A while back, my husband asked me money aside if I could pick anywhere in this world to live where would I want to move to. Without any hesitation I said Grand Junction, Colorado! I have loved Grand Junction since the first time I ever visited. Trust me Grand Junction, Colorado is not a town that you want to just drive past!
This gorgeous desert area is full of so many activities and attractions that you will never be bored. There are trails, museums, restaurants, stores, playgrounds, and so much more! This town is the hot spot for all things hiking, rock climbing, vineyard tours, and mountain biking. There is literally something fun for everyone! The perfect place to raise a family!
Things to do In Grand Junction:
Play at the Eureka! Science Museum
Mom win!! This museum isn’t just fun, but educational! Each and every exhibit is interactive and so much fun! From making water rapids for their boats, to brushing big teeth, making balls float in the air, and glowing in black lights!
There are several tables with science experiments, a water play station, a cave that takes you through black light rocks, and so many other stations. This is a perfect activity for tiny toddlers, older kids, and I even thought it was fun as an adult. Not only did this museum have interactive sections, it also had animals! My little boy loved getting up close to the snakes, fish, and scorpions.
Tips: If you have more than one kid bring another adult, it is hard to keep an eye on all your kids because there are so many activities that your kids will be everywhere!
Location: 1400 N 7th St, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
Try the Ninja Course at the Get Air Trampoline Park
My kids are obsessed with trampoline parks and this one is no exception. It is a kid heaven! Foam pits to jump in, ropes to swing, tunnels, and all the trampolines you could hope for! There is dodge ball, a kids zone, and then just plain ol’ trampolines.
While the trampoline park is so much fun for kids, it is actually pretty fun for adults as well. You would think my husband was a kid here, because of how much fun he has trying out the American Ninja Warrior course. While you may not feel your arms tomorrow, it is a super fun way to workout on a date night.
Location: 715 S 7th St, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
Play Arcade Games and Bumper Boats at Bananas Fun Park
Whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall, Bananas Fun Park is the place to be! Laser tag, bumper cars, mini golf, arcade games, inflatable playland, go carts, laser maze, and an aqua play center. This fun park really is a fun park! Fun for all ages! Perfect for a kids outing, a date night, or even a birthday party.
Location: 2469 Riverside Pkwy, Grand Junction, Colorado 81505
Hike the Big Wash Trail at the Foothills Of The Grand Mesa
My husband makes fun of me for calling rocks beautiful, but you can’t walk this hike and tell me these rocks are not BEAUTIFUL! The hike is along a creek in a desert canyon, and is surrounded by wildflowers! It was a pretty easy hike until you get closer to the end where it starts to get pretty slippery and steep.
Make sure you are wearing a good pair of hiking shoes to help keep a good grip on these rocks that you have to slightly climb. It makes a world of a difference! As the canyon gets more narrow, it will bring you to a series of small ponds in the rocks. The whole trail was 1.8 miles; so a short and gorgeous hike! It is a desert hike so beware of cactus and intense sunlight.
For more information about this hike, be sure to click here to read my article about it.
Things you will want for this hike:
- Hiking Shoes– this trail is practically all on rock towards the end. You will even be scrambling up some small cliffsides.
- Hydration Camel Pack– a water backpack. You are hiking in the desert and there is almost no shade; that in mind it is hot and even if it isn’t a long hike you will want a lot of water.
- Toddler Backpack Carrier– If you have a toddler, you will want a carrier. Even if your toddler is a great hiker, towards the end of the trail it gets steep and very slippery. It will get too hard for them towards the end.
- Sunscreen– You are in the sun for the for the majority of the hike and at its current elevation you are close to the sun and will burn fast.
Amenities: no restrooms, gravel parking lot, dogs allowed on leash
Trail Information: 1.8 miles there and back
Hike By Wild Horses At Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Area
This is one of our favorite trails in the Grand Junction area simply because every time we have hiked here we have seen wild horses!! I will be honest, I have never hiked the whole 11 miles, cause lets be honest with 3 toddlers that isn’t exactly a fun distance. Even hiking just a mile of this trail is amazing though and we still get to see wild horses!
It is a really easy hike and is very easy for kids. It varies in its terrain from flat to rocky and uphill, but like I said easy. Watch out for the cactus along the path though, while we were there a poor dog got some stuck in his paw!
There is no shade so wear sunscreen and some sort of hat! There is also a separate trail for riding horses that is pretty close to this trail and we did see lots of riders. So regardless you are guaranteed to see horses whether domestic or wild. This trail is a hidden gem and one that you will love!
Things you will want for this hike:
- Hydration Camel Pack– a water backpack. You are hiking in the desert and there is no shade, you will want water!
- Hiking Boots– boots are better than shoes for this hike due to the high load of cactuses. There may not be cactus on the trail itself, but there were many right on the edge of the trail. If you are not careful they will stick into your ankles as you walk by.
- Sunscreen-there is absolutely no shade, you will definitely want this!
- Binoculars– though some people get to see the wild horses up close, not everybody does. We had to use a high range lenses on our camera for us to see them. If you want to see the horses, you will want something to magnify their image.
- Sun Hat– there is no shade, even with the sunscreen you will want something to protect your head from the direct sunlight.
- Hiking Carrier– always a must when hiking with little kids. The trail is easy enough for them to hike, but it is pretty long.
Amenities: restrooms, parking
Trail Information: 11.5 miles
Find The Giant At The Western Colorado Botanical Gardens
Grand Junction is a desert and so dirt and rock is the norm around these parts. That is why the Botanical Garden is an oasis in the desert! There are so many flowers, butterflies, and turtles! Yep turtles all over! My little ones loved spotting the butterflies in the butterfly pavilion and admiring the giant fish in the ponds.
The biggest hit for toddlers though is the castle! Literally a castle! There was a giant and a moat surrounding the castle, a dragon, and even a beanstalk! My little girl loved pretending to be a princess! The flowers and cactuses are so pretty and they are everywhere!
Walk back in time to admire rustic western tools. A beautiful garden that is fun for adults and children.
Location: 655 Struthers Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501
Jump On Bouncy Houses At Jennies Playhouse & Jump Zone!
The most fun play center in Grand Junction for toddlers is the jump zone! Tucked back in the Mesa Mall, this is a perfect place for little kids!! My toddlers had a blast and could have been here for hours!
Half of the play center is for bouncy houses and the other for a play town. The play town is complete with a grocery store, construction site, doctor’s office, food truck, campsite, and diner. Cars to drive on a mini road, play steaks to flip on the grill, and blocks to build buildings, it has everything!
They also have a play area for little babies with tons of age appropriate toys. The baby area is set up on mats and has musical toys of all varieties. The coolest part of this center is the bouncy houses. There is a dodgeball house, a basketball court, slides, an obstacle course, and a house that rocks from side to side! This place is guaranteed fun for kids!
Location: 2424 Old U.S Hwy 6&50, Grand Junction, CO 81505
Hike The Viewpoints Of Colorado National Monument
This is a fun and terrifying place to take toddlers in the Grand Junction area. It is not a place you are going to want to skip, but one you will definitely need to take precautions with while visiting with children. I visited with my 3 little toddlers and though I was a nervous wreck the whole time, it was worth the visit.
You may be wondering why I say it a scary place to take toddlers, so let me tell you; cliffs! Colorado National Monument is located high above the Grand Junction area. It is in the rocky mountains located just south east of town. The twisty drive just takes you farther and farther up to to an incredible canyon.
Alongside the canyon’s edge are a large variety of hikes and overlooks. For a list of our favorite hikes in Colorado National Monument, click here.
Location: 1750 Rim Rock Drive Fruita, CO 81521
Visit the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita
Fun fact about this area, there have been many fossil discoveries in the Grand Junction area. So in the town of Fruita, located at the base of Colorado National Monument is the Dinosaur Journey Museum. This small museum will make your toddlers eyes pop! Inside this museum are a ton of giant dinosaurs!
The journey through this museum will take you around to see different dinosaurs, some of which move. You will find fossils, pictures, and even some interactive educational exhibits. It is a great way to learn about these prehistoric creatures and have some fun!
Location: 550 Jurassic Ct, Fruita, CO 81521
Similar Articles You Will Love:
Hiking the Big Wash at the Foothills of the Grand Mesa, Colorado
Western Colorado Botanical Garden In Grand Junction, Colorado
A Local’s Guide To Fun Things To Do In Rifle, Colorado
The 4 Best Kid Friendly Hikes In The Grand Mesa, Colorado
Best Restaurants To Try In Grand Junction:
Smokin’ Oak Wood Fired Pizza
You can never go wrong with pizza!! Order your own individual pizza, watch them flip the dough right in front of you, and stick in a giant wood burning stove! My kiddos thought the pizza flipping was amazing! Not only is it fun to watch, but so fun to eat. We had the Italian Stallion and the Applewood Pizzas and they were bursting with flavor! SO GOOD!
The Warehouse 25sixty-five Kitchen + Bar
Looking for the perfect date night dinner, well look no further! I know fancy name huh? Well your food comes wrapped in some pretty fancy paper as well, newspapers! Haha! A perfect modern bar with some of the best burgers you will ever have! I had the Tator Tay Burger, who knew potatoes in a burger would be a genius combination!? My husband had the Whiskey burger covered in special bbq sauce. For a side we had Buffalo cauliflower, which sounds odd, but trust me does not disappoint!
Bravo Pizza
You can never have enough pizza that’s why you should order huge! Surprise your kids or friends with a pizza almost too big to get out the door! 30 inches of pizza! It is pretty good pizza too! Of course they have a lot of other options and sizes too.
Dream Cafe
Breakfast dreams do come true at the Dream Cafe in Grand Junction, Colorado! Breakfast ALL DAY! The best breakfast in town! Walk downtown Grand Junction to this popular breakfast joint. They have the cutest wax activities for kids while they are waiting for their food! The food was is worth the wait too! They have everything breakfast food that there is!
Location: 314 Main St, Grand Junction, CO 81501
Graff Dairy
Graff Dairy is the cutest place to come and get a delicious ice cream sundae. The restaurant looks like a giant red barn and their are pictures of cows everywhere. While ice cream is the main thing they serve here, their chili dogs are not something you are going to want to miss!
Location: 581 29 Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81504
Palisade Pies
You can not visit Grand Junction and not eat something peach!! Palisade, which is a connecting town, is well known for their peaches and vineyards. You can find vendors for Palisade peaches all over Colorado. So of course if you are looking for a delicious peach treat, this is the place to come. This little Pie Shop has all the treats you could ask for. Peach ice cream, peach pie, and every other delicious goodie you can think of.
Location: 3415 C 1/2 Rd, Palisade, CO 81526
The Best Playgrounds In Grand Junction:
Final Thoughts On Grand Junction:
I want to live in Grand Junction, Colorado for good reason. It is exciting and unique. It has a national monument, tons of kid friendly playgrounds, delicious food, and hikes with views you will not want to miss. While most visit Colorado for the aspen trees and lush mountains, they are missing this desert gem!
Not only is this a fun place for adults, but one even kids will love. There is a great variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy. I love Grand Junction, Colorado!
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