Kid-Approved Denver / COME TO LIFE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CITY PARK, DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE; DENVER ART MUSEUM, VISIT DENVER. 3 DAY 2 Go to where the wild things are: the Denver Zoo . One of the nation’s most popular zoos, this adventure in City Park takes visitors on a globe-trotting safari. You’ll go nose to nose with a polar bear, trade funny faces with orangutans and stretch necks with giraffes. The Toyota Elephant Passage lets kids get up-close-and-personal with elephants in one of the world’s largest bull-elephant habitats. And The Edge is a new up-close peek at rare Amur tigers. Pack a picnic lunch and spread out in City Park (3) , the largest in Denver, with 330 acres of refresh-ing green space and an abundance of fresh-air activities. Find a spot in the area around Ferril Lake to take in the best views of Denver’s skyline and the Rocky Mountains. Museum options for today include the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (2) , also in City Park, to see enormous dinosaur skeletons in the Prehistoric Journey exhibit, watch an IMAX feature or transport into space at the planetarium. Or head west to the city of Gold-en’s Colorado Railroad Museum , where more than 100 locomotives, cabooses and HO model railroad attractions make the state’s rail history seem larger than life. The Denver Art Museum (4) is one of the nation’s best for kids programs, including the Just for Fun Family Center and Family Backpacks and Creative Corners for exploring the galleries. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts hosts many kid-friendly performances each year, including the Colorado Symphony ’s Family Series (Halloween Spooktacular and Drums of the Word are faves), as well as 2018’s “School of Rock.” Dinner calls for a trip to Casa Bonita , which is not your average Mexican restaurant. This longtime Denver favorite is a great place to end your Denver adventure. Known less for its food and more as an indoor amusement park, it entertains little ones with cliff divers, mariachi bands, puppet shows, a pirate cave, magicians and more. After this packed weekend, you might consider treating yourself to one of their fa-mously large margaritas. Other popular and cool family-dining spots include Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, Sam’s No. 3, Punch Bowl Social (with bowling, table games and vintage arcade), Ace Eat Serve (Southeast Asian food + pingpong hall) and the Cherry Cricket . 4 DIVE INTO ADVENTURE Aquarium Adventure Exhibit • Aquarium Restaurant • Mystic Mermaids • Carousel Train • Swim with the Sharks • Stingray Reef • Weekend Events 700 Water Street • 303.561.4450 • downtownaquarium.com OPEN DAILY • MAKE RESERVATIONS ONLINE COLORADO.COM / 93
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 93
