We love October. The beauty of fall is astounding, and the crisp air invigorating. But it is also the harbinger of more change to come that isn’t as welcome: soon temperatures will drop, many of the outdoor activities we love will come to a halt and some of us will find ourselves wondering: What’s there to do for entertainment?

The Denver metro area offers a wealth of indoor options for all ages—great places for a weekend diversion or to entertain those out-of-town guests that will soon be descending for the holidays. Below, we highlight some of our favorites:

Butterfly Pavilion: It’s eternally summer at this Westminster museum, where visitors can enter a tropical rainforest filled with butterflies, meet Rosie the tarantula, and enjoy hands-on experiences with sea stars, hermit crabs and other underwater creatures.

Celestial Seasonings tour: The famous tea maker, located in Boulder, offers a 45-minute behind-the-scenes look how tea is made.
Clyfford Still Museum: One of the first Abstract Expressionist artists, Clyfford Still is considered among the most important painters of the 20th century. This Denver jewel houses 95% percent of his lifetime output.

Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys: This is a great stop for youngsters, who can see fully furnished miniature houses, miniature trains, a miniature circus and more.

Museum of Contemporary Art Denver: In the heart of downtown, MCA Denver offers changing exhibitions featuring local, national and international artists. While these exhibits are sometimes hard to describe, we guarantee that you’ll always find some exceedingly cool stuff here.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge: Just northeast of Denver, the Arsenal features15,000 acres of prairie, wetland and woodland habitat and more than 330 animal species, including bison, black-footed ferrets, bald eagles and burrowing owls. Visitors are invited to take a self-guided drive and watch for these critters.