Ever wish you lived in the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous periods? If so, a trip featuring dinosaur fossils may be the perfect getaway. We asked dinosaur and travel lovers to share their favorite spots for seeing and learning about these fossils. They shared the following:
Tyler Callantine
Tyler developed his love of the Utah and Colorado rivers from his grandfather, an avid river rafter. He and his wife Jennifer own Dinosaur River Expeditions, a whitewater rafting company based in Vernal, Utah. Together, they have more than 25 years of river guide and rafting experience.
You can’t miss Dinosaur National Monument, which is a national park that straddles the Utah/Colorado border. On the Utah side is the Quarry Exhibit Hall, which is built over the famous Carnegie quarry. You can see 1,500 dinosaur bones encased in the side of the cliff. We’re talking allosaurus, apatosaurus, stegosaurus, etc.
Kids will love the Junior Ranger program and the great hands-on exhibits, including one that allows you to touch dinosaur fossils dating back 149 million years.
This makes a great vacation destination because it is near so many wonders of the West. You can take beautiful hikes and see ancient petroglyphs created by Native Americans. On the Colorado side of the monument, you can hike Harper’s Corner and take in breathtaking views of canyon country.
You can go boating on Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir. And if you’re a thrill lover, you can book a whitewater rafting trip on the Yampa River or the Green River through the Gates of Lodore (some of the best rafting in Colorado).
Lauren Williams
Lauren Williams is the owner and founder of Casual Uncluttering LLC. She recently visited the Stonerose Interpretative Center and Eocene Fossil Site
Stonerose is an under-appreciated gem: both a very rich fossil site which has supported some superb research, and just a fantastic place to take fossil enthusiasts of any age because it allows public digging for an extremely modest fee. Hunters are even allowed to keep up to three of their finds a day if those finds are not of scientific value.
There is always someone on hand to help you identify your discoveries, and the staff tries its absolute best to offer consolation prizes to anyone who doesn’t find something – there’s a basket of freebies by the door for any disappointed little kids. They also hope to comfort those whose finds are “confiscated” in the interest of research – you may well have the discovery named after you. The only downside to the site is that it’s unable to stay open year-round – the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Stonerose is located in the tiny, charming, quirky town of Republic, WA, very close to the Canadian border, in Ferry County, which is a fantastic birding, fishing and hunting area of the state. There’s great antiquing nearby, the classic County Fair, and one of the best car museums I’ve ever visited (including LeMay in Tacoma, which is world-famous).
Jose Santamaria
Executive Director
Jose Santamaria is the executive director at Tellus Science Museum. He has collected fossils all over Georgia, the Southeast and Midwest. Many of the specimens he has collected are on exhibit at Tellus Science Museum. He is currently working on the book Fossils of Georgia with several colleagues.
In Cartersville, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, make plans to visit Tellus Science Museum. The 120,000 square foot Smithsonian Affiliate museum features eye-popping fossil exhibits, including an 80 foot-long Apatosaurus, a full-size T-rex skeleton, a collection of some of the fiercest dinosaurs to roam the southeastern United States like an Appalachiosaurus, and even a nine-foot wide Megaladon jaw (for a shark larger than a school bus).
Those with different sensory processing skills can have a fun and interactive learning experience during Quiet Mornings at Tellus. Museum admission includes fossil-digging, so grab a brush and wipe away sand to uncover fascinating fossils of all shapes and sizes.
Will Hatton
Founder/CEO
Will Hatton – Writer, and hustler Adventurer and vagabond. Master of the handstand pushup. Conqueror of mountains, a survivor of deserts and crusader for cheap escapades. Will is a founder of hoteljules.com and has been on the road for nine years, travelling to far-flung lands on a budget.
New York City really does have it all. The American Museum of Natural History has two fantastic halls as part of the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing. These halls more than fulfill fanatics’ dinosaur dreams.
Showcasing more than 100 types of dinosaur fossils and models, from the infamous T-Rex to the lesser know, but no less fascinating, Apatosaurus. A dinosaur for all tastes. Accompanied by supporting and informative dinosaur boards, you can enjoy the sights and learn all at the same time.
There is Discovery room with a small dinosaur dig to cater to the kids too.
Valerie Stimac
Valerie Stimac is a San Francisco Bay Area travel blogger (valisemag.com) and writer who focuses on astrotourism, including stargazing, eclipse-chasing, and traveling to see the aurora.
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park protects an amazingly well-preserved collection of prehistoric mammal fossils from roughly 12 million years ago, including species of rhinoceros (in North America!) and horse that are now extinct. It’s an active dig site where you can watch archaeologists and archaeology students working to remove layers of ash and reveal the fossils underneath. Ashfall Fossil Beds is located about three hours’ drive from Omaha, Nebraska, or two hours from Sioux City, Iowa.
Tatiana Sorokina
Tatiana Sorokina is a busy mom with two wonderful kids and a husband who absolutely LOVE to travel. Tatiana is the owner of familyroadtripguru.com.
Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana is one of the best places to see fossils in the U.S. This park has the world’s most accessible Devonian age fossil beds which you can touch and hike through along the Ohio River.
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