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School’s out and you need some activities to keep the kids occupied and, hopefully, outside and away from those ubiquitous screens. We get it. Here are seven ideas (plus one just for you—because adults need some fun, too) for making the most of spring break 2018.
For the Family Spring Breaker
It’s impossible to anticipate Colorado’s weather, but at Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs, you don’t have to worry about Mother Nature. The year-old venue’s indoor water park is hosting Spring-A-Palooza through April 15. Festivities include scavenger hunts, themed craft-making events, bubble dance parties, kid-friendly movies, and all the slip-and-sliding fun at the water park itself. Spring-A-Palooza events are included with accommodations. Bonus: Buy a special color-changing cup for $2.50 to help Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation‘s efforts to combat pediatric cancer.
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Plan a short getaway with the help of C Lazy U Ranch. The luxury dude ranch’s Spring Break Package is available through March 31 ($366 per adult per night, $232 per child, age three to 17; two-night minimum stay required). The venue is all-inclusive, meaning the family-style meals and many activities—such as horseback riding, cross-country skiing, tubing hill, and ice skating—are included with your nightly stay. There are also plenty of age-appropriate programming options for the younger members of your family. If you’re hoping to get some turns in, the ranch runs a complimentary shuttle to nearby Winter Park Resort and Granby Ranch.
For the Budget-Conscious Spring Breaker
Ski deals galore! Spring skiing is almost upon us, and that often means deals at your favorite resorts. One example: From March 16 through April 8, Crested Butte Mountain Resort is offering three nights of lodging and three-day lift tickets for the price of two. Plan your trip between April 1 and 8 when kids ages 12 and under ski and ride for free. Check out your go-to resort’s website for more deals.
The Broadmoor may have turned 100, but it’s not too old for spring break. The iconic, luxe venue in Colorado Springs has a special Spring Break Getaway that starts at just $125 per night per person. The package (available until April 30) includes discounted green fees for golfers throughout March, and children 10 and under eat free with a paying adult. Upgrade to a suite and get a 25 percent discount.
For the Spring Breaker Who Doesn’t Want to Travel Far
The always reliable Denver Art Museum has an energetic slate of activities (running March 17 to April 1) to keep your little ones busy. Art Emergency: Stampede Edition is a 35-minute play, showing every weekday at 11 a.m., that brings some of the museum’s most renowned works to life for children. Even better: All spring break activities are included with general admission, which is free for those 18 and younger.
There may be a staycation in your future thanks to the Family Fun Found package at the Maven. Starting at $359 per night, guests stay in the Journeyman Bunkbed (with one king and one twin bed), receive a to-go breakfast and complimentary valet parking, and enjoy four passes to the Children’s Museum of Denver (hitch a ride there with the hotel’s courtesy car). Located in the super-hip, mixed-use Dairy Block development downtown, you’ll definitely earn cool points with your kid.
For the Adventurous Spring Breaker
On Sunday, March 31, Aspen’s Buttermilk Mountain will host the Uphill Ascent. The free event (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) provides designated routes (and aid stations) on the 470-acre mountain for everything from ski touring to trail running to snowshoeing. There will also be hourly clinics from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Afterward, refuel with fellow uphillers during a Full Moon dinner (5 to 8 p.m.; not free, but specials will be available) at the Cliffhouse restaurant at the top of Summit Express Lift.
For the Grown-Up Spring Breaker
Spring break isn’t just about the kids. Adults, whether they’re golf fans or not, should gather their friends and sign up for the Mule Majors on April 7. The inaugural event combines mini golf, unlimited Moscow Mules, small-bite food pairings, and a costume contest (Derby hats and cliché golf attire encouraged). Participants play a nine-hole round of mini golf—with a different Mule available at each hole. Food trucks, music, prizes, and other games such as corn hole round out the afternoon or evening (there are two available time slots). The third round of the Masters will also be playing live, so serious golfers don’t have to miss any of the action. A portion of the event’s proceeds—tickets start at $50 and are selling quickly—benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado.
