Dinosaur Ridge: this was my kids' favorite over break

Sometimes, I think that anytime it involves a bus, that will be my kids' favorite tour. When I asked what was their favorite activity over break, Dinosaur Ridge was at the top of the list. Dinosaur Ridge is located in Morrison, CO, and is home to many fossils of the earliest recorded dinosaurs found in Northern America. Dinosaur Ridge has both an Exhibit Hall and a Bus Tour that lasts approximately 90 minutes. We considered doing both, but once we got done with the bus tour, we were hungry and tired. The bus tour was stuffy and didn't have quite enough room for everyone to sit down. Nonetheless, the tour guide was very informed and provided facts that were easily digested by everyone. There were four stops along the way, and these stops included four ridges (the ridges are literally sideways walls that got pushed up after the landscape changed to a more mountainous region). Cemented footprints were pointed out within the walls. Another stop showed us brown fossil bones that have been recorded in the ridge. These bones were first discovered in the 1870's, and then rediscovered again in 1930's when a road was built next to the ridge.

The ridge had a lot of various kinds of stone to see, and points to the variety of things that happened over time in the area. The different layers tell all kinds of stories to the scientists who study them.

There were benches and other types of seating at each stop, which supported a wide variety of ages able to go on the tour. We liked standing on the benches for better visibility.

Once the tour was over, we had a picnic lunch in a very nice area set aside with picnic benches.

Back in the main area, there were still other outside dinosaur models to see, a gift store, and there was also a place for the kids to dig for fossils. They got to keep whatever they found, which the ridge must restock every day.

Swetsville Zoo is one truly unique place!

If you haven't checked out Swetsville Zoo in Fort Collins, you should take some time to view the wonders that can be done with old machinery, farm equipment, and metal scraps. With a really nice layout, you can see everything from animals, to a VW bug on bug legs, and a car that cries tears. The creativity has no bounds as you see piece after piece with awe for each unique sculpture. Since we can start anywhere, I thought I'd start by sharing my favorite piece. This is a merry-go-round butterfly mobile. The mobile actually moves.

From the whimsical to the metaphorical, Victoria is posing by a car character that is crying. Do you notice the handkerchief in his hands?

Another life-size character, this once upon a bus has a fun expression with tongue and all. Take a look at the classy earrings.

I think my second favorite piece, although it's hard to choose, is the Bug bug. I like how this one sits right on the river. Those of us who grew up with Herbie, the Love Bug movie, will have a special place in our heart for VW Bugs afar. This is such a fun picture with Lexi, Gabi, and Tor.

Bill Swets, the builder behind Swetsville Zoo, has been called eccentric. His place has over 150 sculptures. Through the Russian arch, you can see quite a scattering of pieces. This combination of sculptures speaks eccentricity.

I'm certain Bill must have had fine attention to detail. Look at the intricacy of parts in this spaceship model.

Lots of bugs reproduced at the Swetsville Zoo. Ants coming out of the ice chest, big bugs overshadowing the humans, and more.

And what would a river be without the "catch" of the day? Look at THAT fish!

We are a house of dachshunds, so I couldn't resist snapping a picture of this cutie!

Of course, a yard wouldn't be complete without flowers: natural or a vase full of flowers.

The great part about Swetsville Zoo is you can pop over with donations and take a wander through the zoo at any time.

Anyway, Welcome to Swetsville USA!

Stephen King's "The Shining" & "Dumb and Dumber" - this Stanley hotel tour is so cool!

If you are going to visit Colorado, you can't miss out on The Stanley hotel in Estes Park! Built by F.O. Stanley in 1909 as a guest house, these sweeping grounds have expanded over the years and become quite famous after Stephen King stayed here and got his inspiration for the book "The Shining". Filmed at the Stanley Hotel, the Shining and Dumb and Dumber, have made this hotel famous.

Our family's visit to Estate Park was a spontaneous moment to drive into the mountains and see its gorgeous rock mountains and scenes of beauty! We hadn't planned on touring the Stanley.

Once at the Stanley, though, we couldn't resist the opportunity to go on the hotel's 90 minute tour that had just enough spots and a short waiting time until the tour.

Our tour guide, Red Rob, who moonlights as a tour guide after his school teaching job, was fun and educational.

He definitely lived up to his name with a lively sense of humor which showed itself right away as our kids became what he called ghost bait! Gabi doesn't look too happy about being called bait :-)

This is the front of the main Stanley hotel lodge. It was modeled after Georgian architecture. Can you believe they built this as a guest house?

Wouldn't you like to have a view of the mountains like this if you were a guest of the Stanely's?

And the back of the hotel is just as amazing as the front!

Of course, what would be a guest home without its very own pet cemetery? Because guests would come 2-3 months at a time, they would often bring their animals with them. It's nice to see how they honored their pets.

At some point, we swung by the old ice house, which now houses a Steam Car. Red Rob said they purchased the car off eBay, which I thought was a joke at first. No one laughed, and then I realized that he was probably serious. As an eBay fan, I like to think it is a true story!

The building now called "The Lodge" does allow animals. This was built after the main house to accommodate men who started camping out in front of the guest house.

And to further accommodate the men, there was a huge billiards room, one of the places that guests could smoke and drink.

Of course, the ladies had their own entertainment. The music room served as their parlor, in addition to a music chamber in the afternoon. The piano is one of the last remaining pieces from the Stanley era.

In the MacGregor Room, we found the set-up for a private viewing of "The Shining". The hotel experience couldn't be complete without that show and tell.

And take a look at that lounging chair. They watch the movie in style. Say hi to Victoria!

As we did a drive-by of the reception desk, I couldn't help but snap a picture of those cool antique keys.

The trip at the Stanley hotel would not be complete without a look at the door to the room with the ghosts (there's actually several), but I thought a picture of one was enough.

They play up the ghost stories quite a bit. It adds to the element of fun within the house.

Next time we go, I will be sure to view more of their sculpture garden. We saw many sculptures as we walked the grounds, but we missed a few. This one is called "Gotcha."

All in all, I think this is a "not to miss" tour. We thoroughly enjoyed the variety and breadth of what we got to see.