By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Content Agency
Taking the Kids
Got your rain jackets? You may need them if you are heading to the mountains for a last-gasp summer getaway, to escape the never-ending heat or perhaps planning a fall getaway.
You may need your rain jacket for late-afternoon thunderstorms, as some of our relatives, unfortunately, discovered a while back. They opted for large garbage bags, which got some funny looks on the shuttle in Aspen back from the trailhead. (Guess what we gifted them the next Christmas?)
That said, a late summer or fall getaway to the mountains can’t be beaten as more of us seek domestic and closer-to-home vacation options. It doesn’t cost anything to hike or bike (assuming you can bring your bikes). There are many kid- and pet-friendly vacation rentals with plenty of room for everyone to spread out. And though there are many restaurant options, from gourmet to Mexican, pizza, burgers, or Vietnamese pho, you can keep to your budget by eating in and shopping at local farmer’s markets.
Many locals at Western snow towns say they came for the winter and stayed for the summer (hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and rafting), but I especially love the fall. (Check out those quaking Aspens! Fall festivals!)
Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, for example, boasts miles and miles of hiking and biking trails with plenty of choices for whatever fitness level. Try a unique swimming hole like Smarts Brook, just a little over a two-mile hike.
Ready to try a zipline? Smuggler’s Notch in Northern Vermont is touting an AutumnFest deal with a free night when you book three or more nights from Sept. 2 to Oct. 13. Perhaps you want to try a family wilderness survival workshop, hike, play disc golf or explore the expansive resort’s waterparks.
Let’s not forget the chance to soak in hot springs, like Strawberry Park Hot Springs or the Old Town Hot Springs, complete with water slides in Steamboat, Colorado, and Glenwood Springs, Colorado, about an hour from Aspen, boasts the world’s largest hot springs pool, as well as new Yampah Mineral baths with a collection of five new pools and a Sopris Slash Zone that plunges you downhill in an open-air tube ride.
For those who seek accessible accommodations and activities you will find many options with adaptive programming whether at Breckenridge, Colorado, at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (everything from rafting, rock climbing, camping, even accessible high ropes course and then winter adaptive ski and snowboard programs).
There are alpine slides (the longest in North America at Park City, Utah’s Adventure Park), festivals ( Keystone’s Oktoberfest is Aug. 30 where you can dance the polka, eat a wurst and sample German beers) and plenty of concerts like the free Hot Summer Nights select nights through Sept 16 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Check out Vail’s Interpretive Trail System. The resort has partnered with the US Forest Service and the Walking Mountains Science Center to bring interactive elements to Fireweed and Eagle’s Loop Trails. (Those who have purchased winter Epic Passes for this next snow season get free scenic gondola rides and 20 percent off lodging, dining, bike rentals and more.
Love giant lakes with your mountains? Check out Lake Tahoe deals. They include a Summer Renewal Stay with a $100 resort credit with a two-night stay that’s good until the end of September and another that doesn’t expire until Sept. 28 for up to 20 percent off a premium room at the Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, plus a $50 daily food and beverage credit. Your tweens and teens will like the new street-style skatepark at Bijou Park in the City of South Lake Tahoe and cyclists will appreciate the bike repair stations adjacent to the park at nine locations.
And if you are thinking ahead to a snow vacation, you may find some appealing deals as international travelers aren’t as anxious to book a winter getaway in the US ski country.
Last fall, we spent some time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. One highlight was the fantastic National Museum of Wildlife Art. In town, we loved the affordable Virginian Lodge, a short walk from Jackson’s town square, a big courtyard with a pool and hot tubs and offers, including 20 percent off on weekday nights. Outside of town and close to the national parks, Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa is offering a third night free during their value dates. Another deal valid until Oct. 12 includes a kids’ welcome amenity, $60 daily breakfast credit and an America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass (an $80 value).
Here’s your chance to try a new sport – like mountain biking in Aspen. The Gant is currently running a friends & family deal for 25 percent off select summer dates or THESE promotions (up to 30 percent off best available rates). The Aspen Snowmass Bike Park (SBP) at Snowmass features 25 miles of diverse trails, ranging from beginner-friendly single track to adrenaline-pumping downhill, with nearly 3,000 vertical feet of descent from the Elk Camp Chairlift to Snowmass Base Village. Enjoy lift-accessed riding, expert coaching and time outdoors with friends and family. (The park will be open daily until Sept. 1 and then weekends through the end of the month.) Families love the Lost Forest at the top of Snowmass Elk Camp Gondola, including a zipline, alpine coaster, hiking, disc golf and even high mountain fishing. (Also, daily until Sept. 1 and weekends until the end of September.) Also, make sure to stop in to see the resident raptors at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies and consider taking one of their guided hikes.
Just remember those rain jackets!
(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)
©2025 Eileen Ogintz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.