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Colorado: Denver, Awesome Family Vacation Science Field Trips.
Located on the eastern baseline of awesome Rocky Mountains, Denver is trendy,
spunky and definitely family friendly. Sunshine makes the difference more than
300 days of the year making the city attractive to anyone who enjoys being
outside. The city maintains the nation's largest city park system and provides
more than 650 miles of paved bike pathways. It is a city for first class family
field trips. On the best list: The Denver Zoo, The Downtown Aquarium, Denver
Museum of Nature & Science, Denver Botanic Gardens, Butterfly Pavilion & Insect
Center, and the Wildlife Experience.
Options include one-of-a-kind places and plenty of chance to create awesome
memories. This is the fun stuff.
Explore science.
 With
world-renowned dioramas, extensive gem and mineral display, a pair of Egyptian
mummies and much more, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is a great place to
spend a day (or several). The museum focuses of six specific scientific areas:
geology, paleontology, zoology, anthropology, space science and health science.
In 2003, the museum opened its newest permanent exhibition, “Space Odyssey”
which combines a traditional exhibit with live programming, digital multimedia,
and interactive modules which engage visitors of all ages in the contemporary
science of space exploration. Other popular museum attractions include the Gates
Planetarium, the “Hall of Life” which focuses on the science of the human body,
and the IMAX theatre. (Denver Museum of Nature & Science, outside metro Denver,
2001 Colorado Blvd. 1-800-925-2250 or
www.dmns.org)
Fly high.
When Lowry Air Force Base closed in 1993, its cavernous Hanger No. 1 became the
6 Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum featuring more than 40 planes and
spacecraft. Visitors to the museum will see everything from antique biplanes, to
an F-14 Tomcat and a massive B-1A bomber – even most of the F-100 fighter
series. Alongside the planes are displays featuring a World War II uniform
collection, a U3A Blue Canoe and the Freedom space module, and several
seasonable exhibits.
Bonus:
On the second Saturday of each month the museum hosts “Demo Cockpit Day,” when
visitors have the opportunity to climb into the planes’ cockpits. Science
fiction fans won’t want to miss the chance to check out the full-size X-wing
prop plane used in the filming of Star Wars. (Lowry Air Force Base, 7711 E.
Academy Pkwy., Hangar No. 1. 1(303) 360-5360 or
www.wingsmuseum.org)
Take time to smell the
roses. The
Denver Botanic Gardens features twenty-three acres of outdoor and indoor gardens
with plants native to four separate regions: desert, plains, mountain foothills
and alpine zones, as well as a traditional Japanese garden, an herb garden, a
fragrance garden, a water garden, and even a garden inspired by the art of
Claude Monet. The “Gardens of the World” exhibit features plants from Asia,
Europe, Africa, Australia, and the tropics. Even during the winter the Denver
Botanical Gardens are worth a visit as the dome-shaped Tropical Conservatory is
home to thousands of beautiful tropical and sub-tropical plant life. Bonus:
Throughout the year the Denver Botanical Gardens host special events, ranging
from garden concerts to ecological talks – see the website for more detail.
(Denver Botanical Gardens, 1005 York Street. 1(720) 865-3500 or
www.botanicgardens.org)
Go wild in Denver.
 The
Denver Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals, representing 750 different
species, like the rare okapi, endangered cheetahs, Komodo dragons and even
majestic lowland gorillas. The newest habitat at the Denver Zoo is the Predator
Ridge, an African savannah themed habitat with lions, hyenas and other African
predators. Along with numerous realistic natural habitats the Denver Zoo is also
home to the nation’s very first natural-gas powered train which visitors can
ride for $1, and also features a kid-friendly attraction, the Conversation
Carousel with wood-carved renditions of endangered species. Bonus:
Feeding times are posted near the zoo entrance allowing visitors to time their
visits to the various exhibits when the animals will be at their most active.
(The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele Street. 1(303) 376-4800 or
www.denverzoo.org)
Swim with the fishes.
Denver’s Downtown
Aquarium is the largest aquarium between Chicago and Monterrey, California and
features recreations of two dynamic ecosystems on opposite sides of the world:
the Colorado River in North America, and the Kampar River in Indonesia. The
Colorado River area features many of the innumerable aquatic residents of the
Colorado River basin, such as the greenback cutthroat trout (the Colorado State
fish), and river otters. At the end of the Colorado River area are a flash-flood
simulation and the beautiful 187,000 gallon Sea of Cortex display complete with
exotic fish and moray eels. The Kampar River area features the many aspects of
the river basin’s unique ecosystem and also is home to endangered Sumatran
tigers. (Downtown Aquarium, 700 Water Street) 1(303) 561-4450 or
www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver)
Experience the beauty.
The Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center allows visitors to enter a world of
delicate grace and beauty and appreciate the colorful diversity of butterflies.
Inside the conservatory a constant mist creates the ideal habitat for the lush
green plants that provide food and shelter for the conservatory’s butterfly
inhabitants. Several displays throughout the conservatory outline the difference
between butterflies, moths and skippers as well as elaborate color charts to
help identify the different butterfly species. The insect room exhibits
introduce visitors to the diverse residents of the insect world, and feature
arthropods that are Colorado native. Bonus points: A “touch cart” allows
a visitor to get up close to a cockroach or tarantula – ideal for the budding
arthropod enthusiast! (The
Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center
6252 Westminster Blvd.,
Westminster).
1(303) 469-5441
or
www.butterflies.org)
Get back to nature.
The Wildlife Experience, located near the Denver Technological Center, is an
impressive $40 million museum focused on natural history, nature films and
wildlife art. The museum is home to nine galleries of nature-inspired art,
sculpture and photography. The National Geographic Channel screening room and
the interactive Children’s Gallery add to the overall experience and succeed in
meeting the museum’s goal – to educate visitors about the importance of
conservation and preserving the delicate balance between people and the
environment we all share. Bonus points: Also located at the Wildlife
Experience is the 315-seat I-werks Extreme Screen Theater. (The Wildlife
Experience, located one mile east of I-25 via Lincoln Avenue, exit 193 at 10035
Peoria Street) 1(720) 488-3300 or
www.thewildlifeexperience.org)
More Vacation
Ideas
Colorado: Denver, Family Vacation Ideas.
The awesome Rocky Mountains guard the city providing an ever changing mountain
views throughout the city. The tenth largest downtown in the U.S. is distinctly
urban, delightfully natural and ready for families. It is a destination with a
spectacular mile-long pedestrian promenade at its heart and miles of bike paths
to be enjoyed. History, art and theatre thrive in Denver providing families with
oodles of options for vacation fun. For families, the city rocks.
More
Text
researched by Travel Communications Inc. Images provided by Denver Metro
Convention & Visitors Bureau, Natural History Museum photo by Sheri O’Hara;
Denver Zoo photo by Stan Obert; Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Copyright 1/2007.
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