Open-top cars. Boats. Specialized glacier vehicles. Gondolas. Accessible skywalks. Hot springs. See the scenery, skip the long hikes. Of course, if you want to hike, there are plenty of options from short, easy hikes to long hikes with elevation, which means if your group likes different things, you can find something everyone will be excited…
Dan Mick’s Jeep Tours are legendary in Moab for a reason. Don’t book anywhere else. When a friend of mine told me the absolute highlight of her Mighty 5 Utah trip was Dan Mick’s Jeep Tours, I thought she might have been setting expectations a bit high. She wasn’t. Like OutpostX, I think my teenager was…
Most people assume the number one most visited national park in the United States is Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. It’s not. It’s the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Its East Coast location in North Carolina and Tennessee makes it a great family summer road trip and accessible to so many people without the expense…
Yes, you can. You don’t have to go to Disney to have an immersive Star Wars experience. I never thought one of my son’s favorite YouTubers would inspire an amazing national park trip, but it did. Did anyone else’s kids get into Ryan Trahan’s 50 States in 50 Days series last summer as much as…
Yellowstone is massive. It’s 2.2 million acres with things you want to see and do spread across two distinct loops. Where you stay really matters because even “inside the park” can mean you’re an hour away from what you want to see. There are nine lodges inside Yellowstone, but not all locations are created equal….
Planning a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Teton itinerary is a lot of work. I can’t even count how many hours I put into planning my trip there the first time I went (only to have to redo the plan because the Upper Loop closed from flooding that year). You have to figure out…
Yes, you can see Yellowstone in one day. I wouldn’t recommend it because you will only scratch the surface, but one day in Yellowstone is better than no days in Yellowstone. One day gives you the highlights of the Lower Loop: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and some wildlife viewing…
Yosemite is enormous. Things that seem close on a map can mean hours of driving, so where you stay in Yosemite is really important. There are fairly limited options for staying inside the park, but plenty of options for staying outside the park. And those options vary considerably in terms of distance from the park,…
How many days do I need in Yosemite? It’s a great question, and the answer depends on what kind of Yosemite itinerary you want. Casual or rushed? Hit the highlights and move on, or enjoy long hikes? I absolutely love Yosemite, but you need a plan. This park is huge, so it’s tough to just…
Especially when you hear the word “resort.” So, what’s the best family-friendly resort for a national park vacation? Drumroll please. It is the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, right outside Rocky Mountain National Park. If you are like me and grew up on the East Coast, YMCA and resort do not belong in…