By: Jessica DeVoy
The best family friendly holiday activities in Colorado!
Colorado is gorgeous year-round, but there’s something extra special about the holiday season. Imagine holiday markets and festivals, lighted trees draped in snow, winter parades, Santa trains and more. There’s truly something magical for everyone to enjoy!
The list is organized by region, starting with a special railroad section. Santa & Polar Express train rides are my kids’ favorite Christmas activity. You can learn more about each event by clicking the name!
Train Rides:
- Georgetown Loop Railroad Holiday Trains: November 11 - December 30
- Colorado Railroad Museum’s Polar Express: November 29 - December 3
- Royal Gorge Route Railroad Santa Express Train: November 17 - December 30
- Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Polar Express Train: November 17- January 1
- Leadville Railroad Holiday Express: November 18 - January 7
(Georgetown Loop Railroad - Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure)
Colorado Springs:
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Electric Safari: December 1-3, 8 - January 1
- Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge: November 24 - January 8
- The North Pole - Santa’s Workshop Amusement Park: November 2 - December 24
- Flying W Ranch Christmas Shows: December 8 - 23
- Rock Ledge Ranch Holiday Evening: December 9, 2023
- Ice Castles: December, January, February
- Holidays at The Broadmoor: Gingerbread Display
- Christmas at Forest Bend Farm: November 24 - December 23
(Christmas at Gaylord Rockies 2018+2019: ICE, Cirque and Mistletoe Village)
Denver + Surrounding Suburbs
- Christmas at Gaylord Rockies: November 17 - January 1
- Disney On Ice: December 1 - 3
- Denver Zoo Lights: December 2 - January 7
- Trail of Lights at Chatfield Farms: November 24 - January 1
- Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens: November 17 - January 7
- Elitch Gardens Luminova Holidays: November 24 - December 31
- Christmas in Color: November 17 - December 30
- Children’s Museum of Denver “Noon Year’s Eve”: December 31, 2023
- Union Station Merry & Bright Lights: November 25 - December 26
- Hammonds Candy Factory Tour: All Year
- Denver Christkindlmarket: November 17 - December 23
- Boulder’s Annual Winter Market: December 2-3, 2023
- Stanley Marketplace’s Camp Christmas: November 16 - December 24
- Boulder’s Snow Much Fun Light Tour: November 30 - January 31
(Boulder’s Snow Much Fun Light Tour)
Mountain Regions:
- Aspen & Snowmass Holiday Event List
- Crested Butte’s Holiday Event List
- Durango’s Holiday Event List
- Vail Holiday Event List
- Winter Park’s Full Holiday Event List
- Christmas with the Stauntons: December 9, 2023
- Lighting of Breckenridge & Race of the Santa’s: December 2, 2023
- Breckenridge Ullr Fest: December 7-9
- Georgetown’s 63rd Annual Christmas Market: December 9-10
- Georgetown’s Hops + Holly Beer Festival: December 16, 2023
- Winter Park’s Torchlight Parade: December 24, 2023
- Keystone Resort’s Elf of the Shelf Craft Spectacular: December 2, 2023
- Keystone Resort’s Holiday Marketplace: December 9, 2023
- Grand Junction’s Parade of Lights: December 2, 2023
- Grand Junction’s Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland: December 10, 2023
- Bridge of Lights at Royal Gorge Bridge & Park: November 17 - December 31
- Christmas in the Gold Camps: November 11 - December 14
(Colorado Ice Castles in Dillon, 2017)
Northern Colorado:
- Loveland’s Winter Wonderlights: November 18 - January 1
- Garden of Lights: December 8 - 23
- Sweaty Sweater Race: December 9, 2023
- Christmas Walk in the Woods: December 9 - 31
- Colorado Youth Outdoor’s Winter Wonderland: November 23 - December 25
- Estes Park’s Catch the Glow: November 18 - January 1
- The Lyric’s Family Band Holiday Market: December 9, 2023
(Georgetown Loop Railroad)