We’ve been camping a lot this summer, but we’ve really been missing our pool time. So, when I heard about the newly renovated Jellystone Larkspur’s new 40,000 SF water zone, I knew we had to go check it out!
Camping at Jellystone Larkspur is more of a glamping experience than a wilderness experience, but it was a fun change of pace! You’ll only have to drive about an hour south, so you’re not too far out of the metropolitan area, but there are beautiful views from all areas of the resort. Lodging options include both RV sites and cabins, and scheduled family activities are offered every day of the week. The Campfire Canteen will deliver food to your cabin or campsite, and the food is affordably priced to take a weekend off from cooking. And the biggest pro for families: Pools, Water Zone and mini golf!
Our Visit
Upon arrival we checked in at the drive-up stations and were guided to our spot by a friendly employee, who even helped us back into our spot in the rain.
Sadly, a big thunderstorm had rolled in, so the water zone was closed for the rest of the afternoon (they close at 4pm anyway) and the kids were disappointed. But we took some time to get settled in while it was storming and ordered up a snack to be delivered from the canteen. Once the thunderstorm passed, we headed to the pool and hot tub, which are open until 8pm. The kids had a great time swimming off some energy and then we enjoyed dinner back at our campsite.
A big part of the fun at a campground like this is golf carts. You can rent them for $50/day, and so many families were zipping around the park in them. There was even a 4th of July golf cart decorating contest and parade! Our kids were thrilled when ours showed up, and in addition to being our transportation around the resort, we went for several joy rides with the kids giggling the whole way. After the Water Zone, I think it may have been the highlight of our trip for them!
On Saturday morning, we enjoyed breakfast at our campsite and then hopped in our golf cart to head to the pool, which opens at 8am. We knew the kids were going to bug us until the Water Zone opened at 10:00am, so it was a good idea to get them in the water as soon as possible!
After swimming for a bit, we breezed in our golf cart over to the Water Zone at 10:00am and had a BLAST! We had a cabana rented for the day, so we didn’t have to worry about finding a spot and then making sure we had shade, we simply found the cabana with our name on it and plopped our stuff down. (The cabanas are $80/day and absolutely worth it if it’s a busy time!)
The Water Zone includes a large zero entry pool and little kid play area as well as the huge water structure with all kinds of water fun. We walked around with our kids at first, but were quickly comfortable watching from afar and headed to lounge in the cabana while they wore themselves out. (The water slides don’t dump out into a pool, they’re self-contained, so we were very comfortable with our nine and almost six-year-old wandering on their own. Plus, we could see them running from the bottom of the water slides back to the top every time!) They had so much fun going down water slides, dumping water buckets, and climbing through the water structure. For lunch we grabbed a pizza from the café right in the Water Zone and enjoyed it in our cabana. It was perfect for the four of us and meant I didn’t have to take the time to pack lunches that morning!
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We stayed for about four hours that day, and only left because a thunderstorm rolled in and the Water Zone had to close. But it gave us the perfect excuse for some down time, and some naps were even snuck in back at the camper.
That evening we had dinner at our campsite and headed over to the Recreation Center lawn to listen to live music. It was a perfect evening, and the lawn had plenty of room to spread out to watch not only a live band, but a silly clown performance that the kids loved.
The next morning was departure day, but we repeated the previous day as much as we could. After breakfast and getting completely ready to pull out, we headed to the pool, and then the Water Zone. We had a pizza lunch again, then headed to the camper to change and head home.
It was the perfect way to celebrate the 4th of July, and I’d love to take the kids another weekend for a Water Zone fix!
Note About Social Distancing
We’ve been camping a lot this summer, even more than normal, because it gives us the opportunity to get outdoors and stay away from groups of people. I felt like we were able to accomplish social distancing during our weekend stay here too. We chose to not go into any buildings (except the building to check in, and then wore a mask). At the pool and Water Zone we setup away from others and made sure to remind the kids that we were still keeping our space. The Water Zone was busy but wasn’t so crowded that you couldn’t avoid others at a safe distance. The lines for the water slides were a little closer than I’d like, but if you kept your distance in line, others would tend to back up as well. (You might just need to remind your kids about this one.) The pool in the Water Zone did tend to get a little crowded for my liking in the afternoon on the 4th, but the kids were so happy in the Water zone play area that it didn’t matter for our family. We found that morning was the best time to be at the pools or Water Zone for keeping distance from others. But we were there on a holiday weekend, and I’m guessing it will be a little calmer the rest of the summer. So, if you’re worried about social distancing during your visit like I was, it can definitely be done!
Camp Sites
Our camp site had plenty of room, and we loved having the provided propane fire pit. It was perfect on the cool evenings to watch the sunset and not have to worry about a wood fire. The sites are closer quarters than at a state park campground, but we didn’t feel like we were on top of those around us.
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Cabins
The resort is situated on a hill with a beautiful view, and many cabins sit at the top of the hill overlooking it all. They had large decks with patio furniture and fire pits and looked super comfy. All are pet friendly and have air conditioning. Cabins all accommodate six people, but four cabin layout options are available with different square footage. You can check out details here: https://www.sunrvresorts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/jellystone-park-larkspur-rates.pdf
Family Activities
Jellystone Larkspur provides daily entertainment for families practically on the hour! Most activities are included but some are an additional fee, and you’ll find those details noted on the schedule for the week. It’s nice to know activities are available to keep everyone busy without you needing to plan it yourself – because moms need a break too! We didn’t participate in too many this time because we were trying to keep our distance and spent so much time at the Water Zone, but in different times we would absolutely have been crafting it up with other families.
On Sunday mornings you can choose to have donut decorating kits delivered to your campsite, and it was so fun to see Yogi Bear delivering donuts that morning. Kiddos were wiping sleep from their eyes to see their magical breakfast, it was pretty cute!
The resort also includes a Jump Pad, tennis courts, volleyball courts, playground, mini bowling, arcade (not currently open), yoga lawn, ranger tower and two fenced in dog parks.
Be aware that many of the amenities (including the Water Zone) are currently only open Thursday – Sunday, so plan your trip accordingly! Check out Jellystone Larkspur’s Facebook page for updates on their weekly activities. https://www.facebook.com/jellystonelarkspur/
Cabanas at the Water Zone
The Water Zone has a bunch of chairs and lounge chairs available for families to setup for the day. Some families had even brought their own shade tents, which was really smart. Even on the 4th of July it seemed there was room for everyone to sit. However, there was a line to get in at 10:00am each day so families could get their preferred spots.
If you rent a cabana the rushing and lining up doesn’t have to be a part of your day! There are about five cabanas near the Water Zone, and five near the zero-entry part of the pool. All the cabanas have two chairs and two lounge chairs. It sounds like they should all have refrigerators and poolside service too, for the soft opening those amenities weren’t available. So if that’s important to you ask when booking!
(This picture was taken in the afternoon on the 4th of July, the busiest time during our visit. The next day wasn't nearly as crowded as this!)
Our weekend getaway was a perfect family vacation for the type of summer we’re having. We were able to socially distance outside, and everyone had a fantastic time. We’ve been home now for three days and the kids are already asking when we can go back, and I’ve been reflecting on those quiet moments relaxing in the cabana. We’ll definitely be back!
Find out more about Jellystone Larkspur here:
Website: https://www.sunrvresorts.com/resorts/west/colorado/jellystone-park-at-larkspur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jellystonelarkspur/
Planning a trip? I'm happy to answer any questions you have!! Feel free to email me at susantroy@macaronikid.com.
We were given accommodations in order to write this review, all opinions are my own!
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