The Denver area offers so many family friendly activities. Known for it’s year-round sunshine and outdoor lifestyle, Denver is a great place to visit with your family any time of the year. This 5 day itinerary covers the highlights of the Denver area. Pack comfortable shoes and sunscreen, and come with an adventurous mindset!
Day 1: Lower Downton and Lower Highlands
While there are a lot of things to see and do in Downtown Denver, we are going to focus on my favorite kid-friendly activities and sites in the Lower Downtown (“LoDo”) and the Lower Highlands (“LoHi”) neighborhoods. This part of the city is very walkable and full of character. It will give you a good taste of Downtown Denver.
Union Station
Union Station in Denver’s LoDo neighborhood is definitely worth a visit. From Union Station, travelers can catch trains to and from the airport. Even if you aren’t catching a train, Union Station and the surrounding area is a great place to grab a bite to eat, watch trains come and go, and soak in historic architecture. In the warmer months, kids can play in the fountain in front of Union Station. There is also a seasonal farmers market. There is so much good food in this area. Mercantile is one of my personal favorites. But there are plenty of options ranging from grab-and-go, to casual sit-down, to upscale. There is also a Whole Foods nearby with a Hot Bar (grab and go buffet) that can be an easy lunch option with kids.
Children’s Museum of Denver
The Children’s Museum of Denver is fantastic. There are so many different hands-on exhibits that we usually are not able to spend time at all of them in one visit. The museum has a large outdoor area called the Joy Park that is fun year-round. In the summer months, kids can splash in water (fountains and a stream) and dig in sand. There are also climbing structures and slides for kids of varying ages, zip lines, and a farm area. In the winter, the Joy Park turns into a winter wonderland during the museum’s Snow Days. Young kids could spend an entire visit to the museum outside and not get bored. The museum can get pretty crowded when local kids are out of school. But the crowds seem to bother me more than my kids, who always have a great time when we visit.
Make sure to pack a swimsuit, towel, and a change of clothes. Even if you stay indoors, your kids may get wet at the bubble exhibit and the water exhibit. While there is a cafe, there are also plenty of tables inside and outside to enjoy your own snacks and lunch. I would allocate at least two hours to this museum, but know that you probably won’t be able to do everything in that time.
Confluence Park and REI
This small urban park is located at the confluence of the Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. Here your kids can dip their toes in the water, watch kayakers tackling the rapids, and enjoy a picnic. REI sits on the riverside just across from Confluence Park and has an indoor play area with slides. If parents need a coffee, there is a Starbucks in the same building, with a patio space looking out over the river and back at the city. Confluence Park and REI are great stops if you are walking between Union Station and the Children’s Museum, Aquarium, Elitch Gardens, or Platte Street.
Larimer Square
This one is more for the parents, but is very doable with little kids. Enjoyable any time of the year, Larimer Square is definitely worth a visit. There are many shops and wonderful restaurants on Larimer Square. Several of them have beautiful outdoor patios in the warmer months. Osteria Marco is a good indoor option for families with kids. It is definitely on the nicer side, but I find that Italian restaurants are usually pretty reliable when it comes to finding food my kids will eat. The walk from Union Station to Larimer Square takes about 10 minutes, but if your kids are as transit obsessed as mine, riding the free Mall Ride (a bus that runs up and down the 16th Street Mall) can be a fun option.
Other Ideas if you have extra time:
- Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park (open seasonaly)
- Aquarium (great cold-weather activity)
- Rockies Baseball game at Coors Field
Food Ideas Downtown:
- Denver Milk Market (a food hall in LoDo)
- Union Station and the LoDo area are full of restaurants
- Platte Street – Maria Empanada and My Brother’s Bar
- Little Man Ice Cream
Day 2: Denver’s Parks
The Denver area is full of fantastic parks. Some of my favorites are in the city, but there are many great parks and open spaces throughout the metro area. I highly recommend designating time to visit City Park and Washington Park (“Wash Park”). I suggest starting at City Park, then working your way over to Wash Park, with a stop at the Denver Botanic Gardens on the way if you are up for it.
City Park
City Park is a large, beautiful park with one of the best views of the Denver skyline, walking paths, a playground, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and its free outdoor Nature Play, and the Denver Zoo. You could easily spend an entire day at City Park. I recommend starting your morning at either the Denver Zoo or the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Both are wonderful.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) is a family favorite. My preschooler especially loves the Prehistoric Journey exhibit and watching the scientists preserving and preparing fossils and dinosaur bones in the lab. Space Odyssey is another big hit. My younger children really enjoy the Wildlife Halls with their impressively detailed animal dioramas. And then the Discover Zone, with water play, digging for dinosaurs, and more is always a fun time for those under 8 years old. The DMNS is massive. I suggest picking a few exhibits that you are interested in (check out the visiting exhibits as well) and enjoying your time instead of trying to sprint through everything.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance
The Denver Zoo is always a great time with kids. I have been to several zoos with my children, and we really enjoy this one. The Denver Zoo is fairly sizable, so we don’t usually see all the animals in one visit. Instead, we prioritize the animals that the kids want to see. I try to look online or ask a staff member for a schedule of the various demonstrations and feeding times that day. The elephant demonstrations are very interesting. It is also worth popping into the onsite animal hospital to see what procedures are happening that day. We once happened upon a dental operation on a tiger. That was fascinating to watch. There are a lot of places to eat snacks or a meal that you either pack or purchase. I would allocate at least 2-3 hours to your stop at the zoo.
For one of the best views of downtown, with the Rocky Mountains in the background, head to the hill on the back side of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (in front of the Gates Interactive Fountain and rose garden).
Denver Botanic Gardens
The Denver Botanic Gardens is nestled among beautiful city neighborhoods. It would be a great stop if you have time as you drive from City Park down to Washington Park. The Denver Botanic Gardens has a children’s garden that allows for nature play, water play, and hands-on interaction with the gardens. At the time of this post, timed entries could be purchased and reserved online.
Washington Park
Wash Park and the surrounding neighborhoods are lovely. We like to visit Wash Park anytime of the year. There is a toddler playground, a playground with larger structures for older kids, walking trails, lakes and more. Paddle boats and surreys are available for rent near the boathouse in warmer months. In the winter we regularly see bald eagles.
South Gaylord Street is full of great shops and restuarants and is only about a 10 minute walk east of the park. Devils Food Bakery on South Gaylord Street is a fun stop with the kids, although seating is very limited.
Day 3: Tennyson, Sloan Lake, and Highland Square
Tennyson
These neighborhoods are all fun to explore. They are all northwest of downtown, but you will need a car to move from one neighborhood to the next efficiently. I recommend staring your morning on Tennyson Street. There are so many bakeries and tasty food options. Bakery Four, Denver Biscuit Company, and Legacy Pie Co. are some of our favorites. There is a playground in César Chávez Park, making it a great spot to enjoy your meal picnic style while the kids run around.
Sloan Lake
A walk around the Sloan Lake is always refreshing. Anytime of year you can take in beautiful views of the lake and mountains. There are two playgrounds – one on the north side of the lake and one on the south side. Edgewater Public Market is a great spot to grab lunch. This food hall offers a wide variety of cuisines with indoor and outdoor seating.
Highland Square
End your day at Highlands Square on 32nd Street. Highland Square is packed with great restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other treats. I absolutely love Blue Pan Pizza. But if you are not feeling like pizza, we also really enjoy Trattoria Stella and Himchuli. Highland Square hosts a number of festivals and events, as well as a farmers market, so check the website to see if anything is going on during your time in the Denver area. If you are looking for some space for your kids to run, Highland Park (which has a playground) is about a 10 minute walk down 32nd street.
Day 4: Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge, and Golden
Red Rocks
Beautiful at sunrise; great anytime of the year. Red Rocks is an open air amphitheater and world famous concert venue. But when there aren’t concerts, it is also a fantastic place to stretch your legs and go for a little hike. People also come here to run the stairs of the amphitheater and do yoga and other forms of exercise. While the concerts are not very little kid friendly, from time to time Red Rocks hosts Film on The Rocks. The movies are often kid-friendly. Trading Post Trail is a fairly short, family-friendly loop that offers views of the rock formations and wildlife. We usually see a lot of deer along this trail in the morning hours.
Dinosaur Ridge
If anyone in your family is at all interested in dinosaurs, Dinosaur Ridge is a pretty neat and fairly quick stop as you make your way from Red Rocks to Golden. Walking up the ridge, you can see exposed dinosaur tracks, signs of aquatic life in the Denver area, and other fossils and markings.
There is a visitor center (relatively inexpensive) that provides additional information and dig areas for kids to search for fossils. You can park at the visitor center when it is open. But you can also park along the road at the bottom of the ridge for free and walk up the paved road when the visitor center is not open. Some placards in the first mile or so of the road will explain what you are seeing. After that, the road continues up and takes you to a hiking trail. The trails are fine, but not necessarily what I consider worth taking young kids on.
Rattle snakes inhabit the Front Range, so always watch where you step, don’t reach into places you can’t see, and stay on trails. If it is summertime, I suggest starting the day early with this stop or right after an early hike at Red Rocks, as it can get pretty hot on the pavement and there is no shade. It is less than a 15 minute drive from Dinosaur Ridge to Golden. You could see the highlights in under an hour if you are just stopping by and not going in the visitor center. The paved road is stroller friendly.
Golden
For something completely different, and a taste of the Denver area’s Wild West flare, head out to Golden. Golden is only about 15 minutes west of Denver when there is no traffic. The town center is located on Washington Ave between about 14th St. and 10th St. Clear Creek runs down from the mountains through the center of town. Coors Brewing sits just east of the town center, along Clear Creek.
A note about transportation: There is a light rail line connecting Golden to Downtown Denver, but the Golden Station is at the Jefferson County Government Center, which is not anywhere near Golden’s Historic Downtown. It takes over an hour to walk from the station to Downtown Golden, so you will want to drive or ride share to Golden. If you want to visit the other sites and attractions listed for this day, a car would be more convenient than ride sharing.
There is mostly street parking in Golden, but you will find a few parking lots on the south side of Clear Creek (near the intersection of 11th and Arapahoe), on the eastern side of Parfet Park (10th St and Jackson St), at the Golden Welcome Center, and near Lions Park.
Clear Creek Trail and Heritage Site
We like to start our time in Golden with a walk along Clear Creek Trail. If you start from Washington Ave and walk west along the south side of Clear Creek Trail, you will pass History Park. This collection of relocated historic buildings gives visitors a glimpse into life as a homesteading family in the 1800s. Sometimes the buildings are open and have volunteers serving as interpreters. There are also chickens and beehives. The chickens are usually out even when the buildings are closed. From History Park, we like to walk along Clear Creek, cross at the second bridge, and then head back east along the creek.
In the summer, people float Clear Creek. After a rainstorm or in the spring, we will often see kayakers practicing their skills on the fast-moving water. There is a good-size playground at Lions Park. On Saturday mornings in the warmer months, there is also a farmers market in the library parking lot. The trail heading east on the north side will take you back toward Washington Ave.
Explore Historic Downtown Golden
Downtown Golden is full of shops, restaurants, and cafes. Originally a gold rush mining town, Golden’s historic downtown has a strong western vibe.
Parfet Park, at the northern end of Downtown Golden is a pleasant place to lay out a picnic blanket and have a snack. There is a slide built into a brick wall, connecting the park to the Clear Creek Trail below. The City of Golden hosts a number of events at Parfet park and on Washington Ave. each year.
Colorado Railroad Museum
The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden is a great stop for families with little kids. Visitors to the museum can ride a full size train, walk through an outdoor rail yard, marvel the model trains and outdoor train garden, and learn about the history of railroading in the Rocky Mountains. This relatively small museum is only 5 minutes from downtown Golden.
Lookout Mountain
For expansive views of the Denver area and the Great Plains, head up the zig-zag road to Lookout Mountain. This is a great way to end a day. You will also often see paragliders soar through the sky around Lookout Mountain.
Day 5: Boulder and a Kid-Friendly Hike
Boulder is about a 30-45 minute drive from downtown Denver, depending on the time of day. It is a charming town with great views and a lot of outdoor activities.
Start Your Day with a Kid Friendly Hike
There are so many trails and open spaces in the Denver area. For great views and easy, kid-friendly trails try one of the easier loops from Flatirons Vista Trailhead or Chautauqua Park. When there is not snow on the ground, you can hike these even in the winter. Both trails can get busy. Parking at Flatirons Vista Trailhead is a bit limited, but we have always found spot.
The loops are longer than the littlest legs can probably handle. If you don’t have a backpack carrier, you can always not do the loop and just go for a bit and then turn around. I particularly enjoy Flatirons Vista with little kids because there are often cows grazing in the fields. The views of the Flatirons are spectacular from both parks.
Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall
Pearl Street Mall is flanked with restaurants and shops. It is a great place to stroll and window shop. My family loves to pop into the Boulder Bookstore. There are also kid-friendly climbing sculptures and fountains to splash in. A little children’s train runs seasonally (check the hours online). The mall hosts many events throughout the year, including a tulip festival in the spring, a summer concert series, and a fall festival. You will often find street artists performing on the mall.
A Bonus Stop By the Airport:
If you are driving to or coming from the Airport with a car, I suggest stopping by the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The 11 mile wildlife drive is a great way to start or end your visit to the Denver area. You will drive past buffalo grazing on the plains, with the Rocky Mountains looming in the background. Bald eagles also migrate to this area and in the winter months we have seen several in one visit. Make sure to allocate sufficient time if you are going to take this detour.
And that’s what I have for you! Check out my packing tips to minimize hassles on your vacation. Have a great time exploring the Denver area!
