Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906
Phone: (719) 633-9925
Experience an unforgettable adventure combining breathtaking mountain scenery with more than 550 animals, representing 119 different species.
All your favorites are here...from giraffes and elephants to monkeys, penguins, hippos
and even birds of prey. It's also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see more than
25 endangered species including the Siberian tiger, Mexican wolf, and Black-footed ferret!

Colorado's Ocean Journey
US West Park, 700 Water Street
Denver, Colorado 80211
Phone: (303) 561-4450
The aquarium displays 15,000 specimens, representing 300 species of fish, birds, mammals, and invertebrates, including tigers and sea otters, living amidst 1,000 live plants.

Denver Zoological Gardens
2300 Steele St
Denver, Colorado 80205
Phone: (303) 376-4800
The Denver Zoo houses more than 4,000 animals representing nearly 685 species, and the nation's first environmentally-friendly natural gas-powered zoo train.

Pueblo Zoo
3455 Nuckolls Ave
Pueblo, Colorado 81005
Phone: (719) 561-1452
The zoo exhibits more than 300 animals of 110 different species from throughout the world. Among its exhibits are the African Lion exhibit; the Ecocenter, where visitors will find a tropical rainforest and the Black-footed penguin exhibit; the Herpetarium, which houses a collection of cold-blooded creatures including reptiles, amphibians and insects; the Animal Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy the antics of small mammals, including hyrax (miniature relatives of elephants), rusty-spotted cats (tiny members of the cat family), lemurs and more; the education building, which houses the hands-on Mahlon T. White Discovery Room; and the Pioneer Farm with its many domestic animals that can be fed by visitors. Click here for map.

National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park, Colorado
Phone: (970) 586-1206
Hike (over 346 miles of trails). Meet with a ranger for ranger led programs. View wildlife - at Sheep Lakes see bighorn sheep; elk can be seen throughout the park; small ground animals are fun to watch, but don't feed. Evening programs at Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche visitor centers. Other activities include backpacking, biking, camping, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and stargazing.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Florissant, Colorado
Phone: (719)748-3253
A beautiful mountain valley just west of Pikes Peak holds spectacular remnants of the earth's prehistoric life. Huge petrified redwoods and incredibly detailed fossils of ancient insects and plants reveal a very different Colorado of long ago. Activities include attending a ranger led talk and tour during summer season; observing petrified stumps and using the self-guiding brochures on the Walk Through Time and Petrified Forest Trails; wildlife, bird, and wildflower watching; sight-seeing at the historic homestead; hiking; cross country skiing, and snow-shoeing in the winter.

Colorado National Monument
Fruita, Colorado
Phone: (970) 858-3617
Colorado National Monument consists of geologic features including: towering red sandstone monoliths, deep, sheer-walled canyons, and a variety of wildlife (bighorn sheep, golden eagles, mule deer and mountain lions). Activities include auto touring, biking, camping, climbing, hiking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument
Gunnison, Colorado
Phone: (970) 641-2337 x205
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock. No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Rafting, wildlife viewing, winter activities, and fishing are only a few of the many activities at Black Canyon, click on the link above to find all you can do at this national monument.

Curecenti National Recreation Area
Gunnison, Colorado
Phone: (970) 641-2337 x205
Hiking trails, wildlife viewing, camping, picnicking, photography, boating, salmon and trout fishing, hunting, windsurfing, sailing, waterskiing, cross country skiing and ice-fishing.

Phoenix Gold Mine
Idaho Springs, Colorado
Phone: (303) 567-0422
Experience the history of gold mining and tour an actual working gold mine.

Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Phone: (970) 529-4465

Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Mosca, Colorado
Phone: (719) 378-2312

Museums

Fiske Planetarium
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado 80309
Phone: (303) 492-5002
Discover the intriguing world of astronomy and space science at the largest Planetarium between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Children's Museum of Denver
2121 Children's Museum Drive
Denver, Colorado
Phone: (303) 433-7444
Denver's best hands-on experience for children and their grown-ups is both educational and just plain fun. Programs and playscapes are designed for newborns through eight-year-olds and their adult caregivers.

Denver Firefighters' Museum
1326 Tremont Place
Denver, Colorado 80204
Phone: (303) 892-1436
The Denver Firefighters Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Station No. 1, and the collection and display of firefighting equipment and memorabilia. This is a "hands on" living museum. Children can lean inside for a look at the dashboard controls, try on a firefighter's helmet, and imagine that they are driving a team of horses.

Denver Museum of Natural History
2001 Colorado Boulevard
Denver, Colorado 80205
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science - with it's varied selection of IMAX films, gallery presentation, traveling exhibits and permanent installations has a great deal to offer visitors.

Wings Over The Rockies Air and Space Museum
7711 East Academy Parkway
Denver, Colorado 80230
Phone: (303) 360-5360
There are currently over thirty aircraft on display ranging from tiny homebuilt sport planes to the advanced B-1A Lancer supersonic jet bomber. The aircraft display spans the time from primitive experimental glider models up to tomorrow's stations in space.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum
Durango, Colorado
Phone: 1-888-TRAIN-07
Relive history with the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a truly spectacular journey on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Experience the adventure of traveling by a coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive on the same tracks miners, cowboys and settlers of the old west took over a century ago. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad winds through spectacular & breathtaking canyons in the remote wilderness of the two-million acre San Juan National Forest for an unforgettable year round adventure.

Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum
987-1/2 Lookout Mountain Road
Golden, Colorado 80401
Phone: (303) 526-0747

Colorado Railroad Museum
17155 West 44th Ave.
Golden, Colorado 80403
Phone: (800) 365-6263
The Colorado Railroad Museum is recognized as one of the best privately supported rail museums in the United States. This "can't miss" site for the rail fans features over 70 historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars exhibited on 15 acres at the foot of North Table Mountain, near Golden, Colorado.

Wow! Childrens' Museum
Louisville, Colorado
Phone: (303) 604-2424
WOW! Children's Museum (World of Wonder) is a place for toddlers, school age children and their families, offering a variety of interactive and informative educational and creative exhibits and programs that stimulate learning and child development.

Colorado Ski Museum
Vail, Colorado
Travel back to times when skiers braved exciting mountains with primitive, basic equipment. Learn about the 10th Mountain Division, many of whom pioneered skiing in Colorado...You can even see how early mountain trail grooming was done.

Theme Parks, Amusement Parks & Water Parks

Lakeside Amusement Park
4601 Sheridan Blvd
Denver, Colorado 80212
Phone: (303) 477-1621
A great variety of amusement park rides awaits you at Lakeside. There are rides for every level of excitement and adventure. World-Famous Cyclone Roller Coaster, original Merry-Go-Round, Streamliner Diesel Train, Coal Burning Miniature Steam Train and 15 rides just for kiddies in Kiddie's Playland.

Santa's WorkShop / North Pole
North Pole, Colorado (near Pikes Peak)
Santa’s Workshop/North Pole is a Christmas themed family amusement park that has been in existence since 1956. Christmas music fills the air as visitors browse through the village. Dispersed throughout the park there are more than 25 rides & other attractions. Magic shows are shown throughout the day at Santa’s Showhouse and/or the Sugarplum Terrace. Click here for directions.

Six Flags Elitch Gardens
2000 Elitch Circle
Denver, Colorado 80204
Phone: (303) 595-4386
From corkscrews and loops to flips and turns, you'll ride the best coasters around and then rock all night during Six Flags Elitch Garden's new Spring and Fall music festivals. Experience Mile High Thrills at Six Flags Elitch Gardens!

Highland Hills Waterpark
1800 W. 89th Ave.
Federal Heights, Colorado 80260
Phone: (303) 427-SURF (7873)
40 world class attractions on 64 beautifully landscaped acres.

Family Activities

If you know of a family activity in Colorado, let us know and we will add it here.

Summer - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Beaches, Lakes, etc.)

Highland Hills Waterpark
1800 W. 89th Ave.
Federal Heights, Colorado 80260
Phone: (303) 427-SURF (7873)
40 world class attractions on 64 beautifully landscaped acres.

Bear Creek Lake - Fishing, swimming, camping and more. Located northwest of Denver off I-70.

Chatfield Lake - Fishing, swimming, camping, bird observatory, sailboat harbor, snowmobiling, ice fishing, ice skating, horseback riding and bicycling. Located southwest of Denver off U.S. 285.

Gunnison / Blue Mesa Res. - Colorado's largest lake. Fishing, skiing and other water sports. Located in Curecanti National Recreation Area, Gunnison, Colorado. On U.S. 50 east of Montrose.

Navajo Lake - 36 miles long with boating, fishing, camping, hiking, water skiing and more. Navajo Lake is located on the border of Colorado at Arboles and 35 miles into New Mexico.

Steamboat Lake - Fishing, boating, swimming, picnic grounds and camping. Steamboat Lake State Park offers wonderful scenery and plenty of great recreational activities. Located west of Steamboat Springs, off US. 40 and north on Co. Rd. 129.

Pueblo Res. - Boating, fishing, sailing, swimming, camping, picnicking and many other water sports. Miles of tree-lined hiking and biking trails and mild, year-round sunny weather makes any visit to Lake Pueblo State Park a treat. Just outside of Pueblo.

Zoos, Museums, National Parks listed above and Winter Parks listed below, many of which offer summer family activities. During summer months some of the Winter Park links below will show you summer activities that are available at the parks.

Winter - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Ski Resorts, etc.)

Arapahoe Basin
28/94 US Highway 6
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado 80435
Phone: (970) 468-0718
Arapahoe Basin offers skiers exciting and challenging terrain for the entire family, as well as an extensive ski school program. Skiers are almost guaranteed great conditions, due to Arapahoe Basin being the highest ski resort in North America at 13,050 feet.

Aspen
601 E Dean Street
Aspen, Colorado 81611
Phone: (800) 525-6200
With over 4000 acres of terrain the pace is easy, the slopes uncrowded, your elbows unjostled. So you can ski or snowboard an entire run and see maybe one or two other people, or nobody at all.

Breckenridge
1599 C Summit Country Road # 3
Breckenridge, Colorado 80424
Phone: (800) 789-SNOW
Breckenridge has four mountains devoted to skiing and snowboarding. Breckenridge is also known for being a great mining-era town, providing enough activities to entertain even the non-skiers.

Copper Mountain
209 Ten Mile Circle
Copper Mountain, Colorado 80443
Phone: (970) 968-2882
Copper Mountain is Summit County's largest ski and snowboard resort, with 2,433 naturally-separated acres. Copper Mountain is well known for its award-winning trail system, which divides different levels of skiers onto different areas of the mountain.

Cuchara Mountain Resort
946 Panadero Avenue
Cuchara, Colorado 81055
Phone: (877) 282-4272
Cuchara has four chairlifts and 28 runs on more than 250 skiable acres. Eighty percent of the trails are dedicated to beginning and intermediate skiers. Forty-five acres of ungroomed powder are available for extreme experts.

Durango Mountain Resort (formerly Purgatory)
1 Skier Place
Durango, Colorado 81301
Phone: (970) 247-9000
A winter and summer destination resort located in southwest Colorado, 25 miles from Durango. Skiing, snowboarding, cat skiing, and plenty of activities. More than 40 miles of trails span across an area the size of 2,500 football fields put together.

Loveland Ski Area
Exit 216 Interstate 70
Georgetown, Colorado 80444
Phone: (303) 569-3203
Loveland has been a local favorite for decades. Great snow, reasonable prices, friendly staff and more than 1365 acres of varied terrain has kept the faithful coming back for over 60 years.

Sunlight
10901 County Rd 117
Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601
Phone: (800) 445-7931
Sunlight Mountain offers hundreds of acres of downhill terrain, a 2,010-foot vertical drop, gentle glades, bump runs, groomed trails and untracked powder offer terrain for every member of the family.

Keystone
US Highway 6
Keystone, Colorado 80435
Phone: (970) 496-2316
Keystone Skiing has four different mountains to ski. Together they offer 2,227 skiable acres of terrain serviced by 24 lifts. Three mountains are accessible from the Keystone Village Base area. The fourth, Arapahoe Basin is a 10 minute shuttle ride up Loveland Pass. Keystone Mountain is known for its groomed, wide trails, and designated slow skiing areas, perfect for families and beginners.

Ski Cooper
9 miles N of Leadville on US Hwy 24
Leadville, Colorado 80461
Phone: (719) 486-3684
Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling in great terrain through the San Isabel National Forest.

Powderhorn Resort
4828 Powderhorn Rd
Mesa, Colorado 81643
Phone: (970) 268-5700
510 skiable acres and a vertical drop of 1,650 feet, Powderhorn offers slopes for everyone. The Powderhorn Ski School has packages and programs for all levels of skiing as well as cross-country skiing and snowboarding.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort
12 Snowmass Road
Mount Crested Butte, Colorado 81225
Phone: (800) 810-SNOW
The ski area receives more than 25 feet of snowfall a year, covering all 85 trails spread out over 1,160 acres. Crested Butte has more double-black diamond runs than any other resort in Colorado, but still also offers terrain for skiers of lesser abilities. Crested Butte is also known for its restaurants and downtown area rated as a National Historic District.

Eldora Mountain Resort
2861 Eldora Ski Road 140
Nederland, Colorado 80466
Phone: (800) 444-0447
680 acres of skiable terrain, 3 terrain parks, and Colorado's steepest half pipe. The summit elevation is 10,600 feet, natural snowfall is an average of 311 inches, with snowmaking on 95% of the terrain. Twelve lifts service the mountain, enabling all abilities, from beginner to double diamond.

Wolf Creek
Top of Wolf Creek Pass, US 160 East
Pagosa Springs, Colorado 81147
Phone: (970) 264-5639
Powder snow, short lift lines, friendly service and excellent food make Wolf Creek a wonderful place to visit for beginners to experts.

Monarch Ski Resort
23715 Hwy 50
Salida, Colorado 81201
Phone: (888) 996-SNOW
670 acres along the Continental Divide in the Sawatch Range within the San Isabel National Forest. Trails: 54 trails, 21% beginner, 37% intermediate, 42% advanced. Annual snowfall: Approximately 350+ inches, all natural, no snowmaking.

Silver Creek Resort
1000 Village Rd
Silver Creek, Colorado 80446
Phone: (970) 887-3384
Skiers of all ability levels enjoy the uncrowded slopes and varied terrain for skiing and snowboarding. Skiers, snowboarders and snowbikers can also enjoy their favorite snow activity under the lights, with their newly-expanded night skiing area and tubing hill. Silver Creek's East and West Mountains divide the terrain beautifully for families and groups of different abilities. East Mountain is about half beginner and half intermediate and West Mountain offers more challenging terrain.

Steamboat
2305 Mt Werner Circle
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80477
Phone: (970) 879-6111
Steamboat is a mountain range consisting of Mount Werner, Sunshine Peak, Storm Peak, Thunderhead Peak and Christie Peak, which comprise 2,939 acres of permitted terrain that offers a diversity of trails for all levels of ability. A great family ski destination.

Telluride
565 Mountain Village Boulevard
Telluride, Colorado 81435
Phone: (800) 801-4832
Naturally segregated ski terrain enabling skiers and snowboarders, groomed trails, open bowls and narrow chutes, as well as plunges and glades of varying ability designated areas according to their skill level and abilities.

Vail
137 Benchmark Rd
Vail, Colorado 81658
Phone: (970) 476-9090
This widely-known resort is consistently ranked as the top winter destination in the U.S. Vail offers a variety of terrain for beginners to experts.

Beaver Creek
137 Benchmark Rd
Vail, Colorado 81658
Phone: (970) 845-6610
This skiing and snowboarding experience gives you access to freshly groomed runs, challenging moguls, steep chutes, soft powder and gladed terrain.

Blue Sky Basin
Vail, Colorado
Blue Sky Basin features 645 acres of natural, gladed terrain, and annual snowfall of 28 feet.

Winter Park Resort
239 Winter Park Drive
Winter Park, Colorado 80482
Phone: (800) 979-0332
Winter Park, Colorado's favorite ski resort boasts more snowfall than any other major Colorado resort, a huge mountain and activities for the entire family. Click here for map.

Helpful websites and services

If you know of a website or company that is helpful to families traveling to Colorado, let us know and we will add it here.

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(specials are updated weekly)
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