Family Travel: Celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial in Style

6 October 15

Author: Betsy Reeves

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This summer, the National Park Service turns 100 years old. If your family has been dreaming about visiting some of America’s inspiring natural wonders, there is no better time than this year to do it! However, since the parks are sure to be busier this summer than ever before, planning ahead is crucial to ensuring that you have a place to rest your tired muscles after hiking and sightseeing all day.

If you have never traveled out West, planning a trip can be a daunting task. Even if you have explored the western wonders, keeping on top of changing regulations and park advisories can be overwhelming. At Global Escapes, we can help you navigate your way through this beautiful, but often complicated, vacation planning process.

One company that we have enjoyed working with over the years operates, among other international itineraries, tours of America’s National Park System. Over the last 70 years, Trafalgar Tours has developed powerful relationships with everyone from local providers to hoteliers. As a preferred provider, that means we at Global Escapes can offer our clients that most people would never be able to access on their own. Through our partnership, you can meet local people, hear their stories, and enjoy their food, wine and culture in a way that brings every destination to life.

Here are two exciting summer itineraries for National Park System tours, available through Global Escapes and our partnership with Trafalgar.

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Scenic Parks Explorer

This tour is the ultimate national park adventure. Your family will visit seven parks in the west and mid-west, where diverse landscapes emerge—from Mesa Verde’s carved canyon houses to Bryce Canyon’s towering hoodoos.

Experience the food and lifestyle of a real cowboy on a cookout in Billings, Montana. Discover the history of local legend, Buffalo Bill, in Cody, Wyoming. Don’t just explore the staggering size and beauty of the iconic Grand Canyon, but meet an expert geologist who reveals the ancient natural events that resulted in its formation. Listen to the sounds of nature on a stroll through Yellowstone with a park expert, who adds insights into the geothermal features, wildlife and forests.

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National Parks Wonder

This trip blends old west towns (think Jackson, Cody, Sheridan and Montpelier) with national parks (the big ones! Yellowstone and Grand Teton) and historic monuments, such as Devil’s Tower and Mount Rushmore.

Your insider experiences include meeting the owner of Sheridan’s PO News and Flagstaff Café, an old world eatery in this historic western town. With its store established in 1910, the café’s mix of home-style American fare, downtown setting and welcoming atmosphere is the perfect backdrop to your host’s stories of the town’s colorful past as the capital of the Bighorn region. In Yellowstone, meet another local character, who takes you on a walk among the geysers, hot springs and mud pots of the world’s oldest national park.

Exploring the world with loved ones is a gift, and those memories you make together will last a lifetime. What better place to build this foundation than while visiting America’s natural vistas and historic sites? As you begin thinking about a western adventure, let us know if we can help you find your way.

This article is the first in a series on family travel. We recently held a Travel Talk seminar for families with high school seniors, and we had a great turnout from parents who want to travel as a family before their child moves away after graduation. We hope that this series inspires you to see the world with your family before the nest is empty! Want to read more about family travel? Check out our other posts:

Mele Kalikimaka! O’ahu for the Holidays

Sail Away this Spring

Best of All Worlds With G Adventures

 

 

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