Winter is a great time to plan national park trips because there is still a broad range of room options available in popular parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon. Although some of the iconic lodges are filling up during peak times, there is plenty of availability.
National park concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts offers tips for successfully planning a park visit and securing accommodations.
1. Be informed. Visit Xanterra’s web site at www.xanterra.com for general information on the parks operated by Xanterra as well as lodging descriptions, rates and availability. Another good source of information on national parks is the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov.
2. Be web-savvy. Rooms can be booked online at:
- www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com,
- www.grandcanyonlodges.com,
- www.zionlodge.com,
- www.craterlakelodges.com
- and www.furnacecreekresort.com.
Booking online is usually the quickest way to secure a reservation. Travelers can check room availability too via Xanterra’s online reservations calendar.
3. Confirm that you have the full online picture. Some lodges will list various room types as part of drop down menus. If you do not click on the down arrow only one room type will be visible. And guess which room type is the first to show up as sold out?
4. Be flexible with your choice of lodge. Some of the larger parks such as Grand Canyon and Yellowstone feature multiple lodges in spectacular settings. While Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn and Grand Canyon’s El Tovar are best-known and tend to fill up first, other lodges offer history, comfortable accommodations and their own appeal.
5. Avoid the crowds. Regardless of which park you are visiting, consider traveling during the first two weeks of June, the last 10 days of August or the first two weeks of September.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
a guest article by B&B expert, Marti Mayne
The Distinctive Inns of New England have spent some time researching what women and men really want for Valentine’s Day. And the answers may surprise you.
While women do love their flowers, romantic escapes and chocolates, it’s the sentiment that comes with the gift that really counts. And while some men may answer the question about what they want most for Valentine’s Day with a three letter word, the majority are more interested in their loved ones’ happiness.
Surprised?
Read the two part series in the Distinctive Inns of New England’s blog .
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
a guest article by B&B expert, Marti Mayne
“Aren’t you worried it’s going to be cold?” asked more than one person when I told them I was heading to Sunday River Ski Resort for a weekend of ziplining. For this acrophobe, cold temps were the least of my worries. One of the items on my “bucket list” has always been to conquer my fear of heights, and I was bound and determined to do it on this trip.
I packed my two daughters (Calli, 11, and Kim Han, 9) into the car and off we went with my husband Lincoln for a weekend adventure at Sunday River. We’re an avid skiing family, and a weekend of skiing fun combined with the novel adventure of ziplining sounded like the perfect getaway. The drive included rousing group renditions of “Zippity Do Dah” and Christmas carols on the radio; clearly, everybody was ready!
Read all about the zipline adventure on EasternSlopes.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
DECK THE HALLS AT FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
If you’re scouring the globe for the best place to reunite with family or escape the holiday rush, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has a full selection of activities, packages and celebrations to choose from:
United States
In Boston, The Fairmont Copley Plaza offers a variety of packages to make the holiday season bright. For a gift buying getaway, the city’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a premier shopping spot featuring over 125 shops and restaurants within three impeccably restored 19th century buildings. The Faneuil Hall Marketplace Holiday Shop & Stay Package is available from November 20 to December 30, 2010, and includes an elegant guestroom and a VIP welcome packet full of special incentives, offers and interactive experiences with the Faneuil Hall Marketplace merchants. Rates start at $219 USD per night. For those who want to explore the city in a more leisurely way, the hotel also offers its Twelve Days of Christmas Package from December 14 to 30, 2010. The package includes an elegant guestroom, Sleigh Ride a traditional Holiday CD from the Boston POPS, and a late check-out of 4:00 p.m. Guests can plan a full day of shopping, dining and enjoying the festive holiday season with rates starting from $209USD per night.
In California, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has a wonderful holiday season in store for guests. The Inn is once again pleased to offer authentically local Wine Country Winter holiday activities that promise to delight guests of all ages. A complete schedule of holiday events are planned including Victorian carolers, (seasonally-inspired) cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and S’mores by the outdoor fire-pit with special guest appearances. With the Water and Wine package, revelers can enjoy organically sustainable wine, bath house passes to the resort’s famed geo-thermal bath house, daily docent-guided hikes and a Farm-to-Fork dinner for two at the Michelin-rated Santé dining room. Package is valid for stays until December 30, 2010 with rates starting from $449 USD per night.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
From private wildlife tours and ski free packages to romantic sleigh rides and hand crafted, custom built skis, the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole offers a mountain of tempting winter adventures this season.
Winter Adventure Package
Offering an action-packed winter getaway, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole’s Winter Adventure Package features a four-hour private wildlife tour providing guests the unique experience of observing animals in their natural habitat, a day trip by snowmobile to Granite Hot Springs for a soak in the restorative thermal waters, and a day of skiing on the legendary slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Ski Free Package
Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole’s popular Ski Free Package is offered throughout the season featuring two complimentary three-day ski lift tickets to the renowned Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with a five-night stay, and includes ski and boot rentals through its full-service Ski Concierge.
Ticket to the Tetons Package
Exclusive to Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, the Ticket to the Tetons package outfits a guest with a pair of Igneous hand crafted, custom built skis designed by avid Jackson Hole skiers. Guests booking the package will be introduced to Igneous head engineer, Michael Parris, who will work with the guest prior to arrival to create his or her custom skis. The package also features a four-night stay in one of the resort’s luxury one-bedroom suites and includes a three-day lift ticket for two and a day of skiing with a private guide on the celebrated slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The package must be booked 60-days in advance.
Bed and Breakfast Package
Ideal for couples seeking a relaxing winter retreat, the Bed and Breakfast Package at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole includes breakfast for two in Westbank Grill and access to the resort’s famous alpine inspired Health Club and Spa, as well as its Base Camp concierge team who will create custom itineraries offering everything from romantic sleigh rides for two, to skiing or hiking through a winter wonderland of trails.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
a guest article by B&B expert, Marti Mayne
My husband and I drove right by the driveway on our way to Winvian to celebrate our anniversary. The unassuming sign marked the entrance, but we were having so much fun driving on the country roads in Litchfield Hills, CT, we missed it. We quickly turned around, and found a closed gate. We announced our arrival, the gates slowly opened, and from there on in, we were whisked into a weekend of whimsy at one of the most spectacular B&B resorts in the world. Located between Boston and New York, Winvian is part playground for the rich and famous and part culinary camp for the adventurous, offering a blueblood basecamp with a touch of traditional blended with swank fancy. Bottom line, it sets the bar a little higher for the next perfect getaway. Topping Winvian will be a fun adventure. Click here for more and be sure to click the link to Part II for to read all about Winvian.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".