Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

522 S. Frontage Rd. E. Vail, CO 81657 | (970) 476-0103 | info@BettyFordAlpineGardens.org
©2023 Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. All Rights reserved

Family Activities

Fun for the Whole Family

Discover & Play

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens offers a variety of family-friendly activities. Families can sign up for guided hands-on activities that explore the beautiful environment surrounding Vail. Families looking for a self-guided experience can come to our Children’s Garden which is a great place for children to discover and play!

Please join us in the Education Center to discover the mountain ecosystem in any season.

Scavenger Hunt

Plants have rhythms, blooming, seeding and budding at the same each year....or do they?  Children who complete the scavenger hunt get a special prize. The Scavenger Hunt starts at the Education Center, available every day from 10am to 3pm.

Tundra Explorer - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Tundra Explorer Game

See if you can be the first to make it to the far north. Play our own version of chutes and ladders in the Education Center with scientific explorer Knud and his trusty sled dog.

Family Tabletop Activities

Family Tabletop Activities - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Family Exhibit - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens 

Visit our calendar of events for ways to explore and experience our gardens and participate in learning programs.

VIEW CALENDAR

Children's Garden

Located across from the Main Entrance

Wander through the family-friendly Children’s Garden. See vegetables grow and let children play in Betty’s Market, a realistic farmer’s market for kids. Families can enjoy the shade in rocking chairs perched over Gore Creek or head into the Schoolhouse Gift Shop to find garden-inspired keepsakes.

Discover our botanical gardens in the family-friendly Children’s Garden. Activities engage children’s creativity while also being a great place to stop for the whole family. Look below to see the activities we offer.

The Discovery Cart

Let the kids embrace their own adventure by doing our daily Discovery Cart activity. Everyday, we put out a different activity for the kids to do around the Children’s Garden. They are self-guided and encourage children to open their minds and discover something new about nature.

Betty’s Market

Betty’s Market playhouse is a great way for the kids to have fun and embrace their creativity while surrounded by our beatiful vegetable garden. Make a connection to where the food on our table comes from or shop the market for the ingredients on your chosen recipe card. Play along with the kids or relax in our rocking chairs, perched over Gore Creek.

And More!

Relax in the shade, admire the plants, see how tall rhubarb can grow or shop in our gift shop. The Children’s Garden has plenty to do for everyone!

View Map

Scavenger Hunt

Daily 10am – 3pm

A great way for the family to see the whole area of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is with our Scavenger Hunt! Search for clues to discover more about alpine plants and pollinators. Take your time enjoying the hidden and wonderful areas of the gardens or let the kids race through and enjoy their sense of adventure. Complete the scavenger hunt get a special prize. Come back each year to discover that new theme. The Scavenger Hunt starts at the Education Center.

Family Winter Scavenger Hunt

Freezing temperatures and deep snow make winters in Vail challenging. Discover how animals have adapted to survive by following the clues! Pick up a clue sheet at the Education Center.

Illustration of a Pika - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Explore on Your Own

Take a walk down the creek or a stroll through the gardens and be sure to take in all the outdoor exhibit information! Discover the unique adaptations of the plants, the role they play in alpine environments and what life is like above treeline. From being transported around the world, to their importance to the ecosystem, every plant here has a story.

Children's Learning Activities - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Children Activities - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Family Activities in Community Space at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Produce at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Adajeania Vexatrix Fly Pollinating Yellow Flower - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Schoolhouse Gift Shop at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Children in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Playing Giant Jenga in Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Family Discovery Cart Lesson at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Child on Stepping Stones in Children's Garden at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Children's Garden Tour at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

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