2021-12-03 12:33:20
More Ideas for Families ELITCH GARDENS THEME & WATER PARK Mind-blowing rides for those taller than 48 inches, plenty of slower family rides for those who aren’t, Island Kingdom Water Park, a summer concert series, “dive-in” movies and Meow Wolf’s Kaleidoscope ride make the nation’s only downtown theme park a must visit. BLACK AMERICAN WEST MUSEUM & HERITAGE CENTER Nearly a third of the pioneers who helped settle Colorado in the late 1800s were Black. These miners, ranchers, teachers, blacksmiths and lawmen were a major part of the Wild West. See their stories brought to life. WATER WORLD One of the biggest and best water parks in the nation, with acres of refreshing summertime fun. With nearly 50 rides and adventures, there’s something for all ages. BUTTERFLY PAVILION 1,600 free-flying butterflies make their home at this one-of-a-kind spot in nearby Westminster, fluttering around visitors in a re-creation of a tropical rainforest. THE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY This rescue/educational facility 30 miles outside of Denver is home to more than 650 lions, tigers, bears and wolves. They roam the massive refuge while you walk above them on the Mile Into the Wild walkway. WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES AIR & SPACE MUSEUM AND EXPLORATION OF FLIGHT Visit two locations packed with iconic aircraft, space vehicles, aerospace-heritage artifacts, flight simulators and immersive exhibits. DINOSAUR RIDGE Compare footprint sizes with giant prehistoric beasts on a nature walk in Morrison. You’ll encounter more than 100 fossilized dino tracks, including stegosaurus, apatosaurus and allosaurus. Your littles will grin from ear to ear in the Mile High City. Day 1 More than 500 species of ocean-dwellers roam landlocked Denver at Downtown Aquarium. Have close encounters with sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and even Sumatran tigers. Nearby is the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, an imaginationstimulating journey for newborns through age 8 with a 3½-story climber, a 6-foot bubble, Adventure Forest and much more. Older kids will want to check out adventure parks for skateboarding, BMX, mountain biking and skiing/boarding. Denver Skatepark, Ruby Hill Mountain Bike Park and Ruby Hill Railyard are a few to scope out. End your first day on 16th Street Mall, a milelong promenade and one of the city’s most visited attractions. It’s a great spot for dinner, with plenty of kidpleasing choices. Every block boasts a landmark or public art to keep them stimulated. Day 2 Go where the wild things are: the Denver Zoo. This City Park institution takes visitors on a globetrotting safari. The new stingray and shark habitat, Stingray Cove, allows visitors to interact with safe-to-touch species. Pack a picnic lunch and spread out in City Park, the largest in Denver, with acres of green space. Find a spot in the area around Ferril Lake to take in the best views of the Rocky Mountains. Museum options for today include the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, also in City Park, to see enormous dinosaur skeletons, watch an IMAX feature or see the Space Odyssey, Egyptian Mummies and North American Indian Cultures exhibits. Or head west to the city of Golden’s Colorado Railroad Museum to see more than 100 locomotives, cabooses and HO model railroad attractions. The Denver Art Museum is one of the nation’s best for kids programs, including Art Spy: Giant Seek and Find, the Art Letter Challenge and gallery games — and it’s always free for kids under 18. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts hosts many kid-friendly events, including the Colorado Symphony’s Family Series (Halloween Spooktacular and Drums of the Word are faves), as well as Movies at the Symphony, when the scores are performed during screenings of beloved flicks. Dinner calls for a trip to Casa Bonita. This longtime, quirky favorite is known less for its food and more as an indoor amusement park with cliff divers, mariachi bands, puppet shows, magicians and more. Other popular family spots include Tocabe American Indian Eatery, Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, Sam’s No. 3, Punch Bowl Social (bowling, table games and arcade), Ace Eat Serve (Southeast Asian food and pingpong hall) and Sweet Sweetz.
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