When my kids and I visit Denver from our home in the mountains — a 3½-hour drive — it’s a Big Deal. In addition to the requisite stop at Sam’s Club, we typically take in at least one major attraction, such as the newest exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, a Colorado Rockies game at Coors Field or a special event like Lego KidsFest (highly recommended for your Lego-loving kid, if the tour returns to Denver next year).
Most recently, I brought my two children, a nephew and a friend — all between the ages of 10 and 12 — to Elitch Gardens for a record nine hours at the downtown theme park. Was it crowded? For sure. Hot? Oh, yes. Exhausting? Indeed. But the kids absolutely loved it. (I, on the other hand, needed a couple of recovery cocktails at our hotel after it was all said and done.)
In my long, hot stint at Elitch Gardens, I learned a lot about how to best approach spending a full summer day there. You smart Denver locals may already be familiar with these money-, time- and sanity-saving tips, but for those of you who have yet to tackle Elitch Gardens and its associated Island Kingdom Waterpark, consider these suggestions:
Don’t visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Season-pass holders can use their “Free Bring-a-Friend” tickets on these days, making the park more crowded than a Monday, Thursday or Friday. Avoid Saturdays and Sundays, too, if you can help it.
Arrive early. If the park opens at 10 a.m., park your car ($15) by 9:30 a.m. to stand in line until the turnstiles open, then hit all your “must-do” attractions first. Lines for some of the popular thrill rides — such as the Mind Eraser coaster — may die down just before park closing, too.
Splurge on a water-park cabana. Starting at $100 for the day, these exclusive retreats are not cheap. But I loved having my own private home base. My tweens spent the morning on their own in the waterpark, while I read my book in the shade and kept one eyeball on the raucous wave pool. The kids returned for lunch (included in the VIP Cabana rate), and then we explored the theme-park rides together in the late afternoon.
Pack a lunch. Outside food and beverage cannot be brought into Elitch Gardens. Avoid pricey theme-park food by packing a cooler that you leave in your car for a midday picnic under the trees in the parking lot or under a nearby overpass. Don’t forget to have your hand stamped, and hang on to your ticket stubs for re-entry. (Thanks to my friend Chris Bird of Aurora for that smart tip.)
Seek air-conditioned or shady spots. The half-hour Cirque Innosta Verano show (singing, silly jokes, impressive feats of strength) takes place three times daily inside an air-conditioned theater near the main entrance. The indoor Ghost Blasters ride is refreshing, as are the misters found at some outdoor carnival games. Cavernous Rustlers Food Court was cool and quiet when I stopped in for a Panda Express rice and stir-fry bowl ($9) at 7 p.m., an hour before the park closed.
If you have more tips for visiting Elitch Gardens, please e-mail them to coloradogal@thevacationgals.com, and I may include them in an upcoming blog post at TheVacationGals.com.
