Keystone is one of those places that just makes family travel easy and fun. From free daily activities and cute *Red Wagons, to the Kidtopia Snow Fort, it’s truly built with families in mind. (*Red Wagons– Complimentary, iconic wagons make it so easy for families to haul ski gear, snacks, and even tired kids to and from the slopes. They’ve become a signature, sanity-saving perk that takes the stress out of navigating the base area and carrying all the heavy gear).
With over 3,000 acres across three mountains, there’s something for every level—and even night skiing on weekends for extra time on the slopes.
Add in the famous A-51 terrain park, the largest outdoor ice rink in the U.S., easy access from Denver (only around 90 minutes), and year-round activities, and it’s easy to see why we keep coming back.
🎿 Why We Love the Epic Pass
Todd bought our Epic Pass back in October when they were about half price, and it was absolutely worth it.
Not only does it include lift access, but we also receive 20% off dining, lodging, rentals, lessons, and transportation through Epic Mountain Rewards.
For a family of four (most of the time five), those savings really add up. If you’re planning to ski at resorts owned by Vail Resorts, I highly recommend buying the pass early in the season.
✈️ Travel Tips
🚗 Car Rental Alternative
Instead of renting from traditional airport companies, we used Turo. It was much cheaper than Hertz or Alamo Rent a Car, and the process was super easy.
🅿️ Airport Parking in Atlanta
Flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, we parked at The Parking Spot Fly because it’s close to the airport. There are many more lots for the Parking Spot so choose the best one for your family.
One tip: give yourself extra time. The shuttle pickup can be a little unpredictable. There isn’t always a clear pickup spot, and it’s basically first come, first served depending on where the shuttle stops in the parking lot.
🏔 Day 1: Arrival in Colorado
We landed in Denver, Colorado and began the scenic drive into the mountains.
Along the way we passed Loveland Pass, then stopped for lunch in Silverthorne at Eclectic Bar and Grill.
✔️ Great music
✔️ Fun atmosphere and beautiful artwork to purchase
✔️ Delicious food
After lunch we drove through Dillon before arriving in Keystone Resort.
Before heading to our condo, we stopped at Norski Sport Rental to grab our skis so we could hit the slopes first thing the next morning.
🏡 Where We Stayed
We stayed in an Airbnb condo in the Snowdance complex that was only about 100 yards from the Peru Express lift—super convenient!
If you’re looking for a true ski-in/ski-out experience, staying in River Run Village would be a great option.
🎿 Day 2: First Day on the Slopes
We walked over to the Peru Express Lift and started our morning with a few green and blue runs before heading up the Montezuma Express Lift.
🥙 Lunch Break
We stopped at Timber Ridge Lodge where we warmed up and enjoyed some delicious shawarma.
After lunch we took the Outpost Gondola toward Schoolmarm Trail, which is a long and easy run that was perfect for skiing with Max.
One highlight of the day was seeing the Snow Fort near the top of the mountain—such a fun stop for families.
Meanwhile, Todd and Andrew stayed up top to try some jumps and a few black runs. 😱
🌮 Dinner
That evening we ate at Lime in Lakeside Village. The online reviews weren’t amazing, but we actually had a great experience.
My favorites:
- Baja grilled fish tacos!
- A huckleberry margarita that was so good!
🎿 Day 3: Ski Adventures (and a Sandwich Break)
We were some of the first people on the mountain when the Peru Express opened.
Unfortunately, I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up on some very steep blue runs that scared the daylights out of me 😅, so I decided to call it a day while the boys kept skiing.
Back at the condo, I ran to the grocery store and then ordered lunch from Snarf’s Sandwiches.
I ordered the Snarf’s Cheesesteak, which includes:
🥩 Roast beef
🧀 American & provolone cheese
🧅 Grilled onions and mushrooms
🌶 Hot giardiniera peppers
It was SO good. Honestly, I wish I had ordered a few more to eat throughout the week.
🏂 Terrain Park Highlight
Our middle son loved the updated trick features at A51 Terrain Park.
The newly revamped I-70 Park includes:
✔️ Advanced rails
✔️ Jib features
✔️ Creative lines for riders
✔️ Rail gardens
✔️ A dedicated chairlift for quick laps
It’s designed to help riders progress their skills, and it was definitely a highlight for him.
🍽 Dinner
Dinner that night was at Timberline Craft Kitchen & Cocktails, followed by dessert at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Chocolate after skiing just feels right. 🍫
✈️ Day 4: Heading Home
To get back to the airport we used Epic Mountain Express, which ended up being more reliable than scheduling an Uber.
Without traffic, the drive from Keystone back to Denver took about 1 hour and 35 minutes.
📍 Nearby Mountain Towns
One thing we love about Keystone is its close proximity to several other ski areas.
- Frisco – about 20 minutes
- Copper Mountain – about 8 minutes
- Breckenridge Ski Resort – about 17 minutes
- Vail Ski Resort – about 25 minutes
This makes Keystone a great home base if you want to explore multiple resorts.
🧳 Packed by a Pro Travel Tip
One of my favorite ski-trip packing tricks is using compression bags for bulky items like ski coats and snow pants. Link to Affiliate website: https://amzn.to/4uAg7a6
They allow you to fit everything into a carry-on suitcase, which means:
✔️ No checked baggage lines
✔️ No worrying about lost luggage
✔️ More room in the rental car
✔️ Much less travel stress
I’ve officially become a carry-on-only traveler whenever possible and these bags make it so much easier; even with bulky ski pants and jackets!
