Montana road trip: Helena

Montana road trip: Helena Read Post

Montana

Montana road trip: Helena

We wake up early and drive directly from Dillon to Helena. Montana's capital is lively little town (pop. 28,000) with lots of history. We decide to dig right into its storied past and spend the day touring historical sights. Here’s what we did:

1) The Parrot Confectionary, Helena

My kids' eyes get as big as saucers when they walk inside this old-fashioned soda fountain. As soon as you pass through door, there's a colorful display of hand-dipped candies.

But we can't have candy yet. We must eat lunch first. We park ourselves in one of the booths and order four bowls of chili.
This old-fashioned soda fountain looks just like it did in 1935 when it first opened in this location (it first opened in a different spot in 1910). There's a big red Formica counter with stools that spin around, and then several wooden booths. The lunch menu is simple: hot dogs and chili.
A friendly teenage boy carries the steaming bowls filled with huge chunks of steak to our table. There's a basket of Saltine crackers to go with it. We all devour our chili without saying a word. After her last bight, my daughter says, "Can we have some candy?"
It's hard to choose from the dozens of offerings: Turkish delight, raspberry creams, chocolate peanut butter fudge, almond butter toffee. We all decide on "Parrots," which are the same thing as a Turtle with chocolate, soft caramel and toasted pecans.

The lady behind the counter asks, "Do you want a tour of the back?"

My daughter practically screams, "Yes."

In the back we're escorted into a tiny refrigerated room where a woman who has worked at the Parrot for 30 years is hand-dipping chocolates. The time and effort that goes into each piece of candy is remarkable. These bon-bons are truly made with love. We all get a sample, and then another. "That's my favorite place in Montana," my daughter said, as we were leaving The Parrot.

2) Great Northern Carousel, Helena The kids take a spin on this modern carousel featuring Montana wildlife. My daughter hops on a bison and my son a big-horned sheep. There's a dispenser hanging from the wall feeding out little rings that you can grab and then throw into the mouth of a clown. My kids arms aren't long enough to reach a ring, but they keep trying. The rings make the carousel all the more fun for older kids.

3) Montana State Capitol, Helena
Montana's Capitol dates back to 1902 and in 2002 it was restored to its original look. The interior of this neoclassical building is absolutely stunning with stained glass, historical murals, and a barrel vaulted ceiling over the grand stairway. Free guided tours leave on the hour, with the first leaving at 9 a.m. and the last at 2 p.m. My kids ages 6 and 8 seem to find the tour interesting, and they like the stories that our guide tells about the murals of Indians, miners, and Lewis and Clark.


4) Last Chance Train Tours, Helena
The best way to see the town and pick up some history is on board this one-hour train tour. The guides know everything about the state's history but they don't bore you. They keep it fun by cracking lots of jokes. "That's what you call a 'Montana rode-eo'" our guide said when the train went over a big bump in the road.

Here are a few of the places we passed on the tour:

Opulent mansion district featuring homes of Helena's mining millionaires


St. Helena Gothic Cathedral with dramatic 230-foot spires

The Old Fire Tower, built in 1876. One of the few remaining in the U.S.


5) Toi’s Thai, Helena
The food coming out of this amazing little Thai restaurant is what you’d expect to be served at the home of a family living in Thailand. The flavors are intense and the coconut curry chicken that we savor is rich and lemony and far tastier than anything I’ve eaten at the Thai restaurants where I live in the metropolitan city of San Francisco. In the middle of our meal, Toi comes out of the kitchen and says hello to diners. There are only about six or eight tables. It's truly like eating in someone's home.
To read the complete Montana road trip series, click here. To join conversations about the road trip, check out the On the Go with Amy Facebook page. If you want up-to-the-minute updates, follow @onthegowithamy on Twitter.

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Montana road trip: Hamilton to Dillon

Montana road trip: Hamilton to Dillon Read Post

Montana

Montana road trip: Hamilton to Dillon

We wake up early on our third day in Montana because we have a packed itinerary. Our plan is to continue our drive through the Bitterroot Valley along Highway 93, and then drive over Chief Joseph Pass, crossing the Continental Divide. We'll then cut through the Big Hole Valley along Highway 43, before hopping onto 278, which will take us to Dillon, where we will spend the night.

Here are a few highlights from our day:


1) Blodgett Canyon, Hamilton
Hamilton locals refer to the box canyon just outside of town as a little Yosemite. And as we walk the Canyon Creek Trail, which follows a rushing river, we understand why. Granite peaks loom overhead. Not Half Dome, but still impressive.


2) Spice of Life Eclectic Café, Hamilton
This funky café housed in a 1909 historic building was initially a bank, then a rollicking bar, and now it's one of the best places in town for lunch and dinner. The menu is eclectic, as you'd expect, and you'll find a bit of Caribbean, Thai, Japanese, and Italian cuisine. My husband and I split a Jamaican jerk chicken salad and a bowl of black bean chili. The kids opt for a fruit plate off the children's menu.


3) Sassy Sewing Company, Hamilton
After lunch, we stroll down Main Street. My daughter spots this store selling handmade doll clothes for Barbies and American Girl Dolls. Susan Raye White is the amazing woman behind this shop and she sews at least one new dress a day. She shows us a wedding dress that’s a copy of the Kate Middleton gown. She plans to have it on display at the county fair. My daughter uses her spending money to buy a few things.


4) Lake Como, outside Darby
This pretty little mountain lake framed by snowy peaks has a soft, sandy beach that’s a popular swimming spot with locals. There’s also a hike that takes you around the lake and past a waterfall. Since we spent the morning hiking we opt for an afternoon swim.


5) Big Bear Taxidermy, Darby
Animal trophies are a dime a dozen in Montana and hang in restaurants, saloons, hotels, even the airport. But when you walk into this tiny storefront where the walls are covered in moose, deer, and bear heads, you feel the power of these beautiful animals. Dozens of deep, brown eyes are staring right at you, and it’s a rather arresting feeling.
I ask the taxidermist about a stuffed mountain lion that appears humongous. “Are mountain lions really that big?”

“Well, that’s an especially huge lion,” he tells me.


6) Big Hole National Battlefield
Over 125 years ago U.S. soldiers sneaked up on a Nez Perce tribe camped next to the Big Hole River. Gun shots were fired and almost 90 Nez Perce, mainly innocent women and children, were killed. Thirty soldiers and volunteers also died in the brutal battle. This National Battlefield was created to honor those who died.

In the visitor center, exhibits and a movie tell the story of the battle. The video brings my daughter to tears and she insists that we hike down to the battlefield where tipis made from sticks honor the Nez Perce.


7) Bannack State ParkFrom the Battlefield we drive through the Big Hole Valley, a broad stretch of land with jagged peaks marching along either side. We stop at the ghost town of Bannack.
Bannack was founded in 1862 when John White discovered gold on Grasshopper Creek. As news of the gold strike spread many prospectors and businessmen rushed to Bannack hoping to strike it rich. In 1864, Bannack was named as the first Territorial Capital of Montana. For years it was hopping, but the population started dwindling in the 30s and 40s and then completely disappeared in the 50s. What remains is a row of some sixty buildings, and you can step inside most of them.


8) Dillon
We roll into this little town at about 8 p.m. We'd read that it was named one of "America's Prettiest Towns" in Forbes magazine in 2010, but unfortunately we're unable to explore since it's so late. We drive around and notice the beautiful University of Montana Western campus. We drive by a Patagonia outlet (random place to find one) and downtown's main drag of red-brick buildings, and then grab dinner at Papa T's. Video games line one wall of the restaurant and the kids have fun playing PacMan (only 25 cents!). And then we fill up on pizza, piled high with fresh veggies.

To read the complete Montana road trip series, click here. To join conversations about the road trip, check out the On the Go with Amy Facebook page. If you want up-to-the-minute updates, follow @onthegowithamy on Twitter.

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Montana road trip: Flathead Lake and Hamilton

Montana road trip: Flathead Lake and Hamilton Read Post

Montana

Montana road trip: Flathead Lake and Hamilton

On the second day of our road trip we drive an hour from Missoula to Flathead Lake and then we opt to take the scenic route on our drive to the Bitterroot Valley. Here are a few highlights from the day:
1) Mission Mountain Range

We're driving through rural countryside (lots of hay bales) outside Missoula on our way to Flathead Lake, and then, Bam! Jagged, snow-topped mountains are staring us in the face. I'm so startled and excited that I scream. My husband points out that the mountains are spectacular because there aren't any foothills. They shoot right up from the valley floor. This is the moment when I fall in love with Montana and its mountains.


2) Flathead Lake
Who knew? This is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi. It’s only slightly larger than California's better-known Lake Tahoe but it seems twice as big as it’s long and skinny. When my 5-year-old son first spots the massive expanse of water he screams, “Look! The Ocean!”
We want to get out on the lake and so we rent a canoe for an hour, which costs us $25. This is a splurge since we’re on such a tight budget.


3) Lake City Bakery & Eatery, Polson
We break for lunch at a homey café in downtown Polson. Marilyn Humphrey has owned this local favorite for 41 years and her son wakes up every morning at 3 a.m. to make the doughnuts served at breakfast and hamburger and hot dog buns used at lunch. Soups and stews are a speciality and we settle on bowls of $5 chili loaded with onions and cheese. The beans are perfectly firm, the broth spicy, and the meat moist.


4) Cherries, Flathead Lake
Montana gets way too cold for cherries, right? Not on the east shore of Flathead Lake, which enjoys a surprisingly temperate climate. We stop at the first cherry stand and soon my kids’ mouths and cheeks are covered in red stains. But we spot dozens more stands as we drive around the lake. The orchards, which extend clear down to the lake edge, are absolutely breathtaking set against the deep blue waters.


5) Highway 83
Our plan is to stay the night in the Bitterroot Valley and so we must drive back to Missoula, and then drive for another hour to Hamilton. Rather than take the fast and smooth highways, we opt for the longer scenic route because a guy in a gas station tells me that we’ll probably come across moose, something I’ve always wanted to see in the wild.

Highway 93 stretches for 91 miles between the town of Big Fork on Flathead Lake and Montana Highway 200. It passes through a sparsely populated region with forested valleys and pretty lakes. We never spot any big-antlered animals but we do see more breathtaking mountains, the scenic Swan Lake, and the Morley Canoe Shop with gorgeous hand-carved boats on display.


6) Ice Cream Place, Seeley Lake
The highlight of our stop in Seeley Lake was a spot serving up old-fashioned soft serve. I skip the cone and opt for a huckleberry shake instead. Huckleberries have a blueberry flavor but their flavor is more intense.

7) Hamilton
This former timber town sits in the heart of the lush Bitterroot Valley, an hour outside Missoula. We arrive in the evening and check into the Best Western Hamilton Inn. The retro motel-style property is just blocks from downtown's shopping strip filled with Old West charm. You expect to see cowboys walking down the street and in fact there are a few men sporting hats but there are also a lot of 20-somethings in hiking boots. Hamilton has become a hub for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy everything from skiing to mountain-biking.


8) Hamilton rabbits
In downtown Hamilton on Main Street, we spot a rabbit hopping across the street. It’s black and white—doesn’t look like the typical wild rabbit. We figure that someone’s pet has escaped and so we follow it. And then a local tells us that there are rabbits all over town. “They’re our town pets. We all enjoy them!”

*To read the complete Montana road trip series, click here. To join conversations about the road trip, check out the On the Go with Amy Facebook page. If you want up-to-the-minute updates, follow @onthegowithamy on Twitter.

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Thank you, Missoula!

Thank you, Missoula! Read Post

Thank you, Missoula!

Our family enjoyed our stay in Missoula. The Big Dipper ice cream, the hike up to Mount Sentinel, and the walk along the river were all memorable. We also had fun sharing travel tips on KECI-TV/NBC. Here's a link to the segment that will be up and running for a few days.

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Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn, Missoula

Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn, Missoula Read Post

Best Western Hotels

Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn, Missoula

Let me count the ways our family loved the Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn in Missoula

1. The front-desk staff is friendly. Two lovely ladies checked us in to our room. They directed us to the amazing local hike to the top of Mount Sentinel.
2. The swimming pool is huge. My kids had a ball splashing around in the heated indoor pool--while mom and dad relaxed in the hot tub.
3. The rooms are clean, light, spacious and airy. We loved our room filled with windows overlooking the Missoula mountains. The furnishings were tasteful and beds comfy.
4. Breakfast was delicious. The impressive spread included sliced strawberries, kiwi, and cantaloupe as well as fluffy pancakes. Yum!

The Best Western Plus Grant Creek Inn is only one freeway exit from Downtown Missoula. Its tucked against a grassy field that was dotted with wildflowers during our stay.

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Montana road trip: Missoula

Montana road trip: Missoula Read Post

Montana road trip: Missoula

Our Montana road trip starts in Missoula, Montana's second-largest city located in the western part of the state. We instantly fall for this laid-back college town with leafy tree-lined streets and spend an afternoon exploring its riverfront park and downtown.

These are the highlights from our day in Missoula:

1) Missoula Airport
As soon as you step inside this airport, you feel as if you've arrived at a wild, untamed place. Giant animal trophies hanging from the wall great arriving passengers. Men wearing cowboy hats and holding fly-rods sit around waiting for their planes. A 10-foot stuffed brown bear stands on his black legs inside a glass case. Across the way, a stuffed turkey looks so real you practically hear a gobble. This is what I expected Montana to be like, though I never thought its outdoorsy charm would be so strongly present at the airport. I instantly fall in love with Montana before even stepping outside.


2) Clark Fork River
This snaking river cuts right through downtown Missoula and its collection of redbrick buildings. We walk along the riverfront, stopping to ride the lovingly restored carousel, exploring the giant castle-like playground at Dragon Hollow, and watching the kayakers play in the waves.

3) The Staggering Ox
The sandwiches dished up at this popular spot in a strip mall are like nothing else. Fresh fixings are stuffed inside cylinder-shaped loaves of bread that have been hollowed out--it's sort of like a sandwich in a bread cup. It works brilliantly because the kitchen crew whips up all sorts of homemade sauces--spicy horseradish blue cheese, yogurt dill, ranch--and these cup-like loaves hold in all the yummy goo. I was quite happy with my salami sandwich dressed in a vinegarette.

4) Mount Sentinel
From downtown you can see this mountain. It's hard to miss because there's a giant white M on the side of it. As soon as I notice the switchback trail leading up to the M, I know that we must do the hike. We're told the best time to head up is in the evening when it cools off so we take this advice and park at the trail head after dinner.

A plaque at the trail head says that forestry students cut the switchbacks in the early 1900s and in 1909 students build the first M with white-washed rocks. Finally, in 1968 a 125-foot-long concrete M was installed.

The views from the M are breathtaking—and as you get higher more and more mountains pop into view and you realize that Missoula sits in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

5) Big Dipper Ice Cream Fresh, homemade ice cream—including the state favorite, Huckleberry.

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Montana road trip: Rules of the road

Montana road trip: Rules of the road Read Post

Budget Tips Montana

Montana road trip: Rules of the road

Our Montana Road Trip adventure has official started! Again, we're a family of four traveling 600 miles through the state of Montana.
Before heading out, we established some guidelines:

• Travel on a budget. We have about $1,600 to cover the cost of lodging, food, hotel, and entertainment for 9 days; this comes to $175 a day. We're not including the cost of driving a car or our plane flights or airport related expenses.
• Act like a local. Read local papers, listen to local radio, talk to local people. (We'll be referring to the GetLostMT.com website with over 800 stories about places to eat, stay, and play in Montana, written by the ultimate experts: local Montanans and others who have been there.)
• Avoid franchised restaurants. Eat where the locals eat. Go to farmers' markets. Picnic.
• Travel off the beaten path. Stay off the interstate whenever possible and take the scenic route.
• Appreciate our surroundings. Learn all that we can about Montana by stopping at museums, reading interpretive signs, talking with experts.
• Keep the kids entertained--without the help of a DVD player. Sing songs, play games, look out the window, and bond as a family. We've downloaded dozens of Books on Tape onto the iPhone—thanks to the San Francisco Public Library.
• Stop every two hours. We've designed an itinerary with short driving days. Some days we're only driving an hour. But on those longer hauls, we promise to pull over and let the kids run around.
• Eat all the huckleberry shakes we possibly can. The weather is supposed to be hot and we plan to cool off with berry shakes.
• Swim. We're staying at Best Westerns along the way and they all have swimming pools. We also hope to splash around in a mountain lake and get our toes in rushing river.
• Have fun. Relax. Move slowly. Stop to smell the roses.

You're welcome to nit-pick at our budget and the way we approach our trip. I'm sure some of you would do things differently. But even better, feel free to offer up ideas for places we should visit along our route and tips on how to travel on a budget.
*To read the complete Montana road trip series, click here. To join conversations about the road trip, check out the On the Go with Amy Facebook page. If you want up-to-the-minute updates, follow @onthegowithamy on Twitter.

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Montana road trip

Montana road trip Read Post

Montana

Montana road trip

My husband and I have decided to drive through the state of Montana with our two kids--ages 6 and 8--this summer. Our plan is to fly into Missoula, dip down into the Bitterroot Valley, swoop up to Helena, spend a couple days in Bozeman and Yellowstone, and then finish up in Billings.

We'll spend seven nights, eight days, covering 600 miles, and along the way we hope to climb tall mountains, plunge into cool lakes, catch a fish, drink a huckleberry shake, and take in Big Sky country's majestic scenery (and my 8-year-old daughter hopes that we won't be seeing any grizzly bears).

Photo: Flickr / Sebastian Bergmann

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Want to avoid getting stuck in traffic this 4th? There's an app for that

Want to avoid getting stuck in traffic this 4th? There's an app for that Read Post

Want to avoid getting stuck in traffic this 4th? There's an app for that

Our family will spend the Fourth of July with some friends in Lake Tahoe. This means we'll be driving Highway 80 from San Francisco to Sacramento and then on into the mountains. This 200-mile stretch is notorious for traffic and a trip that's supposed to be only four hours can easily turn into six, seven, nine, even 10 hours. I'm not kidding. It gets that bad.

We're hoping to avoid the traffic and so our plan is to leave Thursday night after 7 p.m. We'll return on the morning of the Fourth, skipping holiday activities on the lake and fireworks. We feel it's worth leaving early to avoid the traffic jams.

I was also interested in finding out if there are any apps for the iPhone that can help track traffic. It seems the best available is SigAlert. The app is tied into the state highway patrols' data and offers the most-up-to-date traffic maps available through any app.

I checked out the list of maps available for California and sure enough, they've got our trip entirely covered with maps for San Francisco, Sacramento, and Davis/Yolo, El Dorado, and Placer Counties.

You can easily zoom in and out of the maps and the app will give you estimated travel times for your selected route.

We won't necessarily gain any time on our trip by checking SigAlert and then finding out that there's a major jam ahead in Sacramento. But it will help us determine when to stop and grab dinner--and if that traffic becomes unbearable bad during our drive on Thursday, maybe we'll just pull over and stay the night in a Best Western and then hit the road early Friday morning. Who wants to sit in traffic when you have two little kids in the car?

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TSA to perform fewer child pat downs

TSA to perform fewer child pat downs Read Post

TSA to perform fewer child pat downs

The Transportation Security Administration has been under fire for performing pat downs on children.

There was a national outcry when a YouTube video of a 6-year-old getting a pat down went viral. And then a parent took video footage with the hands of a TSA official all over a baby.

The TSA now says it will be giving fewer pat downs though they'll need to continue to use the procedure in some instances, according to the Associated Press.

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Summer bargin destinations 2011

Summer bargin destinations 2011 Read Post

Summer bargin destinations 2011

USA Today has put together a roundup of five affordable destinations for this summer. New York City, Houston, Costa Rica, Reno, and Fort Myers, Fl., all make up the list.

New York makes the cut because this city is full with new hotels, which keeps rates down. Houston is in it's of-season in summer as its baking hot so you're bound to find deals. Also, it's now the largest hub of the largest airline in the world: United-Continental so you're bound to score cheap plane tickets in and out of this Texas city.

Why Fort Myers? Continental just announced mid-July airfare sales and hotels are slashing rates. And Costa Rica is on the list because the Central America country is in the midst of its wet seaon--yet this can also be a beautiful time to visit. Usually the rain only falls in the morning. Finally, Reno is a deal thanks to new airline service and affordable hotel rooms.

Read the full USA Today article

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Free entrance day in National Parks

Free entrance day in National Parks Read Post

Free entrance day in National Parks

More than 100 national parks that typically charge an entrance fee will let travelers in for free on June 21, the official first day of summer.

Florida's Everglades, California's Yosemite, Colorado's Mesa Verde, Oregon's Crater Lake, Utah's Arches, Washington's Olympic and Wyoming's Yellowstone are among those waiving entrance fees.

More info

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Earn a free night with Best Western!

Earn a free night with Best Western! Read Post

Earn a free night with Best Western!

Stay three separate times between June 19 and August 14, 2011, at any Best Western hotel, and earn a free night voucher.

Register here

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BBC: Babies vs. business travellers

BBC: Babies vs. business travellers Read Post

BBC: Babies vs. business travellers

This from BBC's Passport blog:

The problem with babies and business travellers is that neither really wants to be on the plane in the first place. And both are prone to tantrums.

Babies are aboard because their parents want them there. Business travellers are there because their bosses or clients want them to be.
The tension between the two groups reaches a fever pitch in the summer, when business travellers have to start sharing their space with throngs of vacationers. That’s when you’ll hear business travellers whining (like babies) about needing special “family” sections on planes, banishing children from business class or reserving certain flights for “adults only”. They express their frustration in-flight by banging noisily on their laptop keyboards, talking loudly with colleagues, or by drinking too much and then laughing out loud (or crying) at movies on their new iPads.
Since most babies can’t talk yet, they don’t really have a say in the matter. But they communicate their dislike of the grouchy old business traveller in other ways — by kicking their seatbacks, shrieking nonstop for hours or smelling up their space with a leaky diaper or vomit.
“I find that most babies are well behaved on flights,” said Amy Graff, Best Western’s family travel expert. “Unfortunately, it’s the ones who misbehave that give others a bad reputation.” With two kids of her own, Graff recommends that when business travellers see well-behaved babies, they should point it out to the parents with a compliment.
In any case, as peak summer travel season approaches, it’s inevitable that the two groups will meet again. And it is the business traveller that needs to take the high road and be the mature one in the relationship. So here is your advice for dealing with:
The crying baby
With a shrill squeal only a mother could love, the crying baby is by far the most frequently noticed type of travelling baby. Business travellers can put up with occasional wails during takeoff or landing, but their blood pressure rises and eyebrows arch when the baby shrieks throughout the flight, especially if it is overnight. To avoid going over the edge and throwing a tantrum, business travellers should pack earplugs or invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headsets, and don’t glare at the parents of a crying baby. “The glares from other travellers make the parents feel more stressed. And then the babies pick up on the stress of their parents and cry even more,” Graff said.
Read the full post
Photo: Flickr

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Ask Amy: Where should I eat during a two-day visit to Paris?

Ask Amy: Where should I eat during a two-day visit to Paris? Read Post

Ask Amy

Ask Amy: Where should I eat during a two-day visit to Paris?

Question: My wife and I are going to be traveling to Europe for a little over a week at the end of August. We need some help in planning our Paris trip though. We only have two days there and want to make the most of it. We know the big landmarks and will be visiting those but was looking for your expertise in finding a nice hotel for a reasonable price ($100-150 per night) as well as the must hit restaurants. We want to experience the best food and local eateries that Paris has during our short visit.

Have you been to Paris and can you offer any advice?

Answer: Yes! I've been to Paris. In fact, my daughter is named Paris!

I recommend visiting BestWestern.com to find well-priced accommodations. The world's largest hotel family has about three dozen properties in the City of Light. The Grand Hotel De L'Univers in the prestigious Saint German Des Pres, the Quartier Latin Pantheon near Notre Dame Cathedral, the France Europe in the trendy Marais district, and the Ronceray Opera, among several others, are in your price range.

Here are a few restaurant recommendations:

Bistrot Victoires: Classic rustic French cafe near the Louvre. Affordable. Casual. Try the steak and chips and the creme brule.

Chez Georges: 1920s-style bistro. Lively atmosphere. Order the rib roast served with a rich potato gratin.

Rino: Hip spot in the Bastille for dinner. Modern European food.

Mi-Va-Mi: In the heart of the Jewish quarter, try falafel and spit-fired schwarma.

Berthillon: You'll have to line up for a scoop but it's worth the wait at this tiny ice cream shop on Ile Saint Louis.

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Top 5 Ways to Avoid the Crowds in National Parks

Top 5 Ways to Avoid the Crowds in National Parks Read Post

National Parks

Top 5 Ways to Avoid the Crowds in National Parks

Summer is here. Schools are out and families are getting ready to take off on vacation. This means our nation's national parks will start to fill up. These parks, from Yellowstone to Yosemite, allow kids to get up-close with nature and offer great value for families. But they can also become overwhelmingly crowded. For some tips on ways to avoid the crowds, we checked in with award-winning travel writer and photographer, James Kaiser.
1. Get an Early Start
Sunrise is a breathtaking experience in any national park. But most park visitors, snug in their sleeping bags or in a comfy lodge, sleep right through it. Wake up early and you'll be treated to incredible views without the crowds, even at the most popular viewpoints. And don't forget to pack your camera. Sunrise bathes the parks in soft, beautiful light—perfect for taking gorgeous landscape photos.

2. Go for a Hike
Sad but true: Most national park visitors never venture farther than 100 yards away from their cars. Of course, if you're looking to avoid the crowds this statistic is great news. Go for a hike and the crowds will start to thin out immediately. Choose a challenging trail and you'll really get away from the masses. As a general rule, crowds diminish exponentially for every step you take away from the pavement. And remember: hiking trails often lead to the most spectacular viewpoints.

3. Avoid the Hotspots
Most national parks are famous for a specific spot—Yosemite Valley in Yosemite, Old Faithful in Yellowstone, Mather Point in Grand Canyon. But take Robert Frost's advice and choose the road less traveled. It really will make all the difference. Follow the herds and you'll find more herds. Do a little pre-trip research and you'll discover that some of the most beautiful places in any national park are often some of the least well-known.This is where a good guidebook can really come in handy. Plan your trip ahead of time and you'll know exactly where to go—and where not to go—as soon as you arrive.

4. Take Advantage of the Night.
After a long day of exploring and sightseeing, most visitors are eager to head to bed. But nighttime is when Nature puts on one of her finest shows. Most parks are located in remote areas free of light and air pollution, which means clear skies perfect for stargazing. To help visitors enjoy the night sky, many parks offer free astronomy programs. Still need convincing? This year Memorial Day falls within a few days of the new moon, which means dark skies perfect for viewing distant constellations.

5. Pack a Picnic Lunch
Most national park visitors leave themselves to the mercy of park restaurants, which are swamped with crowds on big weekends. The result? Long lines for tables, bathrooms and parking spaces. The solution? Pack a picnic lunch. In addition to saving hours of time and frustration, a picnic lunch will probably be tastier, healthier and cheaper. Best of all: you can enjoy it at a beautiful viewpoint while everyone else is waiting in line!

Photo: Yosemite County Tourism Office

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A new website for road-trippers

A new website for road-trippers Read Post

A new website for road-trippers

Planning to hit the road this summer? Check out the new All American Road Trip site, sponsored by Valero gas station. The snazzy new site with a sleek design offers detailed rout maps for class trips, ranging from a journey along Route 66 to a drive along the Great River Road, tracing the full length of the Mississippi River. You can also build your own road trip.

The sites spits out itineraries that direct you to major cities, national parks, and points of interest, including the locations of Valero stations and convenience stores along the way. You can also check out Yelp reviews for suggestions on local stops.

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Sorry! American Airlines is no longer gate checking big strollers!

Sorry! American Airlines is no longer gate checking big strollers! Read Post

Sorry! American Airlines is no longer gate checking big strollers!

Parents, the party is over...American Airlines will no longer gate check certain strollers beginning June 1, 2011.

Large joggers and non-collapsibles will now have to be checked at the ticket counter. So if you've got a little one in tow and want to roll them right up to the gate, you'll have to bring a collapsible or umbrella-style stroller that weighs under 20 pounds.

Thankfully there's no charge for checking strollers.

American isn't the first to slap families with this rule. United has a similar policy. But Delta, Alaska, and Southwest allow all strollers to be checked at the gate.

Photo: Teeny Manolo

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New website magically puts together road-trip itineraries

New website magically puts together road-trip itineraries Read Post

New website magically puts together road-trip itineraries

So you want to go on a family road trip this summer. You're thinking Florida. You have two kids who will want to spend some time at an amusement park and you also hope to squeeze in a few days of hiking and getting out in nature. You'd like to stay a few nights in a hotel and then move onto the next locaion. You have seven days and a budget of $3500.

You could spend hours online doing research and planning, or you could simply let a new website called YourTour know what you want and then presto, it spits out an itinerary that includes recommended attractions, accommodations, and precise driving directions between destinations.

The site is brand-new and currently only puts together itineraries for Florida, Andorra, Spain, and France (where Best Western Hotels have partnered with Your Tour). But stay tuned because the site will be adding new destinations soon. Visit, yourtour.com.

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Tips and tricks for saving on gas this summer

Tips and tricks for saving on gas this summer Read Post

Tips and tricks for saving on gas this summer

My family will be hitting the road this summer. We've mapped out a week-long trip through Montana that takes us from Missoula, down into the Bitterroot Valley, up to Helena, back down to Bozeman and then onto Billings. We'll be covering about 700 miles.

We hope to make this a budget trip--limiting ourselves to only $150 a day. Sound tight? Yes, especially with gas prices expected to go through the roof this summer.

How will we ever manage to meet our budget goal and keep our gas prices low? We'll follow many of the tips and tricks offered up in a recent New York Times article, "13 Ways to Save on Gas this Summer."

Here's a look at a few of the tips.

GET A GAS APP There are dozens of apps that help users find cheap gas while on the road. GasBuddy.com, offers one of the more comprehensive for iPhone and Android users, with a clean design and estimated drive times to gas stations in your vicinity. Just tap “Find Gas Near Me” or search by city or ZIP code for a list of gas stations sorted by price. You can click Midgrade, Premium or Diesel for those prices. Selecting Map View displays the stations on a map. Another option is AAA’s free TripTik Mobile app for the iPhone, which allows users to search prices for their preferred grade of gasoline.

STAY OUT OF TRAFFIC Google Maps, which comes preinstalled on many smartphones or is available for download, offers an at-a-glance display of road conditions in major cities to help you find the best route around congestion so you don’t burn up extra fuel in stop-and-go traffic. Color-coded lines correspond to the intensity of traffic: green for no traffic jams, yellow for medium congestion, red for heavy congestion, and red-and-black for stop-and-go. Google Maps Navigation, offered through Google Maps for Android, has recently been updated to offer alternate routes to avoid tie-ups.

PAY LESS FOR YOUR RENTAL CAR A cheaper rental will help offset the cost of gas. Check out the booking site Autoslash.com, which searches the Web for discount coupons on car rentals and applies them after you book. It then continually checks for lower rates and coupons up until your trip date, and automatically applies any discounts it finds. Willing to gamble? Consider Web sites like Priceline.com and Hotwire.com, which offer deep discounts to travelers willing to be locked into a preset price before learning what company they’ll be renting from.

For all 13 tips

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Do you feel guilty about leaving the kids behind?

Do you feel guilty about leaving the kids behind? Read Post

Do you feel guilty about leaving the kids behind?

Two years ago my husband and I left our kids--ages 4 and 6 at the time--with the grandparents and hopped on a plane for Barcelona. We stayed out until 2 a.m. every night and slept in until 2 p.m. We walked miles upon miles, exploring the Spanish city, and we spent hours in museums. Most importantly, we reconnected as a couple, reminiscing about old times over pitchers of sangria.

We were away from our kids for five days and while I missed them, I didn't feel a tinge of guilt. We needed that trip.

Turns out that I'm not alone. According to a recent survey by Orbitz, 71% of women do not feel guilty about taking a summer vacation without their kids. This number was even higher than the men polled, though 67% of men would also take that summer trip kid-free sans guilt.

Have you left your kids behind? Did you feel guilty?

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Best Western summer promotion

Best Western summer promotion Read Post

Best Western summer promotion

To kick the summer travel season into gear, Best Western is introducing a special promotion. Now through June 5, Best Western Rewards members who register for the promotion and stay with Best Western three separate times will earn a $50 USD Best Western Travel Card, which can be used like cash at any of the chain’s 4,000 global hotels until November 1, 2011.

And there's more: Best Western Rewards members who qualify for the promotion and stay with at least two separate descriptor hotels (BEST WESTERN and/or BEST WESTERN PLUS, and/or BEST WESTERN PREMIER), will be automatically entered in the brand’s biggest-ever points giveaway and one of the biggest-ever one-time points prize giveaways by any hotel company: The grand prize is 6.5 million Best Western Rewards points – the equivalent of more than a year of free hotel stays. Five second-place winners will receive a $650 Best Western Travel Card. All who register for the promotion will be entered into a daily drawing for a $65 Best Western Travel Card.

Register for the promotion at www.bestwestern.com/jump.

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What's your favorite Best Western?

What's your favorite Best Western? Read Post

What's your favorite Best Western?

As the family travel spokesperson for Best Western, I've stayed at dozens of properties all over the country--and most of the time I have my kids in tow.

My children have become so familiar with the brand that they scream out, "Best Western!" every time we pass a hotel while driving.

And on our recent trip to Florida it became apparent that they're becoming hotel connoisseurs. As they were walking from a hotel to the parking lot, I eavesdropped on a conversation in which they were discussing which Best Westerns were their favorites. It was hilarious because they were comparing how many waffle makers various properties had available at breakfast and which hotels had hot tubs and which ones had fast elevators.

Later back at the hotel, I asked them to re-create that conversation and I videotaped it. The end result feels a little forced and my children certainly aren't professional actors but I still think it turned out pretty cute.

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