14 Things to Do in Highlands Ranch, CO
👉 Jump to: Best Things | Sites & Attractions | Food & Drink | with Kids | Outdoors
I’m a Denver local and in this article, I’m going to spill my secrets about the very best things to do in Highlands Ranch.
Think awesome outdoor activities, museums, craft beer spots, and more. From historic mansions to the best trails, this planned suburb truly has options for the whole family. Discover popular sites and even a few hidden gems in this comprehensive guide!
Before we get started, make sure to bookmark Nate’s guide to where to stay in Denver!
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14 Fun Things to Do in Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch Mansion
Tour a historic mansion and working ranch.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-0177 | Website | Hours: See Calendar | Entrance: free
The Highlands Ranch Mansion and Historic Park have been home to several Colorado businessmen, ranchers, and other well-to-do Colorado families from its conception in 1884. Visitors can take interesting walking tours of the mansion, wander through the gardens, and see the historic barns, windmills, and other ranch buildings.
Cheese Ranch Historic & Natural Area
Catch a fish or wander the trails.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791 2710 | Website | Hours: 5 am – 11 pm daily | Entrance: free
Cheese Ranch has walking trails, a fishing pond with a pier, and a community garden. The wildlife observation area makes a nice place to stop for a few minutes on a stroll.
K-1 Speed Go Karting
Indulge your need for speed.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (720) 726-1264 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 11 pm Mon-Thu; 11 am – 12 am Fri; 10 am – 12 am Sat; 10 am – 10 pm Sun | Entrance: from $28.95
Spend an afternoon flying around the track at the K-1 Speed Go Karting indoor track. The building is air-conditioned, so it’s a fun activity to beat the heat in summer or escape the snow in winter. You’ll zoom around a professionally designed course in an electric kart, so you don’t have the gas fumes following you around indoors, either.
Max Taps
Grab a drink and get involved.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (720) 550-8914 | Website | Hours: 2 pm – 10 pm Mon – Thurs, 12 pm – 11 pm Fri & Sat, 12 pm – 9 pm Sun
Max Taps is a taphouse featuring lots of local craft beers, wines, ciders, and other drinks. However, the taphouse also holds events like monthly yoga classes (with a beer reward when you finish), live music, community service projects, and more.
They recently opened a dog area as well, so you can bring your beloved pup along and run him around. A food truck serves up snacks and a few main dishes to go along with your drinks.
🍻 Love Craft Beer? Browse brewery tours around Denver on Viator!
Sites & Attractions
Highlands Ranch Town Center
Check out an excellent farmers market and other shops.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-8958 | Social Media
Highlands Ranch Town Center is a mixed-use development with stores like Home Depot and Michaels, restaurants, an ice cream shop, a bakery, and more. In summer, there’s an extensive farmer’s market with produce, flowers, and craft items for sale.
📚 Related Reading: 13 Denver Travel Tips & Things to Know
Food & Drink
Gelato & Co
Cool off with an icy treat.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (720) 542-3455 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 9 pm Sun-Fri; 11 am – 10 pm Sat
Gelato & Co. is the place to go in Highlands Ranch for a tasty frozen treat. Try authentic Italian flavors like Stracciatella or creative combos like Kroc Choc. They also have vegan sorbets and gelato for those with celiac and food allergies.
I’ve known people to Grubhub this gelato across two cities to their front door because they love it so much!
Things to Do with Kids
Playstreet Museum
Let the kids burn off energy at this indoor play area.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 357-3024 | Website | Hours: Hours vary daily, closed Sat | Entrance: $15 children ages 1-8
Playstreet Museum is an indoor play space specially designed for kids aged 8 and under. Educational toys and exhibits are meant to stimulate kids’ imagination and curiosity, and it’s a great option for kids on days when the weather is less than ideal.
Monster Mini Golf Denver
Glow up with black light mini golf.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 993-6892 | Website | Hours: 12 – 11 pm Mon-Sat; 12 am – 9 pm Sun | Entrance: $13 adults, $11 kids
This indoor mini-golf spot is played on a glow-in-the-dark course that’s illuminated with black lights for a fun, crazy experience. Goofy monsters interact with guests and move and talk as you play. There’s also an arcade, and virtual reality attractions as well.
Outdoors
Civic Green Park
Cool off at this splash park.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-2710 | Website | Hours: 5 am – 11 pm daily | Entrance: free
Fun for the whole family, Civic Green Park is the perfect place to burn off some energy at the playground, cook up a picnic lunch on the barbecue grills, and in summer, let the kids cool off in the splash pad fountains. This spacious park is a great place to visit and spend a few hours.
📚 Related Reading: 23 Fun Things to Do in Denver With Kids (By a Local Mom)
Chatfield State Park
Go boating or horseback riding at this popular park.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-7275 | Website | Hours: 5 am – 10 pm daily | Entrance: $10 vehicle pass
Highlands Ranch butts up against the eastern edge of Chatfield State Park, where you can have plenty of adventures boating, camping, horseback riding, and more. There are hiking and biking trails and wildlife areas, and plenty of fishing and water activities.
West Fork Disc Golf Course
Spend an afternoon honing your disc skills.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-2710 | Website | Hours: 6 am – 8 pm daily | Entrance: free
West Fork is a disc golf course that’s a newer addition to the Highlands Ranch park system. The course is fairly expansive and was completed in 2020. It’s free for drop-ins so you can start up a game anytime.
Hike the Trails
Enjoy the Highlands Ranch, CO scenery.
📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: dawn to dusk
There are hiking trails all through Highlands Ranch, many of which wander through parks, past the Highlands Ranch Mansion, and wind all through the back area of Highlands Ranch. Go biking, walk the dog, or just take a stroll on the more than 70 miles of trail in the area.
📚 Related Reading: 15 Best Hiking Trails in Colorado
University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch
Spend a day on the green.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 471-0000 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 5 pm daily
The fun thing about playing on Colorado golf courses is that your ball goes farther here thanks to the elevation. Spend a day trying out this fun phenomenon at the University of Denver Golf Club, which has public tee times as well as times for members.
Dad Clark Park
Take your furry friend to the park.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 791-2710 | Website | Hours: 5 am – 11 pm daily | Entrance: free
Dad Clark Park has attractions for children and dogs, so you can get everyone in the house out to run around a bit. There’s a playground, sand play area, and basketball courts, plus a dog off-leash area for your furry pal.
👉 Want more Denver area attractions? Just hit play on this video or read our Denver attraction guide:
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Thanks for reading my picks for what to do in Highlands Ranch! Of course, since there are so many awesome nearby cities, you may want to spend a day checking out things to do in Boulder or things to do in Denver as well.
