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Our guide to the most adrenaline-packed activities for teens in Denver
It’s hard to be bored in Denver. From rivers to 14ers, from museums to trampoline parks, Denver has a lot to offer. But by the teenage year, most Denverites will have experienced some form of these at least once. Teens are always on the cutting edge, whether it’s the latest social media or the adventure sport, so we’ve done our best to gather up the latest and greatest from around Denver to keep even the most cutting-edge teen entertained (for the better part of an afternoon at least)
With that in mind, here’s 5 activities every Denver teen should have on their bucket list:
1) Play archery dodgeball at Archery Games
Archery and dodgeball may not seem like two words you’d often see next to each other, but Archery Games Denver has done just that. Wielding bows and foam-tipped arrows, two teams will battle it out in the Archery Dodgeball arena. Archery Games provides all of the equipment, and each session starts off with introduction to how to shoot a bow and arrow. So no prior archery experience necessary. They’ll then lead you through a series of games game modes that will keep your heart pumping and the sweat dripping.
2) Hit the water slides at Water World
Denver summers are hot. Fortunately, Water World is America’s largest water park, with attractions spread over 70 acres. While water parks may sound like more a children’s activity, Water World brings the thrills with giant water slides and a hydromagnetic (we have no idea what that means either, but it looks awesome) watercoaster. Or for those just looking to cool off, Water World has a collection of not-so-lazy rivers and
Note: Sadly, Water World decided to remain closed for the summer of 2019. With such a massive park, crowd control can be difficult
3) Learn to rock climb at Ubergrippen
Rock climbing walls have been popping up around Denver, and the sport is definitely worth giving a try if you haven’t already. Ubergrippen’s “crag” is spectacular, covering 12,000 square feet with climbing routes for all levels. Ubergrippen has introductory classes that will supply you all the equipment you need, teach you the basics, guide you through a few climbs, and then let you use the auto-belays to your heart’s content (or until you’re too tired to grip the rocks).
4) Ski all year round at Snobahn
Winter is usually what comes to mind when people think of skiing, but Snobahn has changed that. As the first indoor ski/snowboard park in the US, Snobahn features what are basically giant “snow-like” covered treadmills. For beginners, they offer 30 minute introductory lesson. Or for those more experienced skiers/snowboarders ready to test their skills, Snobahn offers a “mega-ramp with a Hyperdrive accelerator system into a soft air bag”, complete with introductory trampolines and lessons to teach you how to perfect that back flip.
5) Escape in under 60 minutes at Puzzle Effect
Escape rooms seem to have swept across the country, and with good reason: they’re a ton of fun. The premise is simple; you’re “locked” (the door doesn’t actually lock for fire escape reasons, but it’s fun to act like it does) in a room and you have 60 minutes to solve a series of puzzles and complete a mission. Denver has a number of escape rooms to choose from, but for those on the North side of town Puzzle Effect is our favorite. Grim Stacks is the first escape room we completed (yes, we did actually solve it, although not with much time left) and since then we’ve been hooked.
Bonus: Whitewater rafting with Liquid Descent
Why is this a bonus instead of on the main list? Well, it isn’t technically in Denver. For those willing to make about an hour drive out to Idaho Springs, Liquid Descent offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced whitewater rafting trips down Clear Creek in Colorado Springs.