching up from the floor, usually, but not always, in a conical shape. If the minerals are deposited rapidly, for example, some stalagmites develop as a thinner structure called a broomstick. You can distinguish them by remembering that stalactites hold tight to the ceiling while stalagmites might make it to the top. Sometimes, paired stalactites and stalagmites meet to form a column.

Cave Features at Glenwood Caverns:

Flowstone. Flowstone is usually calcite or other carbonate minerals that forms in sheets as water flows over the cave floors or walls. The layers are laid down so thin that they conform to the underlying rock at first, but they can become more rounded as they thicken. Other chemicals in the calcite can produce different colors of flowstone, such as iron that gives a red tint.

Cave Bacon. Cave bacon is a kind of drapery that forms as the water flows along the edge of an overhang and leaves a trail of calcite where surface tension suspends the water before it loses carbon dioxide and deposits the mineral. These often appear on the fringes of flowstone. The buildup reflects the ripples and flows of the first deposits and looks like fabric drapery. When the drapery formations have different bands of color or darkness because of materials in the water at different times, they are called cave bacon.

Soda Straws. Stalactites in their early stages are hollow, long translucent tubes hanging from the ceiling. These delicate structures can grow long – they have been found up to 30 feet—but they usually begin to have water flow on the outside that builds up in the more common icicle shape of stalactites.

Cave bacon at Glenwood Caverns looks like the real thing!

Cave bacon:

Cave Popcorn. Cave popcorn, a fairly common formation, is one form of coralloids that resemble knobs, globes, buttons, or corral and form in air, usually from water that seeps out of rocks, or still cave pools. Unlike most other features, they form because the water evaporates rather than because it lost carbon dioxide.

See all these amazing cave features on the Adventure Park’s two cave tours—King’s Row and the Historic Fairy Caves. Learn more and make plans to go underground at glenwoodcavdev.wpengine.com.

Adventure Park Presents John McEuen and the String Wizards

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park will host John McEuen and the String Wizards for a special ticketed event concert on Friday, Aug. 30.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fans have good reason to head to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, later this month when founding member John McEuen and the String Wizards perform at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The concert on Friday, Aug. 30, is the mountaintop theme park’s first ticketed event. McEuen brings with him more than 50 years of worldwide performing with his banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin. Often referred to as the string wizard, he weaves stories of his travels and family life—he has raised 7 kids—taking his audiences through where his musical path has taken him.

 McEuen a Legendary Performer

“We’re beyond excited to bring this caliber of entertainment not just to Glenwood Springs, but to our venue on top of Iron Mountain,” said Bob Stepniewski, food and entertainment manager for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. “John McEuen is a legend whose music is woven into the history of our country. This is going to be a very special night at the park.”

 McEuen has assembled a uniquely talented group with The String Wizards, each one a stellar musician in his own right. Les Thompson, an original founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, performs bass, vocals and bouzouki. On guitar and vocals, John Cable toured Russia as a Dirt Band member. Matt Cartsonis, on vocals, mandola and guitar, has been McEuen’s music partner for 25 years. Together, they’ll perform Nitty Gritty Dirt Band favorites, hot bluegrass and other timeless classics.

A First for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Stepniewski added, “The park has been hosting local and regional bands through our Music on the Mountain concert series since 2009. Earlier this year, we tested the waters for our 20th anniversary celebration with Paizley Park, a costumed and choreographed Prince tribute act. That went so well that we decided to host our first ticketed event with an internationally recognized performer.”

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park logo

A limited number of tickets are available for $25 each at MtnTopPark.com. The gondola opens at 7 p.m., and the band takes the stage at 8 p.m. No outside food or drink is allowed. The park’s rides and attractions will be closed during the event, but food and drinks will be available at the Lookout Grille and Snack Shack. No discounts will be given for annual pass holders or cans of food. This is a rain-or-shine event.

Musical Notes: NGDB & John McEuen

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded 30 albums, including three platinum and five gold; has 20 Top 20 hits; and won a Grammy Award, six Grammy nominations, one Country Music Award, five Country Music Award nominations and one International Bluegrass Music Award. McEuen has performed or recorded with many of music’s greats including: David Bromberg, Dolly Parton, Doobie Bros., Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett, Vince Gill, Jackson Browne, John Prine, John Denver, Jimmy Buffet, Steve Goodman, Bob Dylan, Andy Williams, Gregg Allman, Marty Stuart, Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes, Kris Kristofferson, The Doors, Willie Nelson, Bill Wyman, Johnny Cash, Little River Band, Tommy Lee Jones, Leon Russell, Marshall Tucker Band, Michael Murphey, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Kevin Nealon, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Maybelle Carter, Tom Petty, The Smothers Brothers, Allman Brothers, Everly Bros., Jerry Garcia, Roy Acuff, Dizzy Gillespie, The Band, Crystal Gayle, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Mark O’Connor, Lester Flatt, Chris Thile, Vassar Clements, David Amram, Sissy Spacek, Albert Gore and Phish.

Theme Park Gear: What to Bring to the Adventure Park

Just as there’s an art to packing for a week-long vacation, packing the right gear for a day at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park can greatly enhance your experience at America’s only mountaintop theme park.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is unique among theme parks. First off, the Adventure Park is located on top of a mountain at an elevation of 7,100 feet above sea level. To get to the entrance, you climb aboard a Glenwood Gondola cabin which whisks you from the valley floor to the mountaintop where there are thrill rides, family attractions, a restaurant, snack huts, general store, entertainment and more depending on the season and time of day. As the name implies, the Adventure Park is also home to Glenwood Caverns and offers two spectacular cave tours.

Understanding what to expect is key to packing the right gear for a top-notch day of fun at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Read on or check out our video that gives a rundown of what to bring.

Gear Guide: Come Prepared, Have More Fun

Comfortable shoes.  Be prepared to do a fair bit of walking at the Adventure Park by wearing comfortable footwear. Also, skip the flip flops if possible. Instead opt for sandals with secure straps that will stay on while you ride the Glenwood Canyon Flyer, the Flying Eagle Zip Ride and the Giant Canyon Swing. Sun protection. Be sun smart. Wear protective clothing including a brimmed hat and sunglasses. You can store these items in the provided cubbies while you ride the rides. Also, be sure to lather up regularly with sunscreen that’s at least 30 SPF. If you forget yours, our complimentary sunscreen is available at the Guest Services gazebo in the plaza.
 

Hydration. It’s a good idea to have a water bottle handy to sip throughout the day. Bring one from home or purchase one of our refillable water bottles. Free ice water as well cold drinks are available all day long at the Lookout Grille and the Snack Shack.

Cool off. Though lines for rides tend to move quickly, having a battery-operated hand-held fan can take the edge off on a hot summer day. Another way to beat the heat is to take a break under the misters located outside of the 4-D theater and the Alpine Coaster. Afternoons are also a perfect time to go underground with one or both of our cave tours. The caverns stay a cool 52°F year-round and provide a refreshing respite from summertime temperatures.

A light jacket. The weather in the Colorado mountains is predictably unpredictable. Normal summertime temps range from the mid-70s to the upper 90s. Because you never know when a cold front or thunderstorm might blow through, it’s best to be prepared. If you’re prone to getting chills, a light jacket is also nice to have along on cave tours.

Hand sanitizer. Keep your crew healthy with a periodic squirt of hand sanitizer or use wet wipes as needed throughout the day.

Quarters. If you want to stash your stuff while you go on a cave tour or would rather not carry it around with you all day, coin-operated lockers are scattered throughout the Park. Lockers are just 50 cents.

Having the right gear will set you and your family up for a great day at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Now get packing and we’ll see you on the mountaintop!

Pro Tips for Navigating Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Happy faces at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Happy faces at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

You wouldn’t visit the Magic Kingdom without a having plan; similarly, for a 5-star experience, use these strategies for navigating Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park during the peak summer season.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is a top activity choice for visitors to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It rates right up there with soaking in hot springs, rafting in Glenwood Canyon and hiking to Hanging Lake, all of which reach the pinnacle of visitation during the summer months when kids and families take time off to travel. Having a strategy for navigating our theme park will help ensure a satisfying experience.

Our Best Insider Advice for Navigating the Park

Purchase tickets in advance.  Buying tickets ahead of time is convenient and you’ll spend less time waiting in the line to take the Glenwood Gondola to the mountaintop theme park. You can also save 5 percent using promo code BUYONLIN5P.

The best value. Our Funday Pass hands-down offers the biggest bang for your buck. It includes everything—the Glenwood Gondola, unlimited turns on rides and attractions and both cave tours.

Know height requirements. All of the thrill rides require riders to be a minimum height  to ensure safety and we’re sticklers about it. Family attractions also have restrictions. We’d rather see you back next year when your child easily meets the height requirement than have to tell you sorry after you’ve stood in line on a hot day.

Check for ride closures. For a variety of reasons, we sometimes we have to close rides. Sometimes it’s a short delay, perhaps due to a thunderstorm passing through. In the event it’s a longer closure we let guests know by posting it to the website under Park Info>Rides & Attractions Status. If you’ve been dreaming about riding the Alpine Coaster, rather than be disappointed that it’s closed, we recommend checking the status page before arriving.

Dress code. Wear comfortable clothing and non-flip-flop shoes; bring a light jacket for cave tours and a hat and sunglasses for sun protection.

Visit early or late. To avoid the crowds, come when the park opens at 9 a.m. and head straight for the rides you most want to enjoy. The Park stays open until 9 p.m., seven days per week, until August 11 when we will start closing at 6 p.m. on weekdays. Until then, evenings after 5 p.m. are another great way to miss the midday traffic.

Eat early or late. Avoid the lunch rush hour at the Lookout Grille by eating before 11:30 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m.  Alternatively, enjoy a lighter meal outside at Snack Shack.

Beat the heat. The sun’s rays are strongest in the afternoon. Cool off with midday cave tours.  On a hot summer day, the caverns internal temperature is a refreshing 52°F. Other ways to beat the heat include attending a 4-D Theater show which takes place every 15 minutes. The misters will cool you off outside while the air-conditioned interior of the theater will keep you comfortable inside.

Use our free stuff. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is located at an elevation of 7,100 feet. At higher elevations like ours the chances of getting sunburned or dehydrated increase. Complimentary sunscreen is available at the guest services shack in the plaza, and there is free ice water available at the Lookout Grille. We encourage you to use both as often as necessary.

Rain, rain, go away. Afternoon thundershowers are a regular part of summers in the high country. The good news is they roll through quickly. Many people choose to leave when it starts raining, but we advise sticking it out as the storms tend to pass quickly.

Leave it outside. Caring for our caves is another top priority at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Contact with the outside air, detritus, food, drinks, bumping or dropping things inside the caves can create irreparable damage. That’s why we ask you to leave your backpacks, handbags, snacks, water bottles, toys, strollers, etc. outside the cave entrance. If you’re not comfortable with that, we offer lockers where you can store your belongings.

Now that you have a handle on navigating Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, make plans to visit today.

24 Things-to-Do in 48 Hours in Glenwood Springs

From low-key to high-energy and family-friendly to romantic, with so many things to do, Glenwood Springs is a vacation destination that lets you relax any number of ways.

With a couple of days to spend in the hot springs and adventure town, you’ll be able to check off several of these iconic things to do in Glenwood Springs. Start at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and work your way down the list!

  1. Get your thrills at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Rides fling you out over Glenwood Canyon, drop you into darkness and speed you down a mountain! During summer, evenings are an ideal time to visit with fewer crowds and cooler weather.
  2. Soak at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Sixteen soaking pools along the river are hard to beat for relaxation.
  3. Raft in Glenwood Canyon. Cool off, have fun and see the amazing scenery as you paddle the Colorado River.
  4. Hike to Hanging Lake. This beauty is the gem of Glenwood Canyon. Make reservations to hike it in advance.
  5. Summit to Red Mountain. For views of Glenwood Springs to Mt. Sopris above Carbondale and beyond, this hike is easily accessible from town.
  6. Lift off with aerial adventures. To feel free as a bird, try tandem paragliding.
  7. Pedal the Rio Grande or Glenwood Canyon Trail. Cycle miles of paved paths and explore at your own pace.
  8. Attend a mountaintop concert. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park hosts music six nights per week. Check out the events calendar to listen to music by talented artists.
  9. Take in a Glenwood Vaudeville Revue show. This hilarious show is family-friendly and keeps everyone in stitches from start to finish.
  10. Play a round of golf. For the love of the game, tee off on Glenwood Springs courses.
  11. Go underground. Explore the fascinating subterranean world with cave tours at Glenwood Caverns.
  12. Schedule a massage. As a wellness town, Glenwood’s spas offer a range of blissful treatments for the ultimate relaxation experience.
  13. Stroll the pedestrian bridge. Connecting downtown with North Glenwood Springs, the bridge is perfect for people watching and a post-dinner evening walk.
  14. Sample craft beer. Glenwood Canyon Brewpub makes award-winning beer. Try a flight and find your favorite!
  15. Zumba downtown. Join the crowd to shimmy and shake under the bridge on Friday nights.
  16. Eat a Coloradough donut. The best donuts in town, these are made fresh daily. Bet you can’t stop at just one!
  17. Shop for souvenirs. Wander through unique boutiques for take-home treasures to remember your visit to Glenwood Springs.
  18. Visit Doc. Gunslinger, gambler and Western icon, hike to Doc Holliday’s grave and visit the museum dedicated to his life and times.
  19. Take a history tour. Learn all about the history and the many mysteries surrounding the Hotel Colorado on weekly tours led by local characters.
  20. Try Rocky Mountain Oysters. A delicacy and reputed aphrodisiac, find these deep-fried treats at the Doc Holliday Tavern.
  21. Dine outdoors. You’ll find al fresco dining just about everywhere you go in Glenwood Springs. Eat on rooftops, in courtyards and along the river.
  22. Stop by the Farmers’ Market. Held on Tuesday during the summer, Glenwood’s Downtown Market is a weekly mini-festival with food, artisans, music and cooking demonstrations.
  23. Bridge patrol. A shady summer spot under the bridge in Bethel Plaza is a gathering place on Friday afternoons for music, magic, face painting, movies and more.
  24. Educate your palette. From wine to whiskey, every Friday and Saturday evening, Cooper Wine & Spirits holds tastings.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs
Kids learn about cave science on cave tours

Make Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park your first stop for fun things to do in Glenwood Springs, then explore further.

Adventure Park Sweeps Locals’ Choice Awards

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is the local favorite! It finished in first place in four Locals’ Choice Award categories–Best Attraction, Best Family Entertainment, Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday and Best Tourist Spot—and took third for Best Entertainment Venue, Best Live Music Spot and Best Place to Take Out-of-Town Guests.

The Locals’ Choice Awards are a big deal in a small town like Glenwood Springs. The annual contest, sponsored by local newspaper, the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (GSPI), is an opportunity for area-wide residents to give a shout out to their favorite hometown businesses, people and places. Of the seven voting categories, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park cleaned up in Arts & Entertainment winning four first place and three third place awards.

2019 GSPI Locals’ Choice Awards Final Results

Best Attraction—First Place

Glenwood Caverns recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Opening the caves in 1999 for tours after more than 80 years of being closed to the public was a major achievement and success. Since then, the Park has added a new gondola, award-winning thrill rides, family-friendly attractions, restaurants, shopping, a full lineup of summer entertainment as well as special events throughout the year.
Ride the Glenwood Gondola to a mountain of fun!

Best Family Entertainment—First Place

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is first and foremost a destination for families. Cavern tours are designed to be entertaining and educational. Rides range from mellow to adrenaline-pumping. A 4-D theater, laser tag arena and panning for gems sluice box provide active, engaging fun for many ages. On the entertainment side, the Harmony Sisters make regular weekly appearances to connect with kids in the audience for fun sing-a-longs. As the seasons change Octoberfest and Winter on the Mountain enchant kids of all ages with season-appropriate games, music and entertainment. It’s no wonder Glenwood Caverns is the local’s choice for best family fun!

Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday—First Place

Nobody does birthday parties like Glenwood Caverns! Put a smile on your child’s face and make memories that will last a lifetime. The Park’s birthday packages include food and cave tours, but ride packages are targeted to specific age groups. For example, if you have a group of youngsters only interested in the Park’s tamer attractions, choose the Buckaroo Package; the Wrangler Package offers unlimited rides, as does the Outlaw Package created for adults with larger food portions. The Park’s event planner can help you tailor packages to meet your group’s needs.

 

The vaccine is good news for the travel industry

Best Tourist Spot—First Place

Like the town’s hot springs attractions, Glenwood Caverns is similarly an integral part of a Glenwood Springs experience and a big reason people come to visit. Over the course of a season, the Adventure Park hosts people from all over the globe—Japan to India; South America to Europe; and from all 50 states! The ridescave tours and music are the big draw, but the Glenwood Gondola ride to the Park’s entrance and the expansive views of the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys make the Adventure Park a Glenwood Springs destination not to be missed no matter where you’re from.

Best Entertainment Venue—Third Place

The main stage in the Plaza at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is the setting for live music all summer long. A large open area in front of the stage is perfect for kicking up heels or busting a groove to the music. For those who just want take in the ambiance, there’s ample seating at covered picnic tables. Enjoy food and drinks, including beer and cocktails, while you listen to local bands and visiting artists from around the state and region.

Best Live Music Spot (Music on the Mountain & Friday Afternoon Club)—Third Place

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers live mountaintop music six days per week! Music on the Mountain are the biggest shows with the most diverse lineup. Concerts take place weekends through the fall in on the main stage in the Plaza. Friday Afternoon Club, which includes a free gondola ride with an ad from that day’s Post Independent, and the new Two for Tuesdays feature artists in a more intimate setting in the Lookout Grille. Monday through Thursday, popular local singer Rodrigo Arreguin strums his way through a range of tunes. Gondola rides for Music on the Mountain are free with the donation of a canned food item for the LiftUp food pantry. For other events, regular admission rates apply for Glenwood Gondola rides to the Park.

Best Place to Take Out of Town Guests—Third Place

See Best Tourist Spot for all the great reasons to bring your favorite people to one of Glenwood’s favorite places!

A winner in seven categories, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is the Local’s Choice!

Altitude Illness: Into Thin Air

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is located at 7,100 feet above sea level. A few precautions can prevent altitude illness.

Although altitude illness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), does not typically occur below 8,000 feet, some people experience symptoms at lower altitudes. An individual’s susceptibility to the illness is genetic, not related to personal fitness, although people older than 50 are somewhat less likely to experience it. There is no test for AMS, but a person’s previous experience is a guide. The symptoms quickly reverse when the person moves to lower elevations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published information about altitude illness as part of a chapter on self-treatable conditions for travelers. Differences in temperature, humidity, ultraviolet radiation and air pressure can affect health at high altitudes, but the lowered intake of oxygen, called hypoxia, is the greatest concern. A standard measurement of blood oxygen, from 20.9 at sea level to 6.9 at the top of Mt. Everest, measures 16.0 at 7,000 feet.

Day trips to higher elevations are less likely to trigger altitude illness than sleeping at those heights. A quarter of visitors who overnight above 8,000 feet in Colorado experience AMS, which resembles a hangover. Typical symptoms include headaches and sometimes fatigue, nausea and vomiting. More severe conditions, High-Altitude Cerebral Edema and High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema, are rare.

The CDC says that acetazolamide, sold as Diamox and other brands, can help visitors acclimate faster if the ascent must happen quickly. The center recommends avoiding alcohol and strenuous exercise for the first two days at higher elevations.

Medical personnel at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park are experienced and equipped to assist people who experience AMS. Visitors typically acclimate quickly. Knowing what to expect can help a person take precautions and manage the symptoms when they appear.