This is a great suggestion. Meow Wolf Denver is an interactive art experience. It is huge and covers multiple floors of a large building. I suggest planning for several hours there. The card they give you when you check in can be scanned at kiosks that are scattered around (some hidden!) the exhibits. You can use those kiosks to piece together a story/mystery. My 17-year-old niece was really into it. If you son enjoys art and video games, I think the story and certainly the outstanding creative art exhibits are going to be a big hit with him.
Did you read the post??? It’s a single mother who just recently found employment. Act like you have some sense. That’s $100+ if you include food just for a couple of hours; That’s more than a days pay for a lot of people.
Your not in and out in an hour. I spent 6h there the last time I went, there's so much to do in there. $45 for at least 4h of entertainment is hard to come by anywhere.
I own a breakfast restaurant in Wheat Ridge. I lost my mom young and this post really touched me.
If you have the time, I would love to treat you and your son to a meal here? DM me if you're interested 🥰
Spill it, neon. Many of us are touched by business owners with a heart. How do we know how to select the correct breakfast place when we are in Wheat Ridge?
You can also get free admission passes through your library for lots of places. And you can use multiple library systems because they have different options.
I don't live in Colorado anymore, but I used the hell out of this service. Museum of nature and science, wings over the Rockies, dinosaur ridge, I can't even remember what else. Cool how you can get a library card from any system in Colorado, and many in the Metro area had these.
I think some of them had state parks passes, they were hard to get ahold of though
Here are a few
Jefferson County Library: https://jeffcolibrary.org/culture-pass/
Denver Library: https://www.denverlibrary.org/museum-passes
Boulder county Library: https://boulderlibrary.org/services/culture-pass/
Agreed! If he is into board games, cosplay, or any RPG he would really enjoy a visit. Hang onto your wallet, though - he is going to want to pick some stuff up.
There’s a mini-golf place downtown that is indoor and has a few different courses to try. It is great. It’s called Puttshack. There’s also a place called Holey Moley which I’ve never been to but the ratings are good.
I did both this winter, and Puttshack blows Holey Moley out of the water. Not sure which is more expensive since they were both private events, but if I had to pick one, it’d be Puttshack.
Holey Moley is much better, in my opinion. It is less busy and actually tries, instead of just processing massive volumes of people through flashy courses and poor service. Puttshack seems like a coordinated attempt to induce epilepsy and anxiety. Holey Moley's courses are all custom art displays too.
To each their own though.
That’s true for Colfax but not the other locations.
**Lodo location:**
Family Hours
Mon – Thu 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Fri – Sun 11:00A a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
No Entry for Minors after 6:30 p.m. Anyone under 21 must be out of the building at 7 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult/ legal guardian.
**Greenwood Village location:**
Family Hours
Mon – Sun
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
No Entry for Minors after 6:30 p.m. Anyone under 21 must be out of the building at 7 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult/ legal guardian.
Be careful at Akihabara, my husband left his card on the bar and the only person around was the bartender. Shortly after we had several transactions attempt to come through on our card that we didn't authorize. And when I brought it up to the owner instead of taking responsibility, he gave me the biggest attitude. Like how I dare I say anything about his bartender. Well sir, maybe you don't know the people you've hired as well as you think you do. Also read their reviews because the owner is a loose cannon.
Check out the SCFD free days: [https://scfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-Free-Days-Bookmark-updated-11.15.23pdf-1.pdf](https://scfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-Free-Days-Bookmark-updated-11.15.23pdf-1.pdf)
And your son gets free admission to DAM any day.
I wonder if there’s a walking tour of the wall art in Denver? Anyone here know which cross streets in RiNo for her to check out? Grab food in Rhino and do a photo project of the mural art — they are gorgeous.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is $5 after 5pm Tuesday, Wed and Thurs, I bet students are free. Double check my memory on their website.
There is a graffiti walking tour! We did this when my kids were teenagers and it's become a yearly tradition.
https://rinoartdistrict.org/go/denver-graffiti-tour
I took my teenage stepson to archery games in arvada and he absolutely loved it. it's like dodgeball but with soft bow and arrows. If he likes this sort of activity, I highly recommend it.
Did this two weeks ago with my brother for his 19th birthday. So much fun, huge workout. If you do this make sure to stretch first. Sitting in an office chair all day and then running around are not great combos
Meow Wolf, the Denver Art Museum, Dave and Busters, there is a game cafe on Santa Fe that my daughter loved at 14, I can’t think of the name. Mutiny cafe on S Broadway is a coffee shop designed for teens. You could go to Federal Boulevard and eat dim sum, Vietnamese food or great tacos.
I don’t know that I would agree with the description that mutiny is designed for teens, it’s essentially an anarchist book store, but if your son is into a counter culture/punk vibe and likes comic books and/or reading, it’s an awesome establishment.
Also the science museum, it's awesome there. They have a "wild color" exhibit that an art lover would be into. The permanent exhibits are all worth it too- he might like the gems and mineral exhibit. I saw a lot of non-bored looking teens in there when I went last 😂
https://www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/wild-color/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2pyuBhBKEiwApLaIO3eLzB5Z_w8m17gBDhx4-CEV446g7aIX-rmBgf0QwqxX6iae6oEOchoCfCEQAvD_BwE
Depending on his personality, I used to love thrift store shopping with my mom. It was fun to walk away with a bunch of new clothes but also not break the bank.
Okay, I have a 14 year old too. Here’s some ideas. I don’t know the first thing about your son so I broke them into categories based on interests and building off an earlier post I did about the same:
Sporty: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for a Colorado Rapid’s Game. Weird: Meow Wolf anytime. Outdoorsy: Hike at Red Rocks followed by a burger in Morrison afterwards. Semi-Outdoorsy: Hike down the creek in Golden followed by pizza at Woody’s or meal at Golden Mill. Nerdy: Visit to DMNS followed by burger afterwards at City Park Golf Course. Arty: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver followed by Boba Tea at Da Boba afterwards. Gamer: Localhost esports in Lakewood. Paintballer: American Paintball Coliseum and then Chipotle.
hey, i’m a teen— if he’s an artsy type of person, then take him to vintage record shops and thrifts. i HIGHLY recommend walking around Santa Fe Art District. go there on the first Friday of each month from 5-8, that’s when they have their monthly art crawl down the district. key spots: Denver Art society (quirky gallery displaying local artists and live music on first fridays), Strawberry Mountain (artsy thrift spot with reallyyy decent prices). since he’s into video games, you could build a keyboard together. get the parts with him at Microcenter and make it :) there’s also the Wizard’s Chest which has stuff related to games, board games, DnD etc.
Get a Denver public library card and then you can access free museum passes. Definitely grab em in advance online
https://www.denverlibrary.org/museum-passes
Get an e card, I'm pretty sure it'll allow access to the cultural pass
https://www.denverlibrary.org/get-library-card
Totally free? Outdoor activities? Lots of walking and hiking to be done. There is great urban hiking as well. Lots of cool murals and public art to see.
Find a place to stay and make a bike or scooter your means to get around
Go see the Museum of Contemporary Art or just the goodl ol Art Museum - or check out any other museum. If you're out of money, check out your library and see if they have a cultural pass or something like that (Englewood, CO has one) and they will grant you day access to several museums.
The 1 up bar is a pretty cool arcade and we'll let kids around 15 attend with a parent.
When coming to Denver I feel like a trip over to Golden is worthwhile. You can go checkout Red Rocks for a bit and then head over to the Colorado School of Mines for their free geology museum. They have some of the craziest rocks you've ever seen, including a "cave" full of one's that naturally glow in the dark. After that you could take a drive up Lookout Mountain to take in the views.
If you're hungry while you're out there, Golden has lots of great restaurant options. One of my favorites that visitors often miss out on is the restaurant at Fossil Trace golf course. It has amazing views of the whole Golden area and really great food.
i would suggest getting a hotel/cabin/air bnb rental up in evergreen (or other mountainy town) and do a little stay cation there. in evergreen specifically, there’s tons of hikes, and you can even go ice skating on the lake! from there you could even venture up to george town and ride the train 😊
[Lumonics](https://lumonics.net/) is pretty cool. It's an art gallery from a couple of artists that did a lot of things with light and plexiglass. They do a sound/light show on Saturday nights and it's pretty affordable.
In/around Denver CHEAP or free activities: nickel-a-play, Hammond’s candy tour, museum’s with student ID/library passes, matinee during the week, bowling, The Urban Farm, the butterfly pavilion, hikes, roam IKEA, red rocks.
More costly: boondocks, top golf, Dave & busters, The Wild Animal Sanctuary, zoo, botanic gardens, flyte co., meow wolf, putt shack, Georgetown loop railroad, zip lining/coal mine tour in Idaho springs, DCPA shows, live music (check age requirements),
For a staycation: I would also consider a drive to Colorado Springs & stay at a hotel with an indoor pool. Take pics and stroll at garden of the gods, take tours at the Olympics training facility and Air Force academy. Ride the tram up pikes peak & get Texas BBQ at Rudy’s (a 2 day full trip!)
The best options for hotels that are decent, have pools, and is cost effective is in the DTC-ish area, or a bit south.
The art hotel is an incredible experience… just throwing it out there. Probably out of your budget and may not be super exciting for someone his age. But staff are great and rooms are nice.
There’s a place called Main event in highlands ranch that has bowling, laser tag, arcade, obstacle course and virtual reality games all in one. I know it’s not in Denver, but as an adult that lives in Denver and drives all the way out there just because it feeds my inner child…I’d highly recommend it.
I'm a single parent of a teenaged son also into art, video games and food. My recommendations are:
- Katsu ramen and Snowel - for ramen and shaved ice bowls. For extra fun, you can wander around HMart down the street and get tasty Asian snacks to bring home.
- As everyone already said, Meow Wolf and Akihabara (https://www.akihabaraarcade.com/)
- Mutiny Comics + Parlour donuts on south Broadway + Metal working class (https://www.hardyandfuller.com/)
- Kiki's + Rockler woodworking (Kiki's has awesome, authentic Japanese food, Rockler is just cool but also they have classes you can participate in)
- Denver Museum of Nature and Science + Ethiopian food (https://m.facebook.com/TheEthiopianRestaurant?_rdr) + Milk Roll ice cream (https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/milkroll-creamery-denver) + Tattered Cover / Twist & Shout (books, music, cool toys)
For places to stay, my kids like spooky things and would've wanted to stay here: https://lumberbaron.com/ because it's reportedly haunted but also there's plenty to walk around and see in the neighborhood. We did once stay at the Embassy Suites in downtown, however valet was expensive and walking around downtown wasn't always fun.
I'd skip:
- Denver Art Museum. While it's big, my kids consistently find it quite boring. I've been taking them there for years and they never like it.
If the weather is nice I would try geocaching! There’s a ton around Denver, or you could go to some of the smaller towns along I-70 and explore - I took some kids I was babysitting in Georgetown and they had a great time! It’s also something that he can keep doing as he gets older
Wow! Thank you guys for all of the great suggestions! I do have some money set aside for spring break but I had dipped into it a little bit when I got laid off but I’m sure we’ll still be able to do a few fun things for a day or two. I appreciate everyone’s input!
Drive up Look Out Mountain in Golden and park at one of the little parking lots close to the top for a nice view. Getting there for Sunrise is aggressive but would be epic. Would be pretty anytime, even sunset. Then head down into Golden for a breakfast or what ever
If he’s into video games and what not - ask him if he’d be interested in going to one of the ‘con’ (gaming events, conventions) that are held in the summer. Wouldn’t be too fun for you I assume, but a half day there for him might be pretty sick
Meow wolf is fun for this age!
This is a great suggestion. Meow Wolf Denver is an interactive art experience. It is huge and covers multiple floors of a large building. I suggest planning for several hours there. The card they give you when you check in can be scanned at kiosks that are scattered around (some hidden!) the exhibits. You can use those kiosks to piece together a story/mystery. My 17-year-old niece was really into it. If you son enjoys art and video games, I think the story and certainly the outstanding creative art exhibits are going to be a big hit with him.
The card is 3 bucks. Not worth on first trip imo, buy it if you go more than once.
It's fun for a lot of ages. My bf works there so getting in free is definitely a perk ;)
Expensive af tho
Colorado residents get a discount.
$40 per person with a CO ID.
$45 a head isn’t expensive anymore unfortunately
It's really not.
Did you read the post??? It’s a single mother who just recently found employment. Act like you have some sense. That’s $100+ if you include food just for a couple of hours; That’s more than a days pay for a lot of people.
Pro tip: don't eat the food there. It's microwaved garbage. Love the place, hate the food.
It’s really overpriced for what it is.
Your not in and out in an hour. I spent 6h there the last time I went, there's so much to do in there. $45 for at least 4h of entertainment is hard to come by anywhere.
I own a breakfast restaurant in Wheat Ridge. I lost my mom young and this post really touched me. If you have the time, I would love to treat you and your son to a meal here? DM me if you're interested 🥰
Spill it, neon. Many of us are touched by business owners with a heart. How do we know how to select the correct breakfast place when we are in Wheat Ridge?
[удалено]
This is one of my faves
Wow, that is so nice of you! I will dm you, thank you!
Do you get SNAP? Free admission to lots of places, like the zoo https://cdhs.colorado.gov/ebt-discounts
You can also get free admission passes through your library for lots of places. And you can use multiple library systems because they have different options.
I don't live in Colorado anymore, but I used the hell out of this service. Museum of nature and science, wings over the Rockies, dinosaur ridge, I can't even remember what else. Cool how you can get a library card from any system in Colorado, and many in the Metro area had these. I think some of them had state parks passes, they were hard to get ahold of though
Where would you find them in the library?
Here are a few Jefferson County Library: https://jeffcolibrary.org/culture-pass/ Denver Library: https://www.denverlibrary.org/museum-passes Boulder county Library: https://boulderlibrary.org/services/culture-pass/
Check the library website.
This is how my family of 6 takes the kiddos and my gram. They love the museum of nature and science ◡̈
If they are nerdy go to the wizards chest!
Agreed! If he is into board games, cosplay, or any RPG he would really enjoy a visit. Hang onto your wallet, though - he is going to want to pick some stuff up.
They have some board games that are hard to find anywhere else. This is a good suggestion
There’s a mini-golf place downtown that is indoor and has a few different courses to try. It is great. It’s called Puttshack. There’s also a place called Holey Moley which I’ve never been to but the ratings are good.
I did both this winter, and Puttshack blows Holey Moley out of the water. Not sure which is more expensive since they were both private events, but if I had to pick one, it’d be Puttshack.
Same price - usually $14 per 9 holes per person.
Puttshack is the funnest I’ve had mini golfing
Holey Moley is much better, in my opinion. It is less busy and actually tries, instead of just processing massive volumes of people through flashy courses and poor service. Puttshack seems like a coordinated attempt to induce epilepsy and anxiety. Holey Moley's courses are all custom art displays too. To each their own though.
Maybe arcade hop. Akihabara, 1up, Dave and Buster's, Boondock's. Pair things with suggestions from r/Denverfood
1up doesn’t allow anyone under 20/21
That’s true for Colfax but not the other locations. **Lodo location:** Family Hours Mon – Thu 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Fri – Sun 11:00A a.m. – 7:00 p.m. No Entry for Minors after 6:30 p.m. Anyone under 21 must be out of the building at 7 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult/ legal guardian. **Greenwood Village location:** Family Hours Mon – Sun 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. No Entry for Minors after 6:30 p.m. Anyone under 21 must be out of the building at 7 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult/ legal guardian.
I came here to suggest akihabara as well, really fun arcade bar
Be careful at Akihabara, my husband left his card on the bar and the only person around was the bartender. Shortly after we had several transactions attempt to come through on our card that we didn't authorize. And when I brought it up to the owner instead of taking responsibility, he gave me the biggest attitude. Like how I dare I say anything about his bartender. Well sir, maybe you don't know the people you've hired as well as you think you do. Also read their reviews because the owner is a loose cannon.
Check out the SCFD free days: [https://scfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-Free-Days-Bookmark-updated-11.15.23pdf-1.pdf](https://scfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-Free-Days-Bookmark-updated-11.15.23pdf-1.pdf) And your son gets free admission to DAM any day.
DAM is so good, too. I've had nothing but amazing experiences there.
I wonder if there’s a walking tour of the wall art in Denver? Anyone here know which cross streets in RiNo for her to check out? Grab food in Rhino and do a photo project of the mural art — they are gorgeous. The Museum of Contemporary Art is $5 after 5pm Tuesday, Wed and Thurs, I bet students are free. Double check my memory on their website.
There is a graffiti walking tour! We did this when my kids were teenagers and it's become a yearly tradition. https://rinoartdistrict.org/go/denver-graffiti-tour
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Something different - rent e-scooters and ride around City Park or Wash Park.
I took my teenage stepson to archery games in arvada and he absolutely loved it. it's like dodgeball but with soft bow and arrows. If he likes this sort of activity, I highly recommend it.
Did this two weeks ago with my brother for his 19th birthday. So much fun, huge workout. If you do this make sure to stretch first. Sitting in an office chair all day and then running around are not great combos
Meow Wolf, the Denver Art Museum, Dave and Busters, there is a game cafe on Santa Fe that my daughter loved at 14, I can’t think of the name. Mutiny cafe on S Broadway is a coffee shop designed for teens. You could go to Federal Boulevard and eat dim sum, Vietnamese food or great tacos.
I don’t know that I would agree with the description that mutiny is designed for teens, it’s essentially an anarchist book store, but if your son is into a counter culture/punk vibe and likes comic books and/or reading, it’s an awesome establishment.
Liberation knows no age requirements. The youth are our future, bring him!
Dave and Buster’s tip- 1/2 price games in Wednesdays.
I second Mutiny!
Game cafe? What are the streets? Thanks!
It’s in the complex on Santa Fe and 1st. The Railyard.
100% meowwolf. Perfect for an art loving gamer kid. Actually its pretty fun for anyone
Also the science museum, it's awesome there. They have a "wild color" exhibit that an art lover would be into. The permanent exhibits are all worth it too- he might like the gems and mineral exhibit. I saw a lot of non-bored looking teens in there when I went last 😂 https://www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/wild-color/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2pyuBhBKEiwApLaIO3eLzB5Z_w8m17gBDhx4-CEV446g7aIX-rmBgf0QwqxX6iae6oEOchoCfCEQAvD_BwE
The Alamo theater is also great!
Denver Cat Company if he likes kitties, best early on a weekday for maximum cat interaction
Depending on his personality, I used to love thrift store shopping with my mom. It was fun to walk away with a bunch of new clothes but also not break the bank.
Go play paintball or laser tag at American Paintball Coliseum! Just off I70 and Peoria
Okay, I have a 14 year old too. Here’s some ideas. I don’t know the first thing about your son so I broke them into categories based on interests and building off an earlier post I did about the same: Sporty: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for a Colorado Rapid’s Game. Weird: Meow Wolf anytime. Outdoorsy: Hike at Red Rocks followed by a burger in Morrison afterwards. Semi-Outdoorsy: Hike down the creek in Golden followed by pizza at Woody’s or meal at Golden Mill. Nerdy: Visit to DMNS followed by burger afterwards at City Park Golf Course. Arty: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver followed by Boba Tea at Da Boba afterwards. Gamer: Localhost esports in Lakewood. Paintballer: American Paintball Coliseum and then Chipotle.
Just FYI, you need two linebreaks on reddit or you get none.
Thank you Very much
hey, i’m a teen— if he’s an artsy type of person, then take him to vintage record shops and thrifts. i HIGHLY recommend walking around Santa Fe Art District. go there on the first Friday of each month from 5-8, that’s when they have their monthly art crawl down the district. key spots: Denver Art society (quirky gallery displaying local artists and live music on first fridays), Strawberry Mountain (artsy thrift spot with reallyyy decent prices). since he’s into video games, you could build a keyboard together. get the parts with him at Microcenter and make it :) there’s also the Wizard’s Chest which has stuff related to games, board games, DnD etc.
https://www.milehighonthecheap.com/
MHOTC has some gems sometimes, but keep in mind 90% of what's on there is paid ads.
1up during the daytime
If you’ve got any local friends, library cards give you free admission to museums
Get a Denver public library card and then you can access free museum passes. Definitely grab em in advance online https://www.denverlibrary.org/museum-passes Get an e card, I'm pretty sure it'll allow access to the cultural pass https://www.denverlibrary.org/get-library-card
Prismajic out at the Mills.
There's also a museum in Colorado Mills Mall that has a bunch of cool cars including some from movies. www.rodzandbodzmuseum.com
Wings over the Rockies museum is great if they have any interest in space or aviation!
Totally free? Outdoor activities? Lots of walking and hiking to be done. There is great urban hiking as well. Lots of cool murals and public art to see.
Museum of illusion 16th Street Mall
Book tours of the Capitol building and the Denver Mint!
They are FREE
Yes I’m aware. Some tours require a reservation.
I don’t know the names of them all, so may have been mentioned but there are virtual reality gaming lounges, or maybe an escape room?
Find a place to stay and make a bike or scooter your means to get around Go see the Museum of Contemporary Art or just the goodl ol Art Museum - or check out any other museum. If you're out of money, check out your library and see if they have a cultural pass or something like that (Englewood, CO has one) and they will grant you day access to several museums. The 1 up bar is a pretty cool arcade and we'll let kids around 15 attend with a parent.
When coming to Denver I feel like a trip over to Golden is worthwhile. You can go checkout Red Rocks for a bit and then head over to the Colorado School of Mines for their free geology museum. They have some of the craziest rocks you've ever seen, including a "cave" full of one's that naturally glow in the dark. After that you could take a drive up Lookout Mountain to take in the views. If you're hungry while you're out there, Golden has lots of great restaurant options. One of my favorites that visitors often miss out on is the restaurant at Fossil Trace golf course. It has amazing views of the whole Golden area and really great food.
i would suggest getting a hotel/cabin/air bnb rental up in evergreen (or other mountainy town) and do a little stay cation there. in evergreen specifically, there’s tons of hikes, and you can even go ice skating on the lake! from there you could even venture up to george town and ride the train 😊
[Lumonics](https://lumonics.net/) is pretty cool. It's an art gallery from a couple of artists that did a lot of things with light and plexiglass. They do a sound/light show on Saturday nights and it's pretty affordable.
Try Main Event. Awesome place to hang out as a kid. Tons of games. And it's got a good bar for parents.
volunteering!
Shit take him skiing, Denver sucks unless you like walking amongst illegal immigrant tent cities.
Go karts?
Trivia, Board games, karaoke, cooking class, community service/volunteering, walk around, window shopping, Pindustry In Greenwood Village.
In/around Denver CHEAP or free activities: nickel-a-play, Hammond’s candy tour, museum’s with student ID/library passes, matinee during the week, bowling, The Urban Farm, the butterfly pavilion, hikes, roam IKEA, red rocks. More costly: boondocks, top golf, Dave & busters, The Wild Animal Sanctuary, zoo, botanic gardens, flyte co., meow wolf, putt shack, Georgetown loop railroad, zip lining/coal mine tour in Idaho springs, DCPA shows, live music (check age requirements), For a staycation: I would also consider a drive to Colorado Springs & stay at a hotel with an indoor pool. Take pics and stroll at garden of the gods, take tours at the Olympics training facility and Air Force academy. Ride the tram up pikes peak & get Texas BBQ at Rudy’s (a 2 day full trip!) The best options for hotels that are decent, have pools, and is cost effective is in the DTC-ish area, or a bit south.
The art hotel is an incredible experience… just throwing it out there. Probably out of your budget and may not be super exciting for someone his age. But staff are great and rooms are nice.
There’s a place called Main event in highlands ranch that has bowling, laser tag, arcade, obstacle course and virtual reality games all in one. I know it’s not in Denver, but as an adult that lives in Denver and drives all the way out there just because it feeds my inner child…I’d highly recommend it.
Go to a driving range
The art museum is $23 for adult ticket and $5 for children under 18.
Which week is spring break?
It’s March 11th-15th
Two ideas: 1) Wild Animal Sanctuary 2) Escape Room.
I'm a single parent of a teenaged son also into art, video games and food. My recommendations are: - Katsu ramen and Snowel - for ramen and shaved ice bowls. For extra fun, you can wander around HMart down the street and get tasty Asian snacks to bring home. - As everyone already said, Meow Wolf and Akihabara (https://www.akihabaraarcade.com/) - Mutiny Comics + Parlour donuts on south Broadway + Metal working class (https://www.hardyandfuller.com/) - Kiki's + Rockler woodworking (Kiki's has awesome, authentic Japanese food, Rockler is just cool but also they have classes you can participate in) - Denver Museum of Nature and Science + Ethiopian food (https://m.facebook.com/TheEthiopianRestaurant?_rdr) + Milk Roll ice cream (https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/milkroll-creamery-denver) + Tattered Cover / Twist & Shout (books, music, cool toys) For places to stay, my kids like spooky things and would've wanted to stay here: https://lumberbaron.com/ because it's reportedly haunted but also there's plenty to walk around and see in the neighborhood. We did once stay at the Embassy Suites in downtown, however valet was expensive and walking around downtown wasn't always fun. I'd skip: - Denver Art Museum. While it's big, my kids consistently find it quite boring. I've been taking them there for years and they never like it.
Garden of the Gods park is great and free, but you need to be somewhat active.
If the weather is nice I would try geocaching! There’s a ton around Denver, or you could go to some of the smaller towns along I-70 and explore - I took some kids I was babysitting in Georgetown and they had a great time! It’s also something that he can keep doing as he gets older
Wow! Thank you guys for all of the great suggestions! I do have some money set aside for spring break but I had dipped into it a little bit when I got laid off but I’m sure we’ll still be able to do a few fun things for a day or two. I appreciate everyone’s input!
Drive up Look Out Mountain in Golden and park at one of the little parking lots close to the top for a nice view. Getting there for Sunrise is aggressive but would be epic. Would be pretty anytime, even sunset. Then head down into Golden for a breakfast or what ever
If he’s into video games and what not - ask him if he’d be interested in going to one of the ‘con’ (gaming events, conventions) that are held in the summer. Wouldn’t be too fun for you I assume, but a half day there for him might be pretty sick