17 Best Things to Do in Denver with Kids

A Family Road Trip Guide. Planning a Denver family vacation? Here are the best things to do in Denver with kids, from Red Rocks to Dinosaur Ridge, based on our own family road trip.

We love to travel. Some of our favorite memories were made while on trips, and one that has stuck with us for years is the summer we took a road trip to Denver, Colorado. If you’re wondering what to do in Denver with kids, I’m sharing everything we did on our trip — plus a few things we missed that you’ll want to plan ahead for so you don’t make the same mistakes we did.

Denver is an easy drive from Utah, it’s packed with kid-friendly outdoor activities, and it has that perfect mix of city fun and mountain scenery that makes for a great family vacation. Here’s our full list of the best things to do in Denver as a family.

Little Man Ice Cream
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Downtown Denver
Dinosaur Ridge
Denver Art Museum
Denver Mint Museum
Maria Empanada
Aurora Reservoir
Colorado Railroad Museum
Tips for Planning Your Denver Family Trip

Little Man Ice Cream

Little Man Ice Cream is quite famous, and for good reason. This ice cream shop has unique flavors and genuinely delicious ice cream. It’s a popular place, so be prepared for a long line — there are times it’s more crowded than others. There’s a park right across the street, though, so if there is a line, one parent can take the kids over to play while the other orders. Once you have your ice cream in hand, you can go eat it at the park, since there isn’t much seating at Little Man itself.

When we got there, the line wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t short either. We were far enough back that we couldn’t even see the list of ice cream flavors. So I walked up to the menu and snapped a picture with my phone so we could look over the options while we waited in line. That way, by the time we got to the front, we were ready to order right away.

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Red Rocks Amphitheatre

This is another famous Denver spot — a natural amphitheater that is supposed to be breathtaking.

Or so I hear. When we got there, they were prepping for a concert, so the theater itself was closed. We were able to walk up to the entrance and see some of the natural beauty, but we missed the actual amphitheater.

So when you go, I highly recommend checking the concert schedule ahead of time and planning your trip for a day when you’ll actually be able to go in. Another good reason to avoid the concert crowd: you’ll also avoid the overwhelming marijuana smell that tends to come with it. Ugh.

Downtown Denver

One of our favorite things to do in any new place is simply walk around the area. We like to get a feel for what life is like there, and walking around helps give you that vibe in a way driving through never does. If you decide to walk around, just be sure you’re sticking to safe areas — not every part of the city is recommended for walking.

We went to the State Capitol building, where you can stand on the exact step that marks one mile above sea level (mile-high city, right?). You can also take tours of the building. A short walk from there is the Denver Art Museum. We also walked to the convention center to see the big blue bear, then over to Union Station.

Dinosaur Ridge

Plan your trip to Dinosaur Ridge for the same day as Red Rocks — they’re right by each other. Dinosaur Ridge has a free trail you can walk that’s full of fossilized dinosaur tracks, and it’s genuinely neat to see in person. Normal tennis shoes are all you need. Sunscreen is a smart idea given the high altitude, and be sure to bring water for everyone.

Denver Art Museum

The first Saturday of every month, everyone gets into the Denver Art Museum for free (kids are always free, regardless of the day). This is a fun stop for a couple of hours and makes a great addition to any Denver itinerary with children. They have kids’ sections of the museum, and you can also show your children some of the other exhibits. If your children are anything like mine, they won’t last through the entire museum — but they’ll appreciate it for the time they’re there.

Denver Mint Museum

The Denver Mint is a stop we planned on, but we didn’t realize we needed to make reservations far enough in advance. We were disappointed to miss it. If you want to take the free tour, be sure to set up a reservation ahead of time — we called about a week before we wanted to go, and they were already filled up. Learn from our mistake and book earlier than you think you need to.

Maria Empanada

My husband served a mission in Argentina, as did my brother-in-law, who lives in Denver. He’s the one who introduced us to Mari a Empanada. When my husband took his first bite, he was in heaven — he said it was very authentic. We loved the food! This restaurant was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It’s a great stop if you’re looking for authentic, kid-friendly food while you’re in the city.

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Aurora Reservoir

A reservoir isn’t terribly unique out west — we live in Utah, and they’re everywhere. But wow, this reservoir in Aurora is unlike any I’ve been to. It’s well-developed and well-maintained. The beach is nice, with plenty of covered picnic tables. Our kids loved spending time at the beach and playing in the water — it was a relaxing, easy way to spend a day in the middle of our vacation.

Colorado Railroad Museum

The Colorado Railroad Museum is a place we would have gone if we’d had one more day in Denver. It’s located in Golden, about 25 minutes west of Denver, so it’s worth building into your itinerary if your trip has a little more breathing room than ours did.

Tips for Planning Your Denver Family Trip

Looking back, a few things stand out for anyone planning their own Denver trip with kids:

Book ahead when a stop requires reservations. We learned this the hard way with the Denver Mint — call or reserve a week or more out.
Check schedules before you go. Red Rocks is only open to explore when there isn’t an event, so look up the calendar before you build your day around it.
Pair nearby stops on the same day. Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks are close together, so it makes sense to visit both in one outing.
Build in downtime. A stop like Aurora Reservoir gives kids a chance to run and play after a day of walking and sightseeing.

Denver turned out to be one of our favorite family road trip destinations, even with the couple of things we missed. If you’re planning a trip there with your own kids, I hope this list helps you make the most of it.

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