Glenwood Springs Winter Family Vacation
Nestled in a beautiful Rocky Mountain valley location, easily accessed along Colorado’s I-70, Glenwood Springs is an ideal destination for a fun winter family vacation. Here you won’t find the hectic crowds and sky-high prices that most Colorado ski towns suffer in winter months. Yet you can still ski, enjoy fine dining, and relax apres-ski in natural hot springs pools! Read on for a glimpse at why my family loves Glenwood Springs winter adventures so very much.
Glenwood Springs in Winter ~ Skiing and More
“I HATE SKIING!”, cried my frustrated 8 year old son, as he lay face down in the snow… pounding it with his little fists. Our first ski of the season, he was having a rough go of it, as he struggled to get his ski legs. He also had to adjust to the amazing 6 inches of fresh powder – a new experience for both of my kids.
Two hours later…
“I LOVE SKIING!! IT FEELS GOOD TO GO FAST! I FEEL LIKE THE BEST SKIER IN THE WORLD!”, declared the same boy.
Located just 20 minutes from Glenwood Springs is a “backyard mountain” ski resort beloved by locals, which is perfect for families with kids. Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort is covered with long, enjoyable, easy green ski runs which make for super fun, low pressure skiing.
Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort is the ideal place to dust off the cobwebs, and build some confidence on the slopes. My two kids (ages & 13) have been learning to ski over the past 3-4 years, and we don’t get to ski very often. Sunlight was a true delight! It is a terrific Colorado ski resort for families with beginning skiers, or those just looking to save some money. Lift prices are very reasonable, and crowds are low.
Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort
Although it may not be huge, in the words of another Sunlight fan “they get a lot of things right”. Take my new favorite sign, for instance:
When my son went to get on a chair lift, staff were very helpful and kind. Often they’d step in to make sure he was ready and in position. They’d say “There’s no rush! Take your time… we want you to stay safe.” Great service, and so helpful to parents with new skiers on their hands.
Sunlight’s three chair lifts each offer a nice variety of green, blue, and black runs (not just green). My favorite are the two long green runs that leisurely wind their way from the highest peak, down either side of the mountain ~ Grizzly and Ute. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring both.
My family will definitely be back to ski Sunlight!
Iron Mountain Hot Springs
Be prepared for a luxury spa environment when you first enter the lovely Iron Mountain Hot Springs facilities. I say that, because my instant reaction was “Oh… I would love a massage right now!”. Just so you know, they don’t offer massages (at least not yet). But you’re still in for an highly relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs has spared no expense with the aesthetics of this amazing new place. It’s really beautiful. Locker rooms are very nicely done, and lockers with customizable locks are free to use. Outside you’ll find gorgeous landscaping surrounding your choice of 16 unique geothermal mineral soaking pools. Each pool at Iron Mountain Hot Springs has a varying temperature, and nice mountain views along the Colorado River.
Most people “hop” from pool to pool, adjusting for their temperature preference. On the day we visited, the outside air temperature was 31 degrees, and the pool temps varied from 98 – 108 degrees. We tried them all!
Signs throughout the facility highlight the benefits of the 14 naturally occurring minerals in the water, which can be absorbed through the skin during your soak. My favorite was “Lithium”, which in addition to it’s medicinal benefits can also leave you feeling “calm and happy”. Heck, yeah!
Although it’s located along the highway and some traffic sounds can be detected, the spa mood music played amidst the 16 hot springs geothermal pools helps drown it out, and sets a relaxing tone.
Hot Springs Tips For Families
My fear was not having a swimming pool for my youngest to play. I knew we’d be content to lazily relax for several hours in the smaller hot springs pools. So I was extremely relieved to discover there actually is a large family swim pool. There’s even a bordering hot tub (this one has jets) to keep supervising parents happy.
We had so much fun, that we stayed and played at Iron Mountain Hot Springs for five hours!
TIP: If visiting in winter, bring a robe, some sandals, and a water bottle. Towels can be borrowed from the front desk (for a fee), and a water bottle refill station is available. Snacks and drinks are available for sale on the premises. Keep your receipt and you can return the same day for free.
No matter where your winter adventures have taken you (but especially apres-ski)… you have to treat yourself to a visit to Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
Glenwood Springs Vacation – Where to Stay
The Courtyard by Marriott in Glenwood Springs was a perfect place for my family to stay as a headquarters, during our winter vacation getaway. It’s so close to Iron Mountain Hot Springs that we could literally see it across the river. The location along the back road thoroughfare (Midland Avenue) provided slick access both for heading to Sunlight Mountain to ski, and to head downtown for dining at night.
Being a new hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott in Glenwood is still all fresh and shiny. This makes it one of the best hotel options in Glenwood Springs, in my opinion. It’s got a hip, attractive lobby and lounge area. The rooms were nice, and the beds were super comfortable with cozy down comforters (my favorite).
Can we please take a moment to marvel at this amazing armoire? This is hands down the most fabulous piece of storage furniture I have ever seen in a hotel room. Double-decker hanging space and baggage shelves?!
Bravo, Courtyard. Bravo.
There is a café in the lobby open specific hours. I missed being able to purchase a Starbucks latte at 10:00 am (they close at 9:30 am). They are open for breakfast and dinner, offering full service items, not just quick foods. Prices are comparable to a table service dining establishment.
Target is just a stone’s throw away, which is really handy. We were able to limit ourselves to only two Target runs, during our two night stay. The Market Street Shops are also walking distance away, where you’ll find both restaurants and shopping. One of our favorite pizza places is located here.
Which brings me to arguably one of the most important parts of a vacation: food!
Glenwood Springs Vacation – Where to Eat
We visit Glenwood Springs on a semi-regular basis, and have tried many of the local restaurants. There’s lots of great Mexican food in the area. Plus here are three other recommendations:
- CHEAP: Russo’s New York Style Pizza. Located very close to Courtyard by Marriott, in the Market Street Shops. You can order by the [giant] slice here, and it’s delicious.
- MIDRANGE: China Town. We ordered 4 different Chinese entrees, and each of us liked our food.
- FINE DINING: The Pullman. After raving recommendations from locals and fellow travelers we met at our hotel, we decided we had to try The Pullman restaurant in downtown Glenwood. The desserts we tried were both phenomenal, and the service were fantastic. When my husband didn’t like his entrée, they insisted on taking it back and having him select something else from the menu. The Pullman “welcomes well behaved children”, and our family felt perfectly comfortable dining there. Reservations highly recommended.
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Accommodations, lift tickets, and hot springs passes were all provided complementary, for the purpose of this trip review. All opinions are my own.
