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Attractions and activities to please every member — from tots to teens — are available around every corner in Colorado. WINTER DIVERSIONS From tubing and ice-skating to horse-drawn sleigh rides and kid-centered ski and snowboard programs, giggle-inducing winter activities can be found on and off the slopes in Colorado. Slide down a snowy hill on a bouncy tube, then ride the lift to the top to do it again and again in Fraser, Breckenridge, Frisco, Keystone, Vail, Copper Mountain, Snowmass, Winter Park, Durango, Steamboat, Telluride and Beaver Creek; or skate amid gorgeous winter landscapes at ice rinks all over the state. See page 23 for more ideas. COLORADO.com/WinterRecreation AMUSEMENT PARKS Theme parks satisfy all ages with towering waterslides and high-speed coasters for thrill-seekers and tamer rides for those who fancy moving at a slower pace. Plunge more than 200 feet at 60 miles per hour at Water World and Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park in Denver, conquer the canyon at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Cañon City, shake out your inner monkey at Bananas Fun Park in Grand Junction or revel in the Christmas spirit all year at North Pole Home of Santa’s Workshop in Colorado Springs. COLORADO.com/AmusementParks ADVENTURE PARKS Whimsical worlds of gravity-defying ziplines, speedy alpine slides and other kid-loving activities await at Colorado adventure parks. Check out: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Vail and Breckenridge’s Epic Discovery, Soaring Tree Top Adventures in Durango, Epic Sky Trek in Castle Rock, Top of the Rockies Zip Line in Leadville, Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs and Winter Park Adventure Quest. COLORADO.com/AdventureParks MUSEUMS See colossal dinos at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience in Cañon City; learn about foraging and farms at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery; become a maker in the Google Garage at the new Museum of Boulder; run your own food truck at The Trailhead Children’s Museum in Crested Butte; or explore tiny worlds at the Greeley Model Railroad Museum. COLORADO.com/Museums HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS Well-preserved landmarks and captivating museums bring the past to life, when American Indians, pioneers and fortune-seekers made our state what it is today. Gain an understanding of the arduous work undertaken by miners at Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek or Last Chance Mine in Creede; ride the rails of the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in Alamosa or the Leadville Railroad; or explore the living culture of the Ute Indians at the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose and the Southern Ute Museum in Ignacio (see page 57 for more). COLORADO.com/History ZOOS & ANIMAL SANCTUARIES Bears, gators and butterflies are a few of the critters that inhabit our zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries. Spy on black bears and mountain lions at the Wild Animal Sanctuary west of Denver; feed one of the world’s largest giraffe herds at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs; walk through a rainforest amid a fluttering of wings at The Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster or toss fish to the residents of the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in Mosca. COLORADO.com/Zoos FAMILY ACTIVITY BACKPACKS Twenty-nine Colorado State Parks have Family Activity Backpacks available for check out at the park visitor centers. With bug boxes, magnifiers, guide books, binoculars and more, the packs help explorers of any age discover how much fun they can have on a journey through the great outdoors. COLORADO.com/CSPBackpacks
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