Call me unimaginative, but I’ve never done much more than ski on a family ski vacation.  Oh, I’ve occasionally dragged a saucer to the top of a hill for a bone-jarring ride down or relaxed for five minutes in a hot tub (if the kids haven’t made it tepid with snowballs), but that’s really it.

Then last weekend the kids and I traveled to Keystone Resort in Colorado as their guests and discovered just how many ways there are to enjoy snow.

Maybe your family never tires of world-class skiing and snowboarding.  If that’s the case, knock yourselves out.  If—on the other hand—you like a little variety in your family ski vacations, consider Keystone.  Here are five winter activities in and around the resort that my kids are still talking about:

1.  Dog sledding

Our wild and wacky (but very safe) 1-hour dog sledding tour through the Middle Fork of the Swan River with Good Time Adventures was the undisputed highlight of the trip.  A snowmobile-riding guide tows a small passenger sleigh (for those waiting for their turn to drive), and the team of Siberian Huskies follows behind towing a one-passenger, one-driver sled.

Kids as young as three can drive the dog sled and everyone gets a turn.  Dress in layers, bring a camera, and get ready to laugh so hard you’ll wet your snow pants as drivers fly off the dog sled into the soft, safe powder at regular intervals.

2.  Tubing!

Tubing at Adventure Point offers all the fun of sledding without the annoying hiking up the hill.  The slope is big, the sound track is disco, and the conveyance back up the hill?  A magic carpet-style conveyor belt.

You must be 42″ tall to ride.  There are five completely separate collision-proof lanes, and linking up is permitted in the first two.  If one of your kids balks after only one run (as my youngest did), you can retire to the warming hut to wait for the rest of your group.

3.  The world’s tallest snow fort

Before or after tubing, stop by the castle-style Kidtopia Snow Fort at the top of Dercum Mountain.  Good luck tearing your kids away from the maze, tunnel, drawbridge, lookout tower, ice throne, and snow slide inside this igloo on steroids.

It’s probably not a bad idea to throw some glove and boot warmers and snacks into your backpack.  You could be here awhile.

4.  A hilarious fondue dinner

You’ll feel like you’ve died and gone to Bavaria at Der Fondue Chessel where highlights include cooking your own dinner raclette-style, gorging yourself on a chocolate fondue dessert, and performing the chicken dance right at your table to the musical stylings of The Austrian Guys (don’t ask me why, but it feels perfectly natural).

If your kids are picky eaters, they’ll be able to get by on the bread, apples, strawberries, and pound cake that come with the various courses.  The whole experience takes about four hours from door to door.  Dress in layers—it gets very hot in there!

5.  A horse drawn sleigh ride dinner

On our last night we snuggled under blankets and tried a horse drawn sleigh ride dinner at a historic homestead in beautiful Soda Creek Valley where we listened to a guitar playing cowboy named “Handsome Dan” (no, I am not making this up) and chowed down on western fare.

Dinner was beef barley soup, biscuits, a choice of entrees, and apple pie a la mode.  The food and atmosphere were fine and cozy, but frankly secondary to the countless stars and 2,000 pound draft horses that hauled us out there.  If you need a break from adrenaline, this relaxing dinner tour will hit the spot.

February 19th, 2010 | by Jamie Pearson 16 comments