As a lifelong traveler I really appreciate the unexpected when visiting a new place! This post will highlight a few of my local favorites!
1. Salida Tintype - Local photographer, Time Brown Photography has a natural light studio (located very close to the ranch) where he can create a tintype masterpiece of you and your family. This is a historic film process and very unique! Tim does everything from artistic styled shoots like this one, to traditional wedding photos - all captured on a sheet of tin and ready to go on your wall!
2. Colorado Gator Park - The Colorado Gator Farm in Alamosa is home to a whole lot of gators. The park is a rescue for reptiles and has a surprisingly large variety. Tour the park and meet celebrity gators like Morris, the gator featured in Happy Gilmore. My favorite part is feeding the giant tortoises at the park!
3. Badfish Surf Shop: Yep, a surf shop in the Rocky Mountains! This won't be a surprise at all if you are a fan of river surfing - a relatively new sport where you actually surf in the river. Salida recently built a standing wave (the Scout Wave) that is ideal for river surfers. Badfish Surf Shop caters to this very cool new sport and also sells apparel, river tubes and more.
4. UFO Watchtower - Looking to catch a glimpse of a traveler from another planet? The UFO Watchtower is the stop is for you! Site of many alleged UFO sightings, the watchtower is an interesting stop for both believers and non-believers. Check out the sculpture garden with a collection of curiosities or view the wide open sky (and the Sand Dunes) from the watchtower.
5. Christmas Mountain: The absolute most endearing thing in Salida, in my opinion, is Christmas Mountain. For many years now, local volunteers have laboriously strung Christmas lights over S Mountain to create the worlds' largest Christmas tree! Check it out between Thanksgiving & New Years.