It took nearly 40 hours of minivan time to reach our road trip’s final destination – Denver, Colorado – and, boy, was our experience worth the wait!
Rocky Mountain National Park
No trip to the Denver area is complete without a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. And, if you have a 4th grade student, admission for the entire group is FREE (in any National Park)!
I will spare the details about the beautiful scenery while hiking Bear Lake and other areas, and simply tell you that this is a MUST-DO for families. Our reservation began at noon, we spent the entire day in the tranquility of RMNP’s glow.
The Ranger stationed at any Visitor’s Center (near the entrances) can help you navigate to the safest, family-friendly trails and hikes.
A couple of notes:
Book reservations in advance. The Parks’ Services publishes the day reservations become available to book online (for $2/day) – book asap on the day reservations open up. There are same day admissions granted, but only later in the day. As we left, the line of cars waiting to get into the park was SUPER LONG! Book a reservation and do so with Bear Lake’s hike included.
Clear Creek White Water Rafting at Idaho Springs
I promised myself that I would not allow another Colorado trip to pass without white water rafting – the ultimate tourist expedition while visiting the Rockies. I booked the Beginner course with Clear Creek Rafting for all of us – even my 6-year-old – took the 3-hour round trip.
Rafting begins with equipment (helmet and life vest) fitting and a presentation about safety. The presentation was funny enough to put us at ease and serious enough to help us understand the power of the rapids we’d take on. After a short bus ride to the drop off spot, we were off with our guide for a great 1.5 hours spent paddling and gawking at the beauty that engulfed us.
The adventure was easy – the guide really does all of the work. We never felt unsafe or out of control. The whole crew had a ball.
Pro Tip: rafting can be expensive ($60-75 per person) so search for online discount codes. We received 20% off for a coupon that was never confirmed onsite. Just don’t tell anybody:).
Red Rocks Hiking and Amphitheater
Amongst the best FREE things to do in all of America, checking out Red Rocks was a highlight for all of us! After parking the minivan at the world famous amphitheater, we hiked down the rocks then back up the spectacular music venue and museum.
Even for people that keep themselves in great shape, the walk to the top of the amphitheater (where the museum and artifacts are) was tough. Bring a comfortable pair of shoes, water, sunscreen, and a charged phone for breathtaking pics.
Note: my wife and I returned to Red Rocks early on a Saturday for Yoga. The tickets were $22/each and the class took place on the amphitheater seats for an hour. This experience, while early, was one of my favorite non-kid hours of 2022.
Meow Wolf – Denver
My wife harped on me about wanting to go to Meow Wolf for months leading up to our arrival in Denver. Of course I agreed and bought tickets while having no idea what to expect. Truth be told, I’m still not sure how to best describe the Meow Wolf experience.
If asked, I’d say that Meow Wolf is as if a band of hippy artists had just watched Alice in Wonderland, gotten high, and had been let loose with limitless art supplies in The Smithsonian. The trendy, crazy, bright, amazing art displays were everywhere.
I wish I had known that many patrons of Meow Wolf dress up in over-the-top attire when walking through the interactive decorative rooms. Bring your funky costumes!
If “weird” or “quirky” or “unique” are not your family’s thing, head elsewhere as the museum can be pricey ($40-$50 per person). If you love, though, to share one-of-a-kind experiences with your kids, buy your ticket and go. My kids LOVED Meow Wolf even if I’m still not 100% sure what exactly I witnessed.
Pro Tip: parking was a major issue. There are adjacent (paid) lots available, but we circled the facility’s lot for nearly thirty minutes to find a spot (and almost missed our designated entry time). Arrive early!
Our drive to Colorado was forgettable, but our stay made spending 40-hours in a minivan with five kids TOTALLY worth it.
We loved the mountains, the city, and every experience we booked while in town. We found out that you just can’t lose with Colorado – except for (probably) the Rockies, of course. 🙂
