My family and I had the pleasure of taking a road trip to Durango, Colorado and I can honestly say that it was one my all time favorite family vacations so far! It was our first time to this part of Colorado and we were excited to explore a new area together. We decided to make it an old fashioned family road trip. Spoiler alert - we still all loved each other afterwards!
On the way to Durango, we stopped at the Petrified Forest National Park which I highly recommend. Yes, it adds time to the road trip but there is so much amazing scenery and it is definitely a place for the kids to see.
It is also a great stopping point for a picnic lunch with several ramadas by the Information Center to take advantage of. The Information Center offers some great education on the area, maps, a movie and children can understand how the petrified forest came to be (I won't spoil it for you!). We drove through the whole park and there were many vantage points along the way. The car load pass for admission is $20.00 and does last for 7 days if you are staying in the area for an extended period of time.
In Durango, we knew we had to make a stop at the Powerhouse Science Center*! The building housing the science center has an interesting history as it used to be a coal fired steam powered electric plant built in 1893. There is even some of the old equipment displayed. Fun fact - the town of Durango was electrified before cities like New York or Chicago!
The Powerhouse Science Center is a special spot for children (and adults too). With brain teasers, hands on activities, a toddler area; there is something for everyone to explore and learn in a fun and creative way. It was a perfect place for us to spend time together and play together as a family!
There are so many activities at the Powerhouse. Summer camps are popular if you find yourself staying in Durango for an extended time. Some of the titles of their themed summer camps include, "Harry Potter Camp", "MacGyver Camp", "Girls in Engineering" and much more. I want to go to these camps as an adult! I love that they incorporate themes that are educational with a fun approach. We loved our time at the Powerhouse Science Center and will definitely visit again.
One of the highlights of our trip was white water rafting with Mountain Waters Rafting*. It had been quite awhile since I have been rafting and a first time for my husband and daughter. This is a very family friendly rafting company. Our guide, AJ, was awesome and ensured safety, shared local points of interest and most importantly made it fun! The rapids were enough to make it adventurous but still safe for children. I chose just the right seat on the raft to get soaking wet...and I loved every minute of it! I highly recommend renting the wet suits they offer as the water can be chilly. We chose the 2 hour tour which was a great introductory tour and Mountain Waters also offers half day trips as well.
If you are looking for a family friendly restaurant option in Durango, I highly recommend Grassburger*! It is conveniently located in downtown Durango. I love that they use grass fed beef in preparing their burgers and local Colorado ice cream for their milkshakes. The burgers were delicious and if you aren't a meat eater, their black bean burger was a great choice. Burger bowls, a farm salad and delicious fries, round out the menu options. Service was friendly and efficient which I always appreciate as a parent. There is also a small children's play area so parents can have a little break!
We stayed at Purgatory Resort during our vacation and although it is a well known winter skiing destination, it is also an awesome summer destination. The resort has great summer activities for the whole family. I highly recommend purchasing the Purgatory Resort Day Tickets* for a full day of adventure. Some of the options include mini golf, Mountain Coaster, Bungee Trampoline, Alpine Slide, Zip Lining, Scenic Chair Lift and much more! My daughter had a blast on the kids off road track! There is also a little lake across the street from the resort that offers paddle boats, kayaks and canoes for the whole family.
The view from the ski lift is amazing!
For a video of my husband ziplining, visit our Instagram page here
Durango is a great vacation destination for us living in the Phoenix area. We made it a fun road trip but it is also a short airplane ride as well. I highly recommend a trip to Durango to soak up the natural beauty, adventure and family friendly activities in the area. If you make a trip there, let me know what you think. I know we will definitely be back!
One the way back to Phoenix, we had to make a stop at Four Corners so we can say that we stood in four states at the same time. Find a nice group to exchange photo taking like we did!
*We received complimentary passes, tickets or gift card for the purposes of this review but all opinions are my own!
