We rode the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Cascade Canyon and chose the Alamosa…read moreParlor Car, the last car on the train with private service. It's definitely more expensive, but you're paying for a premium experience: the best unobstructed views, attentive service, and nice extras like a souvenir cup, a bag, and a muffin to start the trip. Our server, Liam, absolutely made the experience, funny, engaging, and on top of everything the entire ride. Drinks are about $10 each, which felt reasonable given the setting and service. That said, the experience wasn't perfect. Our train was scheduled to leave at 9:15 AM but didn't depart until 10:30 due to brake issues. As a result, our time at Cascade Canyon was cut significantly, We only had about 30 minutes instead of the full experience. We were given a $10 drink credit, which was appreciated, but it didn't quite make up for the lost time. Even with that hiccup, the scenery was breathtaking and the overall experience was still memorable. A tip: if you book the Alamosa car, go for the two-seater tables (we were at 19 & 20). The four-seaters feel cramped and take away from the experience. Silverton trips don't start until May 2, but I imagine that route would be incredible as well. Overall, despite the delay, we had a fantastic time and would still recommend it, just hoping your trip runs on schedule!

I'm not sure what the four stars are about for a lot of people. For me, it was one of the most EPIC…read moreexperiences of my life. The beauty is totally surreal. I felt like I was constantly looking at a painting. It was awe-inspiring. You can open up the window next to your seat and I really encourage you to do so to get the best views and video on your phone. If you go in winter, wear LAYERS, think big coat, sweater, beanie, gloves. You will spend an hour outside. The train is heated but not super warm because as I said, people open their windows. There is a train car that is open air so you can also go there during the ride to get even better views if you want though it does get crowded. We chose a COACH seat because it was half the price, but I do think in the future that I would like to try first class. The seats in coach are pretty small. It's like a bench seat so two people can fit in them, but you're going to need to sit next to someone that you wanna cozy up next to. In first class, you sit in a dining chair that is padded, but then has a wooden back and you're at a table. There is a concession car, but you can also BRING your own food, your own snacks, and your own drinks, which is great. When you arrive in Cascade, you get an hour to walk next to the river and view the mountains there. It's not a town so there's literally just picnic tables and the river and the views. But I found that spot to be really gorgeous. The river is like a blue green sort of turquoise color and it's so beautiful and peaceful to view. Right when everyone gets off the train, everybody will be taking videos and pictures. I encourage you to WAIT about 30 minutes after everyone else has gotten what they want to take pictures of. And then take your videos and pictures when no one else is doing it. THE TRIP: You go from seeing the town of Durango to a gorgeous lake on your right if you're on the right side of the train when it's facing forward to the mountains on either side of you to the river all along the train. I was sitting on the right side if the train is facing forward, and I found that to be the BEST SIDE because even though you get to do the other side on the way back, you get the best views of everything on the way up. There is this one place where the train has just a drop off and the river below it (the most iconic part of the ride) and you get the best views of that if you're on the right side going up.

Amazing ghost tour!! And let me tell you these two pictures did capture something pretty strange.read more

Joe Nelson was an excellent guide. Has lots of knowledge about Durango and lots of connections to…read morethe places he mentions on the tour! Great for tourists out of town!

Emelia is the best river guide ever!!! She took us down in the big 16' raft with 7 of us…read morepassengers and navigated the river like a pro. She's super funny (dry humor, great wit and some hilarious group shots!) and very river savvy. We were safe and it was so fun!! We rafted on a day later in the season with the Animas river running about 200cfs--perfect for a group of with children, novices adults and an active senior. We didn't get stuck once and made it through some tight fits without even touching the boulders. "All Net!" we told her :) The Mountain Waters Rafting crew were awesome. Loved the lead guide's safety presentation that was peppered with some great humour. Punctual; clean gear; loved all the writing in the bus. Great place. Can't wait to book more adventures with them!

Relaxing, Fun, and Perfect for the Whole Family!…read more Our family (kids ages 8 to 15) had an absolute blast rafting with Mountain Waters. It was the perfect mix of relaxing and fun--just enough adventure to keep everyone engaged without being intense. Sam, our guide, was fantastic. She made the whole trip a blast with her quick humor and steady stream of bad dad jokes (which I'll admit--I appreciated more than I should've). She kept the kids laughing and made the whole experience feel easy and memorable. The photos turned out amazing, and I'm just glad we all stayed safe during Beaver Shark season. Highly recommend for families looking for a fun, light adventure with a great guide.

The mine tour was an amazing!, educational, well-organized, and really fun. Our guide was really…read moreknowledgeable and took the time to answer all our questions . Would highly recommend!!

What a blast lol The place is rich in history, it is crazy to see the reality of how hard people…read morework before $15 an hour became a government requirement.

We got there late so only had a hour to spend there but you could easily spend 3 hours there! My 4…read moreyear old daughter loved it!! So many toys/books and interactive activities there!

I have to admit, when we walked up in this place I had massive doubts that it would be worth the…read moreprice of admission. Beginning with the sad little air contraption on the floor that was supposed to keep ping pong balls afloat but, sadly, could hardly manage consistent air current, I figured Powerhouse was going to be a very brief and disappointing adventure. I was totally wrong. Considering the exhibits occupy the square footage of about half an elementary school cafeteria, there's a ton going on here. Like our hometown science museum, Explora, much of the fun around here is interactive, and many of the machines and gadgets are hand-made and well maintained. The building itself is historic and has a lot of character. There's an activity room for toddlers and plenty for the older set to engage with; I'd say any kid aged, oh, 14 and under can have a good time here. And then there's me, age 39, who sat with the Legos for about a half hour. Sorry, kid. This is a really great addition to a terrific town that doesn't offer a great deal for little ones, save some great parks. It's walking distance from all of the action on Main street, so parents can really make a day out of downtown Durango. Close your visit by wandering the fun, somewhat sketchville walking bridge that drapes the Animas river, outside. Once it started swaying, my daughter was more than a little freaked about physics.

Julie was amazing. The history of Telluride and the stories of strange goings on all around the…read morehistoric downtown was very intriguing and well told. We would recommend to anyone.

I signed up for Julie's Telluride Walking Tours several weeks before I arrived in Telluride, and I…read morewas so glad I had. Julie reached out via email asking what my interests were, and together we cultivated 2 distinct tours, one in the town of Telluride (Ghost + History) and another, which was an excursion. Julie did not disappoint, in fact, both experiences were way-beyond my expectations. Julie was delightfully engaging, very much prepared, and local-lore knowledgable, She was an absolute joy to be around and learn from. Before flying to Telluride, I read Tomboy Bride, which is Harriet Fish Backus' account of living in the mines as an assayer's wife beginning in 1904. Julie built on that historical accounting with a thoughtful discussion, and a tour of some of the less-talked about locations, notably the 'cribs' near the river and their function, along with a visit to the Sheridan Opera House (1913 Vaudeville) and other important locations. The standout experience, for me, was the excursion and hike to Mystic Falls, with historical stops along the way, including a great view of Trout Lake. I include a triumphant pic of Mystic Falls after a relatively easy hike down to the rocks. I cannot say enough about how fortunate I felt to have known and learned from Julie. Sign up for her tours, you will not regret it.

I was on my way to Santa Fe from Farmington, but I wanted to make a quick stop at least one museums…read morein the area. What surprised me was that they were open early! Considering that I wouldn't have been able to stop if it was the common museum hours like 10 or 11 am open, I was very thankful. Moreover the information they provide within the exhibit in the building (the aerial photos are awesome!), and the great booklet they hand you for the self guided tour through the ruins are excellent. Make sure to have a hat and wear good footwear, as there are no shades and the path down to the ruins are steep. Also don't forget to thank the museum staff, and buy something from the shop to support them!

Such a cool place to visit! Give yourself at least 2 hours to explore the outdoor ruins and museum…read more Truly a gem of a place to learn about indigenous building methods and art. We will definitely be back!

What a great tour historical and has some great ghost tours! I'd go again. Thank you!read more

What an outstanding way to learn the history of a city. The Cortez Ghost tour was fun, informative…read moreand filled with history / spooky tales of the city. This walking tour can be found by searching for things to do in Cortez. Our guide Helen, did a wonderful job keeping us all entertained. If you are looking for a group activity or something fun to do in the evening, this is a group walking tour that starts at 8PM and runs for 1.5 hours of light city hiking through the town of Cortez, check this out.

We did the sunset 4Hr ride on July 16th. The ride was a blast lots of wildlife and amazing views…read more The guide, Justin, was awesome and super knowledgeable, he made the ride a lot of fun. If you do the sunset BRING INSULATED JACKETS!!! We made the mistake of only bringing a pullover and it got very cold, thankfully Justin had blankets for us! 100% recommend!!

Went on an awesome ATV ride in the Creede area yesterday with Mountain Skillz. I would highly…read morerecommend Matt as your guide! They are the only company in this area with permits to ride through national forests. They provided everything we needed to have a great ride and Matt is a knowledgeable guide, good with kids, and very experienced. We saw wildlife, including a bull moose, elk, and mule deer. We traversed some awesome trails that could not be accessed by anything less than an ATV. After this experience we will be hiring Matt every year we that we come this way. Can't wait to try snow mobiling with him.

Amazing day with Meraki Mountain Adventures! We had the best time hiking in Horse Gulch with Colin…read more It's really lovely to have someone take care of a hike from start to finish - and that's exactly what Colin delivered! He brought the gear, snacks, lunch and a plan! He's incredibly knowledgeable about the outdoors and we loved learning from him about the area, plants and wildlife. We can't wait to go out with him again and try paddle boarding. (He might even convert us to try rock climbing). Can't say enough great things about Colin. As a family who are new to the area - we learned a ton and can't wait to send our friends and family out with Meraki also!

From the owner: Meraki Mountain Adventures is a family-friendly adventure guiding service in the greater Durango,…read moreColorado area. We offer day tours of 1.5 - 7 hours in length to individuals, couples, families, and groups up to 6 people in size. Activities include Rock Climbing, Town and Mountain Biking, Hiking, and Stand Up Paddleboarding. We love to customize our tours to fit your group's fitness levels and desires. Whether its your first or 51st time, we will strive to make it a great outing for all. Our lead guides are certified Wilderness First Responders, with years of experience in teaching and leading adventure activities.