when was the last time you took a family vacation? Not just a short weekend away from the house. but an honest to goodness vacation that removed you, your spouse and your children from the responsibilities of home? Family vacations are perhaps the one time when everyone in the family can really pull his or herself away from friends, technology, work and sports.

Some families, when they vacation, like to take expensive cruises and visit exotic locations. If that type of travel is not in your budget and is not really your style, you might want to consider a vacation not so far from home. A Rocky Mountains of Colorado vacation might be perfect for your family. Whether you are from the plains of nearby Nebraska, the heat of Arizona, or the east coast, a bed and breakfast stay in the Rocky Mountains privates a backdrop of beautiful mountains and wildlife. A variety of lodging/hotel options are available, everything from resorts to a more laid back bed and breakfast.

If a cozy, quiet place that offers a freshly made hot breakfast every morning, seems a little tame for your teenagers, remind them that a Buena Vista, Colorado vacation will offer them the most 14ers in the area. In fact, more than 10 peaks that are at least 14,000-feet tall surround Buena Vista, Colorado, including Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and Columbia. The mountain views are amazing and the hiking can be as challenging as you want, so the quiet cozy bed may be just what they want at the end of an entire day outside. If you think you have seen U.S. mountains, but have not yet been to Colorado, you may want to really push your family for this option. Buena Vista’s elevation is 7,954 feet and it is one of the main gateways to the 1,109,782 acre San Isabel National Forest, as well as the 148-mile long Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area.

During the summer time many of the visitors are from out of state traveling to Colorado and touring the mountains. During the winter time, however, most of the visitors are from the Denver area. They are often traveling up to the mountains to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, or snowmobile. The hotsprings are also a favorite of many of the winter guests.

Whether you are a family looking for a refreshing and active summer vacation, or you are looking for an opportunity to check out winter snow skiing, it is likely that your family will love the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Once you hike above the summer timberline and experience for yourself the brilliance of columbine flowers fueled with color from the altitude, you may be asking yourself why you never scheduled a Colorado vacation before.