Even when school’s out for spring break, for summer, or forever, we don’t have to be done learning. There is always something interesting to pique your interest in Glenwood Springs.
Learning doesn’t have to be static or always books-based. In fact, it’s said that experience is often the best teacher. That’s certainly true in Glenwood Springs where the best lessons are immersive, engaging and accessible to every member of the family.
Meet Doc & the Gang
John Henry “Doc” Holliday was just 33 years old when he died. His favorite pastime was playing and dealing cards. Hike to his memorial marker which depicts a winning hand, something Doc didn’t have in real life! Other notable personalities that made an appearance in Glenwood’s past include President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and “The Unsinkable” Molly Brown. On the ignoble side of historic ledger, gangsters and outlaws flexed their muscle in Glenwood Springs. Among them, train robber Kid Curry and gangsters “Diamond Jack” Alterie and Al Capone. Learn more about all these characters at the Hotel Colorado, the Hotel Denver, the Frontier Museum, the Doc Holliday Museum and Linwood Cemetery.
Solve a Puzzle
Escape rooms are entertaining and educational. They provide immersive, real-time challenges that encourage teamwork and ultimately make for unique, fun-filled vacation memories. As a family or group of friends, you’ll be asked to put your heads together to escape from a locked room before time runs out. Offering three distinct experiences, the Glenwood Escape Room will put you to the test! Be prepared to practice situational awareness, communication and organizational skills, group cooperation and creative problem solving. Quick! Don’t dally, the clock is ticking!
Hurray for Hydrodynamics
What slips through your fingers, yet is sharp enough to cut through rock? Water, of course! This ubiquitous substance has shaped Glenwood Springs. Water-themed destinations in Glenwood Springs include the three major hot springs attractions—Glenwood Hot Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs and the Yampah Vapor Caves. Thanks to the corrosive action of both fresh and hot mineral water that occurred millions of years ago, today you can visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and see the spectacular cave formations left behind. In Glenwood Canyon, flowing water chiseled nearly 18 miles of breathtaking cliffs. See it up close with a bike ride along the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Trail, a raft or fishing trip on the Colorado River and a permitted hike to Hanging Lake.
Red Rocks in Glenwood Springs
No, there’s not a new music venue in town. Red rocks, otherwise known as peachblow sandstone, are the building blocks of several of Glenwood Springs’ most historic structures. The exquisite rock was quarried locally and used to build the original bathhouse at Glenwood Hot Springs (1888), the Hotel Colorado (1893), as well as Glenwood Springs Train Depot (1904) on Seventh Street. These iconic buildings harken back to a time when the town was in its mining heydays. While the red-hued rock was sourced from the nearby Frying Pan River Valley, Glenwood was home to coal mining and coal coking operations. See the old coal coking ovens south of town and learn more about the Coal Seam Fire which ignited in a mine west of town in 1910 and sparked the Coal Seam Fire when it breached the surface in 2002. Remarkably, the fire continues to burn underground to this day!
Creative Pursuits
Have a budding artist in the family? Glenwood Springs has a thriving arts community that provides inspiration for creatives of all stripes from the fine arts to the performing arts. Anything but hoity-toity, Glenwood’s galleries are welcoming spaces where art is shared, appreciated, and created. For quality supplies and to see the work of featured local artists, stop in at the Artist’s Gallery & Mercantile. Meet the weavers who create woven textiles and browse other high-quality fine crafts from established and emerging talent at Art on 8th. Similarly, Cooper Corner Gallery features artistic expression in a milieu of mediums including photography, pottery, glassworks, wood sculpture, artisan jewelry and painting of all varieties. When it comes to stagecraft, for the performers at the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue, comedy is an artform.
Learning never gets old whether you’re in school or not. Find out more about Glenwood history and all the things to do at www.visitglenwood.com today!
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