by Amanda Phillips

Created on: October 06, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Wanted: Winter vacation destination for family of five: two very stressed out adults and three very active children between the ages of 5-15. Love outdoor activity and new experiences. Want to leave our hectic lives at home.

Only one destination can fulfill this want add. Telluride, a small mountain resort in southwest Colorado, is known as one of the best family vacation spots in America. Surrounded by the San Juan Mountains, Telluride is situated midway up these mountains, 9500 ft above sea level, in a box canyon. A small historic mining town in the 1800's, Telluride has retained it's small mountain town charm but is bursting with once in a life time experiences for your family.

Telluride is famous for ski runs that provide accommodations for all levels of skiers. All family members will find runs that fit their ability and a free Gondola runs 12 miles throughout town making Telluride not only a ski in/ ski out resort, but a ski in / ski out town. Two new runs have opened within the past two years, Black Iron Bowl and Revelation Bowl. In total the Telluride area boasts over 2000 square miles of skiable mountain. Along with skiing, visitors to Telluride can enjoy, snowboarding, snow biking, snowshoeing, and tubing.

Don't think you can satisfy your active family with just a ski vacation? The wonderful thing about Telluride is that you don't have to. From sleigh rides to the Free Box to dog sledding, you are bound to hit upon the perfect activities to make your visit memorable.

A horse drawn sleigh ride through the San Juan Mountains makes for an unforgettable holiday. Sleigh rides range from a simple tour of the area to lunch or dinner in a comfy, rural cabin. Sleighs can carry from two to twelve people, more than enough room for a family. Your guide will see to your needs and make you cozy with blankets and hot chocolate.

Looking for more adventure? Reserve a dog sled tour for your family. After helping prepare the dogs and sleds you will be off on a high octane tour of the Telluride countryside. Many visitors consider this experience the highlight of their trip. "It is a blast! There you are flying behind these dogsit's like sledding for the X-Games!", commented one satisfied dog sledder.

Telluride and the surrounding area are full of history. Experience a slice of life from the 1800's by boarding the Durango and Silverton railroad. A vintage steam locomotive will be your transportation to the historic mining town of Silverton. The town has been accurately recreated to allow you to share the experiences of it's residents from 125 years ago.

After a day of skiing and adventure, the quaint town of Telluride awaits. Many locally owned shops and world-class restaurants grace the streets of the downtown area. Take an afternoon stroll through downtown and see what wonders you and your family stumble upon. One "not to be missed" spot is a local favorite. At the Free Box on North Priest Street you will find hundreds of wooden cubes with category names-boys, women's, books, house wares. Each cube contains items dropped off by others. Browse and see if they having anything you might need and drop off anything you do not want to pack for the trip home.

But hang on to your Telluride experiences, they will last a lifetime!

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