# Visiting Denver with toddlers and little kids: the plan

> The zoo is in City Park east of downtown, the Children’s Museum sits just west of downtown by the Platte, and the Art Museum and Central Library share the Civic Center. Here’s a day or two, with nap time built in.

- Last checked: 2026-10-26
- One- and two-day plans with a nap in the middle
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/visiting/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/denver/index.md
- City guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/denver/guide/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/llms.txt

## Top 2 can’t-miss spots

- **Denver Zoo** (City Park, 2300 Steele St.): Mornings are calmer than afternoons. Cost: $19 kids, $27 adults. Site: https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/
- **Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus** (Jefferson Park, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr.): Tickets are sold at the door; parking is free. Cost: $19.75 per person. Site: https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit

## If you have one day

1. **MORNING**: Denver Zoo (Timed entry · City Park, 2300 Steele St. · $19 kids, $27 adults). https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/
2. **LUNCH**: Denver Central Market (Food hall in RiNo · RiNo). https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Central Library (Library time · Civic Center, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy. · Free). https://www.denverlibrary.org/locations

## If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

1. **MORNING**: Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus (Doors at 9 · Jefferson Park, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr. · $19.75 per person). https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit
2. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
3. **AFTER NAP**: Denver Art Museum (Free for kids · Golden Triangle, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy.). https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/plan-your-visit

## Where to stay

- **Central Library** (downtown): The Civic Center puts the Art Museum and Central Library side by side, a short drive from the zoo and the Children’s Museum. Near Central Library and Denver Art Museum.
- **City Park** (for the zoo): Denver Zoo is in City Park, and Wings Over the Rockies is a short drive east in Lowry. Near Denver Zoo and Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
- **Lakewood and Littleton** (for a suburban base): West and south of the city, near Kids Town and Hudson Gardens, with Chatfield State Park close by. Near Kids Town and Hudson Gardens.

## Easy restaurants near the big stops

- **Denver Central Market** (Food hall, RiNo): Pizza, salads and ice cream in RiNo, open from 8am. https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/
- **Avanti Food & Beverage** (Food hall, LoHi): Several kitchens under one roof, open from 11am. https://avantifandb.com/location/avanti-denver/
- **Casa Bonita** (Mexican, with a show, Lakewood): kids’ meal $19.99 (12 and under, weekday lunch), entrée $29.99 (adults, weekday lunch). https://casabonitadenver.com/

## Rainy-day backup plan

- **Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus**: Mostly indoors.
- **Denver Art Museum**: Indoors.
- **Butterfly Pavilion**: Indoors.
- **Central Library**: Indoors.
- **Green Valley Ranch Branch Library**: Indoors.
- **Kids Town**: Indoor soft play.
- **Go Bonkers**: Indoors at Town Center at Aurora.
- **tumble HAUS**: Indoors.
- **Downtown Aquarium**: Indoors.
- **Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum**: Indoors, in a big hangar.

## Practical tips

- Zoo tickets: Denver Zoo requires online timed tickets.
- Wednesdays: The Denver Art Museum is closed on Wednesdays.
- Socks: Kids Town requires socks for everyone, grown-ups included.
- Casa Bonita: Casa Bonita takes reservations only and charges $10 a person for no-shows and late cancellations.

## Free and cheap wins

- **Central Library**: Free.
- **Green Valley Ranch Branch Library**: Free.
- **Hudson Gardens**: Free garden admission.
- **Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street)**: The Freyer–Newman Center’s first floor is always free.

All free things to do in Denver: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/guide/#free


## Happening this week

- **Boo at the Zoo** (Fri 4:30–9pm (timed tickets)) at Denver Zoo. Check site. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-boo_at_the_zoo_denver
- **Mall-O-Ween at Town Center at Aurora** (Sat Noon–4pm) at Town Center at Aurora. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-mall_o_ween
- **Boo and Brew on Colfax** (Sat 1–4pm) at Bluebird District, East Colfax Ave.. Free for kids. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-boo_and_brew
- **Trick or Treat Street at Central Library** (Thu 2:30–5:30pm) at Central Library (Denver Public Library). Free. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-dpl_trick_or_treat_street
- **Día de Muertos at the Children’s Museum** (Sun 9am–4pm (mariachi parade at 3pm)) at Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus. Included with admission ($19.75 ages 2–59, $17.75 age 1, under 1 free). https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-cmd_dia_de_muertos

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Denver: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Denver for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/christmas-lights/index.md)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Is Denver kid-friendly?
For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Denver guide lists 19 places we checked for little kids, plus 4 free places and 7 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 3 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 3 library systems. This week’s list has 55 dated outings for ages 0–6. See [free things to do in Denver](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/guide/#free) and [this weekend’s list](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/).

### How many days do you need in Denver with a toddler?
Two: the zoo one day, the Children’s Museum and a library storytime the next.

### What’s open in the evening in Denver with kids?
The Downtown Aquarium is open until 8pm every day, and Kids Town stays open until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

### Is Casa Bonita worth it with little kids?
As a planned treat, yes. The price covers the meal and the show. Book ahead, because there are no walk-ins.