Life has been pretty hectic since I came back from Grand Junction. This is the first time where I've had some time to just sit down and think. Wow! What an amazing time I had during my visit! My friend, Ginger, was traveling to Grand Junction for a family member's graduation from high school. She invited me to tag along and I am so glad I did. Ginger was a long time resident of Grand Junction before moving back to my neck of the woods so between her and our wonderful hostess, Mollie, I was treated to some of the best of what Grand Junction had to offer. Now I must confess that the weather didn't cooperate much while we were there so what we did do is just a tiny, weather permitting part of what this region has on the menu when it comes to entertainment and things to do.
First, no visit to Grand Junction would ever be complete without a trip to the Colorado National Monument. If you are afraid of heights, this excursion will be terrifyingly beautiful. If you're not, then be prepared to get as close to the canyon's edge as you dare. There are spots on this 23 mile route where you can walk right up to the canyon's edge and look down. The beauty of it is truly breathtaking. From the summit you can see all of the Grand Junction area. It's worth the price of admission! Bring your camera and your courage!
If you're hungry for breakfast and love old fashioned atmosphere, then take yourself down to Pufferbelly's. This restaurant has a full menu of classics but we went there for breakfast and oh my goodness! They make excellent pancakes! You might have to wait for a bit to get in but they are worth waiting for. The restaurant resides in what was once the old Amtrak rail station. The decor reflects the history of the digs it resides in and it's family friendly so you can visit solo or with the whole crew and not feel out of place.
If you're hungry for some pizza or pasta, then you have to try Boston's while you're in Grand Junction. I had the lasagna and it was pretty good. This is pretty much a classic pizza joint so come as you are and bring the kiddoes. We met some friends for lunch and had a great time!
Grand Junction truly has something for everyone. Something strictly for adults made into our agenda for the week and I loved it! Few things are more interesting than your local biker bar and our next stop was one! Triple Tree Tavern was a fun mid-week diversion that I completely enjoyed. Once upon a time it was favorite watering hole and so a bit nostalgic.
While on the subject of food and beverages, I have a few more places to mention that I don't have any pictures to put with them. Kannah Creek Brewery is one. This place has excellent food. We visited the Edgewater location. Another would be the Rockslide in downtown Grand Junction. These two restaurants are worth the trouble of visiting and they have an added value. They offer many varieties of locally produced craft beers and ales. Some of them are produced on sight.
Something else you do not want to miss while you are in Grand Junction is a downtown shopping spree. There are so many shops, restaurants and points of interest downtown that to miss it is to miss something special. Don't forget to stop by Enstrom's while you're there and get some of the best handmade toffee ever! I may have to order some online to have it shipped here! What I bought to bring home didn't last long enough!
Grand Junction was where we spent most of our time but we did venture out a bit. One of our day excursions was to Ouray. This beautiful little town was featured in some of John Wayne's movies and he had a favorite place to stay while he was in town. For us, it was a trip to O'Brien's for lunch and even though I'm Irish-American, I've never tasted Guiness. Unfortunately, I decided it wasn't that much different than American beer and I can skip both. However, we did have a fantastic time shopping in the many stores and boutiques up and down the main street. We were able to spend part of our day walking the Lower Cascade Falls trail and just enjoying the amazing falls. The water was frigidly cold but we still stuck our feet in anyway!
Definitely don't miss the Cascade Falls if you venture to Ouray! Unfortunately, the one thing we didn't get to while we were there is the natural hot springs. You gotta go if you're ever in Ouray!
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| The view of the Grand Mesa from our lodging |
The valley where Grand Junction sits is also home to Fruita, Clifton and Palisades just to name a few that we visited. It's surrounded on three sides by mountains. On one side is the Colorado National Monument. On another is the Book Cliffs and lastly, the Grand Mesa. The Grand Mesa is the largest flat top mountain in the world. Up on the Mesa are some lakes and hiking trails that we were hoping to get to. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for the Grand Mesa and dropped 21" of snow, give or take an inch, on the Mesa while we were there so we didn't make up there.
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| The view from Colorado National Monument |
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| The Book Cliffs up close |
Since we got snowed out of the Grand Mesa, we spent our time visiting several of the local wineries. If you ever visit the valley, they have some of the best wines in the nation. Carlson's vineyard is one of my favorites but they were all good and had just a little bit different tastes to offer. We went to Carlon's, Colorado Cellars, The Meadery of the Rockies, Talon and St. Catherine's. Take the wine tour if you have the time because there are way more wineries and micro breweries in this valley than I have space to list here! It will definitely be worth the time and trouble to find your way to them. Don't forget to stop by the organic Lavender farm on the way to winery!
Well, that's about it for my trip to Colorado. There was so much left to see that the weather and time just didn't allow. This is a place I'd love to keep coming back to again and again! I'm so grateful to our hostesses for their generosity, their time and their wonderful company. Together we made some of the best memories and I will cherish them always! I look forward to visiting them and Grand Junction again in the future!
Many blessings,
Lisa
Grand Junction truly has something for everyone. Something strictly for adults made into our agenda for the week and I loved it! Few things are more interesting than your local biker bar and our next stop was one! Triple Tree Tavern was a fun mid-week diversion that I completely enjoyed. Once upon a time it was favorite watering hole and so a bit nostalgic.
First, no visit to Grand Junction would ever be complete without a trip to the Colorado National Monument. If you are afraid of heights, this excursion will be terrifyingly beautiful. If you're not, then be prepared to get as close to the canyon's edge as you dare. There are spots on this 23 mile route where you can walk right up to the canyon's edge and look down. The beauty of it is truly breathtaking. From the summit you can see all of the Grand Junction area. It's worth the price of admission! Bring your camera and your courage!
Since we got snowed out of the Grand Mesa, we spent our time visiting several of the local wineries. If you ever visit the valley, they have some of the best wines in the nation. Carlson's vineyard is one of my favorites but they were all good and had just a little bit different tastes to offer. We went to Carlon's, Colorado Cellars, The Meadery of the Rockies, Talon and St. Catherine's. Take the wine tour if you have the time because there are way more wineries and micro breweries in this valley than I have space to list here! It will definitely be worth the time and trouble to find your way to them. Don't forget to stop by the organic Lavender farm on the way to winery!
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