# Aspen with kids, beyond skiing

> Aspen with kids beyond skiing: the Breathtaker coaster, tubing and Ullr Nights at Elk Camp, free skating, snowshoe tours, the free art museum and childcare.

Canonical page: https://aspenprive.com/aspen-kids-activities/  
Updated: 2026-10-01 · Publisher: Aspen Privé (local Aspen stay planning and concierge)

At the top of the Elk Camp Gondola in Snowmass, the **Breathtaker alpine coaster** is **$70 for the day** (riders from **38 inches**). On six winter evenings, **Ullr Nights** add bonfires, a band, tubing and the coaster (**children 6 and under free**). **Skating at Snowmass Base Village is free**, and the **Aspen Art Museum is free**. For the smallest, **Snowmass's Treehouse takes children from age 1**.

Prices and dates from Aspen Snowmass, the Aspen Art Museum, ACES and the venues; checked for the 2026–27 season. Confirm on the day; hours move with the weather.

## At the top of the Elk Camp Gondola

- **Breathtaker coaster**: More than a mile of elevated track through the forest, up to 28 mph. $70 to ride all day, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; daily from December 18, 2026 to April 4, 2027, plus weekends from November 26.
- **Ullr Nights**: 5–8 p.m. on December 23, January 1, February 12 and 19, and March 12 and 19: the gondola up after dark, bonfires, a live band, dinner at Elk Camp, unlimited tubing and coaster rides. $14 entry ($80 with the activities), children 6 and under free.
- **Snowshoe tours**: ACES naturalists lead tours daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. from the top of the gondolas; book ahead.

## Skating, the museum and the gondola

- **Skating**: Free skating and skate rentals at Snowmass Base Village, 1 to 9 p.m., with fire pits; in Aspen, skating at Silver Circle with rentals via CP Burger.
- **Aspen Art Museum**: Free, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a rooftop café.
- **Silver Queen Gondola**: A sightseeing ticket takes non-skiers up to 11,212 feet to meet the skiers for lunch.

## Hot springs and a sleigh dinner

- **Glenwood Hot Springs**: Open 9 a.m.–9 p.m. year-round; day pass for children $27–$38, adults $38–$60. No reservation needed.
- **Sleigh-ride dinner**: Pine Creek Cookhouse: $195 per adult, children under 12 $130 ($235 and $165 from December 21 to January 5), before drinks, service and tax.

## Instructors, childcare and the afternoons, planned (what Aspen Privé arranges)

Tell us the ages. We'll book the instructor and the Treehouse, and fill the afternoons. [Plan the family week](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=family-ski-week).

## Childcare and first skiing

- **Treehouse, Snowmass**: Licensed childcare from age 1; ski school from 2½. [Skiing with kids](https://aspenprive.com/skiing-in-aspen-with-kids/).
- **Babysitters**: An evening sitter so the adults can have dinner out. [Babysitters in Aspen](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-babysitter/).
- **Free skiing to age 6**: Children 6 and under ski free at all four mountains, all season; Buttermilk's Panda Peak beginner lift is free too.

## A day that works for everyone

- **Morning**: Lessons or ski school while the energy is highest.
- **Afternoon**: The coaster or a snowshoe tour at Elk Camp, then skating at Base Village.
- **Altitude**: Children feel it too; keep the first day light and watch for poor appetite or irritability. [The first 48 hours](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-altitude-first-48-hours/).

## Questions

**What is there to do in Aspen with kids besides skiing?**  
The Breathtaker coaster and tubing at Elk Camp, Ullr Nights, free skating at Snowmass Base Village, ACES snowshoe tours, the free Aspen Art Museum, the gondola, Glenwood Hot Springs and a sleigh-ride dinner.

**How tall do you have to be for the Breathtaker coaster?**  
At least 38 inches (97 cm) to ride as a passenger and 54–84 inches (137–213 cm) to drive. It is $70 for the day.

**Is there childcare in Aspen for toddlers?**  
Yes. Snowmass's licensed Treehouse childcare takes children from age 1, and ski school starts at 2½.

**Do kids ski free in Aspen?**  
Children 6 and under ski free at all four Aspen Snowmass mountains, every day, all season.

## What Aspen Privé can arrange for this

Rentals at the house, the instructor and the sitter booked, cars for the group.

- [Ski rental delivered](https://aspenprive.com/ski-rental-delivery-aspen/): Fitted at the residence, not in a shop queue.
- [Private airport transfer](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-airport-transportation/) (From $195 per vehicle): From Aspen's airport to the door in a private SUV, timed to your actual landing.
- [A driver for the evening](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=evening-driver) (From $210 per hour): A car and driver on call for dinner and the night out, so nobody hunts for a taxi at midnight.
- [Denver to Aspen by private car](https://aspenprive.com/denver-to-aspen-private-car/) (From $1,650 per vehicle): Winter-equipped vehicle and driver for the four-hour drive, re-timed as roads change.

## Sources (checked October 1, 2026)

- [Aspen Snowmass: Breathtaker Alpine Coaster](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/activities/winter/breathtaker-alpine-coaster)
- [Aspen Snowmass: Ullr Nights](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/activities/winter/ullr-nights)
- [Aspen Art Museum](https://www.aspenartmuseum.org/)
- [Pine Creek Cookhouse: winter pricing](https://pinecreekcookhouse.com/winter-pricing/)
- [Aspen Snowmass: lift tickets](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/tickets-and-passes/lift-tickets)

## Related

- [Skiing Aspen with kids](https://aspenprive.com/skiing-in-aspen-with-kids/): Ages, lessons, mountains.
- [An Aspen family trip](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-family-trip/): Planning for every generation.
- [Things to do in winter](https://aspenprive.com/things-to-do-in-aspen-in-winter/): Beyond the slopes.

To plan or request any of this: https://aspenprive.com/plan-your-trip/ · https://aspenprive.com/contact.html