Things to do in Denver when visiting with your family.
Denver offers a mix of unique adventures, cultural attractions, and family-friendly activities that deliver fun for all ages.
Meow Wolf's Convergence Station
Meow Wolf's Convergence Station in Denver is an immersive, interactive art experience that offers a unique and mind-bending adventure for visitors of all ages. It spans 90,000 square feet across four stories and is designed as a multiversal transit station where four alien worlds have converged due to a cosmic event. You can explore four distinct alien worlds within the exhibit: C Street, Eemia, Ossuary, and Numina. Each world has its own unique aesthetic and narrative elements.
With over 70 unique multimedia installations, rooms, and portals for visitors to discover and engage with, the experience uses cutting-edge technology to create a psychedelic, mind-bending experience that challenges perceptions and sparks imagination. Visitors can enjoy refreshments at HELLOFOOD, a cafe offering a variety of food and beverages, as well as Sips (with a Z), a bar serving cocktails and snacks.
Meow Wolf's Convergence Station offers a truly unique, family-friendly experience that blends art, technology, and storytelling in an unprecedented way, making it a must-visit attraction in Denver.
The Children's Museum of Denver
The Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus is a vibrant and interactive space designed to inspire creativity and learning in children aged 10 and under. Located on a sprawling 9-acre campus, the museum features over 20 engaging exhibits that encourage hands-on exploration across various themes, including science, art, and health. Highlights include the Altitude, a 3½ story indoor climbing structure, and the Art Studio, where children can experiment with different media. The museum effectively combines play with education, allowing children to engage in activities like bubble-making experiments and interactive building projects in the Assembly Plant. With approximately 450,000 visitors annually, it serves as a crucial resource for early childhood education in the Denver area, promoting STEM learning and creative expression through its thoughtfully designed exhibits.
In addition to its extensive indoor offerings, the museum boasts an outdoor adventure area known as Joy Park, which features climbing structures and play spaces that foster physical activity and imaginative play. This dual approach—combining indoor exhibits with outdoor experiences—ensures that children can explore and learn in a variety of environments. The museum's commitment to family engagement is evident in its programming that encourages adult participation alongside children, reinforcing the importance of collaborative learning. Overall, the Children's Museum of Denver stands out as a premier destination for families seeking enriching experiences that celebrate the joy of childhood through active learning and creativity
Rabbit Hole Recreation Services
Rabbit Hole Recreation Services, located in Louisville, Colorado, is renowned as the state's premier escape room facility, offering an unforgettable blend of immersive storytelling and intricate puzzles. Each escape room is designed like a live-action movie, where participants can embark on thrilling adventures such as searching for lost Mayan treasure or racing against the clock to build a time machine. With richly detailed sets and special effects that heighten the experience, players are fully engaged as they work together to solve challenges and uncover hidden surprises within the expansive rooms.
What sets Rabbit Hole apart is its commitment to providing private group experiences, ensuring that each team can fully immerse themselves in the adventure without distractions from strangers. The facility features three unique escape rooms—Ruins of the Mystic Temple, Frost Base Z, and PARADOX—each accommodating various group sizes and skill levels. This focus on teamwork and creativity makes Rabbit Hole Recreation Services not just an escape room venue but a destination for family fun and bonding, perfect for those seeking a unique and exhilarating outing.
Hammond's Candy Factory
Hammond's Candy Factory in Denver is a delightful destination where the art of candy-making comes to life, offering free tours that allow visitors to witness the creation of iconic treats firsthand. Established in 1920, this beloved local confectionery produces a variety of handmade candies, including their famous candy canes and chocolate-covered delights, all crafted using time-honored recipes that have been passed down through generations.
During the 30-minute guided tours, guests can observe skilled candy makers at work, from the hand-pulling of taffy to the intricate enrobing of chocolates, all while enjoying the sweet aromas that fill the air. Each tour concludes with a complimentary candy cane, ensuring that visitors leave with a taste of the magic they experienced, making Hammond's Candy Factory an unforgettable stop for families and candy enthusiasts alike.
National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility
The U.S. National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility (NSF-ICF) in Lakewood, Colorado, is a remarkable scientific treasure trove, housing approximately 25,000 meters of meteoric ice cores recovered from Antarctica, Greenland, and North America in a massive 55,000 cubic foot freezer kept at a frigid -38 Celsius. This unique facility not only preserves these invaluable ice cores for current and future investigations but also provides researchers with a window into Earth's atmospheric conditions spanning hundreds of thousands of years, enabling critical studies on past climate fluctuations and helping scientists develop predictive capabilities for future climate change.
As the world's largest repository for drilled ice, the NSF-ICF plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of Earth's climate history. The facility features specialized examination spaces, including a nonsterile exam room and a class-100 HEPA-filtered cold cleanroom, where scientists can conduct detailed analyses and prepare ice core samples for shipment to research institutions worldwide. With its commitment to scientific research and public outreach, offering around 100 tours per year, the NSF-ICF stands as a cornerstone in the global effort to unravel the mysteries of our planet's past and future climate.
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
The Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver is a captivating destination that brings the wonders of aviation and space exploration to life. Housed in a massive 182,000-square-foot hangar on the former Lowry Air Force Base, the museum boasts an impressive collection of over 50 iconic aircraft and space vehicles, ranging from vintage warplanes to modern jets. Visitors can get up close to legendary aircraft like the B-52 Stratofortress bomber, the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet made famous by "Top Gun," and even a rare X-Wing Starfighter from the Star Wars universe.
Beyond its stunning array of aircraft, the museum offers immersive exhibits that engage visitors of all ages. Aspiring pilots can experience the thrill of flight in full-motion simulators, while space enthusiasts can explore a mockup of the International Space Station and learn about Colorado's contributions to space exploration. With its blend of historical artifacts, interactive displays, and educational programs, the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum not only preserves aviation history but also inspires the next generation of aerospace pioneers, making it a must-visit attraction for families, aviation buffs, and curious minds alike.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a remarkable 15,988-acre sanctuary located just 8 miles northeast of downtown Denver, Colorado. This expansive refuge, once a chemical weapons manufacturing facility, has undergone an extraordinary transformation to become a thriving ecosystem home to over 330 species of wildlife. Visitors can explore 20 miles of hiking trails, embark on an 11-mile Wildlife Drive, and observe a diverse array of animals, including bald eagles, bison, black-footed ferrets, deer, coyotes, and burrowing owls. The refuge's journey from toxic wasteland to ecological wonder is a testament to nature's resilience and human conservation efforts, with the site being designated as a national wildlife refuge in 1992 and undergoing a $2.1 billion environmental cleanup.
Today, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge stands as one of the largest urban refuges in the United States, offering a sanctuary where time moves at nature's pace just minutes from the bustling city. Visitors can immerse themselves in a variety of activities, from wildlife viewing and photography to seasonal fishing and archery practice. The refuge's Visitor Center provides interactive exhibits that chronicle the site's fascinating history and showcase its abundant wildlife. With its expansive views of short grass and mixed-grass prairie, forests, and lakes, the refuge provides a unique opportunity for urban dwellers to step into nature and witness firsthand the successful coexistence of wildlife within the shadow of a major metropolitan area.