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Best amusement parks in Colorado
When you hear the phrase "amusement park," chances are the first thing that comes to your mind is Disney; however, in 2023, nearly 600 businesses described themselves as amusement parks in the United States. There are places to enjoy thrill rides, view animal shows, swim, and play in nearly every state across the country, and one that might be near and dear to your heart may be unfamiliar to someone else, depending on where you live.
For instance, Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, holds the title of America's oldest amusement park. It's been in continuous operation since first opening to the public in 1846 when local scientist Samuel Botsford demonstrated electricity experiments for entertainment, but if you don't live nearby, chances are you don't know it (unless you're an amusement park or history buff).
On the flip side, there are behemoth parks that are destinations all their own. People travel from all over the world to visit Disney's and Universal's theme parks in California and Florida. If you're a thrill ride, water park, or roller coaster junkie, Six Flags is another huge name, with 24 parks scattered throughout the U.S. These types of parks truly transport you to another world and are full of their own kind of magic, but the quaint or historic parks like Lake Compounce are just as special—if not more so—to locals.
Stacker compiled a list of the best amusement parks in Colorado using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks businesses using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of April 2024.
Read on and see how many of these local amusement parks you've visited.
#13. Jurassic World: The Exhibition
- Rating: 3/5 (2 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. The Rides At City Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (4 reviews)
- Address: 3425 Nuckolls Ave. Pueblo, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Kit Carson County Fairgrounds
- Rating: 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: Burlington, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Ridge Indoor Pools
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 6613 South Ward St. Littleton, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Amaze'n Steamboat Family Fun Park
- Rating: 4/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 125 Anglers Drive Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Gateway Park Fun Center
- Rating: 4/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 4800 28th St. Boulder, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Fun City
- Rating: 4/5 (144 reviews)
- Address: 455 Prospect Village Drive Estes Park, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Lakeside Amusement Park
- Rating: 3.5/5 (259 reviews)
- Address: 4601 Sheridan Blvd. Denver, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Elitch Gardens Theme Park
- Rating: 3/5 (866 reviews)
- Address: 2000 Elitches Cir Denver, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Mustang Mountain Coaster
- Rating: 5/5 (69 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Colorado Adventure Park
- Rating: 4/5 (815 reviews)
- Address: 566 County Road 721 Fraser, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,213 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Cave of the Winds Mountain Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (4,452 reviews)
- Address: 100 Cave of the Winds Rd. Manitou Springs, Colorado
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Katrina Sirotta, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 45 states.