Things to do in Denver that are kid-friendly

1. Denver Children's Museum: So much fun that you can visit multiple times and still not cover all the ground.

• Adult perk: Little Man Ice Cream, fun for all ages, is just a mile away.

2. Denver Botanic Gardens: "It's just great relearning to see how amazing a flower petal is!" Colby Drechsel wrote to us. And it opens at 9am.

• Adult perk: Copper Door Coffee Roasters runs a cafe at the downtown gardens, so you can get a great cup of coffee to keep up.

3. City playgrounds: So many different options. The favorite — for many age groups — is the new City Park adventure zone with spinning things, a ninja course and a tall tower and slide.

• Adult perk: Just blocks away is Cerebral Brewing, where you can find great beer and snacks from the food truck or Machete tacos next door.

💭 John's thought bubble: The Colorado-themed highlight came watching my 2-year-old niece dig for fake dinosaur fossils at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science — and then run around the virtual Discovery Zone.

• Pro tip: Buy a membership and get visitors in for free.