Glenwood Springs Itinerary: Fun for the Family!
Explore this Glenwood Springs itinerary packed with family activities!
From I-70, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, looks to be a small, unassuming little town, but once you get off of the interstate and make your way into the historic district, you'll quickly fall in love.
There’s so much to do here that makes it the perfect family getaway in the heart of Colorado and a great weekend trip from Denver.
Below, you’ll find a complete 2 day Glenwood Springs, Colorado, itinerary that is packed with engaging, unique things to do with kids.
It's family friendly with food suggestions, play options, and lots of outdoor activities that will appeal to kids and adults alike.
NOTE: I partnered with the Glenwood Springs CVB, who kindly provided me with day passes to Glenwood Adventure Park and both Hot Springs mentioned below. All opinions are my own.
2 Day Glenwood Springs Kid-Friendly Itinerary
On our big Las Vegas to Denver road trip, we stopped in Glenwood Springs between our time in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Denver, Colorado.
The town originally attracted me thanks to its incredible history, the conveniently located hot springs, and the incredible Hotel Colorado, and it was in the perfect place to rest for a day or two before pushing onward to our final stop of Denver.
It ended up being one of the highlights of our time in the Rockies, thanks to the town’s delicious food, easy to access attractions, and kid-friendly activities.
Two days in Glenwood Springs is a great way to dive into the town’s top offerings, while still giving you plenty of time to relax in this picturesque location.
Here’s what to do, day by day.
Glenwood Springs Itinerary Day 1
The Hotel Colorado, the Colorado River, and parts of downtown Glenwood Springs as seen from the gondola at Glenwood Adventure Park
NOTE: I recommend staying at the Hotel Colorado next to the Glenwood Hot Springs.
Not only is the hotel beautiful, but it’s also well placed to walk to much of this itinerary.
Thanks to the Glenwood Walking Bridge, you can easily access Grand Avenue and the rest of downtown Glenwood from the Hotel Colorado.
It’s less than a 20 minute walk to Iron Mountain Hot Springs and the entrance to Glenwood Adventure Park, too.
However, if you opt to stay elsewhere, you’ll still want to visit as the hotel is a historic landmark well worth an hour or two of your time.
Start your day at Daily Bread in downtown Glenwood Springs.
This adorable cafe at 729 Grand Avenue serves up breakfast and brunch every day of the week.
It’s one of those local places that doesn’t even have a website beyond its irregularly updated Facebook page, but it’s well worth seeking out.
Since we visited with our two small kids, we appreciated the outdoor dining area, where the kids were occupied watching the cars and people walking by.
We tucked into omelets, huevos rancheros, and sausage, all of which were delicious.
Make some mountain memories at Glenwood Adventure Park.
You might be tempted to head straight for the hot springs in town, but we're saving that for later when you're all tuckered out.
Instead, pack a backpack with snacks and other kid essentials and get ready for some fun.
Located on the top of Iron Mountain just outside of Glenwood Springs, the Glenwood Adventure park combines cave tours, laser tag, and live shows.
The park’s dramatic rides are made all the more dramatic by the fact you’re hanging off of a mountain the entire time!
My family’s favorite ride at Glenwood Adventure Park was the Alpine Coaster, a non-motorized, gravity propelled coaster that shoots you down the side of Iron Mountain in a sled not much wider than the average adult.
The first time I rode it, I thought I was going to die, so, of course, my preschooler loved it. Unlike a regular roller coaster, the sides to your cart are uncomfortably low, and you have to control the speed of your sled.
Up to 1 adult and 1 child can ride on the sleds, and my preschooler was delighted to accompany me. I did see many older kids riding solo, having the time of their lives in the process.
This is Glenwood Springs with kids at its finest!
Our daughter on the cave tour
The cave tours at Glenwood Adventure Park were another highlight on our Glenwood Springs, Colorado, itinerary.
Up until 2003, these caves were the only attraction at the top of the mountain, and they're still at the heart of the theme park.
The Fairy Cave was opened to the public in 1895 and was originally billed as the 8th wonder of the world.
Our guide, Bill, was fantastic, and his love of caving was obvious during the tour. He even had a lantern to show us what the original cave explorers would've used during the tours of the late 1800s!
The cave tours are free with your admission and run at timed intervals throughout the day. Ask at the ticket booth for that day’s times.
Grab a burger and fries at the Lookout Grille near the visitors center and gondola pick-up area. For a theme park burger, it’s surprisingly good.
After one last ride on the Alpine Coaster, it's time to take the tram back down to the foot of the mountain and venture elsewhere in Glenwood Springs.
Explore downtown Glenwood Springs.
Cross over the Colorado River and head into the historic district for a little shopping.
The historic district runs along Grand Avenue between 7th and 11th streets and has everything from freshly made fudge to books to shoes.
Downtown Glenwood Springs on 7th Avenue near the Colorado River | source
The town has been working on improving parking and overall road accessibility in the downtown area for the last few years, which has greatly helped with congestion.
While you’re here, get some beautiful photos of the Colorado River on the Glenwood Walking Bridge, which connects the Glenwood Hot Springs with Grand Avenue.
If you want to make your time downtown a bit more fun, you can always challenge your family to the Glenwood Springs scavenger hunt, which is self-guided and walkable.
Take the waters at Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
After such a busy day, we were ready for some relaxation and headed to the first of two different hot springs we tried out in town.
Of all of the things to do in Glenwood Springs, going to one of the hot springs in town is non-negotiable. Not only is it incredibly relaxing, but the hot springs are why there's even a town here in the first place!
I’ll dive into the history of the place more below, but know that this area is a must-do.
Here, you'll find 16 smaller pools, all named after gemstones, a jetted spa, and one large 100,000 gallon family pool.
The water comes out of the natural Iron Mountain springs around 120 degrees, but that temperature is lowered for the comfort of guests.
The jetted spa is heated to just over 100 degrees while the big family pool is around 90 degrees.
Watch the sunset over the Colorado River while you soak up the 14 minerals in the water. Your kids will be happy but exhausted by the end of your first day!
Glenwood Springs Itinerary Day 2
Luxuriate in the natural phenomenon that put the town on the map, Glenwood Hot Springs.
According to local history, the hot springs here have been utilized by the Ute people for thousands of years before this area was settled by pioneers. While the hot springs have a long tradition of serving as a place of relaxation, it wasn't until the 1800s when visitors began to flock to this area to take the waters.
The springs here are heated very similarly to those at Iron Mountain: the huge, million gallon main pool is kept around 95 degrees, while the smaller, 91,000 gallon therapy pool is kept at 104 degrees.
My preschooler had a great time hopping between the two pools but liked the slightly cooler large pool.
I preferred the warmer one since it was still chilly to my South Carolina blood and had sleeted just before we showed up at the springs.
The popularity of Glenwood Springs launched the town into what it is today, and it was refreshing to see so many people still enjoying the springs that have been in continuous use since 1888.
Explore the Hotel Colorado.
As you can imagine in a destination town such as this one, there are a considerable number of hotels in Glenwood Springs.
The front of the Hotel Colorado
One of them, however, stands out among the rest, thanks to its storied history (and you know I can't resist a good historic hotel!).
Even if you don't stay in this incredible hotel, you need to plan a walkthrough while you're in town.
Once considered the fanciest hotel between Denver and the West Coast, the Hotel Colorado has served as both a Naval hospital and a high school before being restored to its hospitality roots.
It's also hosted a variety of high profile people over its history.
Theodore Roosevelt stayed there for a month while on a bear hunt, and it was here, after a particularly lackluster day out in the woods, that the maids decided to sew together a quick bear from scraps as a way to cheer up the president.
The result? The now famous Teddy Bear.
Later on in the hotel's history, hitman Diamond Jack Alterie and gangster Al Capone frequented the place. The hotel management put in a second, more demure entrance for them to enter through.
One of the desk clerks shared with me that the movers and shakers of the world still show up at the hotel, as Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn often come in to eat at the hotel's restaurant when they're at their home in Aspen.
There's not an organized tour of the Hotel Colorado, but you can ask at the front desk for a print out of the hotel's history and do a self-guided walking tour.
Explore the town's past at the Doc Holliday gravesite.
Like many others, Doc Holliday believed that the town's hot springs could provide a cure for his tuberculosis.
The gambler and gunfighter wasn't able to find the cure in time, and died in Glenwood Springs in 1887 at the age of 36.
The hike to Linwood Cemetery is pretty mild, even for those with kids in tow. You can access the trailhead from the corner of Bennett Avenue and 12th Street in downtown Glenwood Springs.
(If you’re staying at the recommended Hotel Colorado, the trailhead from the hotel parking lot is about 0.8 miles, which is less than a 20 minute walk.)
After hiking the 1/3 of a mile or so from the intersection to the cemetery, it's easy to pick out his grave thanks to the coins and cards people leave as mementoes.
There's a rumor that the grave marked as Doc's isn't actually his, but that he might be buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere on the property.
Others believe that he might not even be in Glenwood Springs at all, but was returned to his hometown of Griffin, Georgia.
Whatever the truth, the cemetery is filled with reminders of the deeply layered history of this charming Colorado town.
Plus, if you're visiting Glenwood Springs with kids, they likely will find the (possible) grave of a real gunslinger fascinating.
How to Extend Your Visit to Glenwood Springs
This adorable town has so much more to do than a long weekend will truly allow for.
If you have more time to spend here, you can add on a full day for the Adventure Park. The park has enough activities to easily devote an entire day of your Glenwood Springs visit.
During the summer months, you can add a full day at Glenwood Hot Springs since they have slides and a mini water park area open then.
The Colorado River near Glenwood Springs
I’d also recommend a kid-friendly rafting tour along the Colorado River, which will let your family see more of this part of Colorado’s natural beauty.
NOTE: If you don’t want to do 2 different hot springs on the itinerary above, I’d recommend swapping one out for the kid-friendly rafting tour.
What part of this Glenwood Springs, Colorado, itinerary would your family be the most excited to experience?
