Rain or shine, if you’re looking for a fun day for you and your family, take a trip to Nederland, CO to ride the Carousel of Happiness! For just $3.00 a person, you can ride on one of the 57 hand-carved creations created by Vietnam Veteran Scott Harrison. The unforgettable sound of the carousel’s amazing calliope fills the room as your family rides among the creatively carved creatures. As you choose your animal and board the carousel, a member of the staff shares the incredible and truly touching story of how the carousel came to be in Nederland. Be sure to visit the Carousel of Happiness website to read more.

Owen happily rides a hand-carved moose at the Carousel of Happiness.

After your spin on the carousel, you can visit the upstairs museum and put on a puppet show, or take a look at all the souvenirs in the shop. Just outside the gift shop, you can share your “wonders” by writing them on colorful butterfly papers and placing them in the container. Our little guy had fun imagining what the animals on the carousel do when the lights go out and all the kids have gone home for the night.

After you finish your visit at the Carousel of Happiness, Nederland has many restaurants, shops and other attractions waiting for you to explore. Your family can learn all about the rich mining history of the area at the Nederland Mining Museum and then enjoy a delicious wood fired pizza at Crosscut. If it’s too early for dinner but you need a coffee, a unique coffee shop we found was Train Cars Coffee and Kava, the kids can explore while you wait for your caffeine fix.

We enjoyed our trip to Nederland and are sure you will, too!!