Top 5 Fun Things To Do Before School Starts in Denver
Summer is winding to a close, and it is time to get every last drop out of these care-free months. Before the kids go back to school and before you have to start shopping for pencils and notebooks, take them to some of these great spots for summertime fun. Enjoy the warm weather and these lazy summer days while you still can.
Berry Patch Farms
13785 Potomac St.
Brighton, CO 80601
(303) 659-5050
www.berrypatchfarms.com
Price: free/pay per pound or container
Take your kids to a real working farm so they may wander the large, open space, picking fruits and vegetables, and learning more about agriculture in the process. Berry Patch Farms doesn't charge you anything to get in; you only pay for what you take home. Plus, there are tons of great activities for kids including the half pint club. Designed especially for pre-schoolers, the club celebrates each Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: For just $5 per child, the kids go on a hay ride, get to pick a half pint of berries, learn about agriculture and do a craft.
Related: Top Waterparks And Pools In Denver
Cherry Creek State Park
4201 S. Parker Road
Aurora, CO 80014
(303) 690-1166
www.parks.state.co.us
Price: $9 daily pass
OK, so Colorado doesn't have a true oceanic beach, but the Cherry Creek State Park has the closest thing to it in this land-locked state. Plus, it is low cost and tons of fun. Form boating to swimming and from water skiing to fishing, the Cherry Creek State Park is the hot spot for water fun in Denver. Visit the marina for boating lessons and rentals, get out on the reservoir and really enjoy these last few warm weeks.
Lakeside Amusement Park
4601 Sheridan Blvd.
Denver, CO 80212
(303) 477-1621
www.lakesideamusementpark.com
Price: $2.50 gate admission per person/$22 per person, unlimited rides
Since 1908, Lakeside Amusement Park has been home to tons of thrill rides and other amusement park fun. With all of the classic rides including the Cyclone Rollercoaster, bumper cars, bumper boats, go karts, the tilt-a-whirl and a huge ferris wheel, this is one place your kids are sure to have a blast. It also offers a full Kiddie Playland with smaller rides designed with the younger thrill-seekers in mind. Plus, picnics are welcome, so bring a lunch and plan a day your whole family will not soon forget.
Related: Top Summertime Theater Activities For Kids In Denver
Liks Ice Cream
2039 E. 13th Ave.
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 321-2370
www.liksicecream.com
Nothing says summer like ice cream. And Liks Ice Cream has been a neighborhood favorite since 1976. This locally owned shop is known throughout the city as one of the best in town, so it is the ideal stop on a hot summer day. The lines can get a bit long during the heat of the day, but don't fret, they move quickly, and your whole family will soon enjoy some of the best homemade ice cream in town. With flavors including banana foster, blackberry cobbler, Mexican flan and yellow cake, enjoy truly unique tastes and find new favorites.
Jumpstreet
7969 E. Arapahoe Road
Greenwood Village, CO 80112
(303) 586-5530
www.gotjump.com
Price: $12 for the first hour/ $6 for each additional hour
So the kids have been bouncing off the walls all summer, and it has been driving you crazy. Take them to a place where they can literally bounce off the walls and you can join in on the fun. Jumpstreet is an indoor trampoline park, and it is the only one of its kind in town. The floor is made of huge trampolines, the walls are made of huge trampolines, and there is even a special area for trampoline dodge ball. Yes, this is truly the perfect place to get out and use up all the energy that has been building for the past three months.
Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
