What to see on way to Durango from Alb
 

Hi,

In June, I will be flying into Albuquerque, NM with 4 boys ages (8,10,12,12) and dropping the 2 twelve year olds off at camp in Durango. We will arrive on Saturday around 3 pm and the camp starts Sunday around 4 pm. So, we have 24 hours to see something with everybody and I'm trying to decide my plan. I will be staying an additional 4 days with my other 2 to see some sights around Durango before we have to fly back home.

My current plan is arrive in Albuquerque, drive to Santa Fe and spend the night. Drive the scenic drive from Santa Fe to Durango on Sunday and go to the camp. But, now I'm wondering if I should just head to Durango after we fly in and take the 12 year olds to either the Four Corners Monument or see some of Mesa Verde on Sunday before the camp starts.

Should I...

1.Stick with my original plan of flying to ALB, renting car and touring Santa Fe -booked a night at the La Fonda and will be driving up through Pagosa Springs..maybe see Ghost Ranch if there is time on the way to Durango on Sunday.
2. Fly in on Saturday, rent car and drive towards Shiprock, NM and spend night. See Four Corners Monument then drive to Durango on Sunday
3. Fly in on Saturday, drive to Durango, spend night and see what we can of Mesa Verde on Sunday, take boys to camp. (might only have 4-6 hrs. total to do this)

Once I'm in Durango and boys are at camp, my other 2 boys and I plan to:
Monday, raft and ride with Durango/Silverton - rafting in am taking train back - anyone done this?? adventure package with the train
Tuesday: tour Mesa Verde
Wed: Four Corners and drive back to Albuquerque if we don't see it on Sunday.
Thursday: Fly home

Any tips or suggestions are appreciated!!
thanks

I guess I'm trying to figure out what twelve year olds would rather see! They say they don't know or care...we are flying from Nashville so we will have a 6 hour flight with the plane change..just fyi!

On the east end of Albuquerque-You and the boys will talk about the Sandia Peak tramway long after you have forgotten the 4 corners monument in the Navajo reservation.
http://www.mitzenmacher.net/blog/?p=975

It sounds like you have a good variety of activities planned for Durango already, and the Four Corners Monument only takes a few minutes once you pay to get there.

With boys that age, I would stay in Albuquerque. We have a great children's museum - even the teens I know, including my own, enjoy going there. Then you can enjoy a leisurely drive to Durango the next day. If you like, you could stop at Chaco Canyon on the way.


The tram is fun, too, or you could drive east on I-40 to Tijeras, then head north on the Turquoise Trail. Take the turnoff to Sandia Peak. Make a stop at Tinkertown Museum www.tinkertown.com, then head up to the summit for incredible views.

Lee Ann

Thanks for the suggestions and more things to think about!

I have 3 boys and have to say they weren't overwhelmed with Santa Fe--great shopping and restaurants, but boy stuff, not so much. On the other hand, they loved Bandelier west of Santa Fe and loved Mesa Verde. I have never heard anyone say a visit to Four Corners was worth the effort. Just outside Durango is an alpine slide at Purgatory Ski Resort, which my boys have loved doing.

Do the zipline with the train. www.soaringcolorado.com

I like option #3 the best.

Thanks for the link for Soaring! It looks awesome! I think we are going to do it!

skip four corners. skip santa fe with your audience, dont think it will be appreciated. rafting on the Animas river in Durango is fun and kids would like. Chaco will most likely bore them. Mesa Verde is a must see and do. I would not drive to Durango via Santa Fe. Not all that much more scenic than driving I 25 to NM 550 to Durango, just a lot longer.

The zipline is expensive, but I thought worth it. I will do it again sometime for sure. This is the most expensive Zip I have seen or done by far. But it is that much better than the rest. Nobody comes close to the quality or quanity of zips and it does include lunch and train ride. And they don't except tips(which I love--I hate to tip on expensive excursions).

I have another question!

What hotel would you recommend in Durango. Currently I have reserved 3 nights in the Hampton Inn. Would the Doubletree or another be a better choice?

Also, I've considered leaving on Tuesday for Mesa Verde and staying in the Far View Lodge, but the reviews make me nervous. We would be leaving Wednesday for Albquerque and driving by way of the Four Corners Monument and thought it might be nice to see more of Mesa Verde and be closer to the FCM if we stayed inside the park instead of driving back to Durango and then going back that way the next day. I can't skip seeing the Four Corners Monument, because we are from Tennesee and may never be back. Plus, one of my sons is a "Collector of Places" and this is one of them! He envisions us playing four square or doing a twister move on the 4 states.

Any hotel advice is appreciated!

All of the brand name places in durango are fine. I would go with the one with the best rates. They are all pretty close to one another.

Far View is a perfectly ok place to stay - great sunset views. It is basic, nothing fancy. Keep in mind that it takes about 40 minutes to drive from entrance to Far View and the Visitor Center. Durango is another 35 mins away from the entrance.

If you are staying at Far View overnight and then will just head out the next morning, I suggest that you stay in Cortez. It is just 10 minutes from the entrance to MV and there is a nice Comfort Inn there and some good places to eat. We have a home there and it is a cute, small town and it will place you closer to Four Corners.