This last week my family went on our summer vacation. Because times are tough we skipped the usual vacation spots like Disney, Florida and Mexico and stayed in our own state of Colorado. We drove to Steamboat Springs, which is about 200 miles from Denver. Steamboat Springs is well known as Ski Town USA in the winter but it offers plenty of things to do with your family in the summer. By choosing to stay in Colorado we saved a lot of money and still had quality time with the family.
We stayed in a timeshare resort called the Worldmark by Wyndham, which is located just off highway 40 at the base of the ski mountain. If you don't have access to a timeshare, there are plenty of accommodations in Steamboat from Hotels to Condo rentals. Because summer is the off-season, many of these accommodations are very affordable.
We went very basic this year to save money. We spent one day riding bikes down the Yampa River. Steamboat Springs has a wonderful trail running along the river. The river was beautiful this year. The river was full and as we rode we watched others kayaking and tubing down the river. We stopped for ice cream at Mountain View Car Wash, which is located right on the bike path. I know it sounds like a strange place for ice cream but they have great soft serve as well as hot dogs and smoothies. There are plenty of places to stop along the path including a park at the end. Total cost for day one $12.00. We had a great time, got some exercise and saw the town for very little money.
On day two we visited Old Town Hot Springs. This is a great place for a family to spend the day and it is very reasonable. In addition to seven pools, large waterslides and a fitness center, they also have a wonderful kid area for little ones. My 2-year-old loved it. If you look for coupons that are found in most accommodations and stores, you will find two for one slide deals and $2.00 off adult admission. We spent $26.00 for the two adults and two children. We spent another $8.00 for two 10 ride slide tickets. If you want to eat while your there they also have a snack bar with hot dogs, pizza and other various items. We spent most of our day here and had a great time. If you go make sure you wear sunscreen as the sun at high altitude burns you quick.
There were many things to do in Steamboat in the summer that we did not do. Here is a short list of some of the available activities:
Ice Skating
Horseback riding
Shopping
Fishing
Kayaking
Tubing
Biking
Gondola rides up the mountain
Bowling
Movies
Hiking
Trying to spend time with the family during these hard economic times is tough. Steamboat Springs offered me a chance to have a great time with the family and save a lot of money doing it.
My wife and I are planning on going back in September without the kids. I will share more on the activities you can do without kids then.
