New Mexico and Colorado, Here We Come
By Marcella Simmons – Meeks
I love traveling with my grandkids as much as I use to love traveling with my own children – if not more! Over the years I have traveled with different grand kids – most of them have all grown up now except there are still three that are over seven and under fifteen that still love to travel with me.
We just returned from Galveston, Texas – we took a little mini four day spring break trip – we went out to Seawolf Park while we were there and had a picnic – the kids checked out the ship and submarine – they enjoyed it more than I thought they would. Having grown up in Galveston back in the seventies, the Seawolf Park was a regular fun place for us kids back then. We could actually get out and enjoy and being with family and having picnics. My sisters and I loved the beach in Galveston and everything there was to do back then in Galveston. The Galveston ferry was also an all-time favorite. We’d park and ride back and forth a couple times a day! It was and still is free. Climbing to the top of the boat was fun!
In June, we are heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the first five nights. We are going to Hinkle Family Fun Center a couple of times before we leave. This is our favorite fun spot in the city. Phone: 505.299.3100, 12931 Indian School Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. Hinkle’s is Albuquerque’s Premier Family Entertainment Destination. Hinkle Family Fun Center features all new Immersive Virtual Reality, an 1/8 mile twisting Go Kart Track, a 4500 square foot black light themed Lazer Tag arena two scenic 18 hole Miniature Golf Courses, the Fun Center & Lazer Tag Game Rooms and Prize Centers, Bumper Boats, a 13,000 square foot outdoor Paintball field, Bumper Cars, Battletech, Rock Climbing, Bungee Jump Trampoline, Lazer Frenzy, Light Space, Birthday Parties, Group Events, and Cody’s Cafe Too! Rain or shine or anytime! Come join us!
Another fun place that we frequent every year is the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science located at http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/ 1801 Mountain Rd NW, near Old Town in Albuquerque. Phone: (505) 841-2800. Visitors explore the origins and geological history of the American Southwest through vivid displays including dinosaur models, ice-age cave replicas, a naturalist center and a walk-through volcano.
The kids love Cliff’s Amusement Park located at 4800 Osuna Rd NE, in Albuquerque.
Phone: 505-881-9373. Cliff’s is the only amusement park and outdoor waterpark in the city. They offer unlimited rides and all day passes for customers of all ages – our kids love it and is reasonably priced. Day passes are usually under $30 bucks each. They have an online special where you can get discounts by getting tickets online.
One of my favorite places to go is Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque. It stretches 17 miles along Albuquerque West Mesa, a volcanic basalt escarpment that dominates the city’s western horizon. It is managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque. Address: Western Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120
Phone: (505) 899-0205.
We’re not done yet in Albuquerque! We’ll squeeze in another couple of places before we leave!
We always visit the ABQ BioPark Zoo (Zoo, Aquarium and Botanical Gardens) located next to the Rio Grande. The 64-acre Zoo has been offering guests close encounters with exotic and native animals since 1927. It’s located at 903 10th St. SW, 87102. Be sure to ride the train and visit the Aquarium and the Botanical Gardens while you’re at the zoo. You may wish to make this a two or three day adventure – depending on how much time you have to spend. You can buy combo tickets on their website way cheaper than you can get them at the gate.
Another of our adventures is to take a day and walk around Albuquerque Old Town. Old Town’s narrow streets and century-old adobe houses are home to New Mexican eateries serving enchiladas and sopaipilla pastries, and tiny artisan shops selling jewelry, rugs and pottery. Visit the 18th-century San Felipe de Neri Church.
While you’re in the Old Town section, be sure to stop by The American International Rattlesnake Museum located at 202 San Felipe St NW. The museum is devoted to snakes, particularly rattlesnakes, and is dedicated to rattlesnake education. For more details about the museum, visit their website at http://www.rattlesnakes.com/.
There’s no time left to do anything else in Albuquerque so now it’s time to head over to Colorado!
Leaving Albuquerque, we’ll drive for six hours over to Naturita, Colorado – we’ve never been before so this will be an experience in a lifetime. We’ll be staying at High Country RV Park located at 218 W Main Street in Naturita, Colorado. (970) 865-2101. Lloyd – can’t wait to see you guys! We’ll be in Naturita for five nights and are going to comb the area for every gem – every adventure available to us and we’ll post it on our website! Stay tuned for updates! Visit High Country RV Park at
https://www.facebook.com/HighCountryRVPark/. Tell Lloyd Marcy at Family Traveler Host USA sent ya!
When we leave there, we’re driving the 186 miles to Lake City, Colorado to one of our favorite resorts – this will be our 6th year staying at A TEXAN RESORT. Arlen, we’re coming home for a few nights in June! Lake City is so beautiful this time of year, and having a cabin is a blessing. You guys are certainly the best and we wouldn’t stay anywhere else! You can reserve a cabin by calling 970-944-2246 or visit their website at www.texanresort.com/. There are cabin to fit all of your needs.
While we’re there the kids will be out and about at the park in town! We’re gonna have a picnic and then in the evening, go to the Mountaineer Theatre. This is one of our favorites in Lake City!
When we finally leave Lake City, we’re driving over to South Fork for a couple of days. We’re staying at the Wolf Creek Ski Lodge, we’re driving the 68 miles to the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve where we’ll spend the coolest part of our morning.
While we’re in the area, we’ll drive to the nearby Colorado Gators Reptile Park & Alligator and Reptile Rescue, Fish Farm. The kids love coming here and this will be a good place too cool down after the morning in the sun at the Sand Dunes.
We’re only staying in South Fork for three days – so there’s not a lot of time to visit the adventures – we need a day or two to rest up. When we leave South Fork, we’ll be heading to Canon City, Colorado and going out to the famous Royal Gorge Bridge while we’re there. Check out their site for additional details.
We’ll also drive over to Leadville, Colorado before leaving Canon City in a few days and ride the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad. The LC&S takes passengers along the old Denver, South Park & Pacific and Colorado & Southern lines to the Continental Divide.
The end of our journey will be Manitou Springs where we’ll visit the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. Just west of Colorado Springs, The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a group of relocated Anasazi ruins cliff dwellings and museums are an all-time favorite – we’ve been visiting the Anasazi ruins every year for several years and still love it as much as we did on day one.
The next day we’ll drive to Woodland Park a few miles from the cliff dwellings to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. RMDRC is located in Woodland Park at 201 S Fairview St. This is a fossil museum primarily exhibiting fossil organisms of North America’s Late Cretaceous including dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and fish. This is also a favorite and we love coming here every year.
We’re starting home in a couple of days – we’re going to miss New Mexico and Colorado – but we’ll be back. Twenty-two days on vacation is just not enough time to do all the things we want but there is always next year! See you then!
I will be posting about our trip on a daily basis starting in June so watch for it!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Family Travel Host USA 
