1. Meet an Amur tiger at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs’ Animal Encounter program allows guests to go nose to nose with some of their coolest animals, including tigers, bears, black rhinoceros and elephants (reservations required). Guests can also feed the zoo’s giraffes, members of one of the largest giraffe herds in the world. Other activities at the zoo include spotting Rocky Mountain goats in the Rocky Cliffs habitat, letting Australian parakeets fly over your head in the Australia Walkabout and climbing giant mushrooms in the nature-themed playground in My Big Backyard.
2. Plunge 200 feet to the ground at 60 miles per hour on the Tower of Doom at Elitch Gardens.
Scream-seekers from near and far flock to America’s only downtown theme and water park for rides like the Brain Drain, a seven-story looping thrill ride, and the Mind Eraser, a coaster that blasts riders through dives and spins at more than 50 miles per hour. There’s also plenty of thrill rides at the water park, including super-speedy body, raft and tube slides. For less adventurous riders and little ones, there’s a kiddie land and tamer theme-park staples like a Ferris wheel and carousel.
3. Hear a Lion’s Roar at the Wild Animal Sanctuary.
Stroll above the habitats filled with tiger families, packs of wolves, grizzly bears, Bolivian lions and other rescued exotic and endangered species at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, just an hour’s drive from Denver. The sanctuary’s Mile into the Wild Walkway is a system of open-air platforms that allows visitors to observe the roaming animals from above. Visit during summer evenings to witness lots of animal activity — most of the howling and roaring happens around sundown. Read more about the Wild Animal Sanctuary.