18 Best Things to Do in Centennial, Colorado

By VI Staff on July 16, 2019

Centennial, CO is named in honor of Colorado's admission into the United States during the country's centennial year in 1876. As Colorado's 10th most-populous city, Centennial has been ranked as one of the United States' safest communities since its incorporation, offering a large amount of recreational parks and open space, including the award-winning Centennial Center Park.

1.Centennial Center Park

Centennial Center Park is an award-winning 11-acre public park that serves as Centennial's first city-operated park, located adjacent to the city's Centennial Civic Center. The park showcases a unique layout meant to convey the passage of time, developed through a variety of arch, curve, and spiral elements within the park's structures and features. Young visitors can enjoy two age-appropriate playground areas, along with three climbing walls and a nautilus-themed water play area open during the summer months. An outdoor amphitheater seats approximately 5,000 attendees, hosting a variety of public special events and performances throughout the year. Other unique features include the Colorado Statehood Walk, which presents interpretive displays detailing facts about the state, and the Viewfinder Walk, which challenges parkgoers to go on a quest throughout the park to uncover answers to trivia questions.

13050 E Peakview Ave, Centennial, CO 80111, Phone: 303-325-8000

2.The Denver Colorado Temple

The Denver Colorado Temple is an official temple associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, operated as the church's 40th official temple facility. The church, which was announced in plans in 1982, was constructed and opened in 1984 in a ceremony presided over by LDS leader Gordon B. Hinckley. Many design elements within the temple have been crafted by LDS Church members, including tatted cloths, bride benches, and a dollhouse crafted for use within the temple's youth center. Architectural and design elements include a golf-leafed statue depicting the angel Moroni atop the church's spire, a colorful stained glass wall, and extensively landscaped grounds featuring thousands of flower plantings and a beautiful water feature. Group visitors of the temple are available by appointment by contacting the facility directly.

2001 E Phillips Cir, Centennial, CO 80122

3.The Streets at SouthGlenn

The Streets at SouthGlenn is a new shopping mall development located at the site of the former Southglenn Mall, which operated between 1974 and 2006. The shopping center, which was opened to the public in 2009, is home to more than 80 stores and restaurants, including anchor department stores such as Macy's, Sears, Marshalls, Staples, and Best Buy. Other popular national chains offered at the shopping center include apparel stores H&M and Old Navy, beauty retailer Sephora, kitchen store Sur La Table, and outdoor goods retailer Dick's Sporting Goods. A 14-screen Hollywood Theaters location runs first-run films, while popular health food store Whole Foods Market sells a variety of international groceries. Dining options include favorites such as Bar Louie, Smashburger, and Noodles and Company.

6991 S Vine St, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 303-539-7141

4.17 Mile House Farm Park

17 Mile House Farm Park is a significant heritage site in Centennial that preserves an historic 19th-century farmhouse with an extensive history, originally crafted as one of the "mile houses" located along the Cherokee and Smoky Hill wagon trails from Kansas constructed following the 1860 Gold Rush. Today, the 17 Mile House is one of only two farmhouse mile houses still preserved, protected in 2001 with the assistance of the Colorado State Historical Fund and Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. Visitors can explore the historic farmhouse, along with its red barn, silo, milk shed, and two replica windmills, which have all been restored to their original 19th-century appearance.

8181 S Parker Rd, Centennial, CO 80016, Phone: 720-874-6540

5.Big Bill's New York Pizza

Big Bill's New York Pizza is a popular New York-style pizzeria in Centennial, owned and operated by popular Denver-area pizza proprietor Bill Ficke since 1995. The delicious pizzeria serves up authentically-prepared New York-style pizzas crafted with the freshest possible ingredients, available by the pie or by the slice with toppings such as pineapple, eggplant, ricotta, meatballs, and jalapenos. All pies can be prepared gluten-free or with low-fat, dairy-free soy cheese upon request for an additional fee. Clever calzones, hero sandwiches, and appetizers are also served up, along with a variety of Italian-style entrees such as baked rigatoni, eggplant rollatini, shrimp marinara, and chicken cutlet parmigiana.

8243 S Holly St, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 303-741-9245

6.Topgolf Centennial

Topgolf Centennial is a unique entertainment venue in Centennial, originally opened to the public in 2015. The venue offers more than 100 climate-controlled golfing bays set over three floors of an indoor golfing center, with high-tech driving range elements offered for visitor use. A game hall arcade is also available for visitors of all ages to play classic, retro, and new video and skill games. A full-service restaurant is offered at the center, serving up delicious menu items such as farmhouse-style flatbreads, clever burgers, sliders, sandwiches, and a variety of creative shareable appetizers. A full-service bar also serves up an extensive menu of draft beers, fine wines and liquors, and creative signature cocktails. All facilities at the venue may be rented for private special events, including its rooftop terrace and fire pit.

10601 E Easter Ave, Centennial, CO 80112, Phone: 720-880-3151

7.Centennial Canoe Outfitters

Centennial Canoe Outfitters has been in operation since 1985, offering guided boat excursions to nine river stretches throughout Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The Centennial-based company is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife-licensed river outfitter, offering a wide variety of excursions for beginner and intermediate canoers. One to three day Colorado river excursions are available, exploring sites such as the Ruby and Horse Thief Canyons, with hiking opportunities also offered within Knowles and Mee Canyons. Excursions are offered on the Green, Gunnison, White, Yampa, and North Platte Rivers, with hiking offered at sites such as the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area. Further excursions include sea kayaking trips in Washington's San Juan Islands or eight-day multi-sport adventures in Costa Rica, including hiking trips to the famous Arenal Volcano.

P.O. Box 3365 - Centennial, Colorado 80161-3365, Phone: 720-283-0553

8.Resolute Brewing Company

Resolute Brewing Company is one of Centennial's premiere craft microbreweries, originally opened to the public in 2016. The brewery is a trendy and conscientious new addition to the Denver area's lively craft brewing scene, striving to partner with a number of Colorado-area nonprofit organizations to raise money through beer sales and public special events. Core year-round beers include the brewery's hefeweizen, American blonde, amber ale, session IPA, and porter styles, with its Holidaily Favorite Blonde Ale available during the winter months. A modern-style dog-friendy taproom serves up 20 drafts and offers a large outdoor patio, with food trucks parked on site every day of the week.

7286 S Yosemite St #110, Centennial, CO 80112, Phone: 720-722-1238

9.The Clue Room

The Clue Room is Colorado's first live escape room, originally opened to the public in 2014. Today, the attraction offers a dozen unique escape games, challenging participants to work together to solve clues to figure out how to escape locked rooms in less than 60 minutes. Escape room games are designed for groups of two to 10 players, with rentals available for private special event groups, including birthday parties and corporate team-building events. Unique escape room themes include a 1920s-themed Bootlegger Breakout room, a board-game-esque Clue Dunnit room, a literary-themed Sherlocked room, and a Matter of the Mad Hatter room, themed after Alice in Wonderland characters.

7286 S. Yosemite Unit 180, Centennial, CO 80112, Phone: 303-955-1722

10.Snobahn

Snöbahn is a unique Colorado-based company that brings the internationally-popular concept of indoor skiing centers to the United States for the first time, located in Centennial. Participants of all ages and ability levels can engage in half-hour skiing or snowboarding adventures inside the complex in a safe, climate-controlled environment, averaging the equivalent of skiing more than 3,300 vertical feet throughout sessions without waiting through the downtime of chairlifts and ski wait times. Instruction with a trained instructor is included in admission prices, with all necessary equipment provided. The result is an experience equivalent to indoor driving ranges as compared to outdoor golfing experiences, with slope speeds and heights tailored to the ability of each skiier or snowboarder.

6955 S York St #404, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 303-872-8494

11.Halfpenny Brewing Co.

Halfpenny Brewing Co. is a craft microbrewery in Centennial opened to the public in 2016 by childhood friends Chris Garner and Chris Reigrut, combining Reigrut's experience growing up in top German beer region Bavaria with Garner's family history of distilling in the pre-Prohibition era to create a unique, high-quality brewing experience. Year-round brews offered at the brewery include its Clementine American Wheat Beer, Melanie's Helles Lager, Centennial Colorado Common, Delta One Bravo IPA, Pingin Irish Red, and Homer's Oatesy Oatmeal Stout. Hot Bavarian pretzels and other light snacks are sold at the brewery's family-friendly taproom, with guests welcome to order in food from a number of nearby restaurants.

5150 East Arapahoe Road, Unit D1-B, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 720-583-0580

12.Monster Mini Golf

Monster Mini Golf is a popular chain of family entertainment centers, offering more than 30 locations throughout the United States and Canada, including a location in Centennial. The unique center offers fun for visitors of all ages, featuring a monster-themed 18-hole miniature golf course for the whole family to enjoy, with animated, humorous monsters located throughout the course. All facilities are located indoors, with the entire golf course lit with luminescent black light glow. Other activities offered at the center include a high-tech video game arcade with a redemption center, a laser tag arena, a fun laser maze, and a miniature bowling center. Young visitors wishing to celebrate their birthdays at the center can choose from a variety of birthday packages, including delicious catering options.

8227 S Holly St, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 303-993-6892

13.Downslope Distilling

Downslope Distilling is an acclaimed Denver-area distillery, opened to the public in 2009 in Centennial. The distillery produces 10 regular liquors today, including its signature Double Diamond Whiskey, produced with American rye and peated barley. Other year-round and specialty liquors include the distillery's four-year-aged Double Diamond variant, its 100% American Rye, its gluten-free Unrefined Cane Vodka, its 100% Weber Agave Spirit, and its Wine Barrel Aged Cane Rum. Liquors can be shipped to seven states or purchased directly at the distillery, which offers tastings and tours with reservations Friday through Sunday afternoons. A distillery school at the facility also offers two-day introduction courses, highlighting the distilling and commercial distribution processes.

6770 S Dawson Cir ste 400, Englewood, CO 80112, Phone: 303-693-4300

14.Doug's Day Diner

Doug's Day Diner is a relaxed dining spot for Tex-Mex favorites, originally opened in Centennial in 2010 by Doug Weckerly. The restaurant serves up a wide variety of fresh, delicious dishes at breakfast and lunch daily, including south-of-the-border favorites such as huevos rancheros and breakfast burritos served up each morning alongside traditional favorites such as eggs Benedict, clever omelettes, and homestyle blueberry hotcakes. Lunch offerings range from delicious carne asada or chicken burritos to cleverly-topped burgers and sandwich choices such as spicy reubens and vegetable sandwiches on wheatberry bread. Bottomless sodas are available daily, along with other fountain favorites such as Arnold Palmers.

15444 E Orchard Rd, Centennial, CO 80016, Phone: 720-870-6228

15.Snooze: An AM Eatery

Snooze: An AM Eatery is a morning dining destination chain originally opened in Denver in 2006 by brothers Adam and Jon Schlegel. Today, the restaurant chain offers locations throughout Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and California, including a location at Centennial's Streets at SouthGlenn shopping center. The restaurant, which does not accept reservations, serves up a wide variety of delectable breakfast entrees, including breakfast pot pies, corned beef hash, shrimp and grits, and three-egg omelettes. Mexican-style breakfast items include huevos rancheros and breakfast tacos, while a full menu of clever types of eggs Benedict highlights variants with toppings such as lox and green chiles. Sweet options include pineapple upside-down pancakes and mascarpone-stuffed French toast with vanilla creme and salted caramel.

6781 S York St #515, Centennial, CO 80122, Phone: 303-734-9655

16.Farro Italian Restaurant

Farro Italian Restaurant is an Italian-style eatery owned and operated by Centennial chef Matthew Franklin, who brings more than three decades in the restaurant industry to his latest venture. The restaurant crafts a variety of delectable homestyle Italian dishes in a casual, friendly neighborhood environment, emphasizing excellent customer service for all guests. Traditional pastas include strozapretti, sausage rigatoni, and spaghetti prepared with or without meatballs, while brick-oven pizzas offer toppings such as smoked salmon, prosciutto, and spicy shrimp. Land and sea entrees include grilled eggplant, chicken parmesan, Tuscan-style meatloaf, and seafood farro, with a variety of shareable appetizers and health-conscious salads also available.

8320 S Holly St, Littleton, CO 80122, Phone: 303-694-5432

17.Three Little Griddles

Three Little Griddles is a lively family-owned and operated breakfast and lunch spot offering two locations in Centennial and Aurora, originally opened to the public in 2014. The restaurant serves up a wide variety of griddle and homestyle favorites daily, ranging from Danish-style ebelskiver pancakes to breakfast burritos, specialty eggs Benedict variants, and bacon, artichoke, and cheddar quiches. Sweet and savory griddle cake variants include flavors such as three meat, veggie, and Nutella swirl, with griddle toasts offering ingredients such as caramelized bananas, peanut butter, and honey. Lunch selections include egg salad sandwiches, signature reubens, and three-cheese macaroni and cheese, with children's menus available for young diners.

10111 Inverness Main St B, Englewood, CO 80112, Phone: 303-953-1987

18.Centennial Gun Club

Centennial Gun Club is Colorado's most unique gun store and shooting range, offering shooting experiences for shooters as young as the age of 10 with guardian waiver. A state-of-the-art target retrieval system is offered at the facility's shooting range, along with stationary, 360-degree rotating, and disappearing targets to challenge even the most experienced shooters. Climate-controlled shooting areas provide proper ventilation, preventing lead exposure from firing. An expert training center offers instruction for shooters of all ability levels, including self-defense training courses for female shooters. A 5,000-square-foot retail gun shop is also offered, selling the best selection of handguns, shotguns, and rifles within the Denver area.

11800 E Peakview Ave, Centennial, CO 80111, Phone: 303-789-2582