Colorado Ski Towns with young kids in September?

[Anonymous]

We have an almost 5 and 2 year old and cannot decide where to go on vacation in September (last year before we're on a school schedule and baby still flies free). We're thinking maybe a ski resort within a few hours of the Denver airport - maybe Vail or Breckenridge? We like hiking, but the older one will have to walk, so nothing too challenging. Any experience with this age group or should we wait until the kids are a bit older? Or any specific town recommendations?

Or any other ideas?

[Anonymous]

Steamboat.

Breckenridge is at such a high altitude. I wouldn't take kids there for a hiking vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Steamboat.

Breckenridge is at such a high altitude. I wouldn't take kids there for a hiking vacation.

Didn't think of that! Steamboat seems a bit further away, but we could do a day or two in Denver to break up the travel.

[Anonymous]

Went to Breckenridge last august with my 8 and 10 year olds. It was AMAZING. we loved everything about it. The poster above does have a very valid point about the altitude though. My husband was out of commission for two days with it and really felt awful. My kids weren't too bothered by it though. We spend a night and day in Denver and then the next day in Red Rocks before getting all the way up to Breck, so maybe a slower ascent helped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Steamboat.

Breckenridge is at such a high altitude. I wouldn't take kids there for a hiking vacation.

Didn't think of that! Steamboat seems a bit further away, but we could do a day or two in Denver to break up the travel.

You can fly in to Hayden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have an almost 5 and 2 year old and cannot decide where to go on vacation in September (last year before we're on a school schedule and baby still flies free). We're thinking maybe a ski resort within a few hours of the Denver airport - maybe Vail or Breckenridge? We like hiking, but the older one will have to walk, so nothing too challenging. Any experience with this age group or should we wait until the kids are a bit older? Or any specific town recommendations?

Or any other ideas?

Why do you want to fly/pay for an expensive place like Breck and Vail to go hiking with a 2 and 5 yr old?

I'd stick to the east coast and look at some of the more local places - Snowshoe has some great 4 season (and family orientated) activities, Massanutten has some great trails too (and other fun kid stuff), or up in NE like Lake Placid, come to mind, but I bet a simple google search would give you more to consider.

Not sure why you're hung up on CO ski towns especially to "hike" with a 2 and 5 yr old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went to Breckenridge last august with my 8 and 10 year olds. It was AMAZING. we loved everything about it. The poster above does have a very valid point about the altitude though. My husband was out of commission for two days with it and really felt awful. My kids weren't too bothered by it though. We spend a night and day in Denver and then the next day in Red Rocks before getting all the way up to Breck, so maybe a slower ascent helped.

That sounds awesome - and the perfect age... We have about 15 trips we want to do when the kids are 7 and up... hard to pick what to do beforehand besides the beach.