Photo credit: Snow Mountain Ranch
By Maryann Hammers
All winter long, we count on Rocky Mountain lodges and resorts to offer great military deals. But what happens when the snow melts?
Good news: The summer savings are just as great, and the activities - from rafting to biking and hiking - are just as fun.
Read on for a list of Colorado summer vacation destinations. Choose from B & Bs to large resorts and everything in between.
Aspen Meadows Resort features 98 contemporary guest suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies or patios, and kitchenettes, plus complimentary transportation to the airport and downtown Aspen transportation (less than a mile away). Servicemembers get a 30-percent discount on accommodations. Use promotion code DHSH. We're told room upgrades might be available, too - so it doesn't hurt to ask. A valid military ID is required. Call (800) 452-4240.
Beaver Run Resort , a condominium hotel in Breckenridge, three blocks from the town's historic Main Street, offers yearlong discounts for active duty and retired servicemembers. Choose from hotel rooms, studios, and one- and two-bedroom condos, plus large suites. The discount varies by season, but for a mid-August stay, you can save as much as $56 a night with a military rate of $138. A military ID is required. Call (800) 525-2253 for more details.
In partnership with the Air Force, Keystone Resort , a year-round destination about an hour from downtown Denver, offers discounts on championship golf and other activities, lodging, and dining to servicemembers with ID (active duty, retired, and National Guard and Reserve). Rates and discounts vary by unit type and date. Click here , or call (866) 768-2583.
Each of the eight themed guestrooms at Old Town Guesthouse in historic Old Colorado City features a private hot tub or sauna, fireplace, and mountain-view balcony. Servicemembers get a $25 discount off any room, any night, with no blackout dates or restrictions. Included are an afternoon innkeeper's reception with wine and snacks, a three-course breakfast, and free Wi-Fi. "Outside our front door are a hundred or so fine restaurants, shops, and attractions," says innkeeper Dave Wolinski. "Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, and Cheyenne Mountain are some key views from the inn. We're also just a short drive from mountain attractions including the Cog Railway, Seven Falls, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Manitou Cliff Dwellings, and Cave of the Winds. The U.S. Olympic training center, art museums, and downtown Colorado Springs are just 2 miles east." Use promo code MPF when booking online. Call (719) 632-9194 for more information.
Snow Mountain Ranch , YMCA of the Rockies (near Winter Park), offers a generous Military Getaway Package for active duty or reserve military members with ID. The military rate of $159 plus tax includes two nights in any lodge room, up to four people per room, and meals are included. Additional guests will be charged $40 per child (ages 6 to 12) or $60 per adult. Spokesperson Johanna Landis points out the new Summer Tubing Hill - the only one in Colorado - is up and running and is free to Snow Mountain Ranch guests. Call (888) 613-9622.
The Outlook Lodge , surrounded by wilderness but just 20 minutes from Colorado Springs, is a six-room retreat originally constructed in 1889 with Victorian-style woodwork and detailing. Guests are invited to use the full kitchen, library with books about the region, living and dining room, and laundry room. Outside, there's a large wraparound porch and patio with a dining area and fireplace. Regular rates start at $99, but active duty and retired servicemembers are offered a year-round 20-percent discount. Use booking code MILITARY. Call (855) 463-2557, or email inquiries@outlookgmf.com.
Is Colorado too far? Last summer, we found mountain getaways for servicemembers in the Poconos, New Hampshire's White Mountains, and the Oregon Cascades. Those discounts might still be available, and it never hurts to ask. Click here for more information.