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In partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office international team, Nos Curieux Voyageurs highlighted Grand Junction in their blog post "Traveling as a family in Colorado: our one-week road trip". The article says, "Leaving the canyons behind, the atmosphere shifts dramatically with Palisade and Grand Junction, a region that will forever remain one of our favorite spots in Colorado. It's a must-see, combining nature, delicious food, and authenticity. We were lucky enough to be there during the Palisade Peach Festival in August, a friendly event celebrating the peach, the region's iconic fruit. Between gourmet food stalls, live music, and children's activities, the atmosphere was joyful and family-oriented: James had a blast running between the stalls and munching on freshly picked fruit. But Palisade is also about the pleasure of strolling through its small shops and discovering its vibrant and flavorful Sunday farmers market. It's a microcosm of the most authentic Colorado: local producers, passionate artisans, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to linger. We loved driving along the Fruit & Wine Byway, a bucolic route that winds between orchards and vineyards. It was the perfect opportunity to make lots of delicious stops: brunch at Fidel's Cocina & Bar, peach picking in an orchard. These simple moments, surrounded by fruit trees, are among our most cherished family memories.
And then there was that unforgettable experience: a buggy ride through the Grand Junction desert at sunset. Driving through those landscapes, surrounded by red cliffs ablaze with golden light, was an almost surreal moment. James laughed heartily with every jolt of the buggy, and we felt like we were living a real-life movie adventure. It was impossible to leave the region without exploring Colorado National Monument, a true natural wonder. Its scenic Rim Rock Drive stretches for over 30 kilometers and offers spectacular views of red cliffs, rock arches, and soaring canyons. We stopped at several must-see viewpoints, such as Independence Monument View, which allows you to admire the impressive monolith rising from the heart of the canyon, and Grand View, where the horizon seems endless. Each stop revealed a new panorama, different from the last, and made us feel like we were traveling through a life-sized Western movie set. To extend the experience, we chose to spend the night inside the park itself. An incredible experience, especially since the overnight stay only cost us $14. Sleeping in this unique setting, surrounded by silence and under an absolutely magnificent starry sky, remains one of our strongest memories of the trip. Waking up to these red cliffs, with the morning light gradually warming the stone, was a magical moment we will never forget."