We all enjoyed the sites and views.
This was a nice little stop and we got lucky to get a room away from everyone. Unfortunately we couldn't look out our widow and see the wonderful view. Our room was facing towards the main hotel instead of the valley. I guess that's why it was cheaper. But we still got to watch the sun rise over the valley. On another visit, I would like to rent and "apartment" that faces the Valley and watch the sun rise or set from my bed with coffee.
This was really neat and the kids enjoyed it. Also great as a pit stop to stretch your legs. Lots of neat "dino" sculptures. A surprise for me were all the mandalas and spritiual quotes integrated with the sculptures. Very zen-ish and chakra-ish. It was also fun to try and identify all the parts used in making these sculptures.
This was a great stop! I have always wanted to see the Valley ever since I was a kid and watched all the movies filmed here. Got to see where John Wayne filmed and his little cabin that was used in one of his movies. It was $20 a car to get to The View Hotel and take pictures. But it also included the self tour of the Valley. I would not take a small, low car through the valley as some roads were pretty bumpy. Even in my SUV, it was rough going in some parts. But the views and rock formations are beautiful. If you can, get a room at Goulding's Hotel and watch the sun set or rise on the valley.
Don't blink or you will miss it. Kind of hard to stop and take a picture of it since it's around a bend and you don't really expect it.
Stopped by here with the kids on our way to Cali from Oklahoma. I don't know what anyone else is talking about because I didn't have to pay anything to see the Monument. Maybe it was because we got there in the evening. Around 6ish. But it was a neat stop to stretch your legs. The bathrooms were closed and under construction.