Anyone ever been to Big Bend Ranch State Park?

[Eppy99]

This is the remote location in southwest Texas where they filmed the last scenes from Boyhood. Looking for a cool place to visit this winter break. Tired of the ole Florida trip. Problem with this place is its so farking far from everywhere else. It's like 9 hours from Austin. El Paso seems to be he closest airport and then you've still got 7 hours to drive. Other idea is hitting the four corners of Colorado like Mesa Verde and Durango. Not sure what it's like in the winter. I don't mind driving but I can't afford to spend 4 days of our vacation in the car. Kids would kill me. We could always fly to NYC for under $300. Such a great city even in the winter. Problem is you spend every penny once you're there.

Costa Rica would be high on my list but like every other warm destination is expensive as hell.

Any other suggestions for a family of 5?

 

[cryano]

Puerto Rico should be cheap and warm...

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

This is the remote location in southwest Texas where they filmed the last scenes from Boyhood. Looking for a cool place to visit this winter break. Tired of the ole Florida trip. Problem with this place is its so farking far from everywhere else. It's like 9 hours from Austin. El Paso seems to be he closest airport and then you've still got 7 hours to drive. Other idea is hitting the four corners of Colorado like Mesa Verde and Durango. Not sure what it's like in the winter. I don't mind driving but I can't afford to spend 4 days of our vacation in the car. Kids would kill me. We could always fly to NYC for under $300. Such a great city even in the winter. Problem is you spend every penny once you're there.

Costa Rica would be high on my list but like every other warm destination is expensive as hell.

Any other suggestions for a family of 5?

Bill Cody Ranch

http://billcodyranch.com/

No wifi

Grizzly country

 

[Eppy99]

Bill Cody Ranch

http://billcodyranch.com/

No wifi

Grizzly country

Sounds fun. Wintertime though? Assuming you have to fly into Jackson Hole.

 

[Eppy99]

Ok, those of you who know the southwest (I dont) work with me here. What about flying into Phoenix (I think it's the closest major airport to the Grand Canyon) drive to GC, then head to Mesa Verde/Durango CO area, and then down to Santa Fe or Albuquerque to fly home. Thoughts?

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

Sounds fun. Wintertime though? Assuming you have to fly into Jackson Hole.

We drove out. Stopped at every place that would take our money on the way. Kids loved it. Saw Yellowstone, dug dinosaur bones, saw Cody, rode horses, went to Devils Tower, etc.

 

[VanPastorMan]

We drove out. Stopped at every place that would take our money on the way. Kids loved it. Saw Yellowstone, dug dinosaur bones, saw Cody, rode horses, went to Devils Tower, etc.

Cody Zeller was there? What was he doing?

 

[Eppy99]

We drove out. Stopped at every place that would take our money on the way. Kids loved it. Saw Yellowstone, dug dinosaur bones, saw Cody, rode horses, went to Devils Tower, etc.

You did this during the winter? What stops would you recommend givennthe weather and coming from Indy?

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

You did this during the winter? What stops would you recommend givennthe weather and coming from Indy?

No. Summer. Sorry.

We stopped at a "living plains museum" in Nebraska that housed the home Henry Fonda grew up in. Chimney Rock. Scott's Bluff. A place where Oregon Trail wagon ruts were visible. Fort Laramie. Thermopolis. Yellowstone. Cody. Cody ranch. Devils tower. Wall Drug. Springfield, Illinois. St. Louis. Kentucky Lake.

 

[bshields]

Midland/Odessa would be the closest airport to Big Bend. I think about an hour closer than El Paso. I've never been but now quite a few that have gone to Big Bend and love it. One group goes almost every year and just got back, but the timing never works for me to go. Probably a little cool in December, but not bad, and better then being super hot.

 

[crossfire74]

This is the remote location in southwest Texas where they filmed the last scenes from Boyhood. Looking for a cool place to visit this winter break. Tired of the ole Florida trip. Problem with this place is its so farking far from everywhere else. It's like 9 hours from Austin. El Paso seems to be he closest airport and then you've still got 7 hours to drive. Other idea is hitting the four corners of Colorado like Mesa Verde and Durango. Not sure what it's like in the winter. I don't mind driving but I can't afford to spend 4 days of our vacation in the car. Kids would kill me. We could always fly to NYC for under $300. Such a great city even in the winter. Problem is you spend every penny once you're there.

Costa Rica would be high on my list but like every other warm destination is expensive as hell.

Any other suggestions for a family of 5?

Go to San Diego. Warm......Sea World.....Zoo....Beach....It's like a non-busy Florida. Plenty of stuff to do for everyone.

 

[twenty02]

Ok, those of you who know the southwest (I dont) work with me here. What about flying into Phoenix (I think it's the closest major airport to the Grand Canyon) drive to GC, then head to Mesa Verde/Durango CO area, and then down to Santa Fe or Albuquerque to fly home. Thoughts?

Are you talking like over Christmas break?

 

[bshields]

QUOTE="Eppy99, post: 2219974, member: 2166"]Ok, those of you who know the southwest (I dont) work with me here. What about flying into Phoenix (I think it's the closest major airport to the Grand Canyon) drive to GC, then head to Mesa Verde/Durango CO area, and then down to Santa Fe or Albuquerque to fly home. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Or you could head to my neck of the woods and go to Padre Island and Deep South Texas.

 

[Eppy99]

Are you talking like over Christmas break?

Yes

 

[largemouth]

Go where there's some snow.

 

[outside shooter]

When my kids were young, a great outdoor-oriented science-oriented western summer vacation we took was to the Dinosaur National Monument. This is a huge region spanning the Colorado-Utah border where you can see with your own eyes tons of dinosaur fossils, some still sticking out of cliff walls. You can stay in Vernal, Utah. There is a somewhat cheesy museum there. It is a quaint town.

https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/hours.htm

 

[kkott]

You did this during the winter? What stops would you recommend givennthe weather and coming from Indy?

You'd have to verify with someone who has more specific knowledge of CO's weather and the areas you are visiting, but I wouldn't spend the money to head out there over the winter (Nov - March), if you're hoping to do non-snow related outdoor stuff. I think that would be really iffy, unless you have acceptable backup plans in place. You know, like Chuck E Cheese and movies for the kids and dispensaries for you and the missus.