Looking for something fun to do for the entire family? Denver has both the beauty and adventure of the great outdoors as well as a bustling downtown and metro city area filled with top rated museums and cultural centers. Having a good list of indoor and outdoor activities is great for play-dates, stay-cations, and special family outings. Below is a list of 15 activities that will keep your family enjoying the great mile-high city all year long!
1. Mordecai Children’s Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens
Families and kids can explore freely in a natural environment that spans 3-acres at the Mordecai Children’s Garden. Children can hunt for bugs, learn about plants, and enjoy a story.
2. Cherry Creek Shopping Center
The new Rocky Mountain Play Park featuring Looney Tunes located inside Cherry Creek Shopping Mall offers a fun and free place for kids to play indoors. Parents can enjoy a coffee and some shopping and let the kids burn some energy. Win-win!
3. Denver Museum of Nature and Science
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is a learning mecca for children and adults alike. Current exhibits include Expedition Health, Gems and Minerals, Wildlife Exhibits, Space Oddysey, Prehistoric Journey, Egyptian Mummies, and more. The Discovery Zone on Level 2 is a fantastic area for children to build science skills and have a blast- complete with a Water Play Area and a Construction Corner.
Encourage the inner artist in your child by gifting them with the experience of the Denver Art Museum. The Denver Art Museum offers activities for children such as coloring and building, and even has a Just For Fun center and Kids Corner.
5. Denver Zoo
The Denver Zoo is open year round and is a fun outing for the family! The Denver Zoo has won many awards for being an exceptional zoo in the nation.
Complete with an interactive play structure, slides, spray cannons, and a “Tipper” bucket that drops hundreds of gallons of water every couple minutes, Splash Aquatic Park in Golden is a great summer adventure for families.
7. Wings over Rockies Air and Space Museum
Families can enjoy airshows and exhibits at the Wings over Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver. Other fun activities include learning how to build a Goddard Rocket, assemble a balsa airplane, and build a candy airplane!
8. Children’s Museum of Denver
The Children’s Museum of Denver is all about allowing children to free play, use their imagination, and explore using hands-on learning. Check out the Bubble room and the fun Market.
9. Wash Park
Wash Park is 155 acres of beauty and fun. Two playgrounds, two flower gardens, and plenty surrounding restaurants make this park a perfect family activity. Bring your lawn games and sunscreen.
The Denver Firefighter Museum is a great place to take your little ones who love to see fire trucks and talk about firefighters! It is one of the greatest Firefighter Museum’s in the world and offers hands-on activities for the whole family.
11. Belleview Park
Take the kids to the playground, to a Children’s Farm and Petting Zoo, and let them ride on a miniature train all at Belleview Park! Train rides are only $1.75 per person, making it a very budget friendly activity.
Ice cream at it’s finest can be found at Little Man Ice Cream! Fun flavors like Salted Oreo and Chocolate Cupcake make this ice cream shop fantastic, but who can resist the kids slide and the twenty-eight foot tall, 14,000 lb. cream can building? They also have plenty of fun summer events such as music, food, yoga, and more.
Spend a day with over 1,000 butterflies in a 7,000 sq. ft. rain forest at the Butterfly Pavilion. They also announced new $5 days- so check out their calendar.
14. Dinosaur Ridge
Dinosaur Ridge, located in Morrison, CO, offers breathtaking views good for trail hiking, discovering 150 million year old dinosaur bones, and learning through guided programs.
15. SkyVenture
If you and your family are thrill-seekers, check out SkyVenture in Lone Tree, CO where you can experience indoor sky-diving today.
For more fun and exciting ideas, check out Denver.org.
What are some of your favorite family-friendly activities in the Denver Metro area to enjoy with your family?
Love this list, Tiffany! I feel like we hit up the same places over and over, I can’t wait to try some new spots, especially Dinosaur Ridge and the Denver FF Museum. Thanks for sharing.