Denver has a wide spread , from completely free nature refuges to $200 zip line days. Here's what you'll actually pay, broken down honestly.
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Completely Free
These cost $0 to enter. Budget only if you want food.
| Activity | Notes | |---|---| | Denver Museum of Nature and Science Park | Playground free; museum admission separate | | Central Park Playground | Free public playground | | Westlands Park Playground | Free; Greenwood Village | | Denver Audubon Kingery Nature Center | Free outdoor nature center | | Morrison Nature Center | Free wetlands/prairie trails | | Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge | Free; bison, deer, eagles | | City Park Nature Play | Free nature play area | | Washington Park Playground | Free; Washington Park | | Nature Playground at 39th Ave Greenway | Free public nature play | | Central Park | Free public park | | Great Lawn Park | Free public park | | Westminster Station Nature Play Park | Free public nature play | | Ruby Hill Park | Free; free summer concerts at Levitt Pavilion | | Bluff Lake Nature Center | Free | | Leon A Wurl Wildlife Sanctuary | Free | | Paco Sánchez Park | Free; bring your own food | | Paco Sanchez Playground | Free | | City Park Playground | Free; within City Park | | Garland Park | Free; bring your own food | | Park Playground | Free; Green Valley Ranch area | | Downtown Playground | Free public playground |
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Under $50 for a Family of 4
**Spark the Senses Indoor Playground** , $35-$55. Sensory-focused indoor play. Memberships available for regular visitors.
**Tumble Haus** , $40-$60. Indoor gymnastics-style play. Good for toddlers and young kids.
**SweetPlay Greenwood Village** , $40-$60. Indoor play; Greenwood Village. Members get the best rates.
**Play Street Museum - Lowry** , $40-$55. Themed indoor play museum for young children. Membership pays off quickly for monthly visitors.
**Kids Dig** , $45-$65. Fossil dig experience. Good for curious 6-12 year olds.
**Kids Wonder** , $45-$65. Indoor exploration and play.
**Butterfly Pavilion** , $45-$65. Thousands of free-flying butterflies. One of the best price-to-experience values in Denver. Wear bright colors.
**Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms** , $30-$50. Outdoor farm experience with seasonal activities. Spring and fall are best.
**Plains Conservation Center** , $20-$40. Outdoor prairie education. Affordable and genuinely educational.
**The Hudson Gardens & Event Center** , $20-$35. Gardens and outdoor events. Check for family programming.
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$50-$100 for a Family of 4
**Kids Empire Aurora City Place** , $50-$70. Large indoor play venue. Grip socks required , bring your own. Weekday mornings are much less crowded.
**Kids Empire North Glenn** , $50-$80. Same chain, North Glenn location. Check kidsempire.com for current pricing.
**Go Bonkers** , $50-$80 (admission for 2 kids; adults typically free or nominal). 4.8-rated indoor playground in Aurora. Sunday hours limited to 12-6pm.
**Museum of Illusions** , $60-$80. Forced perspective rooms and illusion exhibits. Self-paced , no rush to keep up with a group.
**The Wild Animal Sanctuary** , $50-$80. Rescue sanctuary for large predators. Elevated walkways. Genuinely unlike a zoo.
**Funcity Adventure Park** , $60-$90 (admission for 2 kids ~$15-$20 each; adult supervision fees vary). Check current pricing.
**Lava Island** , $40-$65. Indoor play venue. Check current pricing online.
**BOUNCE AND PLAY** , $40-$65. Local bounce venue; generally more affordable than national chains.
**Adventure Forest at Children's Museum of Denver** , $55-$80 (included with Children's Museum admission ~$16 per person). The outdoor nature play forest plus the full indoor museum , easily 3-4 hours.
**Freyer - Newman Center** , $60-$80 (adults ~$17 each + kids ~$10 each; part of Denver Botanic Gardens). No food on-site. Combine with outdoor gardens.
**Gardening Help At Denver Botanic Gardens** , $30-$55. One ticket covers the full Botanic Gardens campus including the conservatory and discovery center.
**Denver Botanic Gardens: Morrison Discovery Center** , $55-$70 (included with Botanic Gardens admission). Hands-on nature exploration for younger children.
**Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory** , $55-$70 (included with Denver Botanic Gardens admission). The warm, humid glass dome is the best winter activity in Denver.
**Sky Zone Trampoline Park** , $70-$110 (~$18-$25 per jumping child per session). Book online for best pricing.
**Denver Zoo Lights** , $55-$90 (seasonal; check dates and current pricing). The holiday lights event , more expensive than standard zoo admission but a genuinely different experience.
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$80-$150 for a Family of 4
**Slick City Action Park** , $80-$120. Indoor waterless slide park. Book timed entry online; early slots are cheaper.
**Immersive Gamebox - 9+CO Denver** , $80-$120. 360-degree immersive game rooms. Book the right session length for your group (30-60 min sessions).
**Kangaroo Ranch** , $80-$120. Hand-feed free-roaming kangaroos. Hours are seasonal , check the website first.
**Activate Westminster** , $80-$130. Tech-powered active game rooms. Book online; sessions fill up on weekends.
**Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park** , $80-$120. Climbing walls and dodgeball beyond standard trampolines. Buy online for 10-15% off.
**The Bounce Place Colorado Mills** , $55-$80 (admission ~$14-$18 per child; adults typically free or minimal). Located at Colorado Mills.
**Boondocks Food and Fun - Parker** , $80-$140. Go-karts, laser tag, mini golf, food court. Parker location south of Denver. Activity packages beat individual pricing.
**Malibu Jack's Thornton** , $100-$160. Attraction packages vary; combo deals deliver better value than individual activities.
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$150+ for a Family of 4
**Castle Rock Adventure Park** , $120-$200+. Zip line tours. The premium outdoor adventure in the Denver area. Book at castlerockziplinetours.com. Minimum age/weight requirements , check before booking. About 45 minutes south of Denver.
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How to Save Money in Denver
Annual membership at Denver Zoo or Denver Botanic Gardens. Both pay for themselves in 2 visits. Denver Zoo charges ~$15 per child and ~$20 per adult per visit , a family membership covers that in a single outing.
Free nature is exceptional here. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is 20 minutes from downtown and completely free , bison, eagles, deer, prairie dogs. It's genuinely impressive and costs nothing.
Weekday mornings. Kids Empire, Go Bonkers, and most indoor play venues are significantly less crowded Tuesday-Thursday before noon. Many have lower weekday rates.
Pack food for outdoor days. Denver Botanic Gardens has no on-site café outside the main gates. Chatfield Farms and the nature centers have no food vendors at all. Pack a cooler and save $20-$30 easily.
Book everything online. Castle Rock Adventure Park, Activate Westminster, Slick City, and Urban Air all have walk-up premium pricing. Online is always cheaper.
