Top 5 Adventurous Ways to Enjoy the Best of Colorado

Having adventures with your family helps strengths your bond and gifts you with exciting memories that everyone will cherish for many years to come. One of the best states in the US to embark on family adventures is in the craggy mountain state of Colorado. What makes Colorado so special is that the state is filled with pristine settings, which gives visitors ample opportunities for memorable adventures with their families. 

If you are planning on visiting and are looking for some fun and excitement that everyone will love, then check out these top family adventures in Colorado. 

Cowboy Up at the Dude Ranch 

Trade your cell phones for saddles and your tablets for cowboy boots as you and your family pony up to a wild week on a dude ranch. Your family will love filling the boots of cowboys by spending the vacation going on daily trail rides which lead through forests, past mountains, and along aspen groves. Many of the ranches offer activities including hiking, hayrides, bomb fires, mountain biking, fishing, and even rafting.  With so much to do on a dude ranch, all of you will remember how much fun you had away from the TV.

When planning your stay remember there are a variety of choices that last from a few days to over a week. Many of them also offer all-inclusive options and childcare staff in case the little ones are too small to ride horses or spend a day hiking in the woods. Living on a dude ranch is not the cheapest family vacation in Colorado but the adventure is well worth the price. 

Dive into Adventure at Elitch Gardens Water Park

Located right in the heart of downtown Denver resides a 125-year-old water park. While your family will enjoy a great day on slippery slides and wet rides, the park offers much more. There are also roller coasters, haunted houses, interactive shows, free concerts, movie nights, costume contests, wave pools, and more. Head to the top of twenty-story observation tower to get scenic views of Denver and the surrounding area. Elitch Gardens is a vacation the whole family will talk about even after you are back home.

With so much entertainment, this park warrants a couple days of your time. The park is open from May through October and has over fifty rides and attractions to enjoy. 

Travel Back in Time at Mesa Verde

Mesa Verde is one of the best and most well preserved ancient remains in the country. As you hike through these amazingly preserved cliff ruins, you cannot help but imagine what life must have been like for the people who lived here over 1,500 years ago. Walking through ruins might not sound like much of an adventure, but keep in mind that in order to get to Mesa Verde you must take a short trek through the desert, climb down cliff side ladders, and hike along sheer drop offs. In certain areas you may have to squeeze through tunnels and damp caves.  

There are six other ruins to explore at the nearby Hovenween National Monument. These include the Canyons of the Ancients, which is one of the largest archeological finds in the entire country. This adventure is perfect for the Indiana Jones in your family. 

Spot Exotic Wildlife at the Wild Animal Sanctuary

Less than an hour drive from Denver is the Wild Animal Sanctuary. The main appeal is the huge sky walkway through a portion of the park that lets you see hundreds of lions, wolves, bears, leopards, and cougars from a safe vantage point. 

The park is enormous with 720 acres of open area for the animals to wander. This provides these magnificent animals with a life similar to living in the wild while giving visitors an opportunity to spy on these animals in open fields rather than small zoo enclosures. 

A reward of visiting the park is that you are supporting responsible tourism. All the animals in the park were rescued from illegal situations and were sent here for rehabilitation. 

Camp, Hiking, and Climbing, Oh My!

We cannot talk about family adventures in Colorado without mentioning the vast amount of hiking and camping that state has to offer. Colorado is full of mountains, canyons, and rivers. It is one of the best places in the country to take your family on camping vacations venturing far into the deep woods. It would be a shame to visit this gorgeous state without spending at least a few days wandering the wild and taking in the views of snowcapped mountains sitting on the horizon. 

Take to the Sky

If hiking or mountain climbing is not your favorite activity, there are some adrenaline pumping adventures to give you that Rocky Mountain high. There are giant canyon swings over the Colorado River, alpine coasters, hand gliding, ziplining, and skydiving. 

Colorado has it fair share of thrill seeking adventures for your loved ones of all ages. Next time you are planning a vacation make sure to make to include some of these top adventures in Colorado that your whole family will love. 

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