One Of Colorado's Largest Resorts Is A Five-Star Getaway That Transforms Into A Winter Wonderland
Colorado is home to some of America's best skiing, but hitting the slopes isn't the only way to enjoy winter in the Centennial State. Vacationers can also take a day trip or spend the night at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora for a sensational holiday getaway. The largest hotel in the state, with 1,501 guest rooms, 114 of which are suites, the five-star resort is only about a 10-minute drive from the Denver International Airport, America's largest airport (with some great food options), and it really goes all out when it comes to winter decorations and celebrations.
One of the can't-miss holiday highlights at Gaylord Rockies is the immersive ice sculpture display that fills a massive 17,000-square-foot space. The 2024 theme for the event is "The Polar Express," an exhibit that includes a huge, life-size ice train among other sculptures highlighting iconic scenes from the popular holiday book and movie.
It took six weeks for ice artists from Harbin, China, to hand-carve over 2 million pounds of ice and create this impressive exhibit. Visitors can walk through, go under, and even slide down the ice thanks to five two-story-tall ice slides that have been designed for both kids and adults to enjoy. The exhibit does provide jackets to help keep you warm; however, since they keep it at a cold 9 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the ice from melting, you'll still want to dress in layers. The exhibit runs through January 1, so make sure to book tickets soon!
Gaylord Rockies has plenty of holiday activities and rooms to accommodate all kinds of travelers
Other wintertime activities at Gaylord Rockies include gingerbread decorating, making s'mores at the outdoor fire pits, an on-site scavenger hunt with a reward, and the elaborate stage show "Cirque: Frost," which features plenty of high-flying, acrobatic stunts. You can purchase tickets for a day trip with bundle options that give you access to multiple activities, including the ICE exhibit, or choose from a variety of overnight packages depending on which special holiday attractions you want to experience.
Along with the incredible ice sculptures and activities, the huge hotel is decked out with all kinds of lights and decor, both indoors and out. For those looking to pick up some gifts during their stay, there's a Build-a-Bear workshop and a street market loaded with Christmas goodies. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all there is to do and see, and you want to make sure you don't miss anything, the resort has an app where you can get a map to each of the hotel's attractions as well as keep track of your reservations and tickets.
If you're staying overnight (which makes it even easier to enjoy all the resort has to offer), there are a range of different guest room options, including some specifically for families with bunk bed areas for kids. All of the guest rooms feature Colorado-themed decor, and many of them have mountain views.
Gaylord Rockies has a massive year-round water park, multiple restaurants, and a spa
Gaylord Rockies is a perfect destination for a fantastic family vacation. Along with its winter ice extravaganza — which, again, offers packages for day trippers — there's a huge water park that's open year-round, though it's only available to guests. It includes indoor and outdoor pools, multiple water slides, and a lazy river, all of which are comfortably heated. Then, for more family winter fun, you can also check out Colorado's best winter train rides with unbelievably scenic snow-covered mountain views.
Even though the Gaylord Rockies resort has lots of kid-friendly activities, it's also a great spot for a romantic getaway for cold weather lovers. The hotel features some adult-only pool areas and a spa with couples massage options along with other treatments. For a date night dinner, visit the Old Hickory Steakhouse, a high end, classic steakhouse, one of eight different restaurants on the property. Other good sit-down meal options include Copper Table and Garden + Grain, which both feature local ingredients like trout and bison. For something more casual, there's a sports bar (which also has Top Golf), a coffee shop, an English pub, and a grab-and-go marketplace.