The One Thing To Do in Colorado Before the End of the Year

If you're looking for something fun and memorable to do with your friends, family, and other loved ones to close out 2025, then you should head to Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora to check out everything it has to offer for the holiday season. Here, you'll be amazed by the decorations, the activities, and most of all, ICE! Featuring Dr Suess' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The Gaylord Rockies Resort is a wonderful place to spend an entire day celebrating and preparing for a great 2026.

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is huge. There is always something going on at this resort, but it really comes alive during the holiday season. The entire building is decorated both inside and out, and the enthusiastic staff has developed endless activities for its overnight guests and day visitors.

Even just strolling around the resort from Thanksgiving to the first few days of January is a worthwhile endeavor. It's so festive, and there's so much to see! The resort offers over a dozen on-site holiday activities. For example, you can sign up for time at the Gingerbread Decorating Center or at the Elf Training Academy to learn how to make treats and toys. You can even view a life-sized gingerbread cabin, too.

You can go indoor snow tubing on Candy Cane Mountain. Or, you might try your hand at sending a puck through an obstacle course during the Gumdrop Gliders Ice Puck Challenge. You might consider joining Mrs. Claus for stories and holiday traditions, and, of course, you'll want to stop by and get your picture taken with Santa.

Visitors might also enjoy some fancy holiday-themed cocktails and shopping along Gaylord Rockies Resort's Yuletide Street Market. This winter and holiday wonderland is fun for the whole family.

However, one thing you should not miss when visiting this resort during the holiday season is ICE! Featuring Dr. Seuss "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." This 17,000-square-foot attraction features ice sculptures carved using more than two million pounds of ice.

The sculptures were carved by 30 artisans who came all the way from Harbin, China, to create this masterpiece, and it took them five weeks to complete it. The exhibit is kept at 9 degrees Fahrenheit at all times to keep the sculptures frozen. Parkas are included with the ticket price to keep visitors warm while they explore.

Inside ICE!, you'll also find some slides to scoot down and enjoy. Some of the ice sculptures that you'll see are more than 30 feet tall.

This ice-cold activity is fun for everyone. You'll be amazed at the cold and colorful craftsmanship that you'll see here, and your time at Gaylord Rockies Resort this holiday season is sure to be an adventure you'll never forget.

And, if you want to experience even more Grinchy fun, you can also sign up for Grinch-focused events at the resort. Feast with the Grinch is a character dining experience that includes a meet-and-greet with the Grinch himself, or you can choose to solve riddles while you explore the entire resort by embarking on The Grinch's Wonderful Awful Idea Scavenger Hunt.

No matter what you choose to do at Rockies Gaylord Resort this holiday season, you're sure to have a good time. This resort has so much to offer, and visiting it at Christmastime should be a part of your Colorado holiday traditions every year.

This year, Christmas at Gaylord Rockies runs from Nov. 24, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026. Don't delay! Book your tickets today so you don't miss out. It's a wonderful way to wrap up the year.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.