Category Archives: Get Outdoors

Southwest Gets You Out of Town: Seriously Cheap Tix from Denver

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I’m excited. A quick check in this morning for tickets to Seattle found this: $45 or 2,055 points each way Denver [DEN] to Seattle [SEA]. That’s $90 round trip. This is cheap travel, but in my experience flying Southwest doesn’t feel like a discount airlines. You can pay for Early Bird check in [$15] and they don’t charge for up to 2 bags. We are considering this option for taking a ski trip to Whistler/Blackcomb with the family.

Denver to Seattle Flights

How to Find Cheap Tickets on Southwest

To find cheap fares on Southwest I pick my city pair. Then I pick random dates to get into the search engine. Then pick points or dollars [these are very interchangeable, so just pick one and then you can see the other one later]. Click on the dates you want to travel.

One thing about Southwest is that their flights will not turn up on other search engines [e.g., Google Flights or ITA Matrix]. You have to go directly to Southwest.com. It’s super easy.

This was a great find! I can take my family of 4 round trip to Seattle for 16,440 points. Unreal. So I poked around just a little and found that I can also take my family to San Diego for the same amount of points. Thank you, Southwest Airlines!

Denver to San Diego Flights

Getting Southwest Points

Wondering how to get Southwest points, I suggest signing up for the Southwest Airlines credit card and getting 40,000 points. Then you can take your whole family to Seattle and San Diego in the future and have a few points left over.

#Skiing #EpicPass #VailResorts #Canada #Seattle #SanDiego #Families #CheapTix #CheapTickets

 

ALL Colorado K-5th Grade Kids Get 16 days of FREE Skiing! Find out how…

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Elementary kids in Colorado – It’s your lucky day! Colorado elementary school kids don’t have to wait until they are in 5th/6th grade to get their own ski pass – Vail Resorts’ Epic School Kids now offers FREE skiing to ALL elementary school children.

The catch? Get your kids registered by October 8, 2016!

Q: WHAT IS THE EPIC SCHOOL KIDS?

Epic School Kids is a FREE program for Kindergarten through 5th graders that provides skiing and riding at some of Colorado’s best areas – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone. That means 4 days of FREE Skiing at each area or 16 days in all.

The pass also includes one FREE first-timer ski or ride lesson with equipment rental.

Q: ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS?

The following are blackout dates: 11/25/16-11/26/16, 12/26/16-12/31/16, 1/14/17 and 2/18/17-2/19/17

Q. HOW CAN PARENTS ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN EPIC SCHOOL KIDS?

Parents can take their children to a participating Front Range Colorado Ski & Golf, or Boulder Ski Deals location to register their child in person. In Boulder – just head to Boulder Ski Deals. Take a look at what you need to bring below.

Want more details? Epic School Kids

Enjoy Family Fun – All Summer Long With Meadow Music

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Hey Boulder Families – Don’t miss out on live, educational, engaging music at Chautauqua this summer! Meadow Music is an award winning environmental education program offered for free in Boulder, Colorado. Join Jeff & Paige for FREE concerts and a hike throughout the summer at Chautauqua. Meadow Music happens most Monday evenings in the summer from June-August.

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Meadow Music Details: Meet at 5:30pm to start a short hike that’s friendly to all ages – Map Here.  The hike takes about 30 minutes because of all the little legs that join it, but all ages should be able to accomplish the task. Along the way we’ll look for our color of the week and at the end our hike we’ll sing a song to bring out our animal of the week–Coyote Bob, Ranger Paula, or The Black Bear…

After the hike you will return to the Chautauqua Green for a concert full of Jeff & Paige’s original nature and science-based music. The concert starts around 6:00pm and ends by about 7:00. Bring a blanket to sit on, a picnic and some silliness.

Read more about Meadow Music here.

For a full concert calendar and to plan your next visit to Meadow Music visit the calendar.

#Boulder #Colorado #Getoutdoors

Get Your Family On Their Bikes for Boulder’s Winter Bike Week!

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Boulder Families – It’s Almost Winter Bike Week! Maybe this can be your family’s challenge to get on those bikes this winter. Bike to work. Bike to school. Bike around town. Bike in the winter!

All Boulder residents are encouraged to participate in Winter Bike Week from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29. This week-long event is a partnership between The City of Boulder, Boulder County, the Boulder Valley School District and the University of Colorado. The event is coordinated by Community Cycles.

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Riders register as individuals or as part of a team to track bike trips and earn recognition and prizes. Registered riders will also enjoy free breakfasts and snacks along their routes [on 1/27] as well as pastries along the bike path [1/29].- check for food locations here.

For more information and to register go to lovetoride.net/boulder.

Kid Friendly Vail, Colorado

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Awesome playground in Vail at Lionshead

Awesome playground in Vail at Lionshead

“What Is There To Do With Kids In Vail?” Is Vail, Colorado family-friendly?

Vail doesn’t always conjure up the image of happy families skipping through Vail Village. If your kids are not old enough to ski or you are looking for options when they are not skiing these suggestions will help you get dialed in to the family-friendly Vail scene. Most weekends there is something going on in Vail. During the winter season they offer free live music with big name acts, fireworks, tree lighting, and lots more. Check the Vail Events Calendar for details of what’s coming up.

Vail is our family’s favorite ski mountain. Sure there are tons of mountains to ski in the mountains of Colorado, but Vail gives us lots of diverse terrain, a great park and pipe area, back bowls, trees, groomers and lots more to entertain everyone in the family! The food is expensive and buying a ticket at the counter is very expensive indeed. Last weekend it was $165 for the day for adults which is not so family-friendly, but if you think ahead and get a pass it’s a great spot for the family.

Skiing is the obvious option for families in Vail, but I want to point out the other fun things to do in Vail with your family as a day off or after skiing.

Playgrounds:

  • Our favorite is the pirate ship playground in Vail Village. This is located just to the left of the Gondola, right at the base of the slope, through Vail Village. This ship is great year around and you will always see kids playing on it rain, snow or sun.
  • Another option is the funky playground at Lions Head, located just above the ice skating rink.

Other Things To Do:

  • Ice Skate at Solaris. Kids and adults can have fun skating all day and into the night at this cool skate rink close to Vail Village.
  • Ice Skate at Lions Head. Located in Lions Head Village at Vail, this is another fun ice rink for the whole family.
  • Adventure Ridge. This is family fun on the mountain where you can choose snow mobile riding, serious sledding, bungee jumping, and XXX. Expensive, but a blast for the kids!
  • Bol. This is high tech, over the top, bowling at its best. Kids and adults have a blast here. Reserve a lane ahead of time. You can order pizza, drinks, lane side. Expensive, but very entertaining.
  • Fuzzywigs candy store. This is always a fun place to take the kids. This is just in Vail Village.
  • The Vail Library. This is an under utilized resource for families. With programs like Toddler and Preschooler Story Time, Après-Ski Puppetry, games, art projects, and wifi, the Vail Library is a chill and fun place for all kinds of kids. Free.
  • Colorado Ski Museum. If your kids are old enough to appreciate the history of skiing and snowboarding the museum has some great displays and videos showing the 10th Mountain Division and the progression of the sports of skiing and snowboarding. Free.
  • Cinnebistro. Dine and watch at the Cinnebistro at Solaris just outside of Vail Village. Kids love it! It’s not cheap, but the memories last of being served right at your seat in a movie theater. Moderate to Expensive.
  • Take a Walk Along The River. Take a walk along the river in Vail Village. There are beautiful statues, ice carvings, and lots to look at. Free.
  • Vail Events Calendar. This calendar from Vail.com gives you the scoop on upcoming events and activities on and around the mountain. Most events are free. http://www.vail.com/events/event-calendar.aspx

Vail is a super fun family destination. Ski. Skate. Play. Watch a Movie. Learn. Bowl. Sled. Have fun!

#Vail #Colorado #Family #Vacation #Kids #Children

ALL Colorado K-5th Grade Kids Get An Epic Kids Pack [4 days of FREE Skiing at 4 Colorado Vail Resorts]

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Elementary kids in Colorado – It’s your lucky day! Colorado elementary school kids don’t have to wait until they are in 5th/6th grade to get their own ski pass – now Vail Resorts is offering their new Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack – and it offers FREE skiing to ALL elementary school children. Vail Resorts just announced that they will be offering Colorado K-5th grade kids a FREE pass as part of their newly launched Epic School Kids Colorado Pack program. That means 4 days of FREE Sking at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone and Breckenridge. Vail Resorts is saying that this is a limited time opportunity, so I say get over to Boulder Ski Deals – see below for what you will need to provide them as proof of eligibility.

Current School of Shred [this is the old 5th/6th grade FREE ski program] participants can get the same deal for their child who is going into 6th grade next year – 4 FREE days at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Breckenridge.

Q: WHAT IS THE EPIC SCHOOLKIDS COLORADO PACK?

The Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack is a FREE program for Kindergarten through 5th graders that provides skiing and riding at each of the state’s top-ranked resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone (restricted: 11/27/15-11/28/15, 12/26/15-12/31/15, 1/16/16 and 2/13/16-2/14/16.)  It includes one FREE first-timer ski or ride lesson with equipment rental during the month of January. (The first-timer lesson is only available from 1/5/16-1/31/16 as a part of “Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month” and is not available 1/1-1/4/16 or 1/15/16-1/17/16.)  Additionally, Epic SchoolKids Colorado Pack provides unlimited summer 2015 scenic chair lift rides at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone.

Q. HOW CAN PARENTS ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN EPIC SCHOOLKIDS?

Parents can take their children to a participating Front Range Colorado Ski & Golf, or Boulder Ski Deals location to register their child in person. In Boulder – just head to Boulder Ski Deals. Take a look at what you need to bring below.

Q. WHAT DO PARENTS NEED TO BRING TO REGISTER THEIR CHILD FOR EPIC SCHOOLKIDS?

The parent must bring

  • The child must be present at the time of registration
  • A physical copy of the student report card/transcript/school ID or birth certificate
  • A physical photo of the student (no sunglasses, hats or others in the photo)

 

Want more details? Epic School Kids Colorado Pack

How Memories Are Made: Family Travel Through Nicaragua and Costa Rica

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“There is a great hotel in San Jose!”, was my son’s response to our friend’s request for suggestions of what to do in Costa Rica.

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For almost three weeks we traveled throughout Nicaragua and Costa Rica – all eight of us – two families traveling together. We intended to have an adventure so we spent our days on volcanoes, zipping through the jungle canopy of Costa Rica, surfing in San Juan del Sur, hiking through the heat and humidity of a remote volcanic island, and riding horses. It was all adventure, but not all of it as positive as others; during the course of the trip the kids’  backpacks had been stollen and the kids managed to puke all over at least two hotels. It was an amazing [multi] family adventure! It really was. Honest.

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San Jose Marriott

When I think back on our trip I remember watching the sun set on the Pacific Ocean while drinking smoothies along the coast in Nicaragua, my husband remembers “Tyler’s Place” where we stayed to surf and explore Nicaragua. BUT if you ask my kids they will tell you that there is a great Marriott in San Jose!

They did just that the other day. We have friends who scored last minute United Airlines mileage tickets to Costa Rica and knowing we had been there, asked for recommendations. I offered up mine in a detailed email. In the soccer carpool this friend asked my son this question and he offered what was most vivid in his mind – The Costa Rica Marriott Hotel in San Jose. This friend sent me an email to confirm this was his response. We both laughed. Then I started thinking about how it could possibly be that my son’s best memory of our extended family trip was of a hotel?

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The white sheets!

Until the other day I hadn’t thought about the moment when we got to San Jose, after a long drive and our stollen backpack fiasco, for a long time. It reminded me that you cannot always predict what memories will be indelibly etched in your children’s minds. What will make the biggest impact. You just never know! In this case I believe it was the contrast of the relatively rustic way we traveled for close to three weeks, the stollen backpacks, being sick, then the safety of this simply luxurious hotel.

When we walked into the hotel it felt cloistered. It felt safe. It felt welcoming. The sheets were so white. The beds so tall. The restaurant had the most amazing buffet any of us had ever seen. They prepared anything the kids requested. My kids noticed ALL these details. All of them. We had not left Costa Rica but the Marriott made us feel like we had been swept up into the best of all worlds – local culture and amenities galore. This experience is indelibly woven into the fabric of my children’s beings. They may forget the other amazing things we did on our trip, but they will not forget this simple luxury.

Skiing Every Month in 2014 = Building Grit in this 12 Year Old!

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My oldest son has a goal to ski every month this year. Good goal for a ski obsessed kid! [See this 12 year old’s ski video] So this weekend my husband took him to St. Mary’s Glacier to get in his August skiing. It turns out skiing has become a great opportunity for father-son bonding. It’s also great overall family bonding, but this was of the father-son genre. The take home for our family – It’s the Process that Matter Most, Not the End Result!

The process is so much more than making the turns – but it includes the turns! The process is talking about open ended questions on the way up the mountain to the destination. The process is getting on the pack and loading it up with boots and skis and gear and stuff, then putting said pack on this 12 year olds back and hiking up about a mile to get a few turns. A mile up hill. A mile to find just enough snow to make those necessary turns that he committed to earlier this year.

Sometimes the skiing happens at #Vail or #Breckenridge or #CopperMountain, but in the summer it has happened by earning his turns. I’ve got to believe this process helps create grit in my son! Grit that will help him in get through the tough parts in his life. Grit that he will call upon when he needs to hike that last mile or finish that tough homework assignment. There is nothing as important as having grit, so when Kai tells me about his experience and how it was tough but he did it, I take a deep breath that fills me up inside. I know the process and these experiences will fill him up in the end.

Take Homes from this Adventure:

  • Follow your passion
  • Do it even when it’s tough
  • Enjoy the process
  • Find a way to bond – something you enjoy doing together!

Interested in what a 12 year old can do skiing? Check out this video Kai made of his skiing!

 

Kid-Friendly Bicycle Classics Are Coming Our Way In Boulder!

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Boulder is a cycling mecca. Yup, we love our two wheeled friends. If your kids are into cycling then here are two upcoming events you will want to know about- Kids Challenge and Little Buffs. These are both the kids’ version of larger cycling events in Boulder this summer. These both look super fun, so get your kids registered and psyched to get on their bikes! 

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1. Kids Challenge [part of the USA Boulder Pro Challenge] – This one is for kids 11 & under. They meet pros, eat Ben & Jerry’s, get t-shirts and other swag, and have a great time biking around East Pearl. $5 donation suggested. Register here!  Date: August 24, 2014

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2. Little Buffs [Buffalo Bicycle Challenge] – This one is longer. 14 miles around East Boulder. Not sure about swag options – the kids always love the stuff – but I’m sure there will be some! Take a look at the Little Buff course – here. Date: September 7, 2014

I am super excited about these two fun events. Any time we get our kids involved in the community, outdoors, and doing something positive it’s a good thing! Enjoy, Boulder Families!