Family Summer Attractions Near Alpine Slides

An alpine slide is a perfect anchor for a family day, but the best summer trips mix it with other things: a train ride, a museum, a lake, a wildlife center, or a historic house. These attractions are all near slides in this guide, and each links to its own official site.

Riders on sleds following one another down a twin-track alpine slide through a summer meadow
Side-by-side tracks make the slide a shared family ride.

On the mountain: more than the slide

Many resorts surround their slides with a full summer adventure park, so a family can spend a whole day in one place.

  • Breckenridge, Colorado: Epic Discovery at Peak 8 Base Camp combines the Alpine Slides with the Gold Runner Coaster, ropes and challenge courses, a kids' zipline, mini golf, bungee trampolines, and gemstone panning. Getting there on the free BreckConnect Gondola from town is an attraction in itself.
  • Park City, Utah: Park City Mountain's Mountain Village Adventure Park lists a mountain coaster, alpine slide, zip lines, mini golf, and more, steps from historic Main Street.
  • Bromley, Vermont: the Mountain Adventure Park adds a Giant Swing, Big Splash Waterslide, Mountain Towers, and mini golf, and a separate Treetop Adventure Course.
  • Mt. Hood Skibowl, Oregon: the Adventure Park offers tree-top tours, ziplines, karts, mini golf, batting cages, bungee trampolines, and more.
  • Whitefish, Montana: zip line tours, an aerial adventure park, and a scenic lift to the Summit House.
  • Snow King Mountain, Wyoming: the Cowboy Coaster, a scenic gondola, and an observatory and planetarium on the mountain.

Trains and gondolas

  • Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado. Near Purgatory Resort, this historic railroad runs scenic trains from the Durango depot through the San Juan Mountains to Silverton. The full round trip is a long day, with a layover in Silverton.
  • BreckConnect Gondola, Colorado. Free to ride, and dogs ride free too, according to GoBreck.
  • Lutsen Mountains, Minnesota. The Summit Express Gondola offers sightseeing rides above Lake Superior.

Olympic history in Park City

Utah Olympic Park, a legacy venue of the Olympic Winter Games held in Salt Lake City, pairs its own Alpine Slide with zip lines, tubing, and adventure courses. It also offers a summer bobsled experience on its Olympic track, for families with older thrill-seekers, and two free museums: the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles museum devoted to the Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. On a hot or stormy afternoon, the museums make an easy indoor break.

Wildlife and nature centers

  • Big Bear Alpine Zoo, California. A wildlife rehabilitation facility in Big Bear Lake that cares for injured, orphaned, and imprinted wild animals. Animals that cannot return to the wild remain on exhibit.
  • Big Bear Discovery Center, California. The U.S. Forest Service visitor and education center for the San Bernardino National Forest, on North Shore Drive in Fawnskin, with exhibits and naturalist programs.
  • Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota. Near Rushmore Tramway Adventures, with bison and elk on the prairie above one of the world's longest caves.

Water days

  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan. A short drive from Crystal Mountain, with dunes and miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.
  • Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse, Minnesota. State parks on the North Shore, connected by the paved Gitchi-Gami State Trail.
  • Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania. Waterfalls and river scenery in the Laurel Highlands near Seven Springs.
  • Big Bear Lake, California. The Forest Service highlights the Stanfield Cutoff causeway as a top spot for wildlife watching.

History and architecture

  • Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, Vermont. The Manchester summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, with gardens, a farm, a Pullman car, and trails, near Bromley.
  • Hancock Shaker Village, Massachusetts. A museum of Shaker life near Jiminy Peak, with historic buildings and a working farm.
  • Fallingwater, Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright's famous house over a waterfall, near Seven Springs. Advance reservations are required.
  • Ulysses S. Grant Home, Illinois. A state historic site in Galena, near Chestnut Mountain Resort.
  • Timberline Lodge, Oregon. A National Historic Landmark on Mount Hood, above Mt. Hood Skibowl.
  • Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota. About two miles from Keystone and Rushmore Tramway Adventures.

A sample family day

Here is one way a day might flow at a resort town with a slide. Start with breakfast in town and a short morning hike or nature center visit while the track dries. Ride the slide in late morning, a few laps for the older kids and a passenger lap or two for the youngest. Break for a long lunch on the deck. Spend the afternoon at a nearby lake, museum, or historic site, and if the weather holds, finish with one more ride before the lifts close. Flexible days like this leave room for summer storms without losing the fun.

Tips for a family slide day

  • Check the height chart first. Know whether each child can ride alone, ride with an adult, or not yet ride. See riding with kids.
  • Ride early. Shorter lines and calmer weather tend to come before lunch, once the dew has dried.
  • Use bundled passes wisely. All-day passes are great value for active families but may be more than younger children need.
  • Plan a rain backup. Museums, visitor centers, and lodges make easy retreats when the slide closes for weather.
  • Pack snacks and water. Mountain days are long, and some rides do not permit food or drink.

Looking for the bigger picture? See national parks near alpine slides and planning a mountain-resort trip.

Sources

Before you go. AlpineSlide.com is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the resorts, parks, and attractions it describes. Seasons, hours, rules, and ticket options are set by each operator and can change with the weather. Confirm the details on the operator’s own site before you travel.
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