{"id":25313,"date":"2018-06-04T22:00:20","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T22:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=25313"},"modified":"2021-10-28T17:11:31","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T17:11:31","slug":"americas-top-dinosaur-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/americas-top-dinosaur-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s top dinosaur destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might think the closest you\u2019ll ever get to dinosaurs is in the front row at this summer\u2019s biggest blockbuster, but there are lots of places across the United States where you can find dinosaur bones or tracks and the fossils of other prehistoric species, as well as living, breathing, flying dinosaurs.<\/p>\n

Prehistoric dinosaurs are part of a biological group called Dinosauria, and guess what? The sub-group, saurischian, are the ancestors of modern-day birds. As the direct descendants of some of the fiercest creatures in history, birds are dinosaurs, too. In fact, anywhere you go bird-watching, you\u2019re actually dinosaur-watching. And if you\u2019ve ever met an elephant, you\u2019ve rubbed noses with a modern-day incarnation of the mighty mammoth, #iknowright.<\/p>\n

Want to know where to find dinosaur fossils and see some of their descendants for yourself? We\u2019ve gathered a list, presented in no particular order, of the best places to uncover the ancient relics and modern-day habitats of dinosaurs and other paleontological wonders \u2014 without leaving the country, or this millennium. Can ya dig it? (Seriously, there\u2019s digging involved.)<\/p>\n

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1. Waco, TX<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

About 65,000 years ago, Columbian mammoths roamed the Waco area \u2014 no big deal. Mammoths are not dinosaurs, but they are quite similar to modern-day elephants and their more primitive cousins, mastodons, which are all members of the mammalian order Proboscidea. At Waco Mammoth National Monument, take a ranger-led tour of the nation\u2019s first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths.\u00a0Traveling with some future paleontologists? Bring the kids for some fun digging\u00a0in the children\u2019s mock dig! The Ice Age is pretty cool.<\/p>\n

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2. Grand Canyon, AZ<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

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New research suggests that dinosaurs may predate the Grand Canyon. Does this mean they spent their family vacations hiking Grand Canyon National Park just like we do? If they made the trek from the Petrified Forest National Park, they did! From the evidence of prehistoric sloths to marine life deposited in what is now desert terrain, you\u2019ll find a diverse ecosystem dating back to the Paleozoic era at the Grand Canyon. Just 175 miles away, researchers at the Petrified Forest have uncovered the partial skeleton of a Chindesaurus, which is considered one of the world\u2019s oldest dinosaurs ever found. Visit both of these Northern Arizona parks for the ultimate adventure, but leave any fossils you find behind for others to enjoy.<\/p>\n

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3. North Las Vegas, NV<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Collage
Via Forget Me Not Animal Sanctuary and Nothin’ But Love Cat & Kitten Rescue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Located just 20 miles north of the neon-lit Vegas Strip, North Las Vegas is home to Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. This site is still quite new, but so far researchers have uncovered evidence of multiple prehistoric mammals from the Ice Age, including the saber-toothed cat. Who knows what they\u2019ll discover next? When you\u2019re ready to take a break from looking for fossils, pet some adorable, adoptable mini saber-toothed doppelgangers. The nonprofit Meow or Never Caf\u00e9 & Rescue is set to open in the Las Vegas Arts District by summer 2018, and we can\u2019t wait! Look at these adorable adoptables who are available at local rescue sites through Meow or Never!<\/p>\n

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4. Virginia Beach, VA<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Via Flickr\/ C Watts<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Southeastern Virginia is brimming with prehistoric relics, and Jerrasic Park at the Military Aviation Museum is good contemporary fun for all ages. In nearby Newport News, the fun continues along the Dinosaur Discovery Trail at the Virginia Living Museum. Hike up close and personal to realistic replicas of several dinosaur species, including the spry Velociraptor. Remember how we said birds are dinosaurs? Encounter the region\u2019s indigenous and visiting birds at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, including red-throated and common loons, and orchard orioles.<\/p>\n

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5. La Brea, CA<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Figures<\/p>\n

Just 9 miles west of downtown Los Angeles, La Brea is known for its historic \u2014 er, prehistoric \u2014 tar pits. During the Pleistocene period, American mastodons and other local wildlife gathered at the tar pits, where they got stuck and fossilized over time. The whole LA area is home to many places where fossils are found or displayed. If the kids \u2014 or you, let\u2019s be honest \u2014 want to be someone who studies dinosaurs and fossils when they grow up, check out the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology in nearby Claremont, which includes the fossils of an Allosaurus\u00a0and a\u00a0Centrosaurus.<\/p>\n

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6. Kimberly, OR<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Landscape<\/p>\n

In the John Day Fossil Beds, you\u2019ll find nearly 50 million years of natural history recorded in the colorful landscape. This huge expanse of land is sectioned into assemblages, or multiple areas, where mammals and flowering plant life of the Cenozoic era thrived in varied environments. The Clarno Nut Beds have produced fossils of flora and fauna, including the 10-foot long ancestors of today\u2019s crocodiles and the brontotheres, known affectionately as thunder beasts. Although the fossil beds don\u2019t contain any dinosaur fossils, Thomas Condon Paleontology Center features over 500 other fossils on display, and you can watch researchers studying the rich local history on your next visit.<\/p>\n

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7. Rocky Hill, CT<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Via Jerry Dougherty\/Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019ve ever wondered where to find dinosaur tracks in the small state of Connecticut, head to Rocky Hill, located just 11 miles south of Hartford. Under the dome at Dinosaur State Park, <\/strong>you\u2019ll find the well-preserved tracks of Jurassic-age dinosaurs preserved for 200 million years. Researchers believe these tracks were made by the official state dinosaur, Dilophosaurus, a pretty rad-looking dino with huge feet made for walkin\u2019.<\/p>\n

Bonus<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Brachiosaurus
Via Flickr\/David Mulder<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you don\u2019t have time to fit a paleontology experience into your next getaway, don\u2019t worry! Here are a few airports in the U.S. that house realistic replicas of dinosaur skeletons. Visit them on your next layover \u2014 finding dinosaur bones has never been easier.<\/p>\n