Family Holiday Destinations in Colorado

Colorado is one of the main destinations for tourists year round with its incredible skiing conditions and its gorgeous scenery. The Rocky Mountain State is the perfect place to enjoy the holiday season with its many events ringing of holiday cheer. Here are a few to head to.

Old Town Christmas: Old Colorado City, CO

Old Colorado City is full of history and is one of the state's undiscovered gems. It is a wonderful place to meet up with family and friends for the holidays. Old Town Christmas offers over a 120 unique shops, restaurants, and galleries that are all dolled up for the Christmas season. This is an incredible town with an abundance of holiday joy and specialty shops that will please any gift giving shopper.

The Aspen Lodge: Estes Park, CO

Christmas at The Aspen Lodge is an experience that you'll treasure for years to come. Belgian Draft horses stand by at the ready to take you and your family on a magical livery ride through a winter wonderland. After your journey through the crisp mountain air you will be treated to hot chocolate or champagne by the fire. There are holiday sing alongs with Christmas Cowboys as well as nightly holiday movies with popcorn and drinks.

There is an activity center that includes ice skating rentals, and a cookie decorating station as well. Don't miss story time in the lobby for the kids on Christmas Eve and every child has a stocking hung on the mantle for Santa to fill. The Aspen Lodge sits on 85 acres of mountain meadows, forests, and a pure, sparkling mountain lake that is used for ice skating and hockey in the winter months. So what if there isn't snow? No worries! There is a wagon drawn by horses that will take you through the breathtaking evergreen forests to a perfect holiday destination for a quiet and memorable holiday.

Vail Snow Daze: Vail, CO

Celebrate the holidays at the Vail Snow Daze event. This is the biggest holiday party including the Dummy Gelunde World Championships, a sport of sorts, where teams of one to three people construct snow-riding dummies attached to a pair of skis or a snowboard and launch the handmade contraptions over a giant on-snow jump. Dummies are then judged on distance, air, creativity, takeoff, landing and crowd response. First prize is $5,000! Vail Snow Daze features mountain bands, snowball eating contests and so much more. At sunset the party moves into the night with local entertainment all over town with headliner bands as well. Check out Expo Village where there are top industry retailers there to show off and demo all of their wares. There are also bonfires, street parties, and nightly Snow Daze dining specials throughout the town of Vail. Vail is an incredible town to be in any part of the year but is extra special during the holiday season. Great friends, great snow, and a great town. What more could you ask for during the holidays?!

Chocolateville: Keystone, CO

Chocolateville takes place at the Keystone Resort where Chef Ned Archibald sculpts over 2,500 pounds of chocolate into an alpine village complete with a chocolate mountain, a cascading chocolate waterfall, and a beautiful six foot white chocolate Christmas tree with hand blown sugar ornaments. The Keystone Resort is surrounded by the incredible Rocky Mountains and thousands of acres of forest. If you love chocolate and sculpting this is the place to be for the Christmas season.

A Colorado Christmas: Denver, CO

Four Mile House goes all out for the holidays. Play Victorian games with Father Christmas; make your own gingerbread village, or string popcorn and cranberries for the Four Mile Tree. Four Mile house is on the banks of Cherry Creek which is about four miles from downtown Denver. Four Mile House was once a wayside inn and stage stop but now the grounds are the perfect setting for family activities that offer visitors a one of a kind experience. With museum and grounds tours, there are wonderful family activities for every age to experience the history of Colorado's past. Sample chestnuts as you are driven in a horse drawn carriage. Four Mile House is the perfect place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Resources:

Old Town Christmas: www.shopoldcoloradocity.com/

Christmas at Aspen Lodge: www.aspenlodge.net

Vail Snow Daze: www.vailsnowdaze.com

Chocolateville: www.keystonelodge.rockresorts.com

A Colorado Christmas: www.fourmilehistoricpark.org