Christmas may have been and gone for another year, but that doesn't mean that the holiday fun is over.
Many popular holiday exhibitions and attractions in and around Denver run through to the end of the year or even longer, so if you haven't had your fill of holiday magic yet, you're in luck!
Today I'm sharing all the best holiday attractions that are still open for a little longer yet. I've sorted them by closing date to make it easy to see what's still open without having to read all of the details first.
Let's take a look...
Through December 31st 2022
Denver's Mile High Tree
The Mile High Tree is back again this year with a new location and once again it is free of charge. This year the Mile High Tree will be on display in Civic Center Park. Visitors can enjoy the ever changing lights on the 110ft "tree" as they twinkle in time to holiday classics. The light displays can be enjoyed from outside the tree as well as inside. Laying down inside the tree and looking up at the lights above as they swirl around and twinkle is my favorite. It's really is an experience not to miss.
The Mile High Tree is back again this year with a new location and once again it is free of charge. This year the Mile High Tree will be on display in Civic Center Park. Visitors can enjoy the ever changing lights on the 110ft "tree" as they twinkle in time to holiday classics. The light displays can be enjoyed from outside the tree as well as inside. Laying down inside the tree and looking up at the lights above as they swirl around and twinkle is my favorite. It's really is an experience not to miss.
Denver's Mile High Tree lights up nightly from 5pm to 10pm nightly through December 31st. There will be a special ball drop style countdown at 9pm on New Year's Eve.
For more information and hours visit https://www.denver.org/milehighholidays/tree/
A Hudson Christmas
The Hudson Gardens and Events Center in Littleton is home to A Hudson Christmas which makes its return this holiday season after a two year break. This sprawling outdoor event features over a million twinkling lights in trees and through out garden beds, inflatable snowmen, a holiday light tunnel and glowing reindeer. Visitors can warm up with hot drinks and snacks available on site. We're yet to visit A Hudson Christmas, but we did visit Hudson Gardens for Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns last year, and based on that I can imagine that this event must be just as spectacular.
The Hudson Gardens and Events Center in Littleton is home to A Hudson Christmas which makes its return this holiday season after a two year break. This sprawling outdoor event features over a million twinkling lights in trees and through out garden beds, inflatable snowmen, a holiday light tunnel and glowing reindeer. Visitors can warm up with hot drinks and snacks available on site. We're yet to visit A Hudson Christmas, but we did visit Hudson Gardens for Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns last year, and based on that I can imagine that this event must be just as spectacular.
A Hudson Christmas runs on select days through December 31st from 5pm to 9:30pm.
Tickets must be purchased online in advance at https://www.hudsongardens.org/enjoy/christmas-lights/.
The Immersive Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is always a holiday favorite, and this year there's a whole new way to view this classic. The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle is a beautiful exhibition featuring 500,000 cubic feet of illuminated magic. Beloved characters dance and twirl on the walls and floor of Lighthouse Artspace in Denver. The illuminated displays are choreographed to Tchaikovsky's iconic Nutcracker suite including favorites such as "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and "The March of the Toys".
Along with marveling at the illuminations, visitors will have the chance to meet a life size nutcracker and pose with the many photo props.
The Immersive Nutcracker runs through December 31st. Times vary based on the day but tickets are generally available from 10:30am to 2:30pm.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://www.immersive-nutcracker.com/denver/.
Through January 1st 2023
Christmas in Color
Looking for a socially distant holiday activity? Too chilly to be outside? Or maybe you just want to check out holiday lights in a fun and different way? Christmas in Color is the festive activity for you! Load up the car with your loved ones and experience this drive through animated light display with over a million twinkling lights choreographed to holiday music. We've been a couple of times both here in Colorado and in Utah and it's always such a fun event for the whole family. No need to worry about the weather or dressing up. It's the perfect way to check out holiday lights in your pajamas! You can see our visit here.
Looking for a socially distant holiday activity? Too chilly to be outside? Or maybe you just want to check out holiday lights in a fun and different way? Christmas in Color is the festive activity for you! Load up the car with your loved ones and experience this drive through animated light display with over a million twinkling lights choreographed to holiday music. We've been a couple of times both here in Colorado and in Utah and it's always such a fun event for the whole family. No need to worry about the weather or dressing up. It's the perfect way to check out holiday lights in your pajamas! You can see our visit here.
Christmas in Color has three Colorado locations, Water World in Federal Heights, Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Aurora, and Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, as well as seven other locations around the country.
Christmas in Color runs nightly through January 1st from 5:30pm to 10pm.
Timed entry tickets must be purchased in advance at https://christmasincolor.net/.
Trail of Lights
Denver Botanic Gardens offers two events over the festive season. Along with Blossoms of Light mentioned above, there's also Trail of Lights at the gardens' Littleton location, Chatfield Farms. This family friendly exhibition features a mile of dazzling light displays, a children's play area with synchronized music, antique tractors and farm machinery, an 1880s ranch homestead, and hot drinks and snacks to purchase.
Trail of Lights runs through January 1st from 5pm to 8:30pm.
Tickets can be purchased online in advance at https://www.botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/trail-lights.
Christmas at Gaylord Rockies
The Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora sure knows how to make the holiday season as festive as possible. Visitors will find stunning light displays throughout the resort and grounds, holiday shops with tasty treats and gifts galore, mini golf, snow play, ice bumper cars, ice skating, tubing, scavenger hunts, an escape room and all sorts of fun entertainment. This year the ever popular ICE! immersive exhibit is back. Visitors don giant blue parkas and enter a frozen wonderland of colorful ice sculptures, ice slides and so much more. This year's ICE! exhibit features Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all the beloved Peanuts characters. There's also Cirque Dreams Holidaze, a circus performance with acrobats, contortionists, magicians, jugglers and so much more that is guaranteed to wow the whole family. You can see our previous visits here and here.
Christmas activities at Gaylord Rockies run through January 1st. Times vary depending on the activity.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://christmasatgaylordrockies.marriott.com/all-activities
Luminova Holidays at Elitch Gardens
This holiday season Denver's favorite theme park, Elitch Gardens, comes to life with the Colorado debut of Luminova Holidays. Luminova Holidays features millions of dazzling lights, a 65ft Christmas tree, a giant lighted snowman, a 200ft candy cane tunnel, interactive activities, Santa and his elves, strolling holiday entertainers, and rides on limited Elitch Gardens attractions including the carousel, Big Wheel, Meow Wolf's Kaleidoscope, Tea Cups and more. You can see our visit to Luminova here and here.
This holiday season Denver's favorite theme park, Elitch Gardens, comes to life with the Colorado debut of Luminova Holidays. Luminova Holidays features millions of dazzling lights, a 65ft Christmas tree, a giant lighted snowman, a 200ft candy cane tunnel, interactive activities, Santa and his elves, strolling holiday entertainers, and rides on limited Elitch Gardens attractions including the carousel, Big Wheel, Meow Wolf's Kaleidoscope, Tea Cups and more. You can see our visit to Luminova here and here.
Luminova Holidays runs through January 1st from 5pm to 10pm.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online at https://www.elitchgardens.com/luminova-holidays/.
Dr Seuss Experience
The popular Dr Seuss Experience is back for the holidays! This immersive experience takes visitors through hands on displays inspired by nine beloved Dr Seuss books including "The Cat in the Hat" and "Oh, the Places You'll Go!". Visitors will get the chance to meet characters including Sam I Am, the Grinch and his dog Max throughout the venue as well as in the Grinch's Grotto. Hands on activities include fishing for presents, making your way through a balloon maze, running and swinging through the Truffala Trees and so much more.
Dr Seuss Experience is located in Centennial right next door to Ikea.
The Dr Seuss Experience runs through January 1st and is open daily with varying hours depending on the day.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://www.experienceseuss.com/.
Through January 7th 2023
Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year, but during the holiday season it really comes to life thanks to the evening event Blossoms of Light. The actual blossoms may be gone for the Winter and the trees may be bare, but there is plenty of color to be seen thanks to thousands of twinkling lights that set the gardens aglow. Rug up in your Winter woolies, sip a hot chocolate and take a walk through the gardens where you'll be mesmerized by the sparking light displays, the glowing orbs that seem to float on the frozen ponds, the fascinating light sculptures and the fields of light that twinkle in time to music. You can see our visit here.
Denver Botanic Gardens is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year, but during the holiday season it really comes to life thanks to the evening event Blossoms of Light. The actual blossoms may be gone for the Winter and the trees may be bare, but there is plenty of color to be seen thanks to thousands of twinkling lights that set the gardens aglow. Rug up in your Winter woolies, sip a hot chocolate and take a walk through the gardens where you'll be mesmerized by the sparking light displays, the glowing orbs that seem to float on the frozen ponds, the fascinating light sculptures and the fields of light that twinkle in time to music. You can see our visit here.
Blossoms of Light runs nightly through January 7th from 4:30pm to 9pm.
Timed entry tickets must be purchased online in advance at https://www.botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/blossoms-light.
January 11th to 14h 2023
Berthoud Snow Fest
Most of the activities I've shared here involve twinkling night time light displays. This one is a day time display and sparkles in a completely different way. Berthoud Snow Fest is an annual snow sculpture competition held in the tiny town of Berthoud, about an hour north of Denver. This year the event will actually be held after the holidays kicking off on January 11th when teams begin carving their sculptures. The main event is held on January 14th when judging takes place. There will be a market set up and fun activities including snow carving lessons for kids. Depending on the weather the sculptures will remain on display for the following week. We visited a few years back the day after judging and the sculptures were still entirely intact.
You can see our visit to Berthoud Snow Fest here.
For ore information on this year's event visit https://berthoudmainstreet.org/berthoudsnowfest/.
Through January 15th 2023
Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo
Denver Zoo is a favorite with Colorado families at anytime of year, but during the holiday season is when it really shines. Literally! With over 2 million lights spread over 80 acres, Zoo Lights is a spectacle that the whole family will love. As well as beloved light displays, this years exhibition features all new lights, ice carving, festive cocktails and warm drinks and animal viewing in the Tropical Discovery Building and El Pomar Village Hall (plus any other cold weather nocturnal animals that happen to be out and about). Add on activities such as giraffe feedings are available for an extra charge. You can see our previous visit to Zoo Lights here.
Denver Zoo is a favorite with Colorado families at anytime of year, but during the holiday season is when it really shines. Literally! With over 2 million lights spread over 80 acres, Zoo Lights is a spectacle that the whole family will love. As well as beloved light displays, this years exhibition features all new lights, ice carving, festive cocktails and warm drinks and animal viewing in the Tropical Discovery Building and El Pomar Village Hall (plus any other cold weather nocturnal animals that happen to be out and about). Add on activities such as giraffe feedings are available for an extra charge. You can see our previous visit to Zoo Lights here.
Zoo Lights runs nightly through January 15th with hours varying depending on the day.
Timed entry tickets must be purchased in advance online at https://denverzoo.org/events/zoolights/.
Through January 22nd 2023
Light the Lights at Denver City Council Building
Denver's City Council Building is gorgeous any time of year, but during the holidays it comes to life with a colorful light display in the evenings. Light the Lights runs through January 22nd. The façade of the building will be lit up until 10:45pm most evenings. At 5:45pm and 6:45pm Tuesdays through Sundays there will be an 8 minute long light and music show for a little extra sparkle and magic.
For more information click here.
Through January 31st 2023
Light Up the Holidays in Boulder
Denver isn't the only Colorado city getting in on the holiday fun. Boulder comes alive with twinkling lights throughout the holidays as part of the Light Up the Holidays event.
Through January 31st Downtown Boulder and the Civic area light up with thousands of dazzling lights hung from trees and structures as well as the Snow Much Fun Virtual (AR) Experience. Using a cell phone, visitors will be able to take a self guided tour through Downtown Boulder and spot holiday characters through augmented reality.
While in Boulder don't forget to look up toward the mountains where the Flagstaff Star shines over the city as it has done every holiday season since 1947.
For more information about holiday events in Boulder visit https://boulderdowntown.com/light-up-the-holidays/events/lights-of-december-parade
Through February 14th 2023
Downtown Denver Rink
Downtown Denver's outdoor ice skating rink is back again this year with ice skating fun for the whole family. This little rink is located just off 16th Street Mall behind the bell tower and is available on a first come, first served basis for free. If you don't have your own skates to wear, rentals are available on site for a small fee. Skate among the towering skyscrapers and the twinkling lights that come to life as the sun sets. In the evenings you'll be able to watch the illuminations on the nearby clock tower as you skate.
Downtown Denver Rink is open through February 14th with hours varying between 10am and 10pm depending on the day.
For more information visit https://www.winterindenver.com/rink.
Through February 16th 2023
Olde Golden Christmas
The town of Golden really knows how to celebrate the holiday season with a wealth of activities on offer for locals and visitors alike. Thousands of twinkling lights illuminate parks, historic buildings and along the creek each night through February 16th. The lights are so pretty and make for a lovely night time walk in Golden.
There's so much more on offer throughout the holidays in Golden so make sure to visit
https://www.visitgolden.com/olde-golden-christmas/ to check out all the events.
So many wonderful events and exhibitions to keep the holiday magic alive into the new year!
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