Fun Family-Friendly Activities in Colorado Beyond Hiking and Camping
This week we are going to be talking all about the beautiful state of Colorado! Sally Mason joins us to talk about all the fun things to do in Colorado with your family, besides the more obvious outdoor options.
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Many of these fun family-friendly activities are near Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs.
Transportation
If you plan to stay in Denver, there is a light rail system that is fairly good to use when getting around.
However, if you want to see anything outside of Denver, you will definitely need a car. The city itself is pretty spread out, so depending on what you plan to do, a car would be a good idea.
Museums
Meow Wolf Convergence Station: An immersive museum experience! It feels like being transported to another world! Sally recommends spending 2-3 hours here.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science: There are many exhibits here to explore! They primarily focus on the environment and animals of Colorado! There is also a fantastic interactive space exhibit and super cool room about the human body. They even have a space where you can watch geologists working on specimens found in the area!
Colorado Railroad Museum: This is a must-see if you have any train lovers in your family! You can climb through different train carriages and the museum is outdoors. This museum is located in Golden, CO.
Dinosaur Ridge: This is a small indoor museum that features real life dinosaur footprints! There are also lots of exhibits to learn more about dinosaurs. You also have the option to take a tour of the museum. This is located in Morrison, CO, near Golden!
Manitou Cliff Dwellings: These are ancient Native American cliff dwellings that you are able to explore! There is also a great museum on-site.
Street Art
Denver and Boulder are home to popular street art festivals that happen annually.
In Denver, the Rhino area is the art district where you can see a lot of murals.
This September, there is an art festival in Denver called Denver Walls! It will feature local artists and others who travel to present their work.
Another art festival is Street Wise in Boulder! This festival is spread throughout Boulder and you can go find murals around the city!
Babe Walls is a mural festival specifically for female mural artists. This festival moves around every year.
Colfax Canvas is another mural festival in Aurora (a suburb of Denver)
Animal Experiences
Denver Zoo: Great zoo right in Denver!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs): This zoo lets you feed giraffes and rhinos! And you have an amazing view of the city.
Wild Animal Sanctuary: Home to many large cats who have been rescued. It’s a large area where visitors walk on a raised boardwalk.
Historical Sites
Cliff Dwellings and Dinosaur Ridge (as explained above)
Molly Brown House Museum: Molly was one of the survivors from the Titanic and her home is now a museum! You can learn a lot about the Titanic and see what an older home would have looked like.
Events
Colorado Renaissance Festival: Watch knights joust, get knighted, and dress up!
Denver Botanic Gardens has events throughout the year! Leading up to Christmas and Halloween they have amazing light displays.
National Western Stock Show: Come and see a parade of farm animals and long-horn cattle! Followed by a couple of weeks of more events!
Holiday events
Camp Christmas: learn about Christmas around the world and walk through exhibits of Christmas scenery
Polar Express at Colorado Railroad Museum
The Denver Zoo does light displays leading up to Christmas
Denver Union Station also does lights and Christmas events
Outdoors
Although Sally and her family don’t typically venture hiking or camping, these are some outdoor activities that Sally says are must-sees!
Garden of the Gods: This is a large park full of amazing rock formations!
Red Rocks Amphitheater: This is an awesome natural amphitheater that is cool to visit, even if you’re not going to a concert.
Royal Gorge Bridge & Park: Visit the largest suspension bridge in the U.S.! They also have gondola rides and ziplining across the canyon.
Rocky Mountain National Park: One of the highlights to see in Colorado! There is something for all levels of mobility here.
Playgrounds
Junkyard Social Club: This is a super cool playground made out of junk! Everything is recycled! There are indoor and outdoor areas with a cafe as well.
Twin Silo Park: 2 silos have been converted into awesome playgrounds, with more areas outside of them. There is also a dog park here.
Children’s Museum: There are indoor and outdoor play areas here!
Get in touch with Sally!