Pumpkin spice may be sneaking onto menus, but summer isnāt finished with Colorado just yet! Before we trade our sandals for boots and our sunflowers for jack-oā-lanterns, letās squeeze in a few more family adventures. From mountaintop picnics to one final ice cream run, here are seven ways to soak up every last drop of summer before pumpkin season officially takes over! š
Colorado hiking weather doesnāt get much better than this! Choose an easy family-friendly trail, pack plenty of water and let the kids lead the expedition. Garden of the Gods, Palmer Lake, Fox Run Regional Park and trails throughout Teller and Douglas counties offer plenty of beautiful places to explore.
Make it more exciting by creating a nature scavenger hunt. Look for wildflowers, animal tracks, unusual rocks and something shaped like a heart. Bonus points if nobody asks, āAre we there yet?ā within the first five minutes!
Grab sandwiches, fruit, snacks and a big blanket for an easy outdoor meal. Head to a favorite park, lake or shady spot and enjoy dinner without dishes, reservations or anyone complaining that the Wi-Fi is slow.
Let every family member choose one item for the picnic. If that results in cheese sticks, cookies and three different kinds of chips, congratulationsāyouāve created a balanced summer meal according to children.
Sunflower fields and late-summer blooms make the perfect backdrop for a family outingāand maybe a few new photos before everything turns orange. Visit a local flower farm, botanical garden or neighborhood garden and let everyone choose their favorite bloom.
Remember to check each locationās photography and picking rules before visiting. Admire freely, but donāt accidentally turn your family adventure into a flower-related crime spree!
Before the swimsuits disappear into the back of the closet, spend an afternoon at a splash pad, pool, lake or reservoir. Pack sunscreen, towels, snacks and dry clothesābecause someone will absolutely announce that they āarenāt getting wetā approximately thirty seconds before becoming completely soaked.
Try a splash pad in Colorado Springs, Fountain or Castle Rock, visit Palmer Lake or plan a full beach day at Lake Pueblo State Park.
Turn an ordinary ice cream stop into an official family adventure! Visit a locally owned ice cream shop, try a flavor nobody has ordered before or create a mini frozen-treat tour.
Everyone can score each stop based on flavor, toppings, cone crunch and messiness. Just remember: summer calories are simply delicious memories with sprinkles.
You donāt need to travel across the state to discover something new. Visit a museum, nature center, historic site, zoo or attraction youāve been meaning to explore.
Play tourist for the day in Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, Pueblo, Cripple Creek or one of our smaller surrounding communities. Let the kids help choose the destination and take plenty of picturesāyes, even the wonderfully awkward ones!
Finish summer with one beautifully simple adventure: find a great view and watch the Colorado sky change colors. Bring blankets, snacks, binoculars and maybe a deck of cards while you wait for sunset.
Ask everyone to share their favorite summer memory and one adventure they want to have this fall. Itās an easy tradition that costs very little but may become one of the moments your family remembers most.
Pumpkin patches, corn mazes and cozy fall fun will be here soon enough. For now, thereās still time for another hike, another picnic, another dripping ice cream cone and another family memory made under the Colorado sunshine.
You donāt need a complicated itinerary or a big budgetājust choose an adventure, gather your favorite people and go! Which one will your family try first?
š Looking for even more local adventures, attractions and family events? Visit www.thebuzzyb.com and explore The Buzzy B Calendar. Your familyās next adventure may be closer than you think!
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