What are the best things to do with family in Denver and Colorado during Thanksgiving and the holiday season?
The holidays have a way of bringing everyone together. Kids come home from college, grandparents visit, relatives fly in for Thanksgiving, and friends find their way back to Colorado for a few days.
Then, somewhere between the big meals and catching up, someone inevitably asks:
“So… what should we do today?”
Fortunately, living in Colorado makes that question pretty easy to answer.
From holiday markets and train rides to museums, sledding hills, local shopping, and a good brunch when nobody feels like cooking again, there are plenty of ways to spend time together throughout November and December.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for entertaining family and out-of-town guests in Colorado this holiday season.
1. Get Into the Holiday Spirit at the Denver Christkindlmarket
If you want an activity that immediately feels like the holidays, start with the Denver Christkindlmarket.
The German-style holiday market returns to the Tivoli Quad at the Auraria Campus from November 20 through December 23, 2026. Visitors can browse local and European vendors, find gifts, grab something to eat, and enjoy seasonal entertainment. Admission to the market is free.
It can be an easy addition to a day downtown, particularly if you have visitors who haven’t experienced Denver during the holidays before.
MIG has also rounded up more seasonal shopping destinations in our Best Holiday Markets in Denver & Littleton guide.
2. Take a Ride on The Polar Express
For families with kids or adults who still appreciate a little Christmas magic—the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden brings back THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride for November and December 2026.
The experience includes holiday caroling and live entertainment before passengers board vintage coaches pulled by a coal-fired steam locomotive for the journey to the “North Pole.” The evening finishes with a visit with Santa.
The first listed 2026 ride is November 6, with additional dates extending through December 23.
Because this is a ticketed seasonal event, planning ahead is a good idea.
3. Spend an Afternoon Discovering a Colorado Museum
Not every holiday outing has to involve Santa or Christmas lights.
A museum is especially useful when you have a mixed-age group or when Colorado weather suddenly changes everyone’s outdoor plans.
There are plenty of interesting options beyond the museums everyone already knows. You could explore Colorado’s railroad history in Golden, see vintage vehicles, visit a historic Denver home, learn about firefighting history, or even go looking for dinosaur tracks.
We’ve already put together a full list in Unique Colorado Museums You Might Not Know About, including ideas in Denver and around the Front Range.
Pick one, grab lunch afterward, and you’ve got an easy family afternoon planned.
4. Make a Night of the Holiday Lights
Colorado has plenty of ways to see holiday lights, but one longstanding Denver tradition is Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanic Gardens.
For the 2026 holiday season, Blossoms of Light runs November 20 through January 10 from 4:30–9 p.m., excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The York Street gardens are transformed with illuminated displays and immersive installations throughout the property. Advance tickets are recommended.
Another option is Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. The zoo has confirmed its holiday light tradition will return for the season, and its winter programming identifies Zoo Lights as running on select nights during the holiday period.
If you’d rather stay warm in the car, check out our guide to where to see holiday and Christmas lights around Denver for even more ideas.
5. Have a Snow Day
If the snow cooperates, sometimes the simplest holiday outing is the best one.
Grab the sleds, bundle everyone up, pack some hot chocolate, and head to one of the area’s sledding hills.
Colorado has options ranging from neighborhood favorites to bigger hills worth turning into a half-day outing. Our 9 Favorite Best Sledding Hills in and Around Denver, CO guide is a good place to start when the forecast finally delivers enough snow.
For something a little more adventurous, you could also turn the day into a mountain trip for tubing, snowshoeing, or simply enjoying a snowy Colorado town.
Just remember that mountain and snow conditions can change quickly, so check conditions before heading out.
6. Visit The North Pole Without Leaving Colorado
Yes, Colorado has its own North Pole.
The North Pole – Santa’s Workshop is a vintage Christmas-themed amusement park located near Colorado Springs at the foot of Pikes Peak. The park features Santa’s Village, rides, shops, shows, and a chance to visit Santa himself.
Its 2026 holiday season runs from November 1 through December 24. Peak days include weekends and holiday weeks, when timed reservations are required, while the park uses different admission arrangements on non-peak days. Because schedules can also be affected by Colorado weather, check the park calendar before making the drive.
This one could easily become a full family day trip.
7. Go Big With Christmas at Gaylord Rockies
If your family likes the full holiday experience, Gaylord Rockies in Aurora is another option.
Its 2026 Christmas programming runs November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027. This year’s signature ICE! attraction features Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, with large-scale ice sculptures and two-story ice slides. The resort also advertises seasonal activities including snow tubing, gingerbread decorating, photos with Santa, and holiday décor.
You don’t necessarily need to turn it into an overnight trip, either. Many of Gaylord Rockies’ holiday attractions are available to day guests, although individual activities may require tickets or reservations. More info here.
8. Give Yourself a Break and Go Out for Brunch
After Thanksgiving dinner, holiday baking, family breakfasts, and approximately 400 rounds of “Does anyone want leftovers?”, cooking another meal may not sound particularly festive.
That’s your sign to go to brunch.
Littleton and Denver have plenty of options for a relaxed family meal, whether you’re looking for somewhere casual or making brunch part of a full day out.
We’ve already done the research for you in our Best Brunch Spots in Littleton & Denver guide.
Sometimes the best family activity is simply sitting around a table where nobody in the family has to do the dishes afterward.
9. Shop Local for a Few Holiday Gifts
If you’re already heading out with visiting family, consider making local businesses part of your holiday shopping.
Littleton and Denver are filled with independently owned restaurants, shops, wellness businesses, service providers, and other small businesses that help make our communities what they are.
Our 10 Local Small Businesses We Love in Littleton & Denver guide has a few places worth putting on your list.
It’s an easy way to spend an afternoon together while keeping more of your holiday shopping close to home.
10. Show Your Guests a Little More of Colorado
Not every outing needs to be an organized holiday event.
Sometimes visitors just want to see why you love living here.
Depending on the weather, that might mean a trip to Red Rocks, exploring a historic neighborhood, heading toward the foothills, visiting a wildlife attraction, walking around downtown Littleton, or simply taking a scenic drive.
If your guests haven’t spent much time in Colorado, even the places locals consider an ordinary weekend outing can feel like the highlight of their trip.
And if the weather changes? That’s Colorado. Keep a museum, brunch reservation, or indoor attraction in your back pocket.
Make the Most of the Holidays in Colorado
The holidays don’t have to be about packing every day with activities.
Sometimes the best memories are the simple ones: taking the kids sledding, wandering through a holiday market, showing visiting family your favorite local restaurant, seeing the lights, or spending an afternoon somewhere you’ve driven past a hundred times but never actually visited.
Whether your family is coming to Colorado for Thanksgiving, staying through Christmas, or already lives right down the road, we hope this guide gives you a few ideas for spending a little more time together this season.
And if you’re looking for even more local recommendations, explore the Community section of the Mitchell Insurance Group blog for more things to see, eat, explore, and enjoy around Denver, Littleton, and Colorado.
