48 Hours in Denver with Kids

Last Updated on March 27, 2026 by Adrienne

With many fun museums and animal attractions, Denver is an amazing city to visit with elementary age kids. I took my 5 year old to Colorado over a recent school break, and we spent about two days in Denver before heading up to the mountains, which was a great way to balance the nature part of the trip with some fun city stuff (and is also helpful for gradually acclimating to the altitude!). Read on for how we spent our 48 hours in Denver, including our favorite attractions and restaurants, and some tips for visiting this city with kids.

Things to Do in Denver with Kids

Denver Zoo

When traveling with kids you can pretty much never go wrong with a zoo, and the Denver Zoo is a sizeable one that’s home to many exotic animals including elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos and gorillas. I thought for the most part the zoo was well laid out and the animals were easy to spot. Admission is reasonable for a major zoo, although I was a little disappointed you need an extra ticket (currently $5 per person) to visit the stingray touch tank, which is included with admission at our home zoo in Indianapolis.

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

We visited Wings Over the Rockies in large part because it’s included with the ASTC Travel Passport program (a science museum network with reciprocal admission privileges that I highly recommend for families who like to travel) but it turned out to be the biggest hit of our stay in Denver. Located in a hanger at the former Lowry Air Force Base, this museum is a must for any air & space enthusiast. It’s filled with iconic aircraft such as the F-14 fighter jet made famous in Top Gun and Huey helicopters that actually flew in the Vietnam War. There’s also lots of great hands-on stuff for kids, including a station where you can make and test paper airplanes, an exhibit where you can try to land a model F-14 on an aircraft carrier, and several flight simulators (some at additional cost).

The civilian aircraft portion of the museum heavily features United Airlines, which has a major hub at the Denver airport, and they’ve included real United cockpits as well as scale models of vintage United planes like the DC-10. As we were were headed out, we discovered they have an entire room set aside as a kids play area, with air and space themed books and crafts, as well as dress up clothes and toys for pretend play. Young kids will love this area.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science isn’t the biggest or most exciting science museum I’ve been to, but kids will enjoy it, and it’s especially worth going to if you have the ASTC travel passport membership, since admission is included through that. Highlights of the museum included an exhibit about ancient Egypt, a large collection of taxidermied wildlife, a hands-on discovery center for young children, and an impressive collection of gems and minerals. An IMAX theater and planetarium offer shows at an additional charge.

The DMNS is in City Park, the same place as the Denver Zoo, so you can combine both into the same day, or choose to explore the park, which has two playgrounds. There’s a nice view of the Denver skyline and the mountains beyond it from the fourth floor Sky Terrace at the Museum of Nature and Science.

Where to Eat in Denver with Kids

Lucina

Our favorite meal in Denver was at Lucina Eatery and Bar, a Latin tapas-style place that feels trendy and upscale yet is totally welcoming to kids. Highlights from our meal included plantains, chicken empanadas, a pupusa and the delicious cinnamon-chocolate cake for dessert. They couldn’t have been more welcoming to my 5 year old, and even have a kid’s menu.

Four Friends Kitchen

We had a great brunch at Four Friends Kitchen. Kids will love options like smiley face pancakes and PB&J waffle triangles, and adults will enjoy Southern favorites like fried green tomatoes and beignets.

Cuba Cuba

I can never pass up the chance to have Cuban food, so I had to visit Cuba Cuba while we were in Denver. There are several locations across the city, so wherever you’re staying there’s likely to be one pretty close. They serve Cuban classics and make great sandwiches.

Denver Biscuit Co.

I knew from the name alone that I couldn’t pass up a visit to Denver Biscuit Co. While their biscuits are excellent, the star of the meal for me was the enormous cinnamon roll, which was one of the best I’ve ever had. They have more than half a dozen locations around the city, and the restaurant is casual and a great place to eat with toddlers and kids.

Other Places to Eat with Kids in Denver

Denver is home to some of my favorite smaller chain restaurants, including Snooze A.M. Eatery, a brunch place we loved when we visited Phoenix that actually started in Denver, and In-N-Out, the beloved west coast fast food burger chain. If you don’t have either of these businesses near you, they’re worth a visit when you’re in Denver (and they’re both super kid-friendly). Make sure you ask for the kids activity pack at In-N-Out.

Where to Stay with Kids in Denver

We stayed in the Cherry Creek neighborhood, which I thought was a good area for families. It’s near some of the top attractions in Denver for kids, including the Zoo and both museums we visited, but is outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown. Our hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Denver-Cherry Creek was clean, comfortable and reasonably priced, and had some nice amenities for families including an indoor pool and a complimentary breakfast. There are many other hotel options in the area also.

Tips for Visiting Denver with Kids

• As mentioned above, although Denver is lower than many of the mountain towns in Colorado, it’s still a mile high and the elevation change can hit you hard if you’re coming from sea level. Make sure to keep the whole family well-hydrated and adults may want to minimize alcohol consumption for the first few days.
• If your family enjoys museums as much as mine does, you may want to consider purchasing the Denver City Pass, especially if you don’t already have an ASTC Travel Passport membership. Both the Museum of Nature and Science and Wings Over the Rockies are included, and you also have the option to add other popular Denver-area museums including the Children’s Museum of Denver, the Denver Aquarium and the Denver Botanic Garden.

Have you been to Denver with kids? What where the highlights of your trip?

Looking for more US cities that make great weekend destinations for families with kids? Check out my recaps of recent trips to San Diego, Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, and Phoenix-Scottsdale.

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