(Or: Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead-Set On Having A Great Spring)
Spring 2019 is here, Denver! And while the snow may not be over (Colorado usually gets hit hard in April), at least it isn’t Winter anymore. In our 4+ decades of being Denver’s favorite (and first) integrative pediatricians and the medical home to thousands of families, we’ve not only learned how to provide the best pediatric care to Denver’s kids – we’ve also learned a lot about how they love to have fun! So whether your child’s spring break is coming up or you’re just looking for great family-friendly activities to fill up your calendar this Spring, we’ve got you covered!
Denver Metro Museums, Parks & More
- The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is always a favorite with kids. From amazing dinosaur bones (native to Colorado) to the awesome Leonardo da Vinci exhibit, this is a surefire hit with kiddos and their parents alike!
- The Denver Zoo is another classic that’s fun for the whole family. The zoo keeps expanding and adding more and more adorable animals; it really is a great time! But as providers of your child’s pediatric health care, we recommend you don’t try to pet the lions.
- The Children’s Museum is a museum literally geared toward kids (hence the name). With an equal focus on fun and education, it’s always a good choice for parents and their kids.
- The Denver Art Museum is super cool if your child enjoys art or you want to expose them to some cool visual artwork. There are a lot of other neat places to go within a few blocks of the museum, too!
- The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys is literally a collection of, well, miniatures, dolls & toys. What kid wouldn’t love that?
- The Denver Firefighters Museum is great for any kid who loves firefighters and enjoys interactive exhibits!
- The History Colorado Center is a fun and interactive museum that makes learning about Colorado’s fascinating history fun! It’s also right by the Denver Art Museum.
- The Downtown Aquarium is a great complement to the Denver Zoo for any children interested in aquatic life! But no Denver pediatrician – whether they practice integrative medicine or strictly western medicine – is going to recommend you try to swim with the sharks.
- The Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster is really, really cool and would make a fun day trip if you don’t already live in that neck of the woods. There’s something about spending time with butterflies that is great for mind, body and spirit – for both child and family alike.
- The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City is one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the United States, and offers a lot of cool exposure to nature only minutes away from Denver proper.
- Lollipop Park is a fun amusement park located inside the Family Sports Center in Centennial.
- Jungle Quest in Littleton is an extremely fun indoor amusement park with ziplines, rock climbing walls, huge safari swings and much more. For kids ages 5 and up.
- The Botanic Gardens are consistently ranked as some of the best botanic gardens in the nation. They’re beautiful, centrally-located in Denver, and offer a holistic pediatrician-approved form of natural healing!
- The Apex Center in Arvada is a huge indoor recreational center with an indoor water park (plenty of slides and such!), a full gym, an ice rink, and tons of other activities. Remember to be mindful of any medical conditions before participating in strenuous activities you aren’t used to!
- Casa Bonita is a legendary Denver entertainment spot that has achieved national fame. Say hi to the cliff divers for us!
Great Hikes Around the Denver Metro Area
- Clear Creek Trail in Downtown Golden is a fun, easy trail that’s very pretty yet still runs through Golden. Make a day trip out of it and check out Table Mountain Inn or Woody’s or some of the other great spots in the great town of Golden! 1.8 miles roundtrip. Drive time from Denver: 30 minutes. Difficulty: Easy.
- The Lookout Mountain Hiking Trails are accessible, easy and extremely beautiful. The Nature Center is an added bonus to these already awesome trails. 0.6 & 0.8 Mile Loops. Drive Time from Denver: 30 Minutes Difficulty: Easy.
- Evergreen Lake Trail is another classic that’s a bit more into the mountains, but still very close to Denver. The hike around the lake is very pretty, and you can make a great day trip out of it and explore the awesome town of Evergreen, too! 1.3 mile loop. Drive time from Denver: 40 minutes. Difficulty: Easy.
- Eldorado Canyon State Park in Boulder has several trail options ranging in difficulty (from easy to hard), but consistent in their phenomenal beauty and charm. These trails are extremely cool. Distance varies. Drive Time From Denver: 50 minutes. Difficulty: Varies.
- Flatirons Vista Trail near Boulder is a very pretty but fairly easy trail that’s right off of 93. There are only a couple of hills and the views of the Flatirons are very cool. If you and your kids are a little ways in and loving it, you can always take the longer route. 1.9 or 3.3 miles loop. Drive time from Denver: 40 minutes. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.
- Roxborough State Park in Littleton has several fantastic trails that are fun but still accessible to little legs. We highly recommend checking out this beautiful area in Southwest Metro Denver. Drive time from Denver: 40 minutes. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.
Denver really is a cool city, and there’s so much to do in and around the Denver Metro area. This is just scratching the surface, really. And while doing cool activities may not seem like it falls into realm of medical advice, per se, getting great exercise and feeding you and your child’s sense of fun and wellbeing is undoubtedly great for everyone. A holistic approach to your child’s care would never be complete without considering mind, body and spirit together, and fun Springtime activities like this can only help feed such a sense of joy and wellbeing.
As always, Partners In Pediatrics is here to help. If you need anything, please get in touch with us.
Here’s to a great Spring 2019 around Denver!
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