Trip Planning: Choosing a Hotel

I love trip planning.
I should really look into a travel agent job, because I almost enjoy the planning part better than the actual trip.
Okay, I guess I wouldn't go that far. It is just so fun to see all of the options, compare deals, find new attractions to visit.
I am currently planning three trips for our family. I am in heaven!

Once I know the dates of a trip I get online and start with where we will stay. I love Tripadvisor.com to compare hotels and read reviews. I like to scroll through the travelers photo section to get a real view of what it looks like. Make sure you check the dates of the photos, some of them where taken a decade ago and the hotel has probably undergone renovations. You can also read reviews by category such as families, couples, or business travelers. Check out the "room tip" option too, this will tell you things like where the best views are or where the quietest rooms are located.

What I look for in a hotel:
> Affordable. Always check for any parking or resort fees since those can really add to your total. They won't be revealed in the rate shown on most hotel booking sites, you have to read the fine print.
> Room for a large family
> Free breakfast
> Pool
> Fridge in room. Not a deal-breaker, but nice for milk and snacks for kids.
> Reviews of clean rooms. NO bed bugs!
> Close proximity to attractions that we want to visit, or at least an easy route to and from.


If I am planning a trip for just me and the hubby I will often check the "secret hotel" rates on Priceline and Hotwire. Priceline only guarantees a room for two adults with these rates, though sometimes it does give you a "select your bed" option. Hotwire lets you tell how many travelers you have, up to 4, and could be more accomidating if you need more than one bed. They will tell you the area (sometimes a pretty big range) where the hotel is located, as well as the rating and a few amenities it offers. 
The trick here is that you don't really know what you are going to get. You can do your best to figure it out, sites like betterbidding.com can help with that, but ultimately it is a gamble.
It has worked okay for me in the past, so I say if you area really looking for a steal it is worth a try. Remember to read the fine print, since some places will tack on a "resort fee" to you rate, making it not such a great deal. Priceline also has the "name your price" option, but I have not tried this myself. There are many sites that can explain it better than me, but basically you pick your area and rating then tell how much you are willing to pay. They will either accept and you will be booked right then (no refunds) or rejected and you can add more areas, lower ratings, or bid a higher price to try again.

When we travel all together as a family I need to know that there will be room for everyone. I have found a great resource to find rooms that will sleep 6-8 people in a website names sixsuitcasetravel.com. If you are looking for options for big family or group it will let you know your options in each city.

We have had great luck with Embassy Suites, they offer a full breakfast buffet including made to order omelets and pancakes. The bedroom, with two queens, is separated from the living area by a door. This helps when we have younger kids that need to go to bed before anyone else. The sofa turns into a sleeper, so the older kids usually share it.

In smaller towns we have had good experiences with Best Western Plus hotels. I have been surprised more than once by the rooms and breakfast.

One of the best ways to find a decent hotel is to ask your friends and family. That way you are getting an honest review by someone you trust.

I have recently been introduced to the Hyatt line of hotels. I have always thought that they were in the luxury price range, so never really looked into booking one. We have an upcoming trip to Denver where we are trying out the Hyatt House and I am really looking forward to it. A friend, who travels there more often that me, suggested it and I can't believe never knew about it as an option before. It offers a two bedroom suite, one with two queens and one with a king, and a living area with kitchenette. Yes, that is three rooms! I was surprised by how affordable it was, especially compared to the other option of getting two connecting (if you're lucky) rooms at other hotels. Hyatt House also offers a full breakfast. An evening reception is offered during the business week with snacks and drinks. The Hyatt Place hotels have an option with two queens and sofa bed, and I have heard the breakfast is great. Perhaps one day I will even find myself at one of Hyatt's exotic resorts! Dream big, right?!


The great thing about picking one brand of hotel for your stays is that you can earn rewards. Most chains offer some type of rewards program, so booking your stays with them can earn you a free night. Of course you could stay at an amazing location in one city and find it to a different story in another city. At least you have an idea of what to expect and are getting rewarded for your loyalty.

 Do you have a recommendation for your favorite family friendly hotel or resources for finding one?



 

Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita, Colorado

Do your kids love dinosaurs? 

 Western Colorado is one of the best places 

to learn about these cool prehistoric creatures! 

Just off I-70 in Fruita, Colorado is a museum filled with life-size dinosaurs and fun activities. It is called Dinosaur Journey, and its name is fitting since it does take you on a journey back through time. 

You enter through a stone arch and follow the yellow footprints. 

The first area allows the kids to touch fossils and see skeletal replicas of different creatures. The boys thought it was cool that so much of this stuff was found locally. Many of the first dinosaur fossils ever found were discovered in Colorado.

We wandered around and the boys found themselves face to face with a stegosaurus. There are buttons to push to interact with the realistic looking creatures. Did you know that Colorado's state fossil is the stegosaurus? Did you know that there was such a thing as a state fossil? I didn't either.

During our visit there was a special exhibit of the Super Croc! 

Seriously, look at the size of that thing.

 Wild J could have become a light snack for him, but wasn't scared. 

More cool robotic replicas to play with around every corner.

Sgt Al liked the Triceratops! 

Its fossils have been found near Denver, Colorado!

 Toward the back of the museum is a water play area that drew the kids in like a magnet. It was a fun activity for all five kids.

They had fun building dams and testing out the water's flow with floating ball and foam dinos.

 Baby C found the blackboard and did his best to draw a t-Rex, I think.

A big hit with my kiddos was the "quarry site" where you can dig up dinosaur bones. It is filled with walnut shells, and there are warning signs all around for anyone with allergies. You remove your shoes and enter the pit filled with tools and uncover the bones buried underneath.

Sgt Al found a big one!

We will warn you about this bridge. 

See the dino that is staring down my boys? 

If you don't move fast enough he will "spit" on you! 

The kids got a good giggle trying to escape his sprays.

We continued to explore and found ourselves in an earthquake. 

You stand on the black mat and push a button to get it started. 

The picture window in front of you shows how the plates shift

as the mat shakes through the different stages of an earthquake.

Learn about the local aquatic creatures. 

Big T is always a great helper for the younger siblings!

The huge dinosaur above Little Lu is enjoying a meal, 

but she doesn't seem to notice. 

She found the dino track activity where 

you use different rubber feet to make prints in the sand.

This is how Baby C and Little Lu measure up to a Brachiosaur heart. Wow!

There is also a viewing area to look into the working laboratory 

where dinosaur bones are prepared for display. 

I have one son interested in archeology, 

he was fascinated. 

End your visit with a trip to the really fun gift shop! 

Wild J give his sister a few quarters so she could ride the "shiny dino." 

As you can see, it was a big hit! 

This shop is filled with fun toys, books, 

jewelry, tourist trinkets and cool collectibles.

I love how hands-on this museum is, it kept my kids attention and had them looking forward to every turn. It is not a huge museum, but still packs in a lot of fun. I think it is a great spot to visit in the Grand Valley for families looking for some educational entertainment.

I mentioned museum membership in a previous post about The Museum of the West. If you do become a member of The Museum of Western Colorado it gives you admission to their three sites (including Dinosaur Journey) for year, 10% off gift shop purchases, as well as other perks. It is worth checking out if you plan on going to any or all of these museums more that a few times in a year. More info can be found HERE.

Also, if you go to their website there is even a schedule of dinosaur digs that you can participate in yourself. I know a few little boys who would love that, so you may see more in a future blog post!

Dinosaur Journey Museum is located at 550 Jurassic Court in Fruita, CO.  

Info for visitors:

Summer Hours
May 1 - September 30
7 days a week • 9 am to 5 pm

Winter Hours

October 1 - April 30
Monday - Saturday • 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday • Noon to 4 pm

Please note: Closed major holidays - New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition sites may close for emergencies. Please call to confirm status.

Admission
$8.50 for adults

$6.50 for seniors

$5.25 for children

$24.50 for immediate family groups

Free to members

Museum of the West in Grand Junction, Colorado

There are so many fun things to do with kids in Western Colorado. There are several fun museums for you and your kids to explore, including the Museum of the West in downtown Grand Junction.

We wandered over for a visit. Before we even got in the door the kids found something interesting to climb on, and mom found a photo opp!

 We made it in the door and were greeted by a friendly volunteer at the front desk. She gave us info about a yearly membership which turns out to be a great deal for families, especially big families!

After paying admission we started through the exhibits. There are many interesting facts about the Native American history of this area.
 
We found our way back to the old schoolroom.

  The kids had fun playing school and taking turns being the teacher, and cleaning blackboard erasers.

 They also loved this room, though they weren't sure what it was supposed to be.

It explained the Alferd Packer Lost Camp Expedition and the investigation that followed. When my older boys read the information on the wall they got a little freaked out. We kept moving.

The boys loved the gun room.

We have a long line of law enforecment in our family and it was cool to see the guns of all of the local sherrifs over the  years.

Next it was time to head through the saloon.

 The boys put on a good can-can show for me. Unfortunately, I did not get a good, non-blurry picture. You get the idea.

The next exhibit was the uranium mine. There is a short tunnel that you can walk through, only my bravest two children made it all the way. It is not frightening, but dark and mysterious for younger, timid kids.

I would have to say the highlight of the exhibits was "flying" a 1958 Cessna from Walker Field.

You can actually sit in the pilot seat and go through a check list for take-off. They could have played in that plane for hours.

There was also a little flight simulation game. Leave it to my tech kid to find the only video game in the place!

As we walked through the rest of the flight exhibits we found a hot air balloon,

and a weather balloon!

Sgt Al measured himself up with a propeller. 

We also enjoyed taking a "ride" in a stagecoach as it shakes and makes noise.

Little Lu was slightly disappointed there weren't real horses. 

After our tour it was time to climb up to the Sterling T. Smith Education Tower.
 
You can take the stairs all the way, or take the elevator part of the way and finish with a few flights of stairs. Again, I have a few timid kids and this was a challenge. We eventually all made it to the top, and the view is amazing. You have a 360 degree view of the Grand Valley.

There is even a picnic table if you are ready for a snack.

We made our way back down and paid the gift shop a visit. The kids all earned a reward after a fun day of exploration.

I recommend a visit to the Museum of the West for any family looking to learn about the history of this area, or just a fun place pretend you are back in the "old days."

Here is some more info to help you plan your visit, you can also visit their website HERE.

They are located at 462 Ute Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81501

Admission

$6.50 for adults

$5.50 for seniors

$3.75 for children

$20 for family groups

Free to members



Summer Hours
May 1 - September 30
Tuesday - Saturday • 10 am to 5 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday


Winter Hours

October 1 - April 30
Tuesday - Saturday • 10 am to 3 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday