Grand Junction Colorado Attractions for Families
Grand Junction, Colorado, is located on the western border of Colorado, near Utah. This small city on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains is oft-overlooked as a travel destination, but there is a lot to do here! Grand Junction, Colorado, attractions for families include incredible hiking, outdoor recreation, beautiful farms and interesting museums.
About Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction is an agricultural and recreational hub in western Colorado. The city has routes as a trade route and junction between Ute and Fremont indigenous tribes. Later it served as a western trading post and railroad stop. Today, Grand Junction is located along Interstate 70 and serves as a great road trip stop for families traveling through the west.
The Colorado River runs through Grand Junction before heading west to Utah and provides great fertile land for lots of agriculture in the area. Palisade, a town next to Grand Junction, is famous for it’s peach orchards among other fruits and produce.
Grand Junction is also known as the home of the Colorado National Monument, an incredible place for hiking and enjoying vast canyon views.
Where is Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction is along the Utah border in the western part of Colorado. It’s a 4-hour drive west from Denver, Colorado’s capital city and a 4.5-hour drive east from Salt Lake City, Utah. However, it’s only a 2-hour drive from Moab, Utah, and is a great addition to any Moab itinerary.
Grand Junction has its own airport, but most visitors will likely drive in from elsewhere in Colorado or Utah.
Where to Stay in Grand Junction
We are big fans of Marriott hotels, and we have stayed at both the Springhill Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites located just off Main Street in downtown Grand Junction. There are several hotels nearby if you prefer Hampton or Hilton.
I like these hotels because they are walking distance from lots of fun restaurants, museums and other downtown attractions.
Grand Junction, Colorado, Attractions for Families
There are many attractions to bring a family to Grand Junction, Colorado. While most feature outdoor recreation, there are also a handful of museums and other places to tour and visit.
Outdoor Attractions in Grand Junction
You can’t visit Grand Junction without exploring the great outdoors. From state parks and national parks to adventurous recreation, there are a lot of options for your family!
Colorado National Monument
The Colorado National Monument is an incredible park that is run by the U.S. National Park Service. There is a daily vehicle fee, or you can enter with your National Park America the Beautiful Park.
Colorado National Monument features Monument Canyon. Several hiking trails feature vast views of the canyon and several rock features. Other trails include red rock caves, plants native to the area and information about the local history and wildlife.
Make sure to stop by the Visitor Center to get Junior Ranger booklets so your kids can earn their badges!
Rafting the Colorado River
As previously mentioned, the Colorado River runs through Grand Junction on its way to Moab. there are several places to visit and play in the river. But one fun activity for older kids would be to raft the river. There are lots of options from multi-day, intense rafting trips to 1-2 hour adventures.
Rimrock Adventures has several great options for families depending on the time of year.
Las Colonias River Front Park
If you would rather just play at the edge of the water, a great place to check out close to downtown Grand Junction is Las Colonias Park along the river.
This river front park features access to the Colorado River, walking and biking paths, two ponds for paddle boarding and kayaking and an event center.
One of the best features of the park is a long and calm channel that is perfect for small children to play in the water. You can also rent equipment for the river or put in at the boat ramp with your own boating and paddling equipment!
James M. Robb Colorado River State Park
If you are looking for a more involved visit to the Colorado River, you should definitely check out James M. Robb State Park, also known as the Colorado River State Park.
At this State Park you can camp, hike, fish, bike and more.
There are several main sections of the park along the river, but the two most popular are Corn Lake and the Island Acres.
Swimmers will want to visit the swim area at Island Acres. Rafters will want to visit Corn Lake, which has access to the Colorado River white water.
For more information or information on the various trails, camp sites and other activities at the park, check out the park website.
Grand Mesa Scenic Byway and National Forest
Another great place to take in views is the Grand Mesa National Forest. Grand Mesa is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world and features incredible views from the scenic byway and many hiking trails.
The Grand Mesa National Forest is expansive throughout the western Rocky Mountains. There are more than 300 lakes in the forest and many are accessible by short hikes.
About an hour from Grand Junction, the Mesa Lakes Trail is easily accessible and kid-friendly. It’s a 2.8-mile trail that is great from May to October. But there are many more that you can find on All Trails depending on your availability and how far from Grand Junction you want to travel.
For more information about the scenic byway, check out this write up.
Museums for Families in Grand Junction
Grand Junction has history. as a mining town, a railroad town and more. There is also a rich history of dinosaur digs and fossils that have been found in and around the area. Kids will love learning about this history!
Museum of the West
The Museum of the West is a small museum located in downtown Grand Junction. It’s small and won’t take long to visit but kids and parents will learn about the Wild West and history of Grand Junction. Our kids loved checking out the vintage wagon and fire truck, exploring a mine shaft, and learning about the hunting and trading history of the area.
Western Colorado Botanical Gardens
The Western Colorado Botanical Gardens is located along the Colorado River in Grand Junction and features 15 acres of gardens to explore. Kids will really love the Butterfly Pavilion where they can see beautiful butterflies up close from the chrysalis to flying around the pavilion.
The hours and times vary based on the time of year, so make sure to check out the gardens website before visiting.
Dinosaur Journey Museum
Kids who love dinosaurs will love this attraction in Grand Junction. Dinosaur Journey features a viewable paleontology lab, play areas, dinosaur bones and fossils and more. There are dinosaur tracks and history of the dinosaur activity in Colorado.
Explore the agriculture roots of Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction is one of Colorado’s largest agricultural areas and has several family-friendly agricultural attractions.
Suncrest Orchard Alpacas and Fiber Works in Palisade
Visiting Suncrest Orchard Alpacas and Fiber Works was one of my family’s favorite things in Grand Junction. This working peach orchard and alpaca farms offers tours and alpaca “treks.” We opted for the trek and we all got our very own alpaca to take on a walk around the orchard.
Farmer Mike was great and taught us so much about alpaca farming and turning alpaca wool into yarn.
We were also able to purchase some yarn made from the animals we met, as well as some homemade peach jam that was delicious!
Cross Orchards Historic Site
Cross Orchards is a living museum in Grand Junction, meaning that it’s an operating orchard that takes visitors back in time to the late 1800s and early 1900s to learn about farming and ranching in the area. Cross Orchards is free to visit and open mostly on weekends.
Visitors can peruse the grounds and visit the historic barn. There is also a farmers market and a small train ride on weekends.
Kid-friendly Restaurants and Playgrounds in Grand Junction, Colorado
Of course, every family needs some downtime while traveling. Here is a great park we found in Grand Junction and some delicious treats and meals we ate.
Canyon View Park
Canyon View Park is located in north Grand Junction right off of Interstate 70 making it great if you are just passing through. However, even if you are staying in downtown Grand Junction, this park is worth the short drive up to this park.
The playground is vast and all-encompassing. There are so many features that I can’t even remember them all! There are also walking paths, sports fields and a lake.
And of course, there are great views of the mountains!
Graff Dairy
I got this tip from a friend who grew up in the area, but every time we drive through Grand Junction or stop to visit, we have to get homemade ice cream from Graff Dairy. It’s so vintage and cute and the ice cream, milkshakes and treats are fantastic.
Graff Dairy also offers food and coffee. It’s a short drive from downtown but worth the trip.
Pablo’s Pizza
Pablo’s Pizza is on Main Street in downtown Grand Junction, walking distance from most hotels. They offer unique pizza for adults as well as regular old pepperoni and cheese for the kids! We loved the ambiance and quick service. You can view the menu here.
Gelato Junction
Can you tell we love ice cream? We do. Gelato Junction is also located on Main Street and is a great post-dinner treat.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Grand Junction. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to my on Instagram, @exploringthroughlife!
