The countdown continues…
4. RITZ-CARLTON BACHELOR GULCH, Beaver Creek Mountain, Colorado
Don’t let the name scare you away. I found some affordable packages for families here – and the amenities make it well worth every dollar. This is a year round AAA five diamond resort, so there is no question that you and your family will have a top-notch vacation.
The spa at Bachelor Gulch was rated #3 by a well-known travel magazine. Besides a fitness area and beauty treatments, BG offers a wonderful hot tub in a rock-lined grotto.
Even with all this luxury and pampering, the Kids’ Program is what stands out in my mind. The Kids’ Program is western-themed, like going to camp, and is for kids ages 5 to 12. The program offers activities, nature hikes, field trips to the rodeo, arts and crafts, and a chance to meet Bachelor the dog, a gentle Labrador retriever. Kids are also fed a healthy lunch.
Day care for ages 5 – 12 is highly flexible, offering either full day, morning half day, afternoon half day, or even daycare by the hour.
Every evening a free movie from 4 – 6 pm is shown for kids along with popcorn, juice, and hot chocolate. On select nights Bachelor Gulch holds themed “Kids’ Night Out” from 6 – 10 pm and promises a great time for your child. “Kids’ Night Out” usually goes hand in hand with “Adults’ Night Out” I suspect.
3. BEAVER CREEK near Vail, CO
Some people would rate this resort the best in the US. It does have a lot of exciting programs and activities. The one I would like to see occurs on Thursday nights, when skiers ski down the slopes to music, holding glow sticks. A fireworks display follows immediately afterwards.
Ski lessons are for kids 3 years and up, and that includes lunch, a snack, and activities in the daycare center. The lesson and daycare center takes children from 2 months to 17 years and provides age-appropriate care for all.
One activity that grabbed my attention is the treasure hunt for kids. Kids are handed a map, which will lead them to a fort (great for snowball fights), a silver mining exhibit, through a tunnel, and down the mountain on exciting, kid-friendly ski runs.
Activities and events include ice-skating, cookie time (warm fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies), and a bungee trampoline. The nearby Game Garage arcade has a big screen TV, video games, and foosball. Also available are ski racing, sleigh riding, hot air ballooning, and special events planned throughout the season.