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Six tips for great National Park Trips
We love National Park trips! Death Valley, Zion, Great Smokies, Grand Canyon, Acadia, Denali etc - we visit lots of them on our trips. But the great news is that you don't need to sign up for one of our trips to have an amazing time. Here are 5 tips we use to help you make the most of your next visit (and an extra tip we don't).
1. Stay in the Park you're visiting There may be "nicer" and less expensive lodging outside the park, but there is nothing like waking up to sunrise in a park or seeing it by a full moon. If money is an issue, then camp. Most campgrounds have hot water and flush toilets, and you'll meet people from all over the country and the world in the wash house.
2. Do some research to discover the most popular trails and then some more research to find better, less crowded alternatives. Example: the Bright Angel trail in Grand Canyon National Park has some breath-taking views but it is also full of mule poop and people. You'll find equally stunning views and a lot less people on the Grandview Trail. Sometimes, though, the more popular trails are worth the crowds - Angels' Landing in Zion is something not to miss unless you're afraid of heights.
3. Go in the off season If you're not sure if the off season is too off (e.g all the trails are buried in snow or it's 120 degrees), call the park. But there are many parks where spring and fall travel are as good or better than summer, usually less crowded - and sometimes less expensive.
4. Go to at least one ranger talk Whether it's an evening program or a daytime walk, ranger programs are almost always excellent. Over the years I've attended over 50 and I can count on one hand the number of times I've been disappointed. I've had my love of stargazing reawakened, my understanding of geology increased, my appreciation of human fortitude and endurance strengthened. And they're free! There is no better deal.
5. Spend some time looking at the National Park Service website for the park you're visiting. Start with www.nps.gov and find your park there. The basic structure and material is the same for each park and most offer alot of information that will not only help you prepare for your visit, you'll go feeling much more informed. And the websites are getting better all the time. Yellowstone has a series of video podcasts you can download, all about 2-5 minutes, that are fascinating and will really enrich your visit.
6. Explore some of the urban parks and other units in the NPS I learned about the history of the mill girls, the course of the industrial revolution, and rode through a lock system on a barge at the Lowell National Historic Park in Lowell Massachusetts. In New Orleans I learned why no one was buried in the ground and why New Orleans is so much more than jazz and fabulous food.
If all of the vacations for the rest of your life were in National Parks, you would die a well-educated person with a broad perspective on the United States. They really are America's Best Idea.
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Two recent bad experiences
Thought these might be useful for you to know.
1. I had heard that some credit cards charged a foreign transaction fee for any transaction in a foreign country, even if the transaction was in US dollars. But I had forgotten it (because really, how absurd is that?!) when I used American Express to pay a deposit for our Machu Picchu trip. Until I saw the 3% additional on my credit card bill. Capitol One never charges the fee, whether you're charge is in US dollars or another currency. American Express - next time I travel, I'm definitely leaving home without it!
2. I had to make a ticket reservation through Orbitz because it was a multicity itinerary. I later had to change the day and city of my return, which can only be done over the phone. I had looked at the options and prices on Orbitz before I called so I knew exactly what I wanted when I called. But I didn't tell them to the "customer service" rep in case there was anything better than I'd found. She put me on hold for about 2 minutes while she looked at possible itineraries. When she came back on, she quoted a less favorable flight that was $200 more. When I told her that I knew there was a less expensive flight and gave her the flight numbers, she looked again and found what I had easily found. She mumbled something about looking at different transit cities but really, Orbitz makes it easy to find the best flights. Moral: when dealing with an online travel agency, do your homework first.
And incidentally, Air Canada charges a $250 change fee, which is beyond absurd. I'll have to be desperate to choose them again!
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A useful travel app
One of our readers who works for the State Department sent me this blurb about a new (and free) travel app that was created by the State Department. Although I haven't used it yet, I've downloaded it and it looks like it provides access to all the great State Department info and advisories. Here's the official blurb:
"Smart Traveler, the official State Department app for U.S. travelers, invites you to see the world with easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more.
Smart Traveler also provides access to the State DepartmentŐs Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Free STEP enrollment enables the State Department to better assist you in emergencies such as natural disasters, unrest in foreign countries, or lost/stolen passports overseas. During your travels, STEP can help your family and friends reach you in an emergency. Smart Traveler also provides quick access to the DepartmentŐs Consular Affairs Facebook and Twitter pages."
Although I think their travel advisories are sometimes a tad alarmist, their information is great. And if I ever needed help when I traveled, these are the folks I would turn to.
Hey Canadian readers- if Canada has something similar, let me know!
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Have a great August!
I'm just back from our trip in Austria. We had women from 5 different countries on the trip, which was great fun!! And a new first for us. Deb and Ruthie are in the middle of Magical Maine, then Anne and Katie are off to hike in the Cascades, and shortly after Brenda and Ruthie hike in Rocky Mountains National Park. We still have 1 space left on the Colorado Rocky Ramble if you're looking for a very end of August vacation.
I hope you all have some great plans!!
-- Marian, for all the guides at Adventures in Good Company
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