National Parks: The Best Vacation Deal Around

hopefull

hopefull

Cathlete
We just got back from Yellowstone. We froze, but it was breathtaking. All kinds of babies being born. We even saw a grizzly bear! Got some good pictures! It is still relatively cheap! $25 for a 7 day pass for the car, doesn't matter how many people are in it. The camp sites inside Yellowstone are much cheaper than commercial ones. The geology and wildlife are fascinating. We did Mesa Verde in 2007. My then 6 year old daughter was enthralled by the pueblos, their mythology, and way of life. The guides really knew their stuff, and presented it coherently. She had no trouble understanding. You get some great exercise, and learn so much. For a family vacation our National Parks are just wonderful. NO TV for two weeks and a chance to reconnect with nature. Go 4 it!
 
When the kids were younger we went to Yosemite yearly with the kids. Even if just for a few days, it's a wonderful way to get away and be together as a family.
 
i couldn't agree more -- state parks too! best value around and you can make it as rustic or as 4-star as you want!
 
hopefull said:
We just got back from Yellowstone. We froze, but it was breathtaking. All kinds of babies being born. We even saw a grizzly bear! Got some good pictures! It is still relatively cheap! $25 for a 7 day pass for the car, doesn't matter how many people are in it. The camp sites inside Yellowstone are much cheaper than commercial ones. The geology and wildlife are fascinating. We did Mesa Verde in 2007. My then 6 year old daughter was enthralled by the pueblos, their mythology, and way of life. The guides really knew their stuff, and presented it coherently. She had no trouble understanding. You get some great exercise, and learn so much. For a family vacation our National Parks are just wonderful. NO TV for two weeks and a chance to reconnect with nature. Go 4 it!
Click to expand...

Man, that sounds like great fun. How did you set it all up? Did you have a plan or go with a tour group? I know I would LOVE to see the giant Sequoia's before I die. How magnificent. Want to see those pueblo's and the Badlands, too.
 
DH and I vacationed in Yellowstone last year with my sister and her DH. It was early June and heaven! It's the best time to see wildlife and the crowds haven't arrived yet.

yellowstone018-2-1.jpg


yellowstone049-1.jpg


yellowstone028-1.jpg


Gayle, I love Acadia.

We've also been to the Smokies several times for some great hiking.

Next on the list is a trip to Glacier with my sister, maybe next summer. We have barely scratched the surface of the western Natl Parks.
 
I live in Alberta, Canada, just a stone's throw from some of the best national parks our country can offer: Banff, Waterton, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay. And a day's drive down to Montana -- Glacier Park in the US is breathtaking. I'm also very impressed with your National Forest Service campgrounds and hiking trails. Nature: the true definition of the overused and abused word "awesome".
 
I've been looking for a good vacation spot, and this sounds awesome. Can you define "camp site" please? I like nature, but I'm not exactly a nature woman if you know what I mean. Thanks.
 
Lori, my sister lives in northeastern Washington State. A couple years ago we went to visit her and she took us to the Kootenay Mountains. We stopped in Creston to love us some Kokanee Beer, then headed up the lake to see the Glass House, cross on the ferry and spend a lovely night at Ainsworth Hot Springs. We wanted to head up to Banff but the car rental place wouldn't let us go all the way to Alberta. It was breathtakingly beautiful up there.
 
Hi Robin -my daughter just moved to Creston, it's a beautiful place for those who love the outdoors. If you're ever plan to travel up this way, drop me a line, I've hiked a lot of trails in the Rockies and could help you plan some marvelous outings!
 
Lori, I'll keep that in mind. I'm sure we'll be visiting my sister again.

Nancy, when we visited Yellowstone, we stayed in the park hotels and lodges. Some were more rustic then others, but you can park yourself at one and drive to most desitantions in the park. The restaurants were amazing. Wonderful food, very reasonable and the waitstaff were mostly college kids from around the world.
 
lori254 said:
I live in Alberta, Canada, just a stone's throw from some of the best national parks our country can offer: Banff, Waterton, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay. And a day's drive down to Montana -- Glacier Park in the US is breathtaking. I'm also very impressed with your National Forest Service campgrounds and hiking trails. Nature: the true definition of the overused and abused word "awesome".
Click to expand...

Lori - DH and I did Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks about 10 years ago. Absolutely breathtaking!! I wanna go back. :)

Glacier (the one in B.C.) was cool because it was so uncrowded.
 
lori254 said:
I live in Alberta, Canada, just a stone's throw from some of the best national parks our country can offer: Banff, Waterton, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay. And a day's drive down to Montana -- Glacier Park in the US is breathtaking. I'm also very impressed with your National Forest Service campgrounds and hiking trails. Nature: the true definition of the overused and abused word "awesome".
Click to expand...

i've done some hiking in canada. i love Banff and Lake Victoria (I think that was the name of it - huge hotel on the lake). i also love vancouver. canada is a beautiful country and i can't wait for the olympics. i hope brian orser's girl wins the gold, then i'll feel like he will have finally won a gold. i don't think we will ever see another battle of the brians again, it was epic. I've never been to Glacier, but I've heard it's the best of all national parks in the US.
 
lkl said:
i've done some hiking in canada. i love Banff and Lake Victoria (I think that was the name of it - huge hotel on the lake). i also love vancouver. canada is a beautiful country and i can't wait for the olympics. i hope brian orser's girl wins the gold, then i'll feel like he will have finally won a gold. i don't think we will ever see another battle of the brians again, it was epic. I've never been to Glacier, but I've heard it's the best of all national parks in the US.
Click to expand...

That would be Lake Louise, west of Banff. Chateau Lake Louise is the name of the grand hotel. I agree Vancouver is great. I'm in Calgary, in the foothills of the Rockies. Our claim to fame is the oil industry and the Stampede.
Are you planning on visiting Whistler for the Olympics?
Glacier in the US is magnificent. We would sit in our campsite watching the grizzly bears feeding on the side of the hill (with binoculars of course, don't want to get too close!) The Going-to-the-Sun Road traverses throughout the park, beautiful views. One needs to shift to low on the way down, otherwise burn out your brakes! I've been to Shenandoah National Park when I travelled to Washington DC for work a few years back; would love to see Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, the Smokies...so many places to see...so little time...
 
Last edited:
Lori, I went to Banff for my honeymoon--fantastic place!

I also visited Yellowstone in September one year, that's a good time to go. No crowds, but the weather is still nice. Well, okay, it snowed one day, but still! Nancy, the lodge at Mammoth Hot Springs has cabins with hot tubs. Very comfy. I think all of the parks have areas where there is a full service hotel, areas where there are cabins, and areas where you can camp.

One of my fantasies is to win the lottery and visit all the national parks in the US and Canada. Ah, a girl can dream!

anne
 
thanks Lori. yes, that's the name! Lake Louise is soooo beautiful, I'm so happy we visited. I highly recommend it to anyone. We also went to Ainsworth and hiked in the Kootenay mountain range...so many beautiful wildflowers in bloom, many great pictures. we went to a hiking spa located right down the road from the ainsworth hot springs. each day they took us on a different, challenging hike. in the US i've only hiked in the Grand Canyon, Alaska, Idaho, and a hiking spa in Calabasas, California (the Ashram), most of my hiking was in Canada and once I traveled to Africa and climbed Kilimanjaro. i rafted the grand canyon and each day we took a 2 to 3 hour hike into one of the side canyons. it's a great way to experience the canyon. I would love to one day do a trek in the Everest region, there are so many mountain ranges to choose from. And then....I want to go to all the US national parks. like you said so little time...

unfortunately, i will not be going to the olympics, i wish i could. i was so happy when canada won the olympics though. after 9/11, someone sent me an email from someone whose plane was diverted to canada that day. not only did the canadaian gov't open up its' airspace to us, but the canadian people opened up their homes and schools to americans who were strangers. they fed them, gave them a place to sleep, gave special treatment to the elderly, and treated americans like their own family! what was described in that email still brings tears to my eyes. alot of the public praise went to england, but i will never forget what your great country did for us that day. i was disappointed that your prime minister was not invited to attend Bush's address to congress, he should have been standing right next to tony blair. canada is indeed a great friend to america.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top