Denver Summer Bucket List 2016

Summer is upon us and if you’re like me, you want to make sure you soak up every ounce of enjoyment out of it that you can. Having some free time and relaxing is always a nice way to spend some summer days, but too much free time can eventually lead to you hearing that phrase all parents dread -“I’m bored!” To make sure you have plenty of fun ideas for this summer that will not only keep the kids happy, but the adults too, check out our Denver Summer Bucket List.

Indoor Fun

• Check out world class art exhibits and FREE youth admission at the Denver Art Museum
• The Museum of Nature and Science has a fun interactive Discovery Zone for toddlers and lots of other fun exhibits for older kids
• Kid’s Workshop at Home Depot {check website calendar for events}
• Denver Firefighter’s Museum– where your little one can learn all about our great local heroes!
• Head over to Hammond’s Candy Factory for their FREE factory tour!
• Check out local Kids Bowl Free programs
• Tour the Colorado State Capitol building
• Join in for a pajama party, story time, snack, and activity at Tattered Cover on Colfax and Aspen Grove the last Friday of each month!
• Visit one of Denver’s Best Bookstores for Kids
• Marvel at the 1,600 butterflies ruling the sky in the tropical rain forest at the Butterfly Pavillion
• Jump the jiggles out at Jump Street
• Let the kids climb the new 3-story Altitude exhibit at the Children’s Museum
• Designed to keep all ages interested, you can explore the history of our state at the Colorado History Museum
• Cinemark’s $1 Summer Movie Clubhouse has a lineup of great films all summer long at various Cinemark locations!
• Let the kids run off some energy at the spacious, multi-level play area in the APEX Center Clubhouse
• Explore under the water creatures at the Denver Aquarium
• The libraries around Denver are full of activities to keep the kids busy all summer
• Check out the workshops, classes, and day-camps at Neighborhood Music Stapleton
• Check out The Wildlife Experience down in Parker
• Find both indoor and outdoor volunteering activities, fun for the whole family

Get Out of Town

• Visit Snow Mountain Ranch and enjoy all the summertime family activities they have to offer
• Explore, hike, and camp at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Enjoy the combination of exciting attractions with the great outdoors at the Royal Gorge
• Road trip to Moab, Utah and visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
• Visit Glenwood Springs for a beautiful hike up to Hanging Lake and then relax in the Glenwood Hot Springs
• Head south to Sand Dunes National Park in Mosca, Colorado
• Explore the fossils and petroglyphs at Dinosaur Monument in Dinosaur, CO
• Let the kids explore the past at Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado
• Enjoy the beautiful views at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
• Visit one of the many attractions in nearby Colorado Springs, including Garden of the Gods, 7 Falls, Cave of the Winds, and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings

At Home Fun

• Have an inside picnic on a rainy day
• Have a pillow fight
• Build a fort
• Homemade silly putty
• Put on a talent show with the whole family
• Host a family game night
• Make an indoor scavenger hunt
• Make your own moon sand
• Make a kaleidiscope
• Create an indoor obstacle course
• Have a tea party
• Bake a cake or fun dessert together
• Write a play together and then act it out
• Finger paint
• Build your own box kite
• Make your own kinetic sand
• Make your own playdoh
• Do some easy, at-home science experiments
• Check out some rainy day activities

Get Outside

• Visit one of Denver’s 8 Most Unusual Playgrounds
• Head up to the mountains one night for some stargazing with the kids
• Find child friendly hikes around the Denver area
• Go explore The Top 7 Things to do with Kids at the Denver Botanic Gardens
• Send the kids off to one of Denver’s best summer camps
• Visit Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Bennett, Colorado
• The Wild Animal Sanctuary – Located near Keenesburg, Colorado, this is a nationally renowned refuge for more than 350 rescued lions, tigers, bears, wolves, and other large carnivores
• Denver Zoo – Located in the heart of Denver, the Zoo sits on 80 beautiful acres and is a favorite for locals and visitors to the city
• Interact with wolves and foxes at the Colorado Wolf and Wilflife Center in Divide, Colorado
• Rockies games at Coors Field are everything that’s great about summers in the Denver area – great food, cold drinks, and fun
• Colorado Rapids games are a great way to spend a summer evening
• Shop and explore local farmer’s markets
• Find some new playgrounds around town that you may not have heard of before
• Ride the train at the famous Tiny Town
• Enjoy the free farm animals at the Littleton Historical Museum
• Playground, farm animals, and train rides – Belleview Farms has it all!
• Try out learning to geocache with the whole family
• Get wet at the at Discovery Park splash pad and playground in Wheat Ridge
• Load up your family and go camping
• Go play putt-putt or try out a game of frisbee golf
• Check out one of the area’s BEST playgrounds and water play areas at the award winning Centennial Center Park
• Picnic in Eldorado Canyon State Park
• Take a family bike ride down Bear Creek Trail or the Platte River Trail
• Go tubing in Golden
• Head to the Lookout Mountain Nature Center – enjoy the panoramic views, hands-on children’s playroom, and the hiking trails!
• Visit the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden
• Rent a boat at the Chatfield Reservoir
• Try out Stand Up Paddelboarding at Bear Creek Lake Park or down the Platte River
• Let the kids splash around downtown at Confluence Park or Union Station
• Splash pads for kids of all ages at Lakewood’s Surfside Spray Park
• Cool off at Pirates Cove, The Splash Waterpark, or Water World
• Step back in time at the outdoor Golden History Museum

Food, Music & Fun

• Eat out at one of the many Kids Eat Free in Denver restaurants
• Go see what all the talk is about at The Source, a collection of food artisans and retailers offering everything from freshly baked bread to craft cocktails
• Everyone in your group want something different to eat? Avanti F&B is a collective eatery with something for everyone and a great patio for those warm summer nights
• Enjoy an evening of music and movies in the park in downtown Golden
• Film on the Rocks is a summer-long film festival at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Check their website for show dates!
• Ride your bikes over to Civic Center Park to catch a film at their Civic Center Bike-In Movie Series
• Enjoy Family Film Night, select nights, throughout the summer at Aspen Grove Shopping Center
• Enjoy free movies during the summer every Monday at Glendale’s Monday Movie Madness at Infinity Park
• Grab dessert while you are downtown at one of Denver’s best-Ice cream at  Little Man Ice Cream, Donuts at Glazed and Confused, absolutely anything at D Bar Denver, or ice cream tacos at Nuggs
• Denver Chalk Art Festival– Say goodbye to spring with some outdoor culture and fun for the whole family. Running June 4th and 5th, this festival turns Larimer Square into an art museum. Kids love checking out the fascinating drawings, while parents can enjoy the wine pavilions and live music
• Denver Day of Rock– Five stages of free music come to Denver every Memorial Day weekend, offering family friendly entertainment, while also raising money to support non-profits. Check out this years line up of bands for the May 28th performance.
• Experience art, music, fashion, and great food at The Big Wonderful
• Free ice cream, face painting, and entertainment at the City Park Ice Cream Social– June 2nd from 6-9pm
• Enjoy live music, food, and entertainment at the Denver People’s Fair, June 4th and 5th
• Buffalo Bill Days– This annual celebration in Golden dates back to the 1940’s. Enjoy Cody’s Wild West show, the “Best of the West” Parade, Muttin’ Bustin’, live music, an orphan and classic car show, and a golf tournament. The celebration runs July 22-26
• Watch the dragon boat race and enjoy culture and entertainment at the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival on July 30-31st.
• The “Craziest County Fair in America” {yes, that’s the Denver County Fair} runs July 31 – August 2nd this year.
• The Colorado State Fair & Rodeo in Pueblo begins August 28th – mark your calendars now!
• Close out the summer enjoying live music, food, and fun at the Taste of Colorado on September 2nd-5th.

Let us know what fun activities we’re missing and should add to our summer bucket list!