Wild Denver
Where to see the amazing animals who call Denver home
From native Colorado species to exotic creatures from the other side of
the globe, from delicate butterflies to lumbering elephants, the Mile
High City is filled with amazing animals in state-of-the-art habitats,
allowing you and your family to get up-close-and-personal with plenty
of colorful characters. Don’t miss out on these wild attractions!
Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St., Denver
303-376-4800
www.denverzoo.org
Lions, tigers, bears – and so
much more! Set aside several hours for exploration in the Denver Zoo,
an eye-opening experience for all ages. The fourth most popular zoo in
the nation has 4,000 animals representing more than 750 species. The
Zoo’s Predator Ridge has a pride of lions, while polar bears frolic in
nearby Northern Shores – check them out above ground or underwater
thanks to a specially designed viewing window. You’ll also love Primate
Panorama where fun-loving orangutans make their home.
Family Tip:
Catch a ride on the Pioneer Train, (the first natural gas zoo train in
America), which will take you on a relaxing trip around Pachyderm Park,
where you’ll see elephants, rhinos and more.
The Wildlife Experience Museum
10035 Peoria St., Parker
720-488-3300
www.thewildlifeexperience.org
Located in nearby Parker, The Wildlife Experience is an interactive and
ever-changing institution that connects visitors with wildlife and
habitats in a fun and educational environment. It’s a perfect place for
families, with immersive exhibits such as Discovery Den and Cubs Corner
where kids can make their own wildlife masterpieces. Also be sure to
catch an innovative film in Max Brown's Adventure Theater.
Family Tip:
Kids will love learning about Colorado’ unique wildlife at Wild
Colorado, an exhibit that covers four major habitats of our great state
from the Great Plains to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Wild
Colorado is an immersive exhibit experience complete with animatronics,
realistic exhibit displays, interactive touch screens and life-like
environments.
Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center
6252 W. 104th Ave. (off U.S. Hwy. 36), Westminster
303-469-5441
www.butterflies.org
One of the most unique “wild Denver” spots can be found just a few
miles from downtown Denver at the 30,000-square-foot Butterfly Pavilion
in Westminster. This amazing attraction combines science education with
hands-on fun to teach visitors about invertebrates, science and
conservation. The interactive exhibits are geared primarily towards
families with kids ages 2 to 12 years old, but people of all ages will
embrace the beauty and wonder of the tropical conservatory filled with
1,200 free-flying butterflies imported from around the globe.
Family Tip:
Don’t miss The Crawl-A-See-‘Em, an exhibit that allows kids to get
eye-to-eye with tarantulas, leaf insects, scorpions, beetles, giant
millipedes, and many more. You can even hold Rosie, a friendly Chilean
Rose Hair tarantula!
Buffalo Herd Nature Preserve
20 Miles west of Denver at I-70, Exit 250
www.denvergov.org/Mountain_Parks/BisonElkHerds/tabid/391217/Default.aspx
Bison (or buffalos) are among the most iconic symbols of the American
west – and you can get up close and personal with a herd of them just a
short drive from downtown Denver. The City of Denver maintains a herd
of 40 buffalo in a natural setting. The buffalo are direct descendants
of the last wild buffalo herd in America. Bring the camera for some
great photo opportunities!
Family Tip:
If you’re headed out to see the herd, make sure to stop in at the
fascinating Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave next door, where you can
learn all about another Wild West Icon, the colorful Buffalo Bill
Cody.
Downtown Aquarium
700 Water St., Denver
303-561-4450
www.downtownaquarium.com
Colorado
may be landlocked, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have plenty of
marine life for you and your family to gawk at. The Downtown Aquarium
features fascinating sea creatures, sharks and more. All in all there
are more than 15,000 fish, mammals and plants, including an exhibit of
Sumtran tigers who love to swim. And if you’re left with the urge to
get a little wet yourself, you’re in luck: the Under the Sea exhibit
lets you swim alongside a 250 lb. Queensland Grouper, Moray Eels,
Guitar Fish, red drums and 400 of their closest friends.
Family Tip:
This family friendly attraction has a restaurant where you can dine
next to sharks and schools of colorful tropical fish. Also stroll the
grounds around the aquarium for kid-focused activities, like petting
zoos and educational programs.
Dinosaur Ridge
16831 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison
303-697-3466
www.dinoridge.com
Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
303-322-7009
www.dmns.org
While you’re not going to come across any living, breathing dinosaurs
while you’re here in Denver – they’re still extinct, the last we
checked – you will have ample opportunity to learn about these
long-gone Colorado residents. At Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison (near Red
Rocks Amphitheatre) you can touch the bones of Allosaurus and
Stegosaurus at the site where important dinosaur discoveries were made
in the late 1800s. See how Iguanadons walked by viewing real dinosaur
footprints forever preserved in the sandstone. Meanwhile, over the
Denver Museum of Nature & Science you and your family can stand in
awe at the priceless collection of dinosaur skeletons, including those
of T-Rex and Stegosaurus.
Family Tip:
Dinosaur Discovery Days give you an opportunity to view the tracks,
bones, and other spectacular examples of geology and paleontology along
Dinosaur Ridge with volunteer guides and without the distraction of
passing traffic. These free days run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During
that time, West Alameda Parkway over the Ridge will be closed to
vehicular traffic and guides will give demonstrations and answer
questions at many of the interpretive stops along the Ridge. No
reservations are necessary.