Gateway's Blog | Posts, specials and stories of life in the Southwest…

Perfect Rafting For the Entire Family

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Tamara

This weekend I took my 8 year old son, sister-in-law and father-in-law on a rafting trip on the Animas River. Thanks to Dan at Mountain Waters Rafting and our great guide, Dane, we had an awesome time! The river is running swiftly and we covered almost 5 miles in just over an hour! The rapids were churning and the cool water was quite exhilarating at 9 o’clock in the morning! This was such a great trip that all of us, kids to seniors, had a memorable trip. I would highly recommend making rafting part of your vacation plans to Durango

What a great way to start the day! A morning trip on the Animas River!

: Rafting on the Animas River in Durango, Colorado

Whether you pair it with a day on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a jeep tour, zip-line ride, or make a full day out of it, you will not regret taking your family on this great adventure. Make a splash!

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Durango is Pet Friendly

Posted on May 7, 2012 by christy

Durango is a Pet Friendly Vacation Destination

Chloe Moss - Accounts Retrievable at Gateway Reservations

Chloe here; I am one of the great travel experts at Gateway Reservations. I wanted to make sure I mentioned all of the pet friendly lodging choices Durango has available. One of the reasons visitors like Durango is because of the pet friendly lodging options that are available to them. Whether you would like to stay in a hotel, condo, or a private vacation home, Gateway Reservations can help you reserve the perfect accommodation for you and your four legged pal. Are you planning a day trip on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Train, or Mesa Verde National Park? How about rafting or zip lining? Don’t leave your friend in your hotel room all alone! Gateway Reservations can help you with pet day care that is reliable, and reasonably priced so your best friend can enjoy the vacation as well. So pick up the phone and give me or any of my knowledgeable coworkers a call to book your vacation package now.

Categories: activities, durango, Durango Family Packages, Durango Zip Line, Pet Friendly Travel, Rafting, train, Train Rides, Zipline | Tags: activities, central reservations, Colorado, durango, durango activities, durango and silverton narrow gauge, durango events, durango train, durango zip lines, historic steam train, packages, Pet Friendly Travel, things to do, vacation reservations, zip lines | Comments Off

The White Water is Here!

Posted on April 13, 2012 by christy

Gateway Reservations phone lines have been ringing off the hook with traveler’s egger to get out and tackle the white water this season. Whether you are looking to undertake a two-day voyage on those class 5 rapids on the Upper Animas River, or looking for more of a temperate half-day trip on the lower Animas, Gateway Reservations has a perfect excursion waiting for you. Our knowledgeable travel experts will help you put together a summer adventure ideal for your tastes. One of our popular summer discounted packages is the Durango Rail and Raft package. Select accommodations of your choice; enjoy a beautiful morning one-way ride on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Silverton, and an exciting scenic raft trip on the lower Animas in the afternoon. These tours also include a ride over the famous San Juan Skyway with incredible Colorado high-country views. Don’t hesitate to call us, we can customize your fun filled stay in our gorgeous neck of the woods to fit anyone’s needs, and budget.

Categories: Adventure Packages, Adventures, durango, Durango Family Packages, Durango Packages, Family Packages, Rafting, train, Train Packages, Train Rides, Vacation | Tags: activities, adrenaline, adventure activities, central reservations, durango, durango activities, durango and silverton narrow gauge, rafting, rail road, things to do, Train Packages, whitewater rafting | Comments Off

Durango Named Best New Adventure Hub

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Kory

Durango is in the press again, honored as one of the best outdoor adventure hubs in the world! This time, Durango took 2nd place as the runner up to Lake Wanaka, New Zealand in the April 2012 edition of Outside Magazine. We have to say, there is no shame in being 2nd to a beautiful and diverse place like New Zealand, but we are guessing that Durango just might be a bit more accessible to the majority of us in the U.S. this year! Sure, we would all love to enjoy the scenic beauty and outdoor wonder that New Zealand has to offer but, at least speaking for ourselves, the thousands of dollars ($1800 was the cheapest we could find) and the 14 – 19 hour flight to get there is just out of reach this summer…

Lucky for us, Durango has equally incredible scenery, wilderness and outdoor adventures to be had – right in your own backyard! Affordable, accessible and just as exciting, Durango is sure to help you make it easy and affordable to satiate your appetite for adventure this summer. To help you find out for yourself why Durango is listed right next to one of the most incredible destinations in the world, we built the Outdoor Adventure Hub package.

Combine your lodging with a variety of adventure activities and enjoy great discounts. Just think, you could book your entire family and a full itinerary for the price of one plane ticket to that “other” adventure hub!

Book your Outdoor Adventure Hub Package today!

Categories: activities, Adventure Packages, Adventures, durango, Durango Family Packages, Durango Packages, Durango Tours, Durango Zip Line, Family Packages, packages, Vacation Planning, Zipline | Tags: durango adventure, durango adventure hub, outdoor adventure package durango, outside magazine | Comments Off

Spring is Fast Approching

Posted on March 15, 2012 by christy

The snow is melting, the buds are on the trees, and the daffodils are starting to peak their way through the thawing ground. What a beautiful time of year to visit our neck of the woods! Durango has several spring time activities for a couple needing a weekend get-a-way or family wanting some outdoor fun in the warm spring sun. How does a train ride on the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad sound? What about zip lining through our majestic Ponderosa Pines? Rent a bike and ride on the river trail, stoping at the Discovery Muesum for a fun visit. It’s also a perfect time of year to visit Mesa Verde National Park. At the end of the day go for a soak at Trimble Hot Springs. Give Gateway Reservations a call, and one of our freindly and knowledgable agents can assist you in putting together the perfect spring vacation. You know you want to!

Categories: Biking, durango, Durango Family Packages, Durango Packages, Durango Zip Line, Family Packages, packages, train, Train Rides, Unique Packages, Vacation, Vacation Planning, Zipline | Tags: activities, Bike Rentals, central reservations, Colorado, durango, durango activities, durango and silverton narrow gauge, durango train, durango zip lines, historic steam train, train and lodging, Trimble Hot Springs, vacation reservations, zip lines | Comments Off

Spactacular Winter Balloon Rides in Durango

Posted on January 30, 2012 by christy

With our recent snow we have received, what could be more beautiful then a hot air balloon ride. Soaring through the crisp air high above the ground through our Animas Valley, the peaceful winter backdrop and 360 panoramic views will having you gasping in amazement! Why not book our popular Durango Romantic Getaway Package. Stay in one of our historical hotels, receive a couples massage and soak at Trimble Spa and Hot Springs, and the next morning head out to the valley for your personal balloon ride. If you can stay with us a little longer, the skiing and snowmobiling are great right now! DON’T WAIT! Call us today to book a winter trip of a lifetime!

Categories: Adventure Packages, Adventures, durango, Durango Mountain Resort, Durango Packages, Durango Snow Conditions, Durango Tours, Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowmobiling, Unique Packages | Tags: activities, adrenaline, adventure activities, central reservations, Colorado, durango, durango activities, Durango Mountain Resort at Purgatory, Hot Air Balloon Rides, lodging, packages, Romatic Getaways, things to do, vacation reservations | Comments Off

Snowing in the Southwest!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Kory

Fresh Powder in Durango for great skiing!

All ski season long, we have been hearing about how there is not enough snow around the country for skiers to get their turns in, despite the fact that Durango Mountain Resort has maintained a base of more than 10 inches more snow than some of our Colorado neighbors (check out a CO Snow Report here). Well, we have been faithfully doing the snow dance here at Gateway for some time and it is finally paying dividends today!

We woke up to fresh powder this morning. Saw about 6 Inches at my house and about 3 in town when I got to work but it has been dumping ever since. Right now, we are officially at about 6 inches of fresh powder outside our windows and it keeps dumping. Dust off your skis and boards because they are about to get some use!

Take advantage of some of our best ski packages and get the powder while its fresh! Check out our DMR Winter Ski package to build your own custom ski trip or our select our Ski Durango package for our absolute best deals on lifts with select partners!

Check out the DMR mountain cams by clicking here or check out a fresh pic below:

Durango Mountain Cam 1.16.12

Categories: durango, Durango Mountain Resort, Durango Snow Conditions, Ski Packages, Skiing, Snow Conditions, Snowboard Packages, Snowboarding, Vacation Planning | Tags: dmr snow report, durango, durango activities, Durango Mountain Resort at Purgatory, durango mountain snow conditions, durango snow, durango snow conditions, durango snowboarding, purgatory snow report, Ski Packages, Skiing, snow conditions, Snowboard Packages | Comments Off

The Southwest Epic Ski Package

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Kory

Ski 2 of the most popular mountains in the southwest at one great price!

2 of the best mountains in Colorado - 1 great value!

For the first time, we have built the perfect package for the true ski / snowboard enthusiast – the Epic Ski Package! For the real powder hound, this package offers incredible discounts on lodging and lift tickets to the most popular ski mountains in the Southwest – Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort and Telluride Mountain.

This 4 night, 4 ski day package is the only one of its kind – letting you customize a package to two of the Southwest’s best ski mountains for one incredible value.

Start your trip in Durango and chose from one of hundreds of lodging options. Whether you are looking for deluxe ski in / ski out lodging or you want value oriented in-town hotel / motel accommodations, we have something for every budget. After you check in, kick your feet up, head downtown and enjoy one of Durango’s best restaurants. After dinner, settle in and get some rest before you depart the next day to Purgatory for 2 days of world-class features, terrain for all abilities and short lift lines!

On day 3, check out of your lodging before enjoying a final day on the slopes at DMR and head north for one of the most beautiful drives in the U.S. along the Million Dollar Highway and San Juan Scenic Byway as you depart to the famous town of Telluride! Once you arrive, settle in to your choice of Telluride accommodations including hotels, condos and more. After your night resting, get ready for 2 more days of adventure and world-class skiing at Telluride Mountain – known for its idyllic mountain setting and great powder!

You are guaranteed to have an epic ski journey like no other with this one of a kind package! Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of one of the Southwest’s best ski package deals…

Click here to learn more and to book your Durango / Telluride Epic Ski Get Away

Categories: durango, Durango Mountain Resort, Multi Destination Packages, Ski Packages, Skiing, Snowboard Packages, Snowboarding, telluride, Telluride Ski Packages, Unique Packages, Vacation Planning | Tags: durango, durango and telluride, durango and telluride ski, durango ski, epic ski, multiple mountain ski packages, packages, Ski Packages, Skiing, Snowboard Packages, telluride ski, telluride ski packages, telluride sking, unique ski packages | Comments Off

Our 2012 Ski Package Giveaway!

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Kory

Win a free ski package to Durango Mountain Resort

What is better than epic skiing at Durango Mountain Resort – one of Colorado’s most well-rounded and family friendly mountains? How about a 2 night, 2 day ski package for 2 adults for FREE?!

We are once again offering our great 2012 ski package giveaway! The contest is simple. Tell us why you and a guest deserve a Colorado ski getaway and, if we pick your entry, it’s yours. All we want is for you to find some creative way to let us know why you need it more than others. Send us a video, draw a picture, write a story… whatever. Just make it catch our eyes for your chance to win!

Only a couple weeks left to enter so don’t wait – tell us why you deserve to get away today!

Click here to submit your entry!

Categories: Contests and Give Aways, durango, Durango Mountain Resort, Ski Packages, Skiing, Snowboard Packages, Snowboarding, Vacation Planning | Tags: contests, durango, enter to win, enter to win a free ski package, free package, free ski package, free ski package contest, free ski package give away, free skiing, give aways, ski package contest, ski package give away, ski package giveaway, Ski Packages, Skiing, Snowboard Packages | Comments Off

Don’t Miss the Durango Polar Express!

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Kory

Book the Durango Polar Express train ride today!

Santa visits children aboard the Durango Polar Express train!

All Aboard! The Durango Polar Express Train is back this winter, bringing the magic of the holiday season to life! This one of a kind train ride brings the Polar Express story to life as you journey to the “North Pole” aboard the Durango Train – sure to be fun for the whole family and will create memories to last a lifetime for kids and parents alike!

Your journey starts out as the Polar Express pulls into the station and the conductor yells “All Aboard!” Just as in the movie, kids wear their pajamas and, as the train pulls out of the station, concessionaires deliver tasty treats and hot cocoa and the story begins over the PA system. As the story concludes, the train pulls into the “North Pole” where Santa and his helpers are waiting to greet the train! Santa boards the train and the trip heads back to the Durango station. During the return trip, train attendant’s pass out the Christmas Carol book and all of the passengers sing Christmas carols all the way back as Santa makes his way through the cars to hand out special gifts for all of the “believers.”

This special, one of a kind journey for the whole family only comes once a year and it books up fast, so book your trip today!

Book your Polar Express package here!

Check out this video of the Polar Express Experience:

Categories: activities, Adventures, durango, Durango Events, Durango Family Packages, Family Packages, Special Events, train, Train Packages, Vacation Planning | Tags: activities, durango and silverton narrow gauge, durango events, durango night activities, durango polar express, durango polar express package, durango train, historic steam train, Polar Express, polar express train and lodging package, polar express train package, things to do, train and lodging, train deals, Train Packages, train to north pole, trains | Comments Off