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and Science. Aside from the planetarium and other exciting exhibits, kids will enjoy the interactive Discovery Zone, where they can put together a puzzle, dance to music from all parts of the globe and more. Families can participate in overnight camp-ins, designed for 1st8th grade students and their adult chaperones. For info, contact kjensen@dmns.org.

3.The Denver Children's Museum http://www.mychildsmuseum.org/ 2121 Children's Museum Drive 303-433-7444

This interactive museum is suitable for toddlers and young children. Kids can play with letters on a magnetic wall, play peek-a-boo, have a teddy bear picnic or keep house in a tree cottage. These programs were designed to teach sensory awareness and large motor skills. On the Superhero Wednesday Nights, kids can make their own capes and test their powers at the Power Pumping Training Center.

4.Platte Valley Trolley http://www.denvertrolley.org/i ndex.html 2121 Children's Museum Drive 303-458-6255

The Platte Valley Trolley station is located at the Children's Museum. This open-air trolley provides historic tours of Denver. If you're planning to go to a Bronco game, the trolley also operates a Bronco Shuttle.

5. Elitch Gardens
http://www.elitchgarden s.com/ 299 Walnut St. 303-595-4386

A theme park located right in the middle of downtown Denver. Now how cool is that? Very cool, in the summer, when Elitch Gardens also offers a water park! The great selection of rides and attractions ranges from toddler-friendly to thrill seeker. Family rides include the Tea Cup, which is a mild spinning ride. Thrill seekers will enjoy the Sidewinder, which is described as "a coaster that takes you for a loop."

6. Downtown Aquarium http://www.aquariumrestaurants .com/downtownaquariumdenver/fl ash_content/index.html 700 Water Street 303-561-4450

As long as we're talking about water, the Downtown Aquarium is just a short walk from the Elitch Gardens Water Park. The aquarium is home to the adventure exhibit, which features animals from a variety of different habitats. Kids can feed the stingrays, take a swim with the sharks or pan for gold.

7. REI Climbing Wall http://www.rei.com/stores/denv erflagship/pinnacle.htm 1416 Platte St

303- 756-3100

Denver's flagship REI store offers free climbing wall sessions for REI members. Non members pay $10 for the first climb, and $5 for each climb thereafter. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Children must be at least 48 inches tall.

8. Denver Art Museum http://www.denverartmuseum.org /home

100 W 14th Ave Pkwy

720-565-5000

The Just for Fun Family Center at the Denver Art Museum features games, do-it-yourself crafts and costumes. Come summer, the museum holds special classes and multi-day camps, which are designed just for kids.

9. Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

http://www.wingsmuseum.org/

771 1 East Academy Boulevard

303-360-8535

This fascinating aviation museum allows families to explore giant bombers, fighter jets, antique planes and a search-and-rescue helicopter. During special exhibits, kids can climb into the helicopter cockpit. Kids age 13 to 18 can attend an avaition career exploration camp.

10. Colorado Symphony Orchestra

http://www.coloradosymphony.or g/

1000 14th Street, #15

303- 623-7876

The morning and afternoon family-friendly concerts at the Colorado Symphony Orchestra will be music to your ears. Kids get the chance to interact with the conductors, and learn about the different musical instruments.

11. Denver Skate Park

http://www.denverskatepark.com /

2205 19th Street

Older kids will enjoy visiting the largest free skate park in the US. It boasts 60,000 square feet of ramps, concrete bowls, moguls, stairs, curbs and banks.

12. Mercury Cafe

http://www.mercurycafe.com/hom e.html

2199 California Street, Denver

303-294-9281

This organic food restaurant and dance, theater and poetry hall is popular with teens and young adults. Kids can show off their creative endeavors at the youth poetry slams.

13.Tattered Cover Bookstore

http://www.tatteredco ver.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp

2 526 East Colfax Avenue

303-399-2279

This independent bookseller hosts free, kid-friendly events. Tuesday morning storytime takes place at 10:30 am.

14. 16th Street Mall

http://www.downtowndenver.com/ BID/BID16thStreetMall.htm

303-5 43-6161

This pedestrian-friendly outdoor promenade provides an opportunity for window shopping, watching street entertainers or simply relaxing at a cafe. The popular, end of summer Taste of Colorado festival features national and local music on seven stages, children's performers, educational exhibits, a Carnival Midway, food from more local restaurants and over 250 arts & crafts exhibits.

15. Colorado State Capitol

http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir /leg_dir/lcsstaff/Scrollpages/ TourScroll.htm

200 East Colfax Avenue

303-866-2604

Tours of the Colorado State Capitol building provide an interesting insight into Colorado's history. The building was constructed in the 1890s from Colorado white granite, and the gold dome commemorates the Colorado Gold Rush. Free tours are offered at various times throughout the day. Be sure to check out the stained glass windows. In light of recent history, the one portraying Barney Ford may be of interest. Barney Ford was escaped slave who eventually came to Colorado and became a highly successful businessman Prior to coming to Colorado, he was the head of the Underground Railroad in Chicago.

16. Denver US Mint

http://www.usmint.gov/mint _tours/index.cfm?action=StartR eservation

320 West Colfax Avenue

303- 572-9500

The Denver Mint offers free tours. Get your kids excited by visiting their kids pages: http://www.usmint.gov/kids/

17. Coors Field

http://colorado.rockies.mlb.co m/col/ballpark/index.jsp

2001 Blake St # A

303-292-0200

You don't have to be a Rockies fan to enjoy a game at Coors Field. The Rocky Mountain backdrop makes it worth your while.

18. Denver Firefighters Museum

http://www.denverfirefightersm useum.org/

1326 Tremont Place

303-892-1436

This museum offers a fascinating journey through Colorado fire fighting history. Kids love exploring the fire-fighting equipment, old uniforms and memorabilia.

19. Ruby Hill Park

http://denvergov.org/Parks

Sout h Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue

303-373-8700

Ruby Hill Park offers lighted baseball and softball fields, an outdoor swimming pool, a sledding hill and a playground designed for children with disabilities.

20. Observatory Park

http://mysite.du.edu/~rstencel /Chamberlin/

2930 E Warren Ave, Denver

303-373-8700

The Chamberlin Observatory is the main attraction in Observatory Park. During the first quarter moon, they offer Saturday evening open house events, which run from 7pm till 10pm.

21. Lumber Baron Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

http://www.denver.com/lumber-b aron-inn/murder-mystery.html

25 55 W. 37th Ave.

888-803-8298

The zany and bizarre murder mystery at the Lumber Baron Dinner Theater may be too frightening for younger children. However, older kids and teens will have a blast. Stay at the Lumber Baron Inn and receive a two-for-one discount on the show!

22. Denver Botanic Gardens

http://www.botanicgardens.org/

1005 York Street

720-865-3500

The Denver Botanic Gardens offers special programs for children. The Seedlings program is suitable for kids age 3 to 5. It features nature walks and hands-on activities. Plant Explorers allows kids at 6 to 10 to participate in various plant-related projects.

23.Molly Brown House

http://www.mollybrown.org/

1340 Pennsylvania St.

303.832-4092

Have you ever noticed that some kids seem to be fascinated by disaster stories with favorable outcomes? If this describes your child, they will enjoy a visit to the home of the unsinkable Molly Brown, heroine of the Titanic.

24. Colorado History Museum

http://www.coloradohistory.org /hist_sites/CHM/Colorado_Histo ry_Museum.htm

1300 Broadway

303-866-3383

The Colorado History Museum offers a series of interactive activities, which allow kids and their parents to travel back to Colorado's Victorian era.

25. Black American West Museum

http://www.blackamericanwestmu seum.com/

3091 California Street

303 482-2242

The Day in the Life program at the Black American West Museum gives kids the opportunity to see what it was like to be a miner, buffalo soldier, cowboy or pioneer in the American West. If you contact them in advance, the museum staff will arrange to have black rodeo cowboys perform for your group. Other activities include scavenger hunts, which are designed for kids of all ages.

26. Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys

http://www.dmmdt.org/

1880 Gaylord Street

303-322-1053

Like its name implies, this museum explores the cultural history of miniatures, dolls and toys. They also hold doll, puppet and miniature making workshops.

27. Museum of Contemporary Art

http://www.mcadenver.org/index .php/about

1485 Delgany

303- 298 -7554

The Denver Museum of Contemporary Art has a unique approach to family museum visit experience. During their Smart Brunch Sundays, the adults tour the museum in one direction and the kids in another. After the tour, families meet in the cafe to discuss what they've seen. Then, the kids participate in special workshops, where make objects, drawings or mixed-media projects.

28. Forney Transportation Museum

http://forneymuseum.org/

4303 Brighton Boulevard

303-297-1113

This museum boasts over 500 exhibits, from trains to tractors, carriages to cars and buggies to bicycles. In other words, anything on wheels.

29. Avenue Children's Theater

http://www.avenuetheater.com/C hildren%27sTheater_Summer%20Ca mp.htm

417 E. 17th Avenue

303-321-5925

On Wednesday evenings, the Avenue Children's Theater hosts family-friendly improvisation and comedy workshops. Admission fee includes one concession item. Their kid- friendly productions received the prestigious Denver Post Ovation Award for best children's show.

Mizel Arts and Culture Center

http://maccjcc.org/?page_id=22

303-316-6360

The Denver Children's Theater is part of the Mizel Arts and Culture Center. It holds a variety of kid-friendly performances throughout the year.

Travel Advice Most people are not affected by Denver's mile-high elevation. However, some may be susceptible. Since adequate hydration will help, have each family member carry a water bottle. Don't worry about finding public restrooms. There are plenty available in hotels and shopping malls. It's best to plan easy activities for your first two days in Denver. That said, whether you're a kid, or a kid at heart, the Mile-High City will exceed your vacation expectations; perhaps by over a mile.

Learn more about this author, Lisa Marie Mercer.
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