Vacations Blog

Benson Park Sculpture Garden

Most families only visit Loveland, Colorado, because the town is the last stop on Highway 34 before you reach the gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park, just 30 miles away.

Benson Park Sculpture Garden

But if you’re heading into the National Park, or simply driving through Colorado on Interstate 25, Loveland makes for an interesting stop along the way.

If for no other reason than to see the statues.

Loveland has nearly 300 pieces of public art, mostly sculptures, spread all over, in front of city buildings, dentist’s offices, schools, and private homes.  You can drive around town, playing a game of spot the statues, but I don’t recommend it if you want to keep your insurance premiums down.  Instead, go directly to where the bulk of the artwork is on permanent display, at the Benson Park Sculpture Garden.  And it doesn’t cost a thing to enjoy.

The park is a dazzling site, with over 130 sculptures of all shapes and sizes placed around three large ponds.  When I first took my kids there, their response was the usual, “Oh no, do we have to walk?”  But once they meandered down the trail and spied their first statue, a boy playing marbles with a dinosaur, they were immediately hooked.  Aching feet were completely forgotten as they discovered new surprises around ever corner.

Benson Park is in a quiet, residential area, so it feels peaceful and uncrowded.  On the cold spring day we were there, it was certainly free of people.  The morning snowfall added to the magical air of the place as we took our time walking the trails.

This is the kind of place you’ll want to have your camera ready for memorable poses of your kids with the various sculptures.  They’ll plead with you to take a picture of them with every strange and whimsical creature they see.

There are picnic tables, benches, and bathrooms, so don’t worry about how much time you spend.  We were surprised to find two hours gone by without even noticing.

Granted, we were not in any kind of hurry.  Loveland was an overnight stop for us on our way through the state.  I highly recommend the new Holiday Inn Express just off I-25, which features the usual indoor pool but with a kid-pleasing giant red water slide.

Colorado is an amazing state, with majestic mountains and stunning scenic vistas.  It’s easy to overlook the little things.  But, next time you’re traveling through the area, you’ll find it well worth your time to add Benson Park Sculpture Garden to your list of places to see.

Benson Park Sculpture Garden

Benson Park Sculpture Garden

Benson Park Sculpture Garden

All photos by Phil Corless

Secret Garden at Thanksgiving Point

It’s that time of the year when a family man’s fancy turns to… gardening?

Up here in the north country, we wait patiently all winter for spring to come so we can get back into our yards to push dirt around in our neverending quest for the perfect landscape.

We took a family vacation last year to Utah, where I found inspiration for my backyard projects in an amazing place called Thanksgiving Point.

Located in Lehi, Utah, about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City, Thanksgiving Point is a sprawling complex that features a wide variety of activities for the whole family.  But the highlight of the place is the 55 acres of gardens, with 15 themed areas, such as the Monet Garden, the Butterfly Garden, and, my favorite, the Secret Garden.

Largest man-made waterfalls

Oh yes, and don’t forget the largest manmade waterfall in North America.  My kids wondered why I can’t build something like that in our backyard.

The gardens are stunning, and immense, and you could probably stroll along the 4 miles of paths all day, exploring and reveling in nature’s splendor.  But that’s not going to happen when you have kids, and it’s certainly not going to happen when you have so many other things to do at Thanksgiving Point.

Like gawking at dinosaur bones inside the Museum of Ancient Life.  You’ll find plenty to gawk at, as this museum offers up the largest display of mounted dinosaurs in the world.  If it’s not enough to look, there are hands-on displays for your kids, including real fossils and bones.  It’s rather humbling to touch something that was walking the earth 50 million years ago.  Does that make me a science geek?

Dinosaurs rule at Thanksgiving Point

The collection impressed us so much, we walked through the museum twice just to soak it all in.  After that, we sat down in the XanGo Mammoth Screen 3D Theatre (it’s like IMAX) for a fun movie about ancient sea creatures.

When you’re done with the extinct animals, walk the kids over to another part of Thanksgiving Point called Farm Country.  Yes, the place has more themed areas than Disneyland.  At Farm Country, your kids are going to get hands-on experience with farm critters.  They’ll get to milk a cow, gather eggs, groom a goat, go for a hayride, and call the pigs to dinner.  If you live in a city and your kids have never seen a farm before, this will be a chance to teach them just exactly where their food comes from.

Next, you’ll want to run your kids through the hedgerow maze in the Children’s Discovery Garden, just in case they’re not completely worn out yet.  And make sure they pay a visit to the bear cave for a little scare.

After the gardens, dinosaurs, mazes, and agriculture lessons, there’s still much to do.  There’s a complex of shops, restaurants, and movie theaters.  There’s also a beautiful golf course that was named best public course in Utah by Golf Digest Magazine.   If you’ve run out of steam, perched right on the edge of Thanksgiving Point is a Marriott Springhill Suites that has the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve ever slept on.  Seriously, I can’t remember the last time I had a more refreshing night’s sleep.

Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point

Although our ultimate destination last spring was not Thanksgiving Point, it certainly was a welcome diversion on our road trip through the state.  In the future, we’ll include a one or two-day stop there in our vacation plans.  Utah has an incredible number of National Parks.  Five in all:  Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.  Not to mention its close proximity to Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde National Parks.  At some point, no matter where you live, there’s a high probability you’ll find yourself in Utah, driving down I-15 from Salt Lake City, thinking about how far it is to Arches or Zion.  And then you’ll remember that Phil told you to make a stop at Thanksgiving Point with your kids.  You’re welcome.

The best time to visit is when the gardens are open, which is from the end of March through the end of October.  Spring is, of course, one of the more colorful seasons at Thanksgiving Point.  Their Tulip Festival runs from April 17th to May 2, when over a quarter million bulbs are in bloom.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

Italian Gardens

Children's Discovery Garden

Museum of Ancient Life

All photos by Phil Corless, except the tulips (courtesy of Thanksgiving Point)

Hiking Mineral Ridge

Spring is about to be sprung on us here in the Pacific Northwest. The one thing I look forward to most with the passing of winter is packing my kids into the car and finding a mountain trail somewhere nearby so I can stretch out my legs and shake off the cabin fever.

I’m familiar with most of the easy trails in Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and Western Montana. By “easy” I mean, simple day hikes that won’t end with one or another child having a meltdown, pleading with me to “never do this again.” No, we’ve been on those hikes and I learned my lesson.

Today I’m going to highlight eight fun family hiking trails in North Idaho, close to the towns of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, Idaho, and not too far from the metropolis of Spokane, Washington. If you’re in the area for a vacation, or just passing through on I-90, any of these treks will make for a fun, and relatively short, way to experience the wonder and wilderness of Idaho’s great outdoors.

Tubbs Hill Picnic Spot

Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene – It’s the crown jewel of Coeur d’Alene, situated right next to downtown. We’ve made this into two separate hikes; one from the 3rd Street parking lot out to the halfway point and back, and a second hike from the east side parking lot on 10th St. to the halfway point and back. Either one, or all the way around, is mostly level, with awesome views of the lake and hundreds of perfect picnic spots.  You can walk to Tubbs Hill from any downtown hotel or bed and breakfast.

Q’emiln Park in Post Falls – The hiking trails start right at the parking lot near the west entrance to the park. There are spectacular views of the Spokane River, and the rock climbing walls provide a chance for the kids to watch people scaling the vertical rocks. On a hot summer day the city beach with lifeguards is right there at the park for a swim or a picnic.

Higgins Point in Coeur d’Alene – At the east end of Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, it’s a leisurely walk along a paved trail next to the lake. Perfect if you don’t want to get your feet dirty. We go past the photographer statue and up the hill into the park, then down one of the rugged trails to the water’s edge.

English Point National Recreation Trail in Hayden – This one’s kind of hidden away off Highway 95. We love looping through the woods, catching glimpses of Hayden Lake, and generally feeling like we’re in the middle of nowhere. If you’re on your way to Silverwood Theme Park, make a quick stop at English Point.

Mineral Ridge in Coeur d’Alene – The longest of the hikes, at 3.3 miles. We only do it once or twice a year, and make it an all-day trip, with a picnic at the very top where the lake view is well worth the climb. There’s a little cave to explore on the way up, and the whole area is rich with mining history.

Beauty Bay Trail in Coeur d’Alene – At the east end of Lake Coeur d’Alene on Hwy. 97, the Beauty Bay Trail is the shortest and easiest hike, at just a half-mile to a viewing deck and then another half-mile through the forest. The kids might want to walk it twice.

Ancient Cedars

Cougar Bay Preserve in Coeur d’Alene – A few miles south of the Blackwell Island Bridge on Hwy. 95, Cougar Bay is one big wildlife nursery with miles of rugged trails. If you want to pretend to be lost in the woods, this is a good place to do it.

Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars in Murray – Further away than the other hikes, but worth the drive to the Silver Valley. It’s a quiet place, with few visitors. The level dirt trail winds through huge towering cedar trees that make you feel like you’re in another world. In Murray, the historic Sprag Pole Museum is a must-see while you’re in the area. It’s also a good place to get a huckleberry shake.

All photos by Phil Corless