Downtown Aquarium Denver

The Downtown Aquarium is Denver's indoor ocean, and a strong option for families or anyone who wants a few easy hours out of the sun or snow. It sits on the South Platte River just northwest of downtown, close to Elitch Gardens and the Children's Museum, in the building that opened in 1999 as Colorado's Ocean Journey and was later taken over and reworked by Landry's. Today it holds more than a million gallons of exhibits and hundreds of species, arranged as a journey from mountain rivers and tropical rainforests through to coral reefs and the open ocean, with sharks, rays and a wide range of fish, reptiles and amphibians. The highlights for children are the Stingray Reef touch pool, where you can reach in and feel a passing ray, the 4D theater, the carousel and the Mystic Mermaid performances in the big tank. The attraction is unusual in combining an aquarium with a full-service restaurant: the Aquarium Restaurant seats diners alongside a huge floor-to-ceiling tank, and the Dive Lounge offers drinks, which makes it a fun choice for a birthday dinner or a rainy-evening outing. Hours run later than most Denver attractions, into the evening every day, which makes it flexible for travelers. It is not a research-scale aquarium in the mold of Monterey or Atlanta, and adult prices are on the high side for what you get, but for families with young children it delivers reliably. This page links to the Tiqets venue, where it is currently sold as part of the Denver CityPASS.

The best way to treat the aquarium is as a two- to three-hour outing with a meal attached. Walk the exhibits first, following the route from the river habitats into the rainforest section, where the humidity and greenery are a welcome change from Denver's dry air, then through the reef tanks to the larger ocean displays. Schedule the stingray touch pool for a quieter moment if you can, and check performance times for the mermaid shows, which younger kids adore. Strollers can be rented at the front desk, the building is wheelchair accessible, and parking is in the lot across the street.

The restaurant is popular, so reserve a table if you want to sit by the main tank, especially on weekends and holidays. Food is in the familiar American seafood-and-grill mode rather than destination dining, but the setting is what you are paying for. Adults without children may prefer to come for the restaurant and lounge rather than full admission. If you are building a CityPASS itinerary, the aquarium is one of the attractions that can be included, which brings the cost down considerably if you also plan to visit the zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and other options on the pass.

Location makes it easy to combine with other plans. The Children's Museum of Denver is a short walk along the river, Confluence Park and the riverside bike paths start nearby, and the restaurants of Highland are a quick hop across the pedestrian bridges. In the summer, Elitch Gardens is next door, though it is closed in the colder months. For travelers without kids, the zoo or the Botanic Gardens may offer more for the money, but on a snowy afternoon with children in tow, this is a dependable win. Budget tip: the aquarium is at its best value when folded into a multi-attraction pass rather than bought as a standalone ticket, and weekday mornings give small children the touch pool and the big tanks without the weekend crush.