At 80 miles west of Denver, Keystone is either an easy destination to reach or not too far out of the way if part of other Rocky Mountain adventures. Keystone has morphed in a top-notch destination for summer and fall with a bevy of adult festivals, activities each day for children, and then activities the whole family can do together. The opportunity for boredom went out the window with the base altitude of 9,000 feet.
Kidtopia rules for kid fun
Keystone hosts numerous festivals, most of which have an adult theme, but still, have activities for the kids. Most are at the base of the mountain, so ample opportunity to take a chairlift or gondola ride sometime in the middle of your summer adventure. Kidtopia, which is Keystone’s no-charge kids’ program, has free adventure activities offered every day from June 8-Sept. 1. Two of the most popular are Friday’s ‘Face Painting and Craft-er-noon’ and Sunday’s ‘Meet the Rescue Dog.’ These are held at Kidtopia Headquarters in River Run Village.
The best mountain wine and jazz festival
With extremely enthusiastic attendees is the Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival. Two days of unlimited pours with top jazz entertainment on the village stage, and you will expand your musical and libation appreciation. Carefully spaced in the village streets are various food vendors so you won’t go hungry with everything from Asian BBQ to charred ribs with grits. Top it off with various wine education events focusing on different varietals and even tequila.
Wagon ride into cowboy history
Keystone has their own stable and riding program, so there is usually some type of wagon ride with dinner on the edges of Keystone proper in the White River National Forest. The wagon ride gets you to the original cabins for Keystone Ranch, a cattle operation. Strolling to the original cabins from 1850 with new friends and live mountain music make this a special evening. Not all festivals have their own wagon ride and dinner, but those are offered weekly both in summers as wagon/dinner rides and in winter as sleigh/dinner adventure.
Mountaintop gourmet dining
The most unique culinary experience in the region lets you dine at the highest four-star restaurant in North America, the Alpenglow Stube, and a short gondola ride to the top of the mountain at 11,666 feet. Romantic dinners plus an award-winning brunch menu with such items as ricotta-infused French toast and braised pork hash with spinach and sweet potatoes are examples of their creative, high-country cuisine.
The first spa with a kids focus
Recently renovated, The Spa at the Keystone Lodge and Spa is way above what is the norm at a ski area. The treatment rooms are spacious, well decorated and the options reflect the high-country environment. In the spirit of getting the kids involved is the Chocolate Mousse Facial. It might be edible, but it does work on pre-teen complexion issues. For even more fun, do the strawberry and chocolate mix, like a perfect Sunday for the face! Both parents and kids can participate together. The Altitude Massage combines a head to toe treatment with O2 to really get those muscles and joints up to high country function.
High altitude golf
Keystone Golf boasts two exceptional links options. The Ranch Course twists through the original ranch land with slight ups and downs in a links design with amazing vistas. The River Course is golf diversity at its’ best with water features, ups and downs, and holes in and out of the lodge pole pine forest.
Neil Wolkodoff is a golf and travel writer from Denver, Colorado. He covers golf, dining, activities and accommodations from the luxury and unique perspective. He has even been golfing with goats.
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6 Comments
What a great place to relax and have a good time with family and your loved ones. Thanks for sharing!
Anders, what make Keystone unique is you can relax as much as you want or amp up the activity. For example, you can ride a mountain bike from the very top of the mountain to the bottom on specialized trails.
My teenage daughter would be delighted at being able to get a facial. The worry is always that her skin wouldn’t be able to take one but this sounds perfect. I think it is so important that skiing vacations do have a good balance of children, family and adult activities. The jazz festival sounds like a lot of fun and the wine looks delicious. I am pretty sure my husband would prefer the golf.
Kidtopia rules for kid fun
Keystone hosts numerous festivals, most of which have an adult theme, but still, have activities for the kids. Most are at the base of the mountain, so ample opportunity to take a chairlift or gondola ride sometime in the middle of your summer adventure. Kidtopia, which is Keystone’s no-charge kids’ program, has free adventure activities offered every day from June 8-Sept. 1. Two of the most popular are Friday’s ‘Face Painting and Craft-er-noon’ and Sunday’s ‘Meet the Rescue Dog.’ These are held at Kidtopia Headquarters in River Run Village.
Kidtopia rules for kid fun
Keystone hosts numerous festivals, most of which have an adult theme, but still, have activities for the kids. Most are at the base of the mountain, so ample opportunity to take a chairlift or gondola ride sometime in the middle of your summer adventure. Kidtopia, which is Keystone’s no-charge kids’ program, has free adventure activities offered every day from June 8-Sept. 1. Two of the most popular are Friday’s ‘Face Painting and Craft-er-noon’ and Sunday’s ‘Meet the Rescue Dog.’ These are held at Kidtopia Headquarters in River Run Village.
The best mountain wine and jazz festival
With extremely enthusiastic attendees is the Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival. Two days of unlimited pours with top jazz entertainment on the village stage, and you will expand your musical and libation appreciation. Carefully spaced in the village streets are various food vendors so you won’t go hungry with everything from Asian BBQ to charred ribs with grits. Top it off with various wine education events focusing on different varietals and even tequila.
Wagon ride into cowboy history
Keystone has their own stable and riding program, so there is usually some type of wagon ride with dinner on the edges of Keystone proper in the White River National Forest. The wagon ride gets you to the original cabins for Keystone Ranch, a cattle operation. Strolling to the original cabins from 1850 with new friends and live mountain music make this a special evening. Not all festivals have their own wagon ride and dinner, but those are offered weekly both in summers as wagon/dinner rides and in winter as sleigh/dinner adventure.
Mountaintop gourmet dining
The most unique culinary experience in the region lets you dine at the highest four-star restaurant in North America, the Alpenglow Stube, and a short gondola ride to the top of the mountain at 11,666 feet. Romantic dinners plus an award-winning brunch menu with such items as ricotta-infused French toast and braised pork hash with spinach and sweet potatoes are examples of their creative, high-country cuisine.
The first spa with a kids focus
Recently renovated, The Spa at the Keystone Lodge and Spa is way above what is the norm at a ski area. The treatment rooms are spacious, well decorated and the options reflect the high-country environment. In the spirit of getting the kids involved is the Chocolate Mousse Facial. It might be edible, but it does work on pre-teen complexion issues. For even more fun, do the strawberry and chocolate mix, like a perfect Sunday for the face! Both parents and kids can participate together. The Altitude Massage combines a head to toe treatment with O2 to really get those muscles and joints up to high country function.
High altitude golf
Keystone Golf boasts two exceptional links options. The Ranch Course twists through the original ranch land with slight ups and downs in a links design with amazing vistas. The River Course is golf diversity at its’ best with water features, ups and downs, and holes in and out of the lodge pole pine forest.
What a great place to relax and have a good time with family and your loved ones. Thanks for sharing!
Anders, what make Keystone unique is you can relax as much as you want or amp up the activity. For example, you can ride a mountain bike from the very top of the mountain to the bottom on specialized trails.
It’s great to find a place where a whole family including kids also can be a part of the various activities…Thanks for the great info!!!!
Noel, it is quite rare to find a ski area that has this much for kids in the summer!
I’ve been to Keystone a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it. It makes for a great family ski vacation but, as you say, can be enjoyed year round.
My teenage daughter would be delighted at being able to get a facial. The worry is always that her skin wouldn’t be able to take one but this sounds perfect. I think it is so important that skiing vacations do have a good balance of children, family and adult activities. The jazz festival sounds like a lot of fun and the wine looks delicious. I am pretty sure my husband would prefer the golf.