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9 Unforgettable Winter Activities for Dallas Families

Dallas families have plenty of options for winter activities in Crested Butte and Gunnison. The snow provides ample opportunities for fun. Create cherished holiday memories if you visit during a tree lighting or Hanukkah celebration. Teach your kiddos to ski or attend an art class with them. With affordable accommodations and daily non-stop winter flights to and from Dallas, visiting Crested Butte is a no brainer! Keep reading to learn more about the winter fun our cozy mountain towns have to offer.

red lady lift crested butte co

1. Ski with family and friends

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is known for advanced steep skiing, but beginner and intermediate terrain account for 38% of the mountain. New skiers and those who want to hone their skills can take advantage of the robust Ski and Ride School at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Our Skiing and Snowboarding page has zone-specific guides for Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Whether you’re looking for beginner terrain, glade skiing, or guides to Crested Butte’s famed extreme terrain, we have you covered! For a more affordable skiing experience, check out Cranor Hill in Gunnison.

2. Celebrate the holidays

Other winter activities for Dallas families include holiday celebrations. Night of Lights, Gunnison’s annual tree lighting, happens the beginning of December. Main Street is closed to traffic and local businesses and organizations set up booths. Play games, get hot chocolate, visit the petting zoo, hang out by a fire and more while waiting for Santa to light the tree. Crested Butte’s tree lighting, Winter Glow, is also held at the beginning of December. This event is put on by the Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce and is a fundraiser. Mt. Crested Butte Light Up the Night is a festive Hanukah and Christmas celebration with live music, food and drinks, photo ops with Santa and kid-friendly activities.

3. Visit the Trailhead Children’s Museum

Located on Elk Avenue, the Trailhead Children’s Museum is one of the best winter activities for Dallas families. The Trailhead Children’s Museum’s mission is “to offer engaging and dynamic experiences that inspire children and families to explore, create, and learn together through discovery and play.” The museum hopes to offer a place kids and their caregivers can spend quality time together with creative and stimulating activities. Programs are offered for pre-k through 5th grade students. 

A person rides a bike down a snowy street. Crested Butte in winter is snowy and beautiful

4. Relax with a movie night

Seeing a movie is a relaxing winter activity for Dallas families. The Majestic Theatre is Crested Butte’s cozy, locally owned movie theatre. This isn’t your big megaplex theater; think comfortable and affordable with high-tech visual and audio. The Majestic shows new movies as well as old favorites. Catch something like Harry Potter or The Big Lebowski or a classic western or sci-fi film, oftentimes with free admission. Children and students with a valid ID get a discount. Enjoy popcorn with real butter, a variety of drinks that expand beyond soda, beer and cocktails, candy, and other treats! See currently playing and upcoming shows on the Majestic Theatre website.

5. Go ice skating

Gunnison and Crested Butte both have ice skating rinks. Jorgensen Ice Arena in Gunnison is equipped with indoor and outdoor skating. Located right off of Highway 50, rent skates and be on the ice in no time. The inside rink has public skating and drop in hockey. There is also a covered outdoor rink that is free to use. Skate on real ice at the outdoor pond. Learn more about fees and hours of operation on the Gunnison Parks and Rec website. Big Mine Ice Arena in Crested Butte is a covered outdoor ice rink. The ice at Big Mine is natural and uses no refrigeration. Skating is free with your own skates. Otherwise, the Crested Butte Nordic Center offers skate rentals. Find out more about skating at Big Mine here.

christmas crested butte elk ave

6. Play in the snow

Snow is one of the most magical parts of winter. Watching it fall evokes cozy Hallmark movie-esque scenes. Playing in it can create core childhood memories and bring your family together. Build a snowman in your vacation rental’s yard. Have a snowball fight in a town park. Go sledding on a local sled hill. Bundle up and make snow angels. These are all fun ways to get outside and enjoy something new. 

7. Visit downtown

The colorful, historic buildings of Elk Avenue add to Crested Butte’s winter charm. Surrounded by snowy mountain peaks, the town transforms into a snowglobe in the winter. This is where you can take your family souvenir shopping, find places to eat, pick up treats at coffeeshops and more! Enjoy cheery winter decorations as well. Main Street is Gunnison’s downtown. Coffeeshops, a surprising variety of restaurants, fun shops and more line Main Street. Take an afternoon to eat delicious food and explore what Gunnison has to offer.

8. Try dog sledding

For a truly unique experience, try dog sledding! There are two dog sledding guides in the Gunnison Valley: The Mushing Mutts and Cosmic Cruisers. Each outfitter offers half and full day adventures. Dog sledding is a fun and unique way to see the mountains in the winter. Make sure you have a camera ready to record these snowy memories.

crested butte nordic skiing kids

9. Try something new

Skiing is the most popular winter activity in the Gunnison Valley, but the fun doesn’t stop there! Other things to do include fat biking, Nordic skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. The Crested Butte Nordic Center is one of the best places in the Gunnison Valley for fat biking, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. The trails here are groomed and signed with difficultly level. The Nordic Center offers Nordic ski and snowshoe rentals for kids and adults. Fat bikes can be rented from some of the bike shops in town. Please purchase the proper trail passes if you visit the Nordic Center. Hartman Rocks is the place to head in Gunnison for these activities. Gunnison Trails grooms over 12 miles of singletrack for fat biking at Hartman Rocks. Gunnison Nordic Club grooms Hartman Rocks for Nordic skiing.

Many popular summer OHV trails are open for snowmobiling in the winter. Snowmobiling allows you to get deep into the backcountry you wouldn’t be able to access otherwise in the winter. Many snowmobiling outfitters offer guided tours. Go with a guide for directions and riding tips. Winter travel in the backcountry comes with inherent risks. Please do your research and ensure you have the proper knowledge and gear to stay safe.

Planning your trip

Book your fun-filled winter trip the Gunnison Valley today! Browse flights, book lodging, make dinner reservations and discover more resources with our Trip Planning guide.

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