Snowtubing in Colorado
 

My extended family will be visiting other relatives in Denver during Presidents' week (mid-February). We want to drive one or two hours to a ski-type resort, but most of us don't ski. There will be about 10 in our group, with only 3 skiers (beginner to moderate experience). We are looking for an area that primarily has other activities like snow tubing, winter festivals, pools, shopping, great scenery, etc. Bars are not important. Any advice? Thanks.

RICK

Iknow Keystone has snow tubing. Be sure to make a reservation to do it. It is right at about 2 hours from Denver, as is Breckenridge and Vail.
That weekend will be VERY crowded wherever you go. Not sure about "winter festivals" then. Any of the large areas will have what you are listing. I take it you are going to "day ski" not stay overnight?
For pools are you talking about "hot pools"? For that you might have to go to Glenwood Springs nearer Aspen, but not a ski area and 4 hours from Denver.

Keystone and Copper Mountain have a tubing hill. I was unaware that you needed a reservation for the tubing hill but I have never gone tubing. Breckenridge would met all criteria except tubing and pools. The rec centers at Breckenridge, Copper, Keystone have indoor pools.

As mentioned earlier, Presidents' Day weekend is the busiest ski weekend of the whole year. More so than Christmas/New Years and slightly more than MLK weekend.

The Summit Cty area (Breck, Keystone, Copper,Frisco) are all in the range of 90 mins or so depending on where you start in Denver. Vail is another 30 mins away plus having to go over Vail pass. The traffic back to Denver Sunday evening and Monday evening will be bumper to bumper for most of the evening. There would be little reason other than paying much higher prices to go to Vail that weekend.

Thanks for the tips. I will be heading from Denver on President's Day (Monday) and staying overnight for 3 or 4 nights.

Our kids tried to go tubing last year and could not get a reservation. Makes sense to not have it overly crowded.

If you are hear during the week, there will be absolutely no one there. Mid week skiing in February is pretty light. Best time to go.

Maybe your non-skiers would enjoy Nordic skiing? It is easy to try it, and takes you into beautiful areas. Doesn't take a lot of fitness or athleticism, if you do the classic style.

One amazing place is Devil's Thumb Ranch, just past Winter Park. Less than a two hour drive from Denver, in good conditions.

It's a wonderful newly-renovated 'old west style' hotel, with all the amenities and two nice restaurants.

Gorgeous setting and Nordic trails. Great customer service. You can rent your equipment there. The non-skiers would enjoy its outdoor pool and spa, if they choose not to try Nordic. The Ranch House restaurant there is an awesome fine dining experience.

http://www.devilsthumbranch.com/

There is also a very nice Nordic area right at Keystone. I might "argue" a bit about the fitness--plus being at altitude. It's a real workout.

We have done the tubing @ Keystone and we enjoy it far more than skiing. It is great fun for an hour. And yes, there is a possiblity that you might need a reservation. None of us really car for skiing and we have tried it 5 or 6 times now. I thought that winter park had a tubing hill, maybe it was just a couple of miles up the road.

How hard is it to use the ski bikes (please correct me if they have a different name). Also, which resorts offer them as rentals? Thanks in advance. I would second the Breckenridge, Keystone area. There is indoor and outdoor ice skating, rock climbing walls, indoor pools, and shopping opportunities including quaint shops to outlet malls.