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Our First Stop with Kids: Glenwood Springs, CO

Our First Stop with Kids: Glenwood Springs, CO

Last updated: October 27, 2026. This update clarifies current pool-treatment details while keeping the family’s resort memories historical. Date information added October 28, 2026.

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First published May 26, 2018. The pool temperatures, features, and visit details below are from our family’s 2018 stay. Hours, maintenance closures, and seasonal amenities change; check the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort current hours and closure page before making plans.

As Batman says, ”Mom, we are ON our big trip!” He has said this to me every day this weekend. It is cute. To be honest, it hasn’t really hit us yet. Goose said the first day, ” Mom, I just want to go back to Utah.” This broke my heart a little bit, but it is totally understandable.

Through the stress of the last few weeks (really months as well), in our frenzy of packing and planning and stressing, we all became a bit disconnected. I know this is normal and expected but we are going to be very close again. This weekend has been the start of that re-connection! Even though we are all a little uncomfortable… what is next? So far, it feels like we just went somewhere fun for the weekend. 

As we begin to pack up again, it is strange to realize that we have no home to go back to. That we have no commitments when we get back. This is probably the strangest thing for me, as well as the most liberating. No one is on my calendar for piano lessons, school commitments, or church commitments. I have some friends I will see in Denver and I have a couple of days planned. However, to have just a couple of appointments for an entire month is crazy! Normally, I would have camps for summer, Crossfit to attend, piano lessons, sports, etc. I’m not sure exactly how to feel about it all.

In the meantime, we’ve had a magical time here in Glenwood. It was a bit of a shocker to go from a very big house to a tiny hotel room and one bathroom. Our packs take up half the space, or so it feels.  However, it’s a good reminder of why we love each other! Our hotel, the Hotel Colorado, has a great history. During this 2018 stay, it felt pretty run down to us and we thought we probably wouldn’t stay again, but the location next to the pool was amazing. Room service had been good too.

What we love about the pool:

• First, it’s HUGE.  Even with lots of people, it didn’t feel too crowded to us on this visit.

• Second, it’s SO warm. There were three pools: the baby pool, the hot pool (around 103°F in our notes) and the main pool (about 90°F). Our skinny little boys stayed warm and wanted to keep swimming, unlike at many other pools we’d visited. We spent hours swimming and going from pool to pool.

There were also two fun slides in the summer season.

We loved the pool on that trip. For current hours and seasonal offerings, check the resort’s official hours and closure page linked above.

Third, we could rent a cabana. While this cost extra, it was totally worth it to our family on this trip.

It gave us a landing pad all day, a break from the sun, and shelter from a bit of rain. Our cabana included towels, water, and a small fridge (things we would pay extra for anyway). An attendant brought food orders to the cabana, saving us from waiting in line and carrying food upstairs with little kids in tow. Those were the amenities we enjoyed in 2018; confirm current inclusions before booking.

• Fourth, I loved the salty, mineral water. The resort’s current pool FAQ says the pools use chlorine along with filtration and supplemental ozone, so the mineral water is not chlorine-free.

• Fifth, it is stunningly beautiful. The green Colorado mountains, the blue sky, the red building are just so amazing!

• Finally, we loved the spa on this 2018 visit. This was also a splurge, but I promised myself if I could make it through the major work and anxiety of the last few weeks, I’d get a massage here.  It was wonderful!  It didn’t feel super snooty (which I’d experienced in other places), but warm and welcoming.  All the services I’d had there had been top-notch. This is a memory of that visit, so check current services directly.

It’s been a fun reminder to be back in Colorado where I was born and raised. We also lived there as a couple for 10 years. There’s only a slight difference from Utah, but we’ve giggled at the cloudy skies and sprinkles each afternoon. It is so typical Colorado! Don’t forget the sunshine too, it’s so lovely in there!

Our original family video: The 7Wayfinders Take Over Colorado!.

Additional Readings

Settling Into Full-Time Travel with Kids

Beginning Our Full-Time Travel Journey with Kids

Last Minute Preparation for Full-Time Travel with Kids