Fizz’s Top 5 Places To Take Your Kids This Summer
Jun 10, 2026, 9:44 AM
Summer is here, the kids are out of school and they are absolutely going to destroy your house if you don’t get them out of it. The backyard water balloon fights will only get you so far. Here are are my top five places to to take your kids this summer so you can preserve what’s left of your sanity — and your drywall.
No. 5: Pirates Cove, Englewood. It’s a water park. It’s pirate-themed. Your 6-year-old will say “arrr” 4,000 times and you will regret teaching them that word. But here’s the real treasure: They let you bring your own food and drinks. That means you can smuggle in a cooler full of La Croix and sadness while the kids barrel down the slides until closing time. Open through Aug. 9, and passes start at just $69.99 for the season. That’s cheaper than one trip to the pediatrician after your kid jumps off the garage roof out of boredom.
No. 4: Denver Zoo. Nothing humbles a parent faster than watching a toddler have a full meltdown in front of the gorillas — who, for the record, appear to be judging your parenting. Pack sunscreen. Pack snacks. Pack emotional resilience. The giraffes don’t care about your problems, and honestly, that’s kind of refreshing.
No. 3: Denver Museum of Nature & Science. “But Fizz, museums aren’t fun.” Wrong. This place has dinosaur bones the size of your minivan and a planetarium that will knock your kids unconscious — I mean, put them in a state of quiet wonder — for a glorious 45 minutes. That alone is worth the price of admission.
No. 2: Water World. Sixty-four acres of controlled chaos. This isn’t a water park, it’s a small nation with a wave pool. New for 2026: Summit Canyon, which promises all the beauty and excitement of Colorado’s great outdoors without the bears or the altitude sickness. Pro tip — arrive when the gates open. By noon it’s basically a human soup.
No. 1: Elitch Gardens. The crown jewel. Celebrating 136 years of thrills, and yes, it’s still standing right there near Ball Arena despite approximately one million rumors to the contrary. With 54-plus rides and attractions, a full water park and the Meow Wolf-designed Kaleidoscape ride, it’s two parks for the price of one. Blippi and Meekah are rolling through July 10-12, which means your toddler will lose their entire mind. You’ve been warned. Season passes start at $79.99. That’s less than what you’ll spend on ibuprofen by August.
Get out there, Denver. Your couch will still be here in September.
