Let Macaroni Kid be your guide to a fun-filled summer and get the insider's scoop to what's going on in various areas throughout Colorado! Below are links to the Denver Metro Macaroni Kid sites and some of the best places to go, recommended by the publisher of each site. Each website is just like this one, providing a complete list of local events and activities for kids and families to enjoy, plus information about some of the family-friendly businesses in the area.
Don't forget, Macaroni Kid is national. If you are taking a vacation outside Colorado, visit national.macaronikid.com and use the drop-down menu on the right side of the page to see if there is one for your destination. It's a great way to plan your vacation and save money too, since the majority of events listed by Macaroni Kid sites are free or low cost!
AURORA
- Great Plains Park has a playground, a great splashground, and access to hiking trails.
- Plains Conservation Center (pictured) is an 1100-acre outdoor education facility which aims to bring the natural wonder of the prairie into the realm of personal experience through a variety of activities.
- Simon Mall's Town Center at Aurora has more than 125 specialty stores and a Kidgits Club with great events year-round.
- Spend the day at the beach right here in Colorado at Aurora Reservoir. Cool off in the AWQUA Lounge and learn about the journey water takes to get to our faucets.
- Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch has a kids' section in the Visitor Center and a variety of activities for kids of all ages.
BROOMFIELD
- Bay Aquatic Park in Broomfield has a toddler section, a big interactive play structure, and water slides. Bring the entire family for just $10 on Fridays from 4:00 - 8:00 PM.
- WOW! World of Wonder Children's Museum in Lafayette has a pirate ship, a science lab, an art studio, and much more to explore! Parents are free if accompanied by a child under 12.
- The Bob L. Burger Recreation Center in Lafayette has a climbing wall IN their swimming pool, and the rec center is also the start of a two-mile, stroller-friendly walking path.
- The recently-remodeled Broomfield Skate Park is fun for participants AND spectators. Please remember to wear a helmet if you're on wheels!
- If you're awestruck by airplanes, the Spirit of Flight aviation museum in Erie shouldn't be missed.
DOWNTOWN DENVER
- School may be out for the kids but you can take them on the field trip you may have missed out on! You can find the most popular places all fairly close to one another. The Downtown Aquarium gives you an upclose look at underwater life, The Denver Zoo always offers cuteness with the many animals, you can find beautiful art and culture at The Denver Art Museum, The Colorado History Museum is new and offers a great local history, The Denver Center for Performing Arts is a fantastic complex to catch a play and lunch all in one area, and The Museum of Nature and Science is perfect for those too hot or rainy days and has great changing exhibits as well as old favorites like the Space Odyssey!
- The 16th Street Mall is 16 blocks of shopping, dining, and entertainment and a great afternoon casual stroll, and nearby Larimer Square thrives with Victorian-era buildings housing shops, restaurants and great night-life!
- Denver houses one of the six United States Mints! Take a tour and discover what makes the Denver Mint different from the rest!
- Coors Field-baseball and summertime=the perfect combination! Not only that, but you can enjoy a tour of the field as well!
- Elitch Gardens-Fun for the WHOLE family with amusement parks, shows, shops and more!
ENGLEWOOD-GREENWOOD VILLAGE-CENTENNIAL
- Pirates Cove Family Fun Aquatic Center will help you stay cool on a hot summer day.
- Centennial Center Park is a brand new park with a fabulous splashground adjacent to the Centennial Civic Center.
- Whether you're looking for a laughter-filled date night or a magic show for the entire family, Comedy Works South at The Landmark has something for you.
- The Curtis Arts & Humanities Center has many unique art exhibits, plus activities and art programs for everyone from kids to seniors.
- Famiy Sports Center entertainment center has inflatables, bumper cars, a climbing wall, an ice rink, miniature golf, and more!
EVERGREEN-BAILEY-CONIFER
- Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre has incredible concerts, classic films (most suitable for adults and teens), kid-friendly hiking trails, and breathtaking views.
- Tiny Town has a miniature town, a train you can ride, and a fabulous playground, all surrounded by our lovely foothills.
- Morrison Natural History Museum is small but packed with a wide variety of fossils, including mammoth tusks and baby dino footprints. Kids might even get the opportunity to use real paleontology tools to work on real fossils.
LAKEWOOD-LITTLETON
- Fun City in Littleton has bowling, inflatables, an arcade, a raceway, miniature golf, and everything else that makes an indoor entertainment center FUN!
- Casa Bonita in Lakewood is a local legend! Just remember, you're going for the ENTERTAINMENT not the FOOD!
- Skate City Littleton is a great respite from the heat or summer showers where your kids can still be active. Skating is so much fun ... might as well join 'em!
- Hudson Gardens has educational, cultural, and artistic events and activities for all ages, from tots to seniors, in a gorgeous setting, complete with a Plant Zoo, Water Garden with frogs, Chocolate Garden, and more.
- Bear Creek Lake Park has a swim beach, motorized and non-motorized watercraft for rent, yurts for overnight camping, and fabulous naturalist programs for kids.
LONGMONT
- Visit St. Vrain State Park to see egrets, pelicans, and cormorants, and spend a peaceful day in the outdoors. The Blue Heron Reservoir will open in the not-too-distant future.
- Celestial Seasonings in Boulder offers free tours (children must be 5 or older) and free samplings of any or all of their teas in the Tasting Room.
- Gateway Fun Park in Boulder is an indoor/outdoor family fun center that even has a story time on Tuesdays!
- The Longmont Museum & Cultural Center has Discovery Days for preschoolers, Discovery Kits for school-age children, and a variety of events for visitors of all ages.
- Enjoy a variety of water activities, including swimming, fishing, and boating, at Union Reservoir in Longmont.
THORNTON-NORTHGLENN-BRIGHTON
- Boondocks Fun Center has bumper boats, a bowling alley, two miniature golf courses, laser tag, video games, a bowling alley, and more.
- E. B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park has a Sensory Playground and is home to Webster Lake where you can fish or take a ride on a pedal boat.
- Mid-Air Adventures is a favorite indoor playground of ours, with jungle swings, zip lines, rope bridges, and a 20-foot climbing wall.
- Barr Lake State Park is home to more than 350 species of birds, including numerous bald eagles.
- Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park has slides, a lazy river, wave generator, diving board area, and a tot pool with interactive play features.
