Family Fun at The Broadmoor

When it comes to family fun in Colorado, there are plenty of options from which to choose. One spot to choose as your home away from home as you explore the central part of the state is The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

Photo: The Broadmoor

Seven Falls. Photo: The Broadmoor

Set against picturesque Cheyenne Mountain, The Broadmoor began welcoming guests to its luxurious accommodations in 1918. The resort’s sweeping 5,000 acres surround a tranquil lake and stretch through three award-winning golf courses and beyond. Once you arrive at The Broadmoor, there’s really little reason to leave.

Unless, however, you’re family’s up for adventure. The Broadmoor’s Soaring Adventure at Seven Falls takes you high above the canyon floor and across 10 zip lines ranging from 300 to 1,800 feet long. Your high-flying adventure will take you across “The Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado,” as well as give you the opportunity to hike, cross rope bridges and rappel 180 feet with incredible views of the Seven Falls waterfalls.

If you’d rather see Seven Falls on your own two feet, you can do that, too. The waterfalls are less than a mile from The Broadmoor, and a shuttle bus can easily whisk you there, or you can even walk. Once there, climb the 224 steps to the hiking trails that take you to the top of the falls, or simply admire from below.

Photo: The Broadmoor

Pikes Peak has been calling to adventures for centuries, and it’ll likely call to you, too, during your stay in Colorado Springs. You can either drive the switchback roads to the top at 14,115 feet or ride aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway just as passengers have been since 1891. The train makes its round-trip journey several times a day, and you’ll rest comfortably in a train car that features seat-to-ceiling windows for spectacular views. An onboard narrator will tell the area’s history and point out iconic spots along the way, as well as wildlife like Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Bundle up before you get to the top, however — it’s cold and windy! Grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a donut before boarding the railcar for the ride back down the mountain.

In addition to these fun- and adventure-filled activities, The Broadmoor offers a few family-friendly wilderness experiences that are luxurious at the same time.

Main Lodge. Photo: The Broadmoor

Nearby, The Ranch at Emerald Valley is surrounded by more than 100,000 acres of national forest and with just 10 cabins, you’ll feel like you’ve found your own piece of Colorado. Cloud Camp sits 3,000 feet above the resort atop Cheyenne Mountain and, again, you’ll feel a world away. Choose to stay in one of the six luxuriously appointed rooms in the main lodge, or choose a one- or two-bedroom cabin, again luxuriously appointed.

Photo: The Broadmoor

The third of The Broadmoor’s wilderness experiences is its Fly Fishing Camp, a private fishing camp about 75 minutes west of the resort. Professional fishing guides will help you go for the big one along the resort’s five-mile stretch of the Tarryall River. At the end of the day, and after yet another divine meal, retire to your authentic miner’s cabin dating from the 1940s, but restyled in The Broadmoor fashion; there are just seven cabins in the camp.

Whichever of the three all-inclusive wilderness destination you choose, rest assured you’ll experience the same attentive service, fine dining and comfortable accommodations you’ve come to expect from The Broadmoor, leaving you to focus on all the family fun you’re having.