Meteor Crater Natural Landmark — Attraction in Four Corners States

After reading all the other reviews I thought I’d try to offer clarity from my experience since I’m not a big space guy and try to be objective. This is a fun experience for a few hours. It’s a real nice facility and the production quality they put forward isn’t bad but the question is whether or not there’s enough material here to warrant the trip and if it’s worth it for the price. My answer to that is 60/40 yes overall.

The Good Stuff This is actually quite an important meteor site both historically and scientifically so while it’s not an amusement park, it is pretty cool to see it once. It’s the most preserved and transformative site to help science learn a ton about our planet and beyond. The museum portion is well done, the viewing decks are great, the crater is more impressive than you’d expect, you can touch the largest chunk of meteor that’s been found, and the 4D experience is more fun that I expected (great for kids and it has a few stationary seats if you are afraid of getting motion sickness), The gift shop is amazing. Great facilities and not too crowded. It’s easy to go through the whole thing without a lot of waiting or extra hoops. I can’t say for sure but seemed like handicapped accessibility is pretty good.

Not so great: The guided tour wasn’t worth the time. The guy we had presenting couldn’t have talked slower or been less engaging. The wind makes it hard to hear them too (it’s a windy area). They also tell you if you leave the tour has to end for everyone. The tour gives the same info that can be found in the theater and museum in a more concise and interesting way, just do that instead and do the rest self-guided and leave more time for the gift shop. There’s stuff in there you’re not gonna get anywhere else except maybe Cape Canaveral and Roswell, NM.

The staff was not on the same page and not awesome. Our 4D theater host was a bust. He made the whole thing uncomfortable and inappropriate at best and that’s a slow moving line to make it worse. Workers either weren’t at their post, had wrong information (our guide argued with a lady and told her his was the last tour and she was misinformed - after she left angry the next tour guide was standing there 20 mins later; we were also told the 4D ride would go until 4:45 and they shut it down early but none of the staff new until they closed it and we had to come back another day to do it), had bad process execution (they’re supposed to sign your receipt and tell you that your ticket is good for two weeks and get gas discount down the road, etc., person who stamps hand for same day re-admittance was so engaged in talking to a coworker she didn’t even know I left and came back and then she gave me a hard time about it like I was supposed to know what to do).

Price Point: It’s high for what it is. I would think the value sweet spot would be $24 for adults $16 for kids. It does feel like it’s priced high for the experience. But this is a pretty rare experience to see and that most people will only ever go once (increasing the need to charge more). So in the end I’m glad we went. If someone is interested in science or history they should go. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t think it’s cool to see the destruction and wake of an object that traveled the universe and hear the interesting history and science breakthroughs than it might not be for you at this price point.

Overall I would recommend. It’s fun...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Perfect Day Trip to Meteor Crater with Kids!” We visited the Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum on a recent family trip to Northern Arizona, and it turned out to be a highlight for both adults and kids. If you’re in the Flagstaff or Winslow area, this is an easy (and totally doable) day trip.

What We Loved: The 45-minute guided tour of the crater was engaging, even for my 5-year-old. The guides encouraged questions, shared fun facts, and even pointed out the best photo spots. The path was stroller and ADA-friendly, which made it easy for families.

The museum loop and short film were just the right length for kids’ attention spans and packed with hands-on exhibits about space, meteors, and the history of the crater. The brand new Blast Zone Kids Area was a total win. It felt like a moon base, with interactive games, a gravity floor, soft play for little ones, and more. Honestly, my son could’ve spent the whole visit there.

The 4-D immersive ride was a family favorite — my son insisted on riding it three times in a row. It’s cute, not scary, and perfect for young kids. Food on-site was better than expected! The Meteor Crater Mining Co. had quick lunch options, coffee, and Flagstaff-made ice cream. There are also picnic tables if you prefer to bring your own food.

Tips for Families: Budget about 4–5 hours if you want to do everything without rushing (tour, museum, kids’ area, 4-D ride, and a snack break). Save the kids’ Blast Zone for last — once they see it, they won’t want to leave. Bring hats/sunscreen if you’re doing the crater tour, as it’s outdoors.

Nearby Attractions: If you’re making a bigger trip of it, check out Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Walnut Canyon, or even the Petrified Forest — all within about an hour’s drive. Overall, this was an educational and fun stop that kids actually loved (which isn’t always the case with museums). Highly recommend for families traveling through...

First I thought this was run by the National Park Service but it is privately owned and designated by the Sec of Interior as a National Natural Landmark. So there is a fee but I think they offer a lot for that fee including guided tours, a ride, educational displays, movie, and binoculars to look into the crater. With our veteran status we got in for $20ea. We got there around 4pm and they close at 5pm so we had to choose to either do the guided tour and not much else or most except the guided tour because it is 45 min long and we only had an hour. The last movie showing is at 5pm which is when they close so they stay open for that last showing which is great. This gave us enough time to get a lot in except for the guided tour and the ride so I can’t comment on those. If you come by 3 pm you can get most everything in. We are geologists and found it interesting and educational. I think it was worth it even though we could not do the ride and guided tour. After the movie before we left we got to the gift shop (as did others in the theater) and the clerk announced she was closing soon and only was taking credit cards. I thought her tone was overly harsh and unwelcoming. We had plenty of time to shop IMHO and her alarm clock went off as I got to the counter, but One star off for that experience. The staff were cleaning the floors as we walked out and explained about the gate closure to get out. That was pleasant. All in all I recommend and suggest two hours allowance at least. understand it’s private and the lower platform is a me area about the family members who own the property patting themselves on the back. I Appreciate they have this and Keep it in the family and hope they don’t Sell It Off to foreign interest so I give them a pat on the...