Family things to do in Beaver Creek, Colorado in the summer

While I don't ski, I do appreciate the gorgeous ski resort atmosphere in the summer. When the weather warms, Beaver Creek, Colorado, transforms from a world-class ski resort into a fun, luxurious, family-friendly destination. Offering beautiful views, amazing outdoor activities, entertaining shows, delicious food, and so much more, Beaver Creek is one of those summer destinations that the entire family can enjoy.

This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Beaver Creek and explore its summer activities, and I was immediately drawn to the casual, leisurely atmosphere. I’d highly recommend Beaver Creek for families looking for outdoor adventures balanced with plenty of relaxation. Its very walkable, family-friendly setting makes it an ideal spot for a summer vacation.

Read about some of the best things to do in Beaver Creek, Colorado, including information about how to get there, where to eat, and where to stay.

Disclosure: My trip to Beaver Creek was complimentary for purposes of review. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, and a purchase/click through one of these may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you.

Family Things to Do in Beaver Creek, Colorado, in the Summer

Note that summer activities and schedules may vary and should be confirmed before visiting. Weather conditions may change availability.

Getting to Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek is located about 10 miles from Vail and 120 miles from Denver. If you are flying, you can either fly into Denver International Airport or into Eagle County Regional Airport, which is about a 30-minute drive away.

If you do fly into Denver, you'll need to either book transportation to Beaver Creek or rent a car. For our trip, we flew into Denver and took the Epic Mountain Express shared shuttle. It was an easy and comfortable trip, and the shuttle made a few stops in Vail before traveling to our resort.

If you'd rather not take a shared shuttle, Epic Mountain Express also offers private transportation. While you can rent a car, Beaver Creek is very walkable, and a car isn't necessary.

Once you are there, you'll find many things to do. You'll want to start at the Summer Adventure Center, where you can learn about local hikes, purchase tickets for the Adventure Center and the scenic chair lift, and book excursions. We found everyone there to be extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

Adventure Center

The Adventure Center is located at the base of the Centennial Express chair lift. Guests can purchase tickets for one, three, or five activities. Or a combo ticket is offered that also includes a chair lift ride with bike haul and five activities. The activities include the following:

• Bungee trampoline
• 18-hole mini golf
• Climbing wall (closed-toe shoes required)
• Gem panning (2 tickets are required for the Mother Lode bags)

Weight restrictions apply to the bungee trampoline and the climbing wall.

Gondola or Scenic Chairlift Ride

When visiting in the summer, you must take a ride up to Spruce Saddle on the mountain. Guests can choose either a chairlift or a gondola (although the gondola is the only option for the way down). This scenic ride offers fantastic views.

Once you get to the top, there are some fun things to do beyond seeing the gorgeous views. Disc golf and hiking trails are offered. During our morning on the mountain, we decided to take a hike.

The Discovery Trail is about 1.5 miles and takes you through the kids' ghost town. During your hike, you'll see some great views, wildflowers, and more. While the hike is rated green, it's still pretty strenuous thanks to the elevation. I really enjoyed it, but did have to take a few breaks to sit (while enjoying the scenery).

If you get hungry while on the mountain, you can dine at Spruce Saddle. It offers hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, hamburgers, and more.

Hiking

With so many beautiful trees, wildflowers, and scenic vistas, hiking is a must in the summer at Beaver Creek. Keep in mind that the higher elevation means that these walks are more strenuous than you may expect.

If you want to take a guided hike rather than explore on your own, options are available. There's even a two-hour guided family hike. Purchase your hiking tour tickets online here.

Of course, you can always hike on your own. To learn about the hiking trails, visit the Summer Adventure Center for recommendations. Don't forget to pack water - you'll need it!

Mountain Biking

If you are interested in mountain biking, there are many trails. Riders can purchase a bike haul ticket to take their bike with them on the gondolas up the mountain. Bike rentals are available for four or eight hours at Beaver Creek Sports. Kid carriers or bike trailers are not permitted, but e-Bikes are.

Listen to Music

Beaver Creek offers so many different ways to experience musical performances during the summer.

At the ice rink in the center of the village, there are free concerts on Saturdays and Thursdays. Tickets aren't required; you can hear the music as you walk by or choose to take a seat.

On Saturdays, the lineup features Colorado bands, while on Thursdays it features national acts. During my visit, the Thursday band was the BoDeans, the performers behind the Party of Five theme song Closer to Free. It was fun to see families of all ages enjoying music, either before dinner, dining on an outdoor patio, or while enjoying a pizza from the nearby Blue Moose Pizza.

There are also village musicians who perform throughout the summer. In addition, the pavilion at Creekside Park hosts performances throughout the summer.

The Vilar Performing Arts Center is located right in the village and hosts concerts year-round. This beautiful 530-seat theater offers performances from national artists and touring productions.

During our visit, we enjoyed an amazing concert by Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash. This venue is fantastic for viewing a show because it's small enough that the views are all pretty good. There's a bar on the main level, so you can grab a drink to enjoy during the performance.

Hawk's Nest Cabin Tween and Teen Club

Kids ages 10-18 can enjoy some exclusive time in the Hawk's Nest Cabin. This club is open from 2 pm to 9 pm and is the perfect place for older kids to hang out.

It includes a ski simulator, mocktail bar, video games, lighted dance floor, arcade games, and so much more. The alpine-cabin decor makes this a beautiful, cozy space, perfect for Beaver Creek.

Hawk's Nest is complimentary from 2 pm-4 pm, and after that, admission is $10.

Kids' Summer Camp

Want your kids to experience a unique day in Beaver Creek? The kids' summer camp is available to book daily, Monday through Friday. Options include:

Discovery Camp (Ages 5-7) and Adventure Camp (Ages 8-12): These camps include on- and off-property adventures, such as pottery painting, cooking, and local exploration.

Five Star Camp (Ages 5-12): Looking for more adventure? The five-star camp offers thrilling adventure options, including ziplines, Jeep tours, and more.

4x4 Mountain Tours

If you want to experience the mountain from a unique perspective, consider booking one of the 4x4 mountain tours. They depart daily, several times per day, and run for two hours.

While we didn't do this particular tour, we did do the 4x4 tour with wine tasting. The tour was fantastic. We learned so much about the wildflowers, wildlife, and trees in the area and got to see everything from a unique perspective. You can read more about this later in this post.

Scavenger Hunt

Younger kids will love exploring the village while solving the scavenger hunt puzzle. Pick up an adventure guide in the village, and follow the clues throughout the village as you add letters from the sign to your booklet. Win a prize when you finish.

The scavenger hunt can be done at your own pace. It would be fun to experience slowly as you walk through the village on your trip, although you could absolutely do it all at once.

Creekside Park

The beautiful Creekside Park is located a short walk from the iconic covered bridge in Beaver Creek. Follow the creek (and the signs) through wooded paths to this gorgeous mountainside park.

Once you get to Creekside Park, you'll find a pavilion (hosting morning yoga, concerts, and more), tucked-away picnic areas, and the huge Birds of Play playground. Kids absolutely love the playground - it has so many things for kids to explore.

The park is tucked away, but it's absolutely worth the short walk. It's a beautiful spot, and it's so great for kids.

Other Activities

There are so many other great things to do in Beaver Creek. These include:

• Tennis/Pickleball
• Fly fishing
• Horseback riding
• Summer programming, including things like cooking classes
• Cookies at 3 pm, where you can sample free chocolate chip cookies

Visit the Summer Adventure Center to learn about all of the options.

Adult Things to Do

With so many fantastic kids' and teen spaces, you may find yourself with some alone time. If so, there are some fun adult activities you can enjoy while the kids are enjoying their own.

Exhale Spa

Located at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort, Exhale Spa offers a range of popular treatments, including massages and facials. It's a beautiful space with an Aqua Sanitas recovery circuit. I was treated to a massage while I was there, and it was such a relaxing experience. I'd recommend visiting for a special luxurious experience.

4x4 Wine Tour

We took a 4x4 wine tour on our first full day at Beaver Creek, and it was the highlight of our trip. You'll start on an open-air Jeep as you venture up the mountain with a guide. Our guide, JB, was the perfect host as he drove and explained the area's history and the life cycle of the ubiquitous aspen trees, and pointed out wildflowers and wildlife (we saw the most adorable marmot sunning himself on a rock).

After the tour, we drove to Beano's Cabin, a remote world-class restaurant located with views of Grouse Mountain. We sat on the back deck among the wildflower field and sampled several fantastic wines while snacking on a charcuterie tray prepared by Chef Mackenzie Nicholson.

The tour was a great way to learn more about the area and see the mountain from a completely different perspective. The wine and food made it that much better. I'd highly recommend booking. You can find more information about the tour here.

Dining at Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek Village has numerous restaurants within a short walk, with options for a range of tastes. We loved all of the food we tried. Here are the restaurants we tried.

Hooked: A seafood/sushi restaurant offering fish shipped in from all over the world. While everything we had was delicious, the sushi was my favorite. The sushi was especially fresh, and the portions were large. For a longer trip, I would definitely eat here more than once.

8100 Mountainside Bar and Grill: Located at the Park Hyatt, this restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers indoor and outdoor seating. We ate breakfast here and really loved it. The outdoor patio is especially nice, with TVs, heat lamps, and beautiful mountain views.

Beaver Creek Chophouse: Located slopeside, this restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. I had the filet with au poivre sauce, and it was delicious. They also have a create-your-own Manhattan menu where you can choose everything from the alcohol to the type of infused cherry.

Alpine and Antlers: Located in the Beaver Creek Lodge, Alpine and Antlers is a cozy restaurant with fantastic service. We ate breakfast here on our first day, and it was hearty and delicious. My husband tried the elk sausage, which he really enjoyed.

Rimini: Before we left, we had breakfast at Rimini, which offers breakfast sandwiches, crepes, chocolate, and gelato. We sat outside in the village and people-watched while enjoying our breakfast and delicious coffee.

Other options for drinks, snacks, and meals include:

• Minturn Whiskey Co: A speakeasy that changes themes annually
• Citrea: Mediterranean cuisine that offers a pre-theater dining option for performances at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.
• Vail Mountain Coffee and Tea: This was the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon latte. They also have pastries and alcoholic drinks.

Where to Stay at Beaver Creek

There are several vacation rentals, hotels, and lodges located right in Beaver Creek within walking distance of all of the activities. We stayed at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort, a luxurious resort right in the middle of all of the action.

This resort offers all of the amenities you'd expect at a Park Hyatt. This includes:

• Exhale spa
• Complimentary s'mores kit
• Outdoor pool
• Board games to borrow
• Arcade
• On-site shop for essentials and snacks
• Hot tub
• Newly renovated rooms (some connecting rooms available)

The resort is perfect for a family visiting Beaver Creek, and is a comfortable, luxurious place to stay.

Overall, while we spent three days in Beaver Creek, I could see spending four or five if you are particularly adventurous. There's a lot to do in the nearby areas as well.

To learn more about Beaver Creek in the summer, visit their website.

The post Family Things to Do in Beaver Creek, Colorado in the Summer appeared first on Family Travel Magazine.