San Antonio Day One

We enjoyed San Antonio.  We spent some time at the Alamo learning with Cole about the battle to free Texas.  

 We did some of the activities across from the Alamo.  The Tome Rider 3D ride was short and not as neat as it should have been. We did enjoy the haunted house though.  It was well done and the people were personable and creative with our kids.

We had dinner along the Riverwalk and enjoyed watching Jayden.  We has to boogie when there is good music.  Here's a little bit of his boogie...

We walked along the river for a while, but I'm a paranoid mom and was worried about Jayden knocking someone in (mainly Cole, but was fearful for all of the people on the walk).

Carlsbad Caverns

After Albuquerque we traveled down to Texas.  As we approached the border to Texas, we reached Carlsbad Caverns.  We had been told they were neat but we didn't know anything about them.  If you are ever traveling south to Texas this is a stop that must be made.  The entrance to the caverns is gigantic.  As you approach the cave you follow a switchback path that leads you down into the cave.

You continue along the path downward for 1-1/2 miles until you enter a large cavern with an elevator to take you back up to the surface.  Nice and convenient since you are 600 feet under the earth by this time.  The listening devices are wonderful as you are led through the cave features and the history of the cave.  Originally, the cave was accessed by stairs.  Every stair you descended had to be climbed to get back out. 

Both boys participated in the junior ranger program.  I didn't know about this until after our first couple  national parks.  They get a booklet at the beginning of their visit with activities to help them look and learn.  They have to pay attention to signs and their surroundings.  It helps keep them interested in the things they are seeing.