6 Days

Exploring Denver & Cities of the Rockies

 
Get ready to take the kiddos' learning to new heights with Colo-Road Trips Educational Itineraries, trips crafted with plenty of hands-on learning, educational adventures and, of course, stops for ice cream. Each was designed with kids from kindergarten to 5th grade in mind, but the activities, outings and accommodations will be enjoyed by children of all ages — yes, that’s you, moms and dads. Supplement your trip with trivia, educational videos and games — or just hop in the car and go!
 
During this trip through Denver & Cities of the Rockies, kids will experience the Front Range region like never before. From airplanes and first responders to dinos and modern-day farms, there's plenty of educational fun to be had!
 
Grab Your Supplies

Things To Bring

While all that is truly needed is your kids' sense of adventure, a notebook, a writing utensil and plenty of colored pencils will come in handy.

Day 1

activity

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (Wings) is located on the former grounds of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. The museum is housed…

Educational Activity

Come Fly with Me

Learn about flight, airplane design and the principles of aerodynamics while making paper airplanes at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Get activity.

lunch

Lowry Beer Garden

Just a few steps from the museum is Lowry Beer Garden, one of the area’s hidden gems. Situated on an old U.S. Air Force base, the kiddos will have plenty…

Itinerary Tip

Take Flight

Across from Lowry Beer Garden is Rocket Ice Cream, a small ice-cream stand with a large rocket perched atop the building — you can’t miss it! The location offers homemade vegan and traditional dairy ice creams, along with a vast selection of flavors that’s guaranteed to suit the pickiest of eaters.

activity

Denver Firefighters Museum

The Denver Firefighters Museum shares the rich history of the Denver Fire Department and firefighting in Colorado through exhibits, interactive programs,…

Educational Activity

Safety First

Test your home fire-safety knowledge after a trip to the Denver Firefighters Museum. Get activity.

dinner

Officers Club Dinner

Celebrate the history of the Lowry Air Force base at Officers Club, which serves up classic American fare. The family can sit back and relax in one…

activity

Explore the History Colorado Center

Kids and parents alike will enjoy the engaging and hands-on exhibits that connect visitors to Colorado’s history and heritage.

Extra Credit

Curator for a Day

What type of art would you choose to have in your home? Spend some time at the Denver Art Museum choosing. (Admission is free for everyone 18 and under!) Get extra credit activity.

lodging

Curtis Hotel

Put a little pop in your life! At the Curtis, Denver's only pop culture themed hotel.

Day 2

breakfast

Chow Down at The Cow an Eatery

Loved by local hikers and cyclists, The Cow is the perfect place to stop and fuel up before the day’s adventure. Kids will love the Cinnamonster, a…

Itinerary Tip

Head to Morrison

From Denver, drive west towards the mountains and the charming town of Morrison.

activity

Dinosaur Ridge

Dinosaur Ridge is an outdoor/indoor museum near Morrison featuring fossils from the Cretaceous and Jurassic Periods, first studied and named during…

Educational Activity

Dinosaur Tracker

Pretend you're a paleontologist and compare dinosaur footprints during your tour of Dinosaur Ridge. Observe and record what paleontologists have discovered at this world-class site. Get activity.

Itinerary Tip

Mosey on Over to Golden

Your next stop is the welcoming city of Golden.

lunch

Bridgewater Grill

The award-winning Bridgewater Grill, located in an elegant creekside setting and nestled within the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains, offers casual,…

Itinerary Tip

It's Electric!

If you roll in with an electric vehicle, the grill offers a complimentary charging station to power up for the next leg of your adventure.

activity

Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum

The Museum illustrates the life, times, and . It includes exhibits about Buffalo Bill's life and the Wild West shows, Indian artifacts and firearms…

Educational Activity

The Wild, Wild West

Explore the life of William Cody and compare it to your own during a trip to the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. Get activity.

dinner

Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza and Watering Hole

More than just great pizza! Right next to Coors Brewery.

activity

Golden History Museum and Park

Photographs, memorabilia and artifacts rely on the unique stories of Golden and the city’s inhabitants at the museum. Kids will enjoy exploring the…

lodging

Dino Dreams at Origin Hotel Red Rocks

Stay at the Official Hotel of Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. This modern hotel has several amenities that you and your kids can enjoy — including…

Trivia

Trivia Activity

How much do the kiddos remember about the day's explorations? Test their memories with a couple of questions. Get trivia.

Day 3

breakfast

The Buff Restaurant

A favorite Boulder institution serving hearty, inventive breakfasts and lunches made from scratch. Try the Saddlebags breakfast as seen on the Travel…

Itinerary Tip

Book it to Boulder

Drive to Boulder for your next adventure-filled day.

activity

The Museum of Boulder

Come learn about Boulder's past, present, and future at the award-winning Boulder Experience Gallery and through our privately-curated exhibits that…

Educational Activity

Scavenger Hunt

Get ready to see the Boulder Museum through new eyes while on a hunt to discover artifacts that you may normally overlook. Get activity.

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
lunch

The Sink Restaurant and Bar

The Sink is famous for its Sink burger, cold beverage and to 80-year Sink history

activity

Nature Walk: Chautauqua Park

Chautauqua Park, established in 1898, provides families with easy access to trails, open spaces for kids to interact with nature, a playground and a…

Educational Activity

Barking up the Right Tree

Get up close and personal with the trees at Chautauqua Park. Get activity.

Extra Credit

Remembering Boulder

As you make your way to Longmont, have your kids create an acrostic poem to remember your trip. Get activity.

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
dinner

The Post Chicken & Beer Longmont

Seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, this supreme casual restaurant in Longmont has crazy-good fried chicken, award winning Colorado craft beers, and…

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
activity

Sunflower Farm

: You will be able to have direct contact with your favorite farm animals: the goats, sheep, llamas, cows, alpaca, chickens & horses. On Wednesdays…

lodging

Home2 Suites by Hilton Longmont

Modern and comfy suites in Longmont. We’re just off State Highway 119 in Longmont, five minutes from downtown and walking distance from shops and restaurants…

Day 4

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
breakfast

Cavegirl Coffeehouse

Cavegirl Coffeehouse is Longmont’s premier clean-drinking, clean-eating, gluten-free Coffeehouse with a modern and healthy flair.

Itinerary Tip

Head Toward Estes Park

Make your way to Estes Park with a stop for some scholarly shenanigans in Lyons.

activity

Artifact Exploration: Lyons Redstone Museum

Lyons Redstone Museum, located in the old schoolhouse built in 1881, preserves the history of the town of Lyons. Historically a sandstone quarrying…

Educational Activity

ArtiFACTs

Dive into the history of Lyons by carefully examining artifacts at the Lyons Redstone Museum. Get activity.

Itinerary Tip

Playground Time!

Kids will enjoy the playground at LaVern Johnson Park and access to the nearby creek.

lunch

Latitude 105 Alehouse

Craft Beer. Classic Cocktails. Rocky Mountain Inspired Cuisine.

Located inside The Ridgeline Hotel, enjoy comfort foods like nachos, wings, burgers,…

activity

Rocky Mountain National Park

A living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged…

Educational Activity

Care for Colorado

Explore the Care for Colorado Principles by completing an age-appropriate word search. Get activity.

dinner

The Rock Inn Mountain Tavern

Built in 1937 as a dance hall for the Big Band Era, The Rock Inn continues to be a lively gathering place with local flair.

activity

Shopping Along Main Street in Estes Park

Kids will enjoy a stop at the taffy shop, ice cream parlour and candy stores that dot the streets along with looking at all the cool souvenirs.

lodging

Rest Your Heads at The Ridgeline Hotel

There’s no shortage of things to do at the Ridgeline Hotel. From the heated indoor pool to a fully stocked game room, where you can even play giant…

Day 5

breakfast

Taste Local

Enjoy sweets or a savory meal made with fresh, local ingredients from Taste Local's from-scratch-focused kitchen.

Itinerary Tip

Head to Fort Collins

Cruise to Fort Collins, with a stop in Loveland along the way.

activity

Benson Sculpture Garden

Located at 2908 Aspen Drive in Loveland, Colorado, Benson Sculpture Garden has provided a beautiful and unique outdoor setting for showcasing sculpture

Educational Activity

I Spy

Hone your sleuthing skills by playing a game of I Spy at the Benson Sculpture Garden. Get activity.

Itinerary Tip

Lock in Your Love

Purchase an engraved lock at the Loveland Visitor Center and head over to the largest love-lock sculpture of its kind in the country! Here, you and your family will be able to choose a special place for your one-of-a-kind lock.

lunch

Extra! Extra! Read All About Lunch at The Pizza Press

Located in one of Fort Collins’ liveliest open-air markets, The Pizza Press makes eating pizza fun for the whole family. Inspired by the Roaring '20s…

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
activity

The Farm at Lee Martinez Park

The Farm at Lee Martinez Park has provided hands-on family fun since 1985. The Farm serves as an educational and interactive experience for Fort Collins…

Educational Activity

Farm Favorites

From farming equipment to farm animals, kids and adults will experience farm life at the Farm at Lee Martinez Park. Farm favorites will provide an opportunity to discover what each person likes the best. Get activity.

dinner

Diner-Style Dinner

What better way to wrap up a day than on one of Fort Collins’ best patios? Here you’ll find mouthwatering comfort foods served against some of the best…

activity

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery

Explore the new Fort Collins Museum of Discovery in Fort Collins!  Just 60 miles from Denver and 45 miles from Cheyenne, FCMoD blends science,…

lodging

The Armstrong Hotel

 In spring 2019, we underwent thoughtful renovations to bring renewed luster to our historic 97 year old Hotel in our guestrooms and public spaces…

Extra Credit

Word Jumble

Try to unscramble vocabulary from the day's adventures. Get extra credit activity.

Day 6

breakfast

Breakfast at Butters Greeley

Time to get your breakfast on! This locals' favorite serves up all of the breakfast classics, and kids' menu items are just under six bucks. The restaurant…

activity

Colorado Model Railroad Museum

The Colorado Model Railroad Musuem houses America's most scenic model railroad and the only one in the world that operates like a real railroad…

Educational Activity

It’s All in the Details

The Colorado Model Railroad Museum is a magical place that transports the visitor to a world of model trains and their landscapes. Which details will you be amazed by? Get activity.

Itinerary Tip

One Bushel for the Road

As you head toward Aurora, stop by one of the many farms in Brighton to pick up fresh fruits for the ride.

Colorado.com logo placeholder image.
lunch

Sam's No. 3

Our menu is loaded with award-winning choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Whether you choose one of our many specialty omelets or a breakfast…

activity

Discovering Your Senses: Morrison Nature Center

Morrison Nature Center is a hidden treasure with many trails that are filled with plants and animals.

Educational Activity

Discovering Your Senses

Explore the Morrison Nature Center using your five senses during a short hike. Get activity.

Extra Credit

Compare and Contrast

Want to spend more time at the Morrison Nature Center and keep exploring? Check out the extra credit activity.

dinner

Taco Time at Taqueria Corona

With recipes that go back generations, Taqueria Corona is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Aurora with a menu full of authentic classics. The…

activity

Expand your Cooking Skills With a Class at Create Cooking School

Budding chefs will love the Create Kids cooking classes at Create Cooking School located in the Stanley Marketplace.

Itinerary Tip

Continue the Culinary Exploration With Taiyaki Ice Cream

Head over to Snowl for an insta-worthy nutella-filled, fish-shaped cone topped with ice cream. It sounds like a mouthful but we promise it tastes as good as it looks.

lodging

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center

Old Hickory Steakhouse: Enjoy a memorable dinner as you dine in the luxurious atmosphere of Old Hickory Steakhouse, offering the highest quality beef,…

Sponsored