Exploring Denver with Kids: 25 Family-Friendly Activities
Denver, Colorado is a great destination for families looking for fun and exciting activities. From museums and zoos to parks and playgrounds, we’ve compiled a list of 25 family-friendly activities that will make your next trip to the Denver Metro Area an unforgettable one. Whether you're looking for indoor or outdoor activities, educational or recreational, this guide has something for everyone. Discover the best places to visit with your kids in Denver and make your next family trip an adventure
If you see us at the same places, please stop us and say hi!
Things to do:
History Colorado is so much fun! It’s only $14 for adults, $8 for big kids, and free for little kids. However, follow along on their social media to watch for discounts and free days - they usually have one to celebrate Colorado’s birthday on August 1. They also have several museums throughout Colorado that are fun to visit if you enjoy local history.
Denver Art Museum is free for kids every day with several free days for adults throughout the year.
Denver Mint runs free tours all the time, but it is for big kids and adults only. Check the website for tour times and info.
Hudson Gardens is free for the whole family - bring along your picnic lunch, ask to do the scavenger hunt, and get there early before the heat.
Littleton Museum is free but get there early before the crowds. We love touring different houses. Continue the fun at home by making one of these fun recipes to get in the spirit of the pioneers.
Centennial Center Park (or as we like to call it - the treehouse park) is a kid’s paradise. Grab your swimsuits, lunch, and sunscreen for a whole day of fun. Tips: Dutch Bros is right down the street and totally worth a stop first. And if you don’t have to worry about naptime anymore, show up at about 1:00 for smaller crowds.
Plains Conservation Center is a fun hands-on way to learn about the people living on the plains of Colorado throughout its history. Though I’m not sure little ones would find it very interesting, I love bringing school-age kids here to reiterate the things they’ve learned in school.
Colorado State Parks have really stepped up their swim beach game over the past few years. We love going to Chatfield, Cherry Creek, and even Boyd Lake swim beaches. Bring your lunch, sun umbrella, and towel, and plan for a whole day of fun. Not a state park, but Bear Creek Lake also has a great swimming beach.
The Colorado State Parks also have some fun family activities available for everyone. We love the Agents of Discovery app for helping us explore new areas. Plus, a passport program encouraging Coloradans to visit all our state parks and hatcheries.
Skate City is the best for old-school entertainment for the whole family (unless you have zero coordination like me!) and the price is fantastic especially if you own your own skates. They have quite a few locations throughout the Front Range.
Sonic’s happy hour from 2:00-4:00 is a fun afternoon treat for us and a great way to bribe the kids when I need to run errands around town. Slushes for the kids, Ocean Water for me, we roll down the windows and dance to the music. And maybe snack on a corn dog.
Tiny Town this little village was almost lost to the COVID shutdown but was saved by a GoFundMe campaign and they recently announced they will be open for the 2021 season! The last time we were there it was $3 for kids and $5 for adults and open 10:00 am-5:00 pm, but things could have changed so call ahead or be easygoing with your plans. Definitely bring your own picnic and water bottles and plan to ride the train!
AMC and Alamo have awesome summer movie deals. Check out their websites for more info.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal has been a family favorite for years and years. We love the activities at the visitors center as well as driving through the area. The history of the arsenal is fascinating, in my opinion, so take the time to read all about it. Check out the Junior Ranger program for the kids as well as the scavenger hunt. We make a day of this outing by spending time at Bass Pro Shop nearby and having lunch at Jim N Nicks BBQ.
Scheels, okay, okay, this kinda sounds weird to suggest going to a sporting goods store, but they have $1 Ferris wheel rides, fudge, a kid’s area, and air conditioning. If you’re headed to the Johnstown/Loveland location don’t forget to spend some time at Centerra and go through the sculpture garden (it’s a fun area that no one really knows about), have a meal, and window shop a bit. However, If you head down to the new Colorado Springs location well then you need to stop at In-N-Out, obviously. Focus On The Family is also a fun stop for the kids in Colorado Springs if you’re a fan of their Christian-based shows.
Colorado Railroad Museum is the place for all those little Thomas fans out there (he visits in September). And even those who aren’t. Lots of hands-on fun stuff for the kids. Go on Saturday for a train ride! There are quite a few free admission days, check out their website for more details.
Dinner picnic at a new park - we love exploring new parks and playgrounds even though I have big kids now. To find a new spot we just turn to Google, pack up dinner (or grab one on the way), and have fun enjoying a new area we’ve never been to. I would say there are easily 100 to choose from along the Front Range. P.S. we do dinner to avoid the heat of the day.
Go hiking - my favorite place to find hiking trails is AllTrails. The reviews always contain great info so be sure to read those over before heading out. Your local library may offer a free year PRO subscription for the AllTrails app, so be sure to ask about that. Or read about our favorite kid hikes around the area!
Head to a National Park! If you’re in Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is just about the only day trip possibility. Unless you’re a die-hard and then you could make it to Great Sand Dunes in one day. If you have a 4th grader they are eligible for a free National Park Pass this year and will get the whole family into any National Park at no cost.
Tip: Unless you live close by, I would highly suggest taking Light Rail for all the downtown sights. Youth fare is only a few dollars round trip per person, kids 5 and under are free and the new 3-hour pass option is super affordable. My kids think Light Rail is just as fun as everything else we do. If you don’t have the RTD app you should, it’s awesome.
I hope you found something new or were reminded of an old favorite amongst this list. We would LOVE to hear what your family does in the summer around Denver - please leave a comment below or come track us down on Instagram and let us know what’s missing from this list!
