10 Things to Do in Steamboat Springs with Kids

^[1]Steamboat Springs may be best known for skiing and snow tubing, but when the weather is warm you’ll find so many things to do in Steamboat Springs. From hiking to mountain biking to horseback riding, even summer rodeos, there’s a lot to do as a family in this Colorado ski town.

Things to Do in Steamboat Springs

On our recent visit to Steamboat Springs, we stayed at the Steamboat Grand Hotel ^[2]. It’s a four-minute walk to Ski Town Square where you can pick up the gondola to the top of the mountain, so it’s an ideal location whether you visit Steamboat Springs for winter or summer activities. At Ski Town Square, you can rent skis or bikes, pick up souvenirs or just people watch from the outdoor tables and chairs.

The Steamboat Grand Hotel ^[2] boasts a huge outdoor heated swimming pool that’s open in the summer and winter. There are even two outdoor hot tubs, each of which can seat up to 40 people. The hotel offers a mix of hotel rooms and condos, so if you want to bring your own food, they have accommodations with full kitchens. There is also a restaurant and a small café if you prefer to sit down and order a meal.

We had our own car, but it’s not entirely necessary given the location of the Steamboat Grand Hotel. There are many things to do in Steamboat Springs that are with easy walking distance of the hotel, but the hotel also offers complimentary shuttle service within the city limits. This is nice for exploring the downtown shops and restaurants.

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If you’re thinking about a warm weather adventure in Steamboat Springs, take a look at my list of 10 things to do in Steamboat Springs with kids. Have fun.

1. Hit the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone. Pick up a multi-ride activity pass ($45) at the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone so your kid can spend time navigating a ropes course, climbing to the top of a rock wall and walking on water in hamster balls (Water Walkerz). There’s also an area to pan for gems.

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2. Ride a Gondola to the Top of Mt. Werner. Take time for a 15-minute ride aboard a gondola for scenic views and fresh mountain air. Once you arrive at the top, the views are amazing from every angle and there are all kinds of hiking trails. You can even bring up your mountain bike and bike to the bottom.

3. Enjoy a Family Mountain Hike. Once we got to the top of Mt. Werner, we opted for the one-mile Vista Nature Trail. It was a great way to explore the mountain top and wildflowers as a family. There are lots of trailheads at the top of Mt. Werner so you’ll easily find one or two trails to suit your family.

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4. Try Stand-Up Paddleboarding at Pearl Lake. At nearby Pearl Lake, rent a stand-up paddleboard, take lessons or get to know the area through one of several paddleboard tours, including a glow tour offered on Friday nights. You can even book a stand-up paddleboard yoga class.

5. Sit and Relax at Ski Time Square. You’ll pick up the gondola at Ski Time Square, but there’s also a pleasant man-made creek and beach for kids to play. Personally, I loved simply sitting in the red Adirondack chairs and watching the gondolas go by while my kids played in the water.

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6. Take a Soak in the Hot Springs. Head to Old Town Hot Springs ^[7], which boasts eight mineral water hot pools, two huge water slides, and an aquatic climbing wall. There’s also a small pool for little ones with its own kiddie slides and pool toys. There’s even a floating obstacle course.

7. Go on a Wagon Ride Dinner. One of the highlights of our time in Steamboat Springs was our dinner at Saddleback Ranch. My girls rode horses while my son and I rode in a horse-drawn wagon out to the Double Dollar Lodge. The ranch hands served up dinner and even taught little ones how to rope cattle.

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8. Eat Dinner Outside in Downtown Steamboat Springs. We ate on the outdoor patio at Aurum ^[9] our first night in town. The food was delicious, but what we really liked was that the restaurant sat right along the Yampa River (so relaxing) and that they had a mini soccer field just for the kids. It was perfect.

9. Enjoy a Horseback Trail Ride. At Saddleback Ranch, the kid as young as six can go for a two-hour trail ride on horseback to take in the scenery. My kids rode horses as part of the wagon ride dinner and it was super easy. The horses are very tame and really no horseback riding skills are required.

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10. Go Mountain Biking. It’s kind of a must to ride mountain bikes while in Steamboat Springs (aka Bike Town USA). There are trails and guided rides for riders of all levels, as well as plenty of places to rent mountain bikes while in town. For novices, try Bike Park 101 at the Steamboat Bike Park.

Thinking about a winter vacation in Colorado? Here are the best ski resorts in Colorado for beginners ^[11], including Steamboat Springs. 

Disclaimer: My kids and I were guests of Steamboat Resort while in Steamboat Springs. However, I received no compensation for this article and all opinions expressed here are my own.