scowley

Hello all! Our family of 4 (we have 2 boys, ages 4 and 7), is looking to fly into Denver, spend a couple of days, and then get out into the mountains for the remainder of the week. This will be in mid-September. Would love some help with ideas for a nice central spot to set up camp and do fun day activities outside of the city (keeping the drive at 2-3 hours or under outside of Denver). We live in Atlanta, so are more interested in rivers, scenery, easy hikes, easy rafting, picnics, etc. We also love good food, breweries, and relaxing

Any ideas of a central place to stay that would access lots of fun day trips/activities? I've been to Colorado a few times in the past.... Breckinridge/Vail area (in the winter), Boulder, RMNP, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Would definitely be open to going back to any of those areas with my boys, but would also love to see new stuff too. We don't get out west often and are so excited!

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

BigRuss

Do the boys like breweries too? Thinking they're starting a bit early . . .

Breckenridge, Vail, Boulder, Colorado Springs (and the US Air Force Academy) are all within 2 hours' drive of Denver.

Cheyenne and Laramie are 1.5 and 2+ hours away, respectively so you could visit a whole 'nuther state.

Steamboat and Aspen are more than 3 hours away, Durango is 6.5 hours. You're fine revisiting the areas you haven't seen with the boys. If you're staying in CO, I'd stick to those - hobbits and long car rides can be hit-and-miss and the natural areas you're looking for will be plentiful.

Denver's attractions are fairly well centralized in or near the downtown to city park areas.

DeniseLMA

Eat at Casa Bonita in Denver. The food is awful (except the sopapillas), but this place is great fun for families.

Gretchen

Unfortunately true about Casa Bonita on both counts. Another family place with good food and stuff for the kids is the White Fence Farm.
A kind of cool place that all might enjoy is Domo--a chirasu sushi restaurant--beautiful garden. The sushi is "country style" served in bowls not rolled.
Denver Art Museum has wonderful Native American exhibits. The Zoo and Museum of Natural History.
Toward the mountains is the train ride and a gold mine tour.
In Copper Mountain Ski area is the Woodlands center--they can jump into foam rubber pits. It's a training place for snow boarders and freestyle skiing.

Your kids are the perfect age for a "dinosaur tour" and it is fun for parents also. Denver is a great center for it. Just off I470 is Morrison where there is a little dinosaur museum. There is also Dinosaur Ridge where you can pull off and look at the dinosaur tracks. There is another small museum there.
THEN the really neat place is just 25 miles outside CO Springs--Woodland Park. There is a very very nice dinosaur museum and also a lab where they are doing further restoration work on new finds.
A book we got our grands was Denver and Its Oceans (YUP!!) which details the pre-historic times of the Denver area.

Tabernash2

Denver's Museum of History & Science is fun for kids. It's centrally located. Also the Children's Museum is fun. (I hope it's still open-- it's been years since we've been there.)

I'm confused about your lodging question. Are you looking for one place to stay, with day trips to Denver and the mountains? That's a tall order, and would involve more driving than staying at one place in Denver and another place in the mountains.

In the mountains, I wholeheartedly recommend Devil's Thumb Ranch, a bit north of Winter Park. We have visited there for years, and it keeps getting better.

In September they will probably be running lodging specials. It's very inexpensive to stay in their bunkhouse, especially if you want two rooms that share a bath.

Devil's Thumb is in a beautiful spot, with horses, hiking, swimming, and a spa. Two great restaurants on site. One fine dining and one for family dining.

scowley

Thanks so much for these responses so far!! To answer your question about lodging, we'd like to spend 2 nights in Denver and then spend the remainder of the trip at a central spot in the mountains (to be determined!). Hopefully one that can let us get in lots of lovely vistas, and nature stuff that our boys can do. Would love additional suggestions for this! Will check out the ideas so far!

bigtyke

In mid September, I think RMNP would be a great place with all the easily seen elk

Gretchen

Please do not bother with the Children's Museum, IF it is still open. A waste of time and money for a "playground" that you have in your own home. Much better things to do in Denver.

scowley

Yes, when we are in Denver I'd love to do things that are unique to the city! We have children's museums, zoos, etc here in Atlanta

Gretchen

Well, that is not entirely the thing--the art museum isn't the High, but it has an incredible native American exhibit which I suspect the High does not. The children's museum in Denver was a huge waste of time and money--just not innovative. And zoos have different types of exhibits and they can indeed be unique. Don't write off a category!! ;o)

Tabernash2

My kids loved the Children's Museum. To each their own. If it's rainy outside, the Museun of Nature and Science is nice.

Take a look at Devil's Thumb Ranch. You and the kids would like its old west charm. Beautiful lodges. Great food, too. About 1 1/2 hrs from Denver, between Winter Park and Granby.

scowley

ok will do! Really appreciate the suggestions!

Nelson

Do you think your kids would like transportation museums?

These are both great:
http://www.forneymuseum.org/
http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/

SaltysMom

I suggest Boulder for your base. Lots of people mentioned the mountain towns, but sounds like you are heading there anyway after you leave the Denver area. Boulder has places to rent bikes and ride numerous bike trails, easy day trip to Estes Park, lots of great hikes for kids in the area. Wild Animal sanctuary in Keensburg - about a 40 minute drive. They rescue lions, tigers, etc and you usually can see MANY! Still close enough to Denver if you want to do something down there, too. My nephew was just here with his kids and rented a great house near Pearl St (area with great restaurants and shops, kid's fountain to play in, great "busker" entertainment all day and all night). If interested, I can get you the house information.

wtm003

The Wild Animal Sanctuary recently raised their admission to $50/person along with the director insulting their previous guests. Not a place I'd recommend at the moment.

harrisonf

For scenery, you might consider places near Colorado Springs like Garden of the Gods and Cave of the Winds. Kids enjoy the North Pole and a visit with Santa in Manitou Springs.

Closer to Denver, Red Rocks is always pretty. There is a lot of places to hike just west of Denver.

In Denver, you might consider a baseball game at Coors Field, even though the Rockies are not a very good team, for kids, it is a fun time.

The Denver Mint offers a fun tour. And for something a little different, the last I knew, NORAD still offers tours.