Alternate Options

Some of the days listed in the one-week itinerary are better suited to one age group than another. Depending upon the age of your children, if you are bringing them on the trip, some of the options may not hold their interest for very long. On the other hand, if you aren’t bringing children at all, the Six Flags Day and Trip to the Zoo might not be your cup of tea either. Here are some alternate ideas for you:

• Alternate One—
Your children will enjoy touring the Downtown Aquarium, formerly known as Colorado’s Ocean Journey where they can enjoy exhibits based on inland freshwater ecosystems and the ocean. As the aquarium is now owned by Landry’s Restaurant, you can partake of a nice seafood lunch there as well.

Your next stop for the day is the Denver Children’s Museum, which hosts a plethora of hand-on exhibits for children of all ages.

• Alternate Two—
The Denver Art Museum will appeal to both old and young alike. If taking your children, check out their schedule of events ahead of time, as there are days where they offer special programs for families. After perusing the paintings, drive over to the Butterfly Pavilion where you can see thousands of butterflies from all over the world. They have over 50 species and you can also observe the butterflies as they begin their life journey from pupae to caterpillars to butterflies.

• Alternate Three—
You and your partner may enjoy a visit to the home of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown.” This summer house of Molly Brown is open five days a week for you to talk around. If you care for a tour, you need to call ahead to schedule an appointment.

After this, a driving or walking tour of Denver might hold some interest for you. There are several itineraries put together online that are themed to different aspects of Denver. You could take a driving tour of Denver’s literary landmarks, or the beat poetry driving tour. If you prefer something truly unique, you can explore the Fairmount cemetery by taking a walking tour through it.

• Alternate Four—
This alternative option could cover as little or as much time as you want it to. Colorado has much to offer by way of Dude Ranches in which either just you or your whole family can enjoy an organized wild west experience complete with horseback riding, cattle roping, and cowboy poetry recitations under the stars. Your family can stay together for the duration of your time, or you can choose to enroll your children in one of their quality children’s programs for part of your stay.

Sources:
www.cmdenver.org
www.redrocksonline.com
www.denverartmuseum.org
www.butterflies.org
www.tripadvisor.com
www.shermanstravel.com
www.denver.org
www.denvergov.org
www.coloradoranch.com
www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
www.denverhistorytours.com
www.denverzoo.org
www.sixflags.com/parks/elitchgardens
www.usmint.gov
www.aquariumrestaurants.com