Living in Colorado there is a lot to do besides skiing, there is also a lot to see. While most people when they think of Colorado, they automatically think of Denver or the Aspens, there is more to Colorado than that. As a New York City transplant who have now decided to make Colorado our home, I’ve decided to really explore in and around our home city of Colorado Springs. This year 2016 I like to call our year of travel and adventure and there’s nothing like traveling and visiting the sites in your own city. While I spent most of my life living in New York City, Brooklyn to be exact, there is still so much I have to see there. It’s a city that no matter how long you’ve lived there, I’m not sure if you can still see everything. I can say that most New Yorkers still have never been to the top of the Empire State Building or have even been to Ellis Island or to the top of the Statue of Liberty. We like to think that’s only things that tourist do. Well I consider myself a tourist in Colorado so I decided that one day a week we’ll take advantage of what Colorado has to offer and one of them last week was the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. Sure it’s not New York’s American Museum of Natural History, which I’ve visited numerous times with my own kids, but it’s the next best thing here in Colorado.
Located in Woodland Park, about 20 minutes away from Colorado Springs where we live, we got in the car and headed on our way on a very cool day. A day where we didn’t need a heavy winter jacket. The views driving to Woodland Park is a must see. While we’re accustomed to seeing the mountains, if you’ve never visited Colorado before it’s a beautiful sight to behold, especially if all you’re accustomed to seeing is skyscrapers like I used to be.
Once we got inside and paid our admission there was so much to see. Like most dinosaur museums, it’s a look and don’t touch although they do have a few stations where you can touch and explore. You can read the stories of each specimen. There is a very short movie that you can watch that shows you what they do when in the field, and you can even look in on their fossil lab and watch them at work. There are hour long tours available and it’s included with your admission. We passed on the tour since Madison really wanted to look around but I plan on doing it the next time we visit, which we plan on doing.
Madison just loved the kid station. There we got to view a film from National Geographic “Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure which kept Madison enthralled. I had no idea that she would have loved dinosaurs, even the ones that are in the deep as much as she did. She went to the rubbing station where she got to do a drawing of dinosaurs, build her own dinosaur with magnets, and even became the paleontologist that she wants to become and went on a mini dig for bones.
Before we left we had to check out the gift shop. It’s something we do everywhere we go. We like to get souvenirs of our trip, a little memento of our visit. The gift shop surely didn’t disappoint. Madison was able to fill a tube full of dinosaurs that we can identify later at home and a few other goodies including a collectible tee.
I’d definitely say that if your kids are interested in Dinosaurs and you’re in the Colorado area, then a visit to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center is a must. It’s Jurassic Park in your own back yard. Madison had a blast and I think we’ll be doing it again.
Here are the hours and admission rates:
Location:
201 S Fairview St, Woodland Park, CO 80863
Hours of Operation
Monday – Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm
Closed on New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Admission Rates:
Seniors (65+): $10.50
Adults: $11.50
Children 5 – 12: $7.50
Children 4 and under: FREE
Military discount offered with valid Military I.D
You can learn more about the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center via:
