Any one else feel like summer is running them ragged? I feel like we’re running the kids all over the place to have fun, but it can be overwhelming! Which is why I was so excited to get away to Keystone for a few days to celebrate their Kidtopia Stars and Guitars event. Nothing like slowing down on the top of a mountain for a couple days with my family to reconnect us all.
Kidtopia Kidzfest
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Our first stop was a festival in the River Run area to kick off the weekend. There were so many activities for the kids to do – face painting, button making, caricatures, a foam pit, bouncy houses and a DJ playing fun games. The best part about the festival – it was all FREE!!! The kids couldn’t get enough and were so bummed when it was over.
Scenic View Gondola Rides
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After stopping to check in to our condo, we headed up the mountain on the gondola. It’s been so hot down in Thornton that getting to the top of a mountain with a cool summer breeze was exactly what we needed! The kids played on the slack lines, in the sand box and with the bags boards while we chilled out in an Adirondack chair for the afternoon. Perfection!
Bighorn Bistro
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We had dinner at Bighorn Bistro the first night and it was delicious! We are foodies and have been disappointed with recommended restaurants in other mountain towns, but we were pleasantly surprised during our meal at Bighorn Bistro!
First let’s start with the view though, it’s incredible. We had a view of the lake with the mountains behind, quite the setting for a meal.
We ordered the kids meals right away while we enjoyed a glass of wine, then ordered appetizers for ourselves, which we loved! The calamari was crisp and delicious, the pork buns were perfect, and the sauce on the shrimp was so yummy (our daughter loved them all too!) For our entrée I had the burger, which was crazy with a slab of pork belly and sooo good, and my husband had a ribeye, which was incredibly delicious. Dessert was a must, to keep the kids happy at the table, and because it sounded delicious. The brownie with a double scoop of ice cream (as ordered by my daughter) was perfect. We left the restaurant with full tummies, and the kids had chocolate all over their faces – it was a HUGE hit! (Sadly they aren’t open for lunch the next day or we would have been back).
After dinner we headed back to our condo for a fun evening of swimming (well the pool was a little chilly, we mostly hung out in the hot tub!)
Kidtopia Progams
One of our favorite parts about Keystone is how much they cater to families. They do this through Kidtopia headquarters and events, which happen every day! (Take a look at their weekly schedule here for the rest of the summer.)
Here are the events we participated in:
Stars and S’mores: We headed up to the terrace above Bighorn Bistro for an evening of s’mores and stargazing. They brought a huge telescope and were pointing out stars and planets as they appeared. The program was not only fun, but it was educational for the kids (ok my three year old wasn’t really getting the full value, but he loved running around the terrace). My daughter now wants to be an astronomer and have a telescope like that! (Which is not happening, that was a huge and I’m sure pricey telescope!)
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Strider Balance Bike Races: This was SO MUCH FUN! We had been pumping up my three year old for this race for the last couple weeks, and he was so excited to participate. We got him registered and he put on his racer number, then got to practice on the course until the beginning of the races. They did a great job making sure kids were in the right heats, and did semi-finals and finals to make it very fair. They also had ski patrol on site for any spills, and they did get put to use a couple times. My son made it to the semi-finals, but then didn’t get off the platform fast enough at the beginning of the next race and didn’t get to the finals. But he had a BLAST! And I don’t think he really cared that he lost, he just wanted to keep going down the track! They’re doing this event again certain dates throughout the summer (take a look here for the schedule.)
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Meet the Rescue Dog: I was excited to take the kids to this program, but didn’t know exactly what to expect, and it was incredible. One of the members of the Ski Patrol did a short presentation with his rescue dog, which included lots of cuddles with the sweet dog, pictures where the kids could dress up, and even a pretend avalanche search and rescue where kids got to be people buried or rescuers. The presentation wasn’t too long, and my young kids stayed attentive. I thought it was fascinating and wanted to learn more! This program happens every Sunday at Kidtopia.
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Okee Dokee Brothers Concert
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The big event while we were there was the free Okee Dokee Brothers concert! We hadn’t heard about them before but had started listening to their music a few weeks before our trip – and it’s fantastic. It’s on almost all the time we’re in the car now. The concert was at the top of the mountain, so we got to go up the gondola again, which the kids love. It couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day, although a little cloud cover wouldn’t have been unwelcome, it was a little hot (so don’t forget sunscreen if you head up there for an afternoon!) Every one had a great time, and I think my daughter danced up front by the stage the entire time. It was a great performance and we made a lot of great family memories.
Keystone Lake and Adventure Center
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On our last morning we checked out of the condo and hopped on our bikes for a family bike ride. We rode from our condo in River Run over to Keystone Lake and the Adventure Center. The night we went to dinner we had spent some time at the lake feeding the fish, which is crazy! There are so many trout in the lake, and they’re huge. It’s fun to see them all pop out of the water to grab the fish food. On this trip to the lake we rented a paddle boat so we could hang out on the lake. The kids had never been on one before, so it was a bit of a learning curve, but they figured it out and we paddled most of the way around the lake – with fish and geese following us for our fish food! It was a fun way to end the weekend.
We Left Refreshed!
A weekend in Keystone was exactly what our family needed! It gave us the opportunity to slow down and enjoy our time together without running from place to place. We had the best time and can’t wait to go back!
Disclaimer: I was given lodging and other perks from Keystone in exchange for this review, but all the thoughts and experiences are my own, and I can tell you that we absolutely love it there!
