The new year means new trips planned around our kids’ school schedules, summer vacation and a few work trips for hubby and I throughout the year. I keep a running note of our trip plans and calendars, including both school schedule dates, holidays, festivals and birthdays. I add in airline information, hotel reservations, car rentals and more before creating a detailed itinerary. Then I create a shared note once the details are firm with driving lengths and create a detailed daily schedule. Finally, I turn initial research into final bookings and activities keeping all kids, interests and energy levels in mind.
Our family has a lot of December & January birthdays and many times we plan small trips or overnights as gifts. My mother-in-law’s birthday is on Saint Nicholas Day, so it’s always easy to remember. Since she spent her last birthday in the hospital, we decided to celebrate this year’s birthday by pulling slots in Black Hawk, CO. Then in January I have my husband’s birthday to celebrate. Last year we spent it in our favorite city, Amsterdam, but this year we will be much closer to home. I’ve planned a secret birthday staycation, but the fun is just being ‘grownups’ for a day or two. I’ve actually got ideas for the next few birthday celebrations.
Great Wolf Lodge
My daughter is turning 10 years old in January and has been wanting to have a sleepover birthday at Great Wolf Lodge. Two years ago I took a group of her 2nd grade friends to the Great Wolf Lodge for a day trip party at the waterpark. She had a great time, has talked about it for years and this year we are doubling down with a hotel sleepover party. The Great Wolf Lodge is just an hour south of Denver in Colorado Springs and has a great reputation with visitors and residents alike. Kids all wear these cute wolf ear headbands after their trips, talking about how great of a time they had at the Great Wolf Lodge. The only place I’ve heard kids love more is Disney World and it seems like the Great Wolf Lodge wants to raise the prices to match the expense of Disney hotels.
This is not a budget hotel, there are three classes of suites including standard, themed and premium suites that sleep 4-9 people. The standard rooms, during the week and other low times do make this resort more affordable, but expect the added expenses. Waterpark admittance is included in the cost of the hotel along with a few daily activities like character meetings, arts & crafts and a nightly dance party. However, food expenses as well as attraction passes or al la carte attractions all add up quickly. Attractions are a very big deal and make a kids experience at Great Wolf. MagiQuest is typically the most talked about activity after the waterpark, but for my daughter it’s the arcade so be sure to choose an attraction pass for your kids age and interests. Options include:
- MagiQuest
- Rustic Ridge Climbing Wall
- Oliver’s Mining Co.
- Ten Paw Alley
- Howlers Peak Ropes Course
- Northern Lights Arcade
- Build-A-Bear Workshop
- Howl in One Golf
Great Wolf Lodge has 22 properties located all over the United States and a resort in Ontario, Canada.
Gunnison, Colorado
A few of our trips this year will be based around college tours, since our middle child is a junior. We thought we knew where he wanted to go and honestly got busy and it seems like the middle child stereotype has continued in the Myers family. We visited an art school in Denver to realize this was not a “real” art school and we would need more options. Additionally, Aidan is considering engineering and doing a program his senior year to help him decide. So we are going to be looking at both graphic design and engineering programs at colleges in Colorado and possibly the east coast. Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, near Crested Butte ski resort. There will be an Open House in February, so we will be going for our visit during the middle of winter. Gunnison is known for being the coldest location in Colorado each winter! Fingers crossed we get a warm week.
Gunnison is an easy going college town that is casual, inexpensive and a big draw for bikers. Even though Gunnison is known for its chilly temps in the winter, the spring has an early thaw and over 1,000 miles of dirt roads, perfect for mountain biking. The West Elk mountains bring hunters and hikers as well as anglers to the Gunnison River. Traveling north on route 135 leads up Gunnison Valley to Crested Butte. Crested Butte is the wildflower capital in the summer and the home of great skiing in the winter. Nearby towns of Almont and Pitkin have lots of UTV and 4×4 trails, as well as snowmobiling and Nordic skiing. There is also skiing at Monarch Mountain, closer to Salida with lots of beginner and intermediate trails for novice skiers.
Spring Break in Savannah, Georgia
Another trip that has been planned around visiting colleges for our son is the trip we will be taking to Savannah, Georgia during spring break. I did have another trip originally planned, but now we are going to Savannah to see the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). As a high school administrator, I took a group of students to see this college and look forward to visiting with my own art loving children. There are two campuses, the original in Savannah as well as an Atlanta campus. We will be flying into and out of Atlanta, because Southwest flies numerous nonstop flights from Denver per day. Savannah does have a smaller airport, but not nonstop from Denver, so it is easier for us to rent a car and drive 3-4 hours.
Savannah is a coastal city, close to the South Carolina border, but separated by the Savannah River. It is known for its Civil War history, antebellum architecture and Forsyth Park with oak trees covered by Spanish moss. The Historic Landmark District is found at the heart of the city and roughly covers the Pre-Civil War area of Savannah known as the Hostess City of the South. See significant sites like Old Fort Jackson, Fort Pulaski National Monument and the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. Many history focused tours are available from the Freedom Trail Tour to Savannah Black History tour to focus on each visitor’s interest and education. For those interested in paranormal tours, after dark there are over 15 specific tours featuring ghosts and the infamous Bonaventure Cemetery. Art lovers also come to Savannah to enjoy the works at the SCAD Museum of Art, Telfair Academy, the Jepson Center and numerous art galleries throughout the city. Don’t miss a visit to Tybee Island, just 30 minutes from downtown Savannah.
Tulip Season in Amsterdam
Last year, Ken and I went to Amsterdam three times in a year. First in January for his birthday, summer with our kids for their first European trip and again in November…let’s call it an early Christmas present to each other. When we find cheap flights or great miles deals close to a birthday or holiday we book it! I’ll always choose a trip or activity over a present. This year we have two trips planned to the Netherlands, the first one at the end of April to spend Spring enjoying the tulips and to attend our 2nd King’s Day in Amsterdam. Ken has taken me to Amsterdam to celebrate my March birthday many years over spring break when I was a teacher (always a different week from my kids district). A few years ago, we almost had a travel tragedy when Ken’s passport was only a few weeks from expiring and we couldn’t check in for his flight. Word to the wise, passports really expire 3-6 months before the expiration date written on them, depending on the country you are visiting.
At the time, this was a disaster for us! Having to get an expedited passport and rebook all our flights, hotels, tickets and reservations for the following month. I was impressed I was able to accomplish it without any fees or extra charges…except for the $800 rushed passport! We enthusiastically boarded our Amsterdam flight 30 days later and I was just happy to still get there during tulip season. Tulip season runs from mid-March (the beginning of Spring) through the first week of May and the whole city and all of the Holland province is decorated with the most beautiful tulips! Keukenhof Gardens and the tulip fields are located just outside of Amsterdam and only available during these few Spring weeks. What we didn’t know at the time is that we rebooked our trip during King’s Day in The Netherlands, their annual festival and party to celebrate the king.
King’s Day in Amsterdam
This year, we picked dates that are later in tulip season, to experience King’s Day properly. The Dutch Royal family is called the House of Orange and the entire country dresses in orange for those two days. If you don’t have anything orange, stores will be selling shirts, jackets and hats for the special day. Give into the orange, even if you don’t think orange is your color, it is on King’s Day! King’s Day is celebrated on the 27th each year, the King’s birthday, but in 2025 it will be celebrated on the 26th because it is a public holiday and not to be celebrated on Sunday. The Jordaan neighborhood is the epicenter of the event, but the whole country will shut down and party. The evening before King’s Day, the street parties and concerts all over the canal district begin. The following morning the country is taken over by a huge flea market since it is the only day of the year where residents can sell/resell items or products without a permit. Even young children are selling their old clothes and toys, hoping to make money and reduce waste.
The party continues on the canals by boat! The water is covered in party boats blasting EDM and house music from their speakers. Only the boat captains are worried about navigating the waters, partiers are enjoying themselves every minute! Families, especially expats, will sell their cultural foods and drinks on King’s Day. Lots of stalls are set up on the streets, on doorsteps and in the parks. Bathroom facilities are brought into the cities, but still never enough and home owners will charge to use their private facilities! Sounds crazy, but when you are desperate for the toilet, it’s a good option!
Family Road Trip- Utah Parks
Our youngest child is in 4th grade and it’s the year the National Parks give students a free pass. We want to take advantage of that opportunity and see the Mighty 5 National Parks in Utah this summer, perhaps the last week in May right after school gets out. I found a few hotels I can book on points in Moab and Zion and we’re considering splitting the trip into two trips seeing Moab, Arches and Canyonland on one trip then doing the parks further west like Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef at a later date and possibly adding Salt Lake City to see some friends and it’s namesake attraction. Moab is often referred to as a park as well, but technically it is a city that is located closest to Arches National Park.
Visitors typically plan to visit the parks east to west or vice versa. We live in Colorado, so we will be road tripping from the east. I think we will probably do it in 2 different trips, since we have the advantage of being in the state next door. Many visitors who fly, go into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and then start west to east for their route. Zion is the most popular and most crowded of all the parks and is packed mid-March through November! The summer months are the most crowded and the daily highs are in the 90’s every day. The recommended times to visit are Spring (May/June) and Fall (Sept/Oct). Traveling on Scenic Byway 12 between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef will be an adventure itself with some of the most amazing views of Utah. Four of the parks are certified International “Dark Sky” parks and host stargazing events late into the evenings.
Ocean City & Wildwood, New Jersey
For the past few years, my daughter and I have gone to Ocean City, New Jersey to have a summer shore trip with some of my cousins and family. I went to Ocean City as a kid. Growing up in the Philadelphia area, everyone went “down the shore” to their preferred coastal town each summer. Ocean City, the Wildwoods and Cape May are the most popular areas for families because they are attracted to their amazing boardwalks. The Wildwood Boardwalk has been referred to as “two miles of smiles” because of their amazing amusement piers, roller coasters, interactive water parks, carnival-style games, shopping and incredible food options and attracts 9 million visitors per year. Cape May’s boardwalk is called the Promenade and is a paved path that runs along Beach Ave for 2 miles. Visitors are attracted to the area for walking, running, biking and skating with its beautiful beach views and great spots to shop and eat. The Ocean City Boardwalk is the longest, spanning 2.5 miles total, from 1st to 23rd streets. From mid-May through Labor Day, bike traffic is limited to 5am-noon on the Boardwalk for safety and crowd control.
America’s Greatest Family Resort
Ocean City is known as “America’s Greatest Family Resort” and has been a hot vacation spot for decades. Restaurants on the boardwalk are typical for shore nights. Pizza is always the fastest and easiest, especially since I crave Manco’s Sicilian slices. But we often have pizza for lunch on the beach and there is too much good food to try. For quick meals try the lobster rolls at Quincy’s or grab hoagies from the convenience store Wawa located all over New Jersey. Our favorite seafood restaurant is Ike’s Famous Crabcakes. It is amazing and we went twice last year. They have incredible homemade potato chips with warm crab dip oozing down the plate. The kids’ fish stick meal came in a sand bucket and shovel, what a great presentation for a kid to remember!
After dark, the amusement parks get going, when you hear the real screams. There are two on the boardwalk, Gillian’s Wonderland Pier (on the north end) and Playland’s Castaway Cove located midway down the boardwalk. There are arcade game areas in the amusement parks and stand alone places on the boardwalk, quite a few mini-golf locations and some new attractions where you have to climb through lasers or a mirror maze. I see families hiring a photographer for golden hour (one hour before sunset) and take family beach portraits. Also a great option, especially for family reunions and special occasions.
Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park
This summer, my brother-in-laws will be coming out to visit Colorado, first time for one of them, and we want him to see the best Colorado has to offer. We plan to rent a cabin with them and all the dogs this summer in Estes Park. One brother-in-law can’t wait to see the Stanley Hotel and we want to do a nighttime ghost tour with him and our kids. We have done the historical tour of the property, but I’m sure hearing all the ghost stories will add to the ambience. Estes Park is a sweet mountain town that is beautiful with lots of great outdoor activities in the summer. We plan to explore some of the following this summer in Estes Park:
- Hiking, biking or climbing trails
- Horseback riding
- UTV/off-roading trails
- Boating or fishing on Lake Estes
- Open-air Adventure Park
- Funcity
- Mustang Mountain Coaster
- Geocaching
- Wineries, breweries & distilleries
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Astronomy in the Park nights
Many people think of Estes Park as either the home of the Stanley Hotel or base location for visiting the RMNP, but this cute town is so much more to residents and visitors alike.
Telluride, Colorado
Last year, hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in Southwest Colorado and loved the Durango and Telluride areas. But this year we need to visit during peak leaf season, especially Telluride! Since we are not a big skiing family, we are not drawn there for the slopes, just the views. Telluride is a European-style mining town tucked in a box canyon, surrounded by 13ers and 14ers in the San Juan Mountains. Telluride is ranked #1 ski resort in the nation by Conde Nast Traveler for its uncrowded mountain filled with exceptional terrain for all ability levels.
Once in Telluride, the town features gondolas as a part of its free, public transportation and shuttles visitors between Telluride and the Mountain Village above it. In only 13 minutes you are in Mountain Village, a town at the top of the world and basks in the glow of snow-capped peaks. The views from the gondolas during peak leaf season can’t be beaten… they rival New England with a lot more sunny days to enjoy them. Living in Denver, many friends and neighbors travel around the state to view leaves during the peak weekends. Between Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, Vail and even Aspen the best leaves I saw last year were from the gondola in Telluride!
Aidan’s 18th Birthday Trip to Amsterdam
Since returning from Amsterdam this summer, our kids have been begging to go back! Perhaps because Ken and I went in November without them and have another trip planned for Spring when they are all in school. We considered going back this summer, but our son Aidan turns 18 in October and those few months really make a difference in Amsterdam. Eighteen seems like a big deal in the States, but it basically opens the door to the whole world in Europe for a young adult. We thought it would be a great place to flash around his newly adult ID and could go out with his brother at night. He’s part of the younger generation that is not interested in drinking (let’s hope that continues through the college years). It will allow him to eat in cafes with bars and enter Snoop Dog’s coffeeshop SWED which is a really big flex when you grow up in Denver.
My son’s are into thrift shopping and were disappointed that the Jordaan area of Amsterdam really catered to middle-aged women’s clothing. I have found a bunch of second-hand and vintage clothing for men and the younger generation in Oud West and at the Albert Cuyp Market to take them to next trip. We also look forward to eating lunch in the market too, between the incredible chicken stand and freshly made stroopwafels its a cheapest spot in town! Cassidy has her favorite spots she wants to return to including the Maritime Museum and the This is Holland flying experience in Noord. Plus we have a few private canal cruise companies that have been recommended and these other family-friendly activities:
- NEMO Science Center
- Artis (zoo, aquarium & planetarium)
- Houseboat Museum
- Haarlem- Amsterdam’s sister city
- Zaanse Schans (windmills)
2025 Travel Plans
Those trips already sound amazing and I realize I have a lot of planning ahead to do. Extra long-weekend trips to enjoy the hot springs in Glenwood Springs or Pagosa Springs could be possible. Also, an additional college trip, in or out of Colorado is quite possible during this stage with a high schooler trying to figure out his path. My advice, plan ahead for college trips, add more in than you think and do the heaviest lifting during their sophomore year. It is a great way to expose your kids to different types of colleges, but also different areas of the country or even plan a semester abroad. These trips are great for all kids in your family and are typically only about a half day of time on campus and allow your family to see the location, learn the history and view the sights. I might have to talk my youngest into checking out colleges in Hawaii so next time we do this it’s in a warm location!
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