Southern Colorado is a great place to live and visit. There are a lot of historical places to visit for adults and kids. A few of them include Garden of the Gods, the Royal Gorge, the Air Force Academy, Bishop's Castle, and the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

One of my family's favorite places to visit is Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs. This attraction is free and your family can drive around the park and pull off to take pictures of the interesting rock formations created by wind. There are nature trails, hikes, horse trails, nature center, guided nature walks, and more. Many of the trails are paved and wheel chair and stroller accessible. The trails are range from easy enough for a preschooler to advanced. Garden of the Gods has rock formations that are small enough for children to climb and the more challenging climbs require that all visitors fill out a a registration form at the Visitor and Nature center. This allows the park to know who is climbing, where they are climbing, and when they are done climbing. Just make sure that you have proper climbing gear!

Another exciting place every visitor needs to see is the Royal Gorge. The daily prices range from $14.25 for kids four through eleven years old to $18.75 for adults. Annual passes are also available. The Royal Gorge features one of the world's highest suspension bridges and one of the world's steepest railways. Activities include staged gun fights, carousel, aerial tram, magic shows, petting zoo, burro rides, the Royal Rush Skycoaster, mule team rides, and more. This is a great vacation stop or day trip.

The Air Force Academy is located near Monument, Colorado. Make sure the driver has his driver's license ready before entering the campus. Visitors are allowed to enter and exit via the North entrance accessible from Exit 156B on Interstate 25. When there is a terrorist threat, visitors are not allowed to enter the Air Force Academy. Once you enter, you have access to the Cadet Chapel, which is very beautiful and has chapels for multiple religions. Visitors may see the Honor Court, Arnold Hall, the Cadet Field House, the athletic center, the visitor's center, and stadium. My kids' favorite place to stop is found just after the security check point you pass through to get on campus. You'll see a decommissioned B52.

Bishop's Castle is located near Rye, Colorado. It was constructed mainly by Jim Bishop. Though construction started in 1969, it is still on going. Visitors are welcome from dawn until dusk year round. Admission is free, however donations are welcome and will support further construction. You may wander the grounds, enter the castle, and, if you are lucky, talk with Jim Bishop. As you enter the grounds, you will be greeted by a sign that lets you know you are entering at your own risk because it follows no codes. Some of the signs do lend a feeling that he is anti-establishment. In spite of that, I would recommend this place in a heart beat.

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve feature the tallest sand dunes in North America 35 miles from Alamosa, Colorado. Make sure to research the best route prior to heading to this destination because GPS systems get confused and lead you in circles- personal experience talking here. You'll find a diverse landscape: grasslands, conifer and aspen forests, tundra, wetlands, and alpine lakes. When you visit the dunes, it's best to see them early or late in the day. Camping and other accommodations are located near by to make this possible. The temperature of the sand become extremely hot during the summer. When it is windy, the sand is very painful.

There are many places to visit in Southern Colorado for families with children. If you find yourself in the area, take the time to visit at least one of them for a day trip.