Old-School Summer: 5 Places to Have Vintage Fun

Ever wish you could (briefly) revisit your childhood and enjoy some good, old-fashioned fun? Here are five vintage places around Colorado to do just that:

Heritage Square Family Entertainment Village, Golden

With bumper boats, Go Karts, a zip line, and over a dozen amusement park rides, this Victorian-themed village provides entertainment for kids of all ages (and their parents). Part of the park is slated to close late this year, so this may be your last chance to zoom down the alpine slide, take a ride on the Rio Golden Railroad, or wander the miner’s maze.

Visit: 18301 W Colfax Ave, Golden, 303-279-1661

Lyons Classic Pinball, Lyons

Pinball is more than just a game; it’s a reflection of our fads and fancies—and lots of flippin’ fun! This high-scoring haven boasts Colorado’s largest collection of Pinball games, with more than 35 machines dating from the 1960s to the present, including the Addams Family, the best-selling machine of all time. Other choices include Captain Fantastic, Eye of the Tiger, Twilight Zone, and Family Guy. If that’s not enough to tickle your fancy, check out Lyons Classic Video, located in Oskar Blues, which features more than 20 classic video games.

Visit: 339-A Main Street, Lyons; 303-823-6100

Kit Carson Carousel, Burlington

Gallop through history on this fully operational carousel located on the Burlington County fairgrounds. A National Historic Landmark, this is one of about 150 wooden carousels remaining of the 4,000 carved in the U.S. between 1885 and the 1930s, and the only one in the country that still has original paint on the scenery and the animals. While the three-row carousel is stationary (meaning the animals don’t move up and down), it certainly doesn’t lack for fun. In fact, the attraction whips riders around at 12 miles per hour. The average carousel clocks in at 8 m.p.h. Giddyap!

Visit: 815 N. 15 St., Burlington

Georgetown Loop Railroad, Georgetown

When completed in 1884, this three-mile stretch of narrow-gauge rails, which connected the mining camps of Georgetown and Silver Plume, was considered an engineering marvel. After the gold ran out, the railroad became one of Colorado’s top tourist attractions, and the scenery, history, and taste of the Wild West still entice people young and old to board the train today. Choose from a 1-hour-and-15-minute roundtrip train ride, or a 2.5-hour ride, plus a walking tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine.

Visit: 1520 Argentine St., Georgetown; 888-456-6777

Manitou Springs Penny Arcade, Manitou Springs

Take a stroll down memory lane in Manitou Spring’s affordable arcade, a great place to test your skills at Skeeball, pinball, video games, and more. Remember Donkey Kong? Yep, they have one of the originals, released in 1981.

Visit: 900 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs; 719-685-9815

Discover more ways to enjoy summer in Denver at 5280.com/summerguide.