Annual Family Event
Top Five
4thFest by Commerce City and the Colorado Rapids
A Hudson Christmas at the Hudson Gardens
BUGABOO at Butterfly Pavilion
The Pumpkin Patch at Chatfield Farms
Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo
The Winner
Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St., Denver 720-337-1400 | denverzoo.org
This popular holiday tradition has an expansive light safari bragging 70 illuminated acres of lights that twinkle at Denver Zoo in December. Stunning illuminated animal sculptures are accompanied by nightly activities, entertainment, and animal encounters, along with Santa meet-and-greets.
Family Fair or Festival
Top Five
A Taste of Colorado Colorado State Fair & Rodeo
Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Parker Days Festival
Colorado Renaissance Festival
The Winner
Colorado Renaissance Festival
650 W. Perry Park Ave., Larkspur | 303-688-6010 | coloradorenaissance.com
Thousands of guests flock to Larkspur annually for this magical adventure, held for eight weekends between June 10 and July 30. The festivities include jousting competitions, fire blowing, acrobatics, a renowned mime, an exotic live carousel, and a giant swing. Get ye tickets online, where you”ll find details on themed weekends.
Freebie
Top Five
9NEWS Parade of Lights
Home Depot Workshops for Kids
Littleton Museum
SCFD Free Days at Denver Zoo
The Library
The Winner
SCFD Free Days at Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St., Denver
720-337-1400 | denverzoo.org
Thanks to the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), there are more than 1,000 free days annually at various institutions. Our readers appreciate the free days at Denver Zoo, which are currently scheduled for November 3, 6, and 16 in 2017. Skip the admission fees and explore the zoo’s impressive collection of animals from all over the world.
Hike or Bike Trail
Top Five
Castlewood Canyon State Park
Cherry Creek Regional Trail
High Line Canal Trail
Lair o” the Bear Park
Red Rocks Park
The Winner
Lair o’ the Bear Park
22600 Colorado State Hwy. 74, Idledale
303-271-5925
jeffco.us/open-space/parks/lair-o-bear-park
This Jefferson County gem has all of the things kids love, including beginner-friendly trails, wildflowers, bug-filled creeks, and a whole lot of dirt. The park also has 28 picnic tables with permanent charcoal grills plus an education center and events programming. Dogs are allowed on leash, and there are bathrooms located in the park.
Indoor Playspace
Top Five*
Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Dinosaur Gulch at Cherry Creek Shopping Center
Jumpstreet Indoor Trampoline Park
Little Monkey Bizness
Monkey Bizness
WOW! Children’s Museum
*Tie occurred in this category
The Winner
Jumpstreet Indoor Trampoline Park
Three metro locations | gotjump.com
Next time your energetic children are bouncing off the walls, take them to Jumpstreet. With trampoline courts, bouncy dodgeball and basketball games, a foam pit, arcade games, a mechanical bull, and a special “Earthquake Kids Zone” for jumpers age seven and under, this indoor trampoline gym is the perfect place to run wild.
Museum for Families
Top Five
Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Denver Art Museum
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
History Colorado Center
WOW! Children’s Museum
The Winner
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver | 303-370-6000 | dmns.org
This three-story museum is packed full of hands-on exhibits and activities. Start in the Space Odyssey, where kids can play dress up and view a Martian canyon. Tour gems and minerals, then meander upstairs to see Egyptian mummies, a T. rex skeleton cast, and animal dioramas. The Discovery Zone houses a dinosaur dig and water play space.
Nature Center
Top Five
Butterfly Pavilion
Denver Botanic Gardens
Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Preserve
Majestic View Nature Center
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
The Winner
Butterfly Pavilion
6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster
303-469-5441 | butterflies.org
In the Pavilion’s tropical rainforest you”ll discover 1,600 butterfly species from around the globe as you watch guides release herds of the winged beauties into their habitat. This site houses more than 5,000 animals, including Rosie the tarantula and sea critters at the Water’s Edge exhibit. Take time to hike along the outdoor nature trail, too.
Parent-and-Tot Activity
Top Five
Gymboree Play & Learn Music Classes
Mile High Music Together
Rocky Mountain Aardvarks
Second Star to the Right Children’s Bookstore
WOW! Children’s Museum
The Winner
Rocky Mountain Aardvarks
Six metro locations | 720-515-VARK
Music for Aardvarks is a rocking alternative to traditional baby and toddler music classes. The songs are original, and the vibe is funky, as caregivers and kiddos three months and up sing, dance, and play a variety of musical instruments including lollipop drums, tambourines, drumsticks, and shakers. Don’t be surprised if there’s a breakout dance session midway through class.
Place for an Animal Encounter
Top Five
Butterfly Pavilion Downtown Aquarium
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Wild Animal Sanctuary
Denver Zoo
The Winner
Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St., Denver | 720-337-1400 | denverzoo.org
With more than 4,000 animals, live feedings, and some of the wildest demonstrations in town, this 80-acre mainstay offers nonstop excitement. Get nose-to-whisker with a penguin and discover who is really the king of the jungle during animal encounters with birds, apes, reptiles, and others. Consider an annual membership if you plan to go often, or try a summer camp.
Playground
Top Five
Centennial Center Park
City Park
Clement Park
Washington Park
Westlands Park
The Winner
Centennial Center Park
13050 E. Peakview Ave., Centennial | 303-325-8000
centennialco.gov/open-space-parks/centennial-center-park.aspx
Adjacent to Centennial Civic Center, a Nautilus-shaped complex houses multiple play spaces, including a nature-based tree fort structure, a climbing wall, and an enormous, colorful arena of splash pads. Find historical and educational elements, too, including a timeline of the Cherry Creek Basin (located in the main plaza) and an interactive “Viewfinder Walk” and trivia challenge.
Water Park or Swim Center
Top Five
Apex Center in Arvada
H2O”Brien Pool
Pirates Cove Water Park
The Splash at Fossil Trace
Water World
The Winner
Water World
8801 N. Pecos St., Federal Heights
303-427-7873 | waterworldcolorado.com
The 70-acre park has 50 attractions and is continually ranked in the top 10 in America, and internationally by The Travel Channel. Twenty-five attractions are considered family-friendly, including Screamin” Mimi, Pirate’s Plunge, and Thunder Bay Wave Pool. There are plenty of thrill rides, too, such as the Sky Line Slides. Bring a picnic lunch, or nosh on park food.
