Well, the heat of the summer is here, and when you live in a city like Denver, keeping cool isn't as challenging as say Phoenix, but it can still be difficult. After doing a bit of research, I found out that there are plenty of locations to get away from the summer heat. Let’s take a look at a few of them that are less than 100 miles from the state capitol.

Water Parks
I really love taking my family to a water park. It is exciting and relaxing at the same time. My kids love the water slides, and I could spend the entire day floating down the lazy river. 

  • Elitch Water Park – This is the perfect place for families to enjoy thrills without going far from Denver; in fact, it is merely two miles away. Admission to the water park is free when you purchase tickets to the amusement park.
  • Great Wolf Lodge – This is an amazing indoor water park that you can enjoy all year. It is about 60 miles from the city, but to have access to the park, you need to book a room. Once you do, you will find that tickets to the park are included in your stay.


Lakes, Beaches, and River Fun
When I want to plan an activity with my family on a hot day in the summer, the first thing that often pops into my head is going white water rafting, but sometimes my family prefers relaxing at the lake.

  • Rocky Mountain Whitewater Rafting is a great place to visit if you are in Denver. It is only about a 30-minute drive from the city, and it is an adventure that you can enjoy while cooling off.
  • Soda Lakes – This is a favorite for my family, and it is only 17 miles from the city. There is a beach where you can relax and enjoy the lake. You can go swimming, play volleyball, or rent a boat if you’d like. One of the highlights that you can try is water skiing; in fact, there are two lakes at this location and the smaller of the two is specifically for water skiing lessons.
  • Aurora Reservoir – This is another great option for swimming that is less than 30 miles from the city. It has an amazing beach as well as an area where you can scuba dive. If you prefer to stay out of the water, there is an archery range and the option to rent bikes as well.

Mountain Exploration

Sometimes, I don’t really want to get wet, but I have discovered that that exploring the mountains is a great way to cool off because of their elevation. Some of the best mountains to explore are:

  • Mount Evans – It is located 60 miles from the city and it is home to the highest paved roads in not only the country, but the entirety of North America.
  • Pikes Peak – It is nearly 80 miles away, but it has some amazing views and is an excellent place to ride a bike.
  • Copper Mountain – This is one of the most unique mountains to explore because, even though you have to travel 84 miles from the city, you can go skiing here in the middle of summer.

As you can see Denver is full of places to get cool. We did not even touch on places where you can relax in the air conditioning like Elvis Cinemas or one of the many museums that you can find around the city. Where do you go to keep cool in Denver?