by Mark Smiley
With the rising costs of airline tickets and all of the expenses associated with traveling out of town, families are turning to more economical trips to get away from the mountain of laundry and the yard work. But what if you don’t want to spend seven hours in the car to take pictures of the largest ball of twine in the U.S.? Consider the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center which is less than 30 minutes away from central Denver.
The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is near Denver International Airport and is a Marriott property that opened in December 2018. The 486,000 square feet of convention space makes it the largest combined resort and convention center in Colorado. It is the fifth Gaylord property to open with the others located in Washington D.C, Nashville, Orlando, and Dallas.
Even though this rustic resort focuses on the business traveler during the week, families are welcome as this hotel boasts 1,501 rooms including 114 suites. The rooms start at $249 per night which is a bargain considering you eliminate airfare and car rental expenses.
When you first walk into the resort, you will notice the Grand Lodges’ centerpiece, a 75-foot-tall (eight stories high) atrium window offering spectacular views of the Denver skyline framed by the Rocky Mountains.
Consider upgrading to VIP status as the check-in process is smooth and the “Celebrity Services” staff are able to make reservations at one of the eight restaurants with priority seating. The on-site restaurants serve steak and American, Asian and Italian fares.
This resort’s main attractions are the indoor and outdoor pools (which includes an infinity pool), an outdoor lazy river, and three water slides. This water park is spread out over 22,000 square-feet. The entire resort is situated on 85 acres of land so it never feels crowded. Guests can reserve a cabana if they want their own dedicated space. Or, they may snag a chair by the lazy river and relax.
Inside the Mountain Pass Sports Bar is a 75-foot viewing screen, the largest in the state. This screen plays cartoons on Saturday morning during the Character Breakfast. The breakfast features a buffet of breakfast foods and characters from the book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland walking around to greet guests and pose for photographs. It is definitely worth it for the little ones.
Sticking with the Wonderland theme, there is an escape room which is fun for the entire family to experience. The “Hatter” gives clues while people work as a team to solve the clues and escape the room. It runs $14.99 per guest. The resort also features an arcade, miniature golf, bike rentals, pickleball, a market and more.
When you check in, be sure to ask about the free root beer floats that are served daily. The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is located at 6700 North Gaylord Rockies Boulevard. For more information about the resort or to make a reservation, visit www.gaylordhotels.com.