Every family travels differently—and even under one roof, nobody quite agrees on what makes a great vacation. One person wants to race go-karts. Another could spend hours flipping through a record bin. Someone is after museums and history, while someone else is already asking where to find the best doughnut.
In Grand Junction, you don’t have to settle on just one type of vacation.
Think of this as your mix-and-match guide. Start with a single question: What sounds good to you? Pick a few favorites, mix in something unexpected, and build a getaway around the personalities traveling with you. There’s no Day One or Day Two here—and no rule that everyone has to choose the same adventure.
We Want to Discover Something
Some families can’t stop asking questions—how things work, why they matter, and the stories behind the places they visit. If that’s yours, Grand Junction rewards every bit of curiosity.
EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum
Photo by: Briana Board
At EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum, touching the exhibits isn’t just allowed—it’s the whole point.
More than 100 interactive exhibits turn biology, physics, earth science, electronics, and space science into hands-on experiments for kids and grown-ups. Play with light and color, test the forces behind motion and electricity, then climb into the space shuttle simulator to see what life as an astronaut might feel like.
Nobody just reads about science here. You test it, tinker with it, and figure it out yourself.
Atomic Legacy Cabin
For a very different kind of discovery, step into a chapter of American history with deep roots right here.
The free Atomic Legacy Cabin tells the story of uranium mining and processing on the Colorado Plateau and Grand Junction’s role in the Manhattan Project and the Cold War. Its exhibits connect the rocks underfoot to science and national history, showing how events that unfolded in and around Grand Junction became part of a much larger American story.
With the United States marking its 250th anniversary and Colorado celebrating 150 years of statehood, there’s no better moment to uncover a piece of history that happened in our own backyard.
Commemorative Air Force Museum – Rocky Mountain Wing
History gets even closer at the Commemorative Air Force Museum – Rocky Mountain Wing, where vintage aircraft and displays keep the stories of World War II aviation alive.
The star of the collection is a rare, still-flyable TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, joined by other historic aircraft, artifacts, and aviation displays. Instead of meeting history in a photograph, you stand beside the machines that carried the engineering, service, and sacrifice of another generation.
For aviation fans, history buffs, and curious kids, this is the kind of place where “just a quick stop” turns into a much longer conversation.
We Want Some Friendly Competition
Every family has one: the person who swears they’re “not competitive”—right up until someone starts keeping score. Grand Junction gives you plenty of ways to test that claim.
Get Air Trampoline Park
Warm up in midair at Get Air Trampoline Park, where wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits, and obstacle courses turn an ordinary afternoon into a chance to jump, flip, and burn off energy.
Challenge the family to trampoline dodgeball, race through the obstacles, or see who can throw down the best slam dunk. Younger jumpers get in on the action too, with experiences designed for different ages and abilities.
Just remember who won. Those bragging rights can be cashed in later.
Bananas Fun Park
At Bananas Fun Park, the hardest part is deciding what to compete in first.
Race the go-kart track, battle through 19 holes of mini golf, square off in laser tag, or chase high scores in the arcade. In warmer months, bumper boats and the outdoor waterpark raise the stakes, while the indoor Inflatapark keeps the games going in any weather.
The only real debate: is the family champion crowned by fastest lap, lowest golf score, or tallest stack of arcade tickets?
Kodiaxe
Ready to raise the stakes? See who can bury the hatchet—literally—at Kodiaxe.
Staff walk you through the basics, then you step up to the target and discover just how satisfying that first solid thunk can be. Between throws, keep the rivalry alive with darts, cornhole, foosball, and more.
Misses are part of the fun. Bullseyes earn a victory lap.
Grand Junction Motor Speedway
Photo by: Ted Harper
Then there’s the competition that settles everything.
Grand Junction Motor Speedway puts you on a 0.9-mile, 11-turn track in professional-grade rental karts that reach up to 65 mph. This is no leisurely loop around an amusement-park track—every corner is another chance to gain ground.
Compare lap times, settle long-running family rivalries, and find out who really gets to call themselves the best driver in the family.
Prefer to keep all four wheels virtual? Podium 1 racing simulators powered by iRacing let you go head-to-head without leaving the building.
We Want to Find Something We Can’t Find at Home
Skip the predictable souvenirs. Downtown Grand Junction is packed with independent shops where browsing becomes part of the adventure—and everyone can wander off after their own obsession.
For the Collector
Flip through new and used vinyl, CDs, tapes, posters, and music memorabilia at Triple Play Records, a downtown institution that has been part of the local music scene for decades.
At A Robin’s Nest of Antiques & Treasures, dozens of vendors fill a sprawling antique mall with vintage finds and unexpected curiosities. Leave the shopping list at home—that’s half the fun.
Or follow the sparkle into Main Street Minerals & Beads, where crystals, minerals, beads, and handcrafted jewelry make it easy to bring home something shaped by nature instead of a factory.
For the Adventurer
At Hill People Gear, packs, chest rigs, and outdoor equipment are designed in Colorado and trail-tested for real backcountry performance.
Anglers can head to Western Anglers Fly Shop for rods, reels, flies, and tying materials—plus local intel on fishing the Colorado River, Grand Mesa lakes, and other nearby waters.
For the Builder, Gamer & Puzzle Solver
LEGO® fans can lose all track of time at eBricks, digging through new and retired sets, minifigures, bulk bricks, and hard-to-find pieces.
At Board Fox Games, shelves stacked with board games, trading cards, puzzles, and tabletop games might just lead you to your family’s next game-night obsession.
For Style, Scent & Something New
Refresh your wardrobe at Pollux Clothing Company and Williams Mercantile, where new styles arrive every season. The racks stay fresh and on-trend, so each visit turns up something you haven’t seen before—whether it’s a statement piece or the perfect everyday layer.
Then follow your nose to La Fleur by Livvy, a botanical perfumery specializing in handcrafted fragrances.
Instead of the same souvenir everyone else takes home, choose something you’ll actually wear or use—and remember exactly where you found it.
For the Little Ones
At Colorado Baby, clothing, toys, and gifts give the smallest travelers a shopping stop of their own. But this is more than a store. Owner Megan, a mom of eight, has built a gathering place for kids, moms, and families—and the community has noticed, leaving more than 250 five-star reviews on Google.
Then start, or add to a home library with a children’s book from Out West Books or Grand Valley Books. Unlike most vacation souvenirs, this one may become part of the bedtime routine long after the trip ends.
For Something Delicious
At The Zesty Moose Gourmet Marketplace, the souvenir is meant to be eaten.
Browse locally made seasoning blends alongside specialty oils, vinegars, and other gourmet goods—and taste-test your way through them before you decide. Once everyone has found a favorite, bring a few new flavors home to your own kitchen. The shop shares its downtown space with Shiras Winery, adding a distinctly Grand Junction pour for the adults in the group.
For something sweet, stop at Enstrom Candies, the longtime Grand Junction confectioner famous for its Almond Toffee, chocolates, and other treats.
We Want to Make Something
Sometimes the best souvenir is the one you make yourself.
Candle Kitchen GJ
At Candle Kitchen GJ in Downtown Grand Junction, more than 160 fragrances are waiting, so let your nose lead the way.
Sniff your way through the collection, pick a container, and narrow your favorites down to a custom blend of two or three scents. Design your own label, then leave your candle behind to set.
A few hours later, come back for a candle that smells like nobody else’s, and it's uniquely your own!
The Palette
Prefer a paintbrush? Head to The Palette and turn a blank canvas into your own piece of Grand Junction.
Guided classes make painting approachable, even if your artistic résumé begins and ends with stick figures. Follow along, experiment with color, and laugh at how differently everyone’s finished piece turns out.
No one’s expecting a masterpiece. The point is making something together—and taking home a painting that hangs on your wall as a reminder of the trip.
We’re Here for the Food
Sometimes the one activity everyone agrees on is eating. Luckily, in Grand Junction, choosing the next meal is nearly as fun as choosing the next adventure.
Something Freshly Baked: Kulina Lani Organic Sourdough Bakery
At Kulina Lani Organic Sourdough Bakery, naturally leavened sourdough is the foundation for far more than a loaf of bread.
Browse croissants, bagels, English muffins, cinnamon rolls, and cookies, or go savory with one of the bakery’s breakfast specialties. Every batch of sourdough gets the time it needs to develop its signature tang, and ingredients are chosen with an eye toward quality and local sourcing.
Something Sweet: Sweet Coloradough
Some people order a doughnut. Others see an 11-layer doughnut and recognize a challenge.
Sweet Coloradough serves breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and coffee, but the inventive doughnuts steal the show. Try the flaky, layered creation that lands somewhere between a croissant and a doughnut, or point to another colorful favorite in the case.
There’s even mini golf on-site—because apparently eating a doughnut wasn’t fun enough on its own.
Something Bold: Tiki Bird
Tiki Bird brings a completely different energy to Downtown Grand Junction, with globally inspired street food served in a playful, laid-back setting.
The menu travels far, borrowing flavors from the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond. Think jerk chicken, Korean bao buns, Japanese and Indonesian skewers, smoked drums, and other unexpected pairings.
It’s colorful, energetic, and made for the family that would rather try something new than order the usual. While you wait for your order, pick from more than 20 board games and see who can claim the first win before the food arrives.
Fresh Flavors & Classic Favorites: Citrolas
Sometimes nothing beats a great sandwich.
Citrolas keeps it classic with house-made Italian bread, quality deli meats, and a menu stacked with subs, sandwiches, and all the sides.
Go big with the Colorado Boy—ham, roast beef, turkey, and provolone—keep it old-school with a Reuben or hot pastrami, or work your way through the shop’s Italian-style subs.
We Want to Try Something We’ve Never Done Before
There’s choosing your own adventure—and then there’s choosing the one nobody in the family will ever forget.
See Grand Junction From the Sky
Photo by @brvlybldsrrbn
Head to Colorado Flight Center at Grand Junction Regional Airport and trade the family car for a far better view.
Private scenic air tours reveal just how dramatically the landscape shifts in a short distance. Choose the Grand Mesa Loop to soar above the world’s largest flat-top mountain, with views that can stretch to Powderhorn Mountain Resort, high-country terrain, and Mount Garfield.
Pick the Canyon Country Loop for an entirely different world, flying over Horsethief and McInnis canyons, the Colorado River, and the red-rock country surrounding Colorado National Monument.
Or head north on the Book Cliffs Loop, where rugged ridgelines, Mount Garfield, and the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Area unfold beneath the wings.
From the air, places that felt enormous on the ground snap together into one connected landscape. It’s a perspective that’s hard to grasp until you see it—and one that might leave the whole family quiet for a few minutes.
Your Family. Your Adventure.
There’s no single right way to experience Grand Junction, because there’s no single kind of family.
Maybe yours drives home still arguing about the go-kart rematch. Maybe it’s the candle everyone helped blend, the record someone unearthed downtown, or the first time the kids saw the red rock from an airplane window.
The best family trips leave room for everyone’s personality—and a little room for the unexpected.
So pick what sounds like you. Choose something that doesn’t. And leave Grand Junction with a few new stories your family will be telling for years.
Looking for even more family fun? Flip to pages 38–39 of the Official Grand Junction Visitor Guide. Bonus: there are no ads!