I live in North Alabama where it is hard to find good vacation spots for me and my daughter. But when he woke up in the morning nearly three years ago and was specifically asked to go to see the cave, there was no reason to tell him.
I thought about taking a field trip in my first grade at DeSoto Caverns Park in Childersburg, Alabama. I remembered being lost in a terrible mistake, and being rescued by two chaperones. I also recalled the pans to the gems in the artificial river, and exploring what then seemed to be the most magnificent caves in the world. I wanted my daughter to have this experience.
DeSoto Caverns was surprisingly hard to find in my home of Gadsden. I had mistakenly believed that I did not need parts; I simply head towards Childersburg and from there follow the road signs. However, I got lost a few times and the journey took an hour more than I expected. So if you’re heading to DeSoto Caverns, make sure you get specific directions to the park, not just to Childersburg – especially if you’re as direction-poor as I am.
The turnaround drive was worth the experience. We had a forty-five minute tour of DeSoto Caverns, which was fun for me and my daughter. The price was completely private because we were the only guests that day. The guides showed us around several different rooms and explained the history and geology behind some of the most interesting formations.
Although the tour guides were friendly and sweet, they were not as professional as I would have liked. They will also bring some history area–added some slightly distorted history -, especially as they pertain to the vernacular. the nations that inhabited the country. Nevertheless, I found the tour interesting and I was happy to see the fascinating forms that have stuck in my childhood memories . “Bugs Bunny’s Cellar” is a cave full of carrot-shaped stalactites as magical as I remember. . The giant formation of “jellyfish” fascinated my daughter as much as I had imagined.
The DeSoto Caverns tour includes a light show that includes a series of fountains, audio, and colored halogen lights; a> in another-excluded cave room. I found it interesting, but not a fan of the theme – he told the creation story he wrote in the book of Genesis. I am not opposed to Christianity in any way, but I am not religious and the show is not very inclusive of agnostics, atheists or otherwise non-Christian families. I’d rather see the light of an inclusive culture than show the argument.
After the DeSoto Caverns tour, my daughter and I visited the rest of the DeSoto Caverns park. Only one action separated me from the cave itself– I resolved to overcome the great error that had overcome me eighteen years before. Both me and my daughter were laughing at the mistake, especially since the school bullies weren’t picking on me at this time. I found myself smiling at the memory as we both found the exit in error.
Overall, the trip is reasonably cheap. Because my daughter was under three years old, her access to the cave was free . My own cave ticket only cost about $20 including tax. Activities, including errands, are a bit steep at $6 per attraction. We still see the experience as a worthwhile investment for an enjoyable, educational and emotional experience with my daughter.
I’m not sure I’ll repeat the experience until my daughter is old enough to know or appreciate it more fully. I believe the target age for visiting DeSoto Caverns Park is probably around 6-10 years old; These children can enjoy experiences while understanding their meaning and value. I would recommend a trip to DeSoto Caverns Park to families living in or visiting the area who have children.
My daughter’s review:
“I saw a cave in the Soda Caverns [sic] in Boy Burger Alabama. And it was fun. The ladies were called Tour-guides, and they told us about the cave, and about the waterfall in the cave; We saw a room with carrots and rocks I wanted to go some time and lollipops” .
