by Fran Falkin and Jennifer Guterman

This year, FTF’s annual awards honor successful family retreats.  In the hectic 21st century workaday world, adults and kids are endlessly busy with jobs and school, meetings and homework, personal trainers and afterschool activities.  Weekends are full of household chores, more homework (for parents and kids) and separate relaxation activities.  Sometimes it’s hard for families to keep track of everyone’s schedules, and although many try, most are no longer successful at eating dinners together regularly.

When it’s time to get away from this routine, more and more adults are in search of a vacation where they can spend precious family-together time.  This doesn’t mean sleeping in the same hotel room and going separate ways during the day, but securing family bonds by experiencing both new and favorite pursuits together.

FTF “Top 10 Getaways for Family Togetherness” have been selected for focusing on the kinds of activities that put the “family” back in family vacations.  By offering a variety of outdoor adventures, watersports, cultural learning opportunities, crafts, classes, spa treatments and old-fashioned fun, kids, parents and even grandparents can reunite, create memories and, hopefully, return home inspired to find ways to nurture these connections.

YMCA of the Rockies
Estes Park and Winter Park, CO
970/586-3341, 800/777-9622

There’s definitely something special going on when preparations for a centennial celebration include a gathering of recipes from staff and guests, and creation of an alumni network for former employees.  The family-like quality of the group of about 900 people who help run the year-round YMCA of the Rockies, with two locations near Denver, Colorado, can only provide a testament to its benefits for family guests. 

Called the “Mercedez Benz of Reunion Locations” by Better Homes and Gardens, the YMCA of the Rockies has in fact, built eight quickly-booked “reunion cabins” between its two properties at the Estes Park Center (surrounded by the Rocky Mountain National Park) and Snow Mountain Ranch (surrounded by the Arapahoe National Forest.)  In addition, the wildly popular Family Reunion University program trains family planners for a successful event by covering topics such as how to increase family participation and holding workshops in ice breaking events such as hay rides, in addition to practical advice about what to look for in a reunion facility and catering options.  There need not be a reunion, however, for family fun to happen in this outdoorsy and activity-oriented wonderland. 

A list of seasonal family-together activities at the YMCA of the Rockies is almost overwhelming in length.  In addition, there are the special occasion family weekends—the Saint Patrick’s Day Family Festival in March, for example, with face-painting, games, and competitions; the Family Winter Fest, with guided snowshoe hiking, sledding and tubing; or Memorial Day weekend with outdoor movies and campfires.  Other specific programs include Heritage Weeks for families with adopted children from other countries. Opportunities for outdoor adventure, including tennis, mini-golf, horseback riding and rock climbing seem boundless

Then there are the everyday kind of activities, which include but are not be limited to swimming in the pool, roller skating in the rink, a fishing lake for kids, sledding, skiing, tennis, horseshoes, a game room with TV and movie rentals, a log cabin museum, campfire ring rental, and ultimate Frisbee.  Family togetherness is a focus on scavenger hunts, parachute games, family relay races, beaver walks, and at the Star Lab, a portable planetarium.  The Craft and Design Center is not your everyday arts’n’crafts room.  Here kids and parents work on projects as varied as silk painting, leather projects, stained glass, basketry and jewelry making in separate areas for families with children under 10 and those with older kids. 

Accommodations at the YMCA of the Rockies locations include lodge style (with rooms for individual families) and cabin options at various size and amenity levels.  Estes Park, for example, offers 451 lodge rooms in a choice of four lodges, all of which have rooms with capacity for at least four people, and 207 cabins ranging from two-bedroom, four-person to four-bedroom, 10-person capacity.  All cabins include kitchens with cooking and eating utensils.  At Snow Mountain, there are 213 lodge rooms and 52 cabins.  Additionally, 61 campsites are also available for a different kind of rustic experience.  Pets are allowed in family cabins at both facilities.  Dining is pay-per-meal buffet style, while cabin kitchens and restaurants in town provide additional options.

Rates have remained reasonable, and in 2008, range from around $74-139/N for lodge rooms or $149-409/N for private family cabins.  Many activities require minor deposits and some require fees but these getaways are top value; see website for details. 

 

Please log in to post a comment

Not an FTF Member yet? Sign up today for blog and boards access, our award-winning vacation deal alerts, and custom trip-planning assistance from our staff of family travelers.