American National Parks
Discussion
I am in the process of doing something i probably shouldn't be doing. Planning a holiday after just coming back from one which cost a small fortune probably isn't that advisable! I am thinking there's no harm in looking and researching though, right?!
My only issue with this years trip is that i should be buying a house, so if that happens then obviously i wont be going anywhere for many years to come! If it doesn't though, i will have a small budget of approx £2k (for one person).
My current idea is a trip somewhere in the USA to see national parks. I have been to the US several times before, so would ideally like to avoid the same areas if possible. I have so far visited: San Fransisco, San Diego, LA, Las Vegas (+ Grand Canyon), Boston, Niagara Falls, NYC.
So for a 2 week trip, for one person, what route would you recommend? Ideally i would like to finish somewhere with amazing beaches for a couple of days, though this isn't essential.
I do have some ideas on routes, though would be interested to here which national parks people feel are worth visiting.
Thanks!
My only issue with this years trip is that i should be buying a house, so if that happens then obviously i wont be going anywhere for many years to come! If it doesn't though, i will have a small budget of approx £2k (for one person).
My current idea is a trip somewhere in the USA to see national parks. I have been to the US several times before, so would ideally like to avoid the same areas if possible. I have so far visited: San Fransisco, San Diego, LA, Las Vegas (+ Grand Canyon), Boston, Niagara Falls, NYC.
So for a 2 week trip, for one person, what route would you recommend? Ideally i would like to finish somewhere with amazing beaches for a couple of days, though this isn't essential.
I do have some ideas on routes, though would be interested to here which national parks people feel are worth visiting.
Thanks!
I have limited experience as I haven't visited any parks outside of California and the Southwest. I am sure JulianHJ will back me up in saying that Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon (both in Utah) are lovely. Big thumbs up for Death Valley and Yosemite too.
This year we are spending 2 weeks going back to Utah to see Arches NP and Canyonlands NP, before heading on to Monument Valley and then Antelope Canyon (Page, AZ). Followed by 1 week in San Francisco.
You can't go wrong with Utah. So many national (and state) parks that are awesome. Just fly in to Las Vegas and hit the road. Zion is about 3 hours north east. Just no beaches to finish off with (you'll have seen plenty of sand en-route though
)
This year we are spending 2 weeks going back to Utah to see Arches NP and Canyonlands NP, before heading on to Monument Valley and then Antelope Canyon (Page, AZ). Followed by 1 week in San Francisco.
You can't go wrong with Utah. So many national (and state) parks that are awesome. Just fly in to Las Vegas and hit the road. Zion is about 3 hours north east. Just no beaches to finish off with (you'll have seen plenty of sand en-route though
)Hi Matt.
I agree with Sarah, about Zion and Bryce NP's. Bryce in particular. I have travelled extensively in US National Parks over the past few years and there are some great ones.
Depending on what type of NP you are into, then I can thoroughly recommend Yellowstone and Glacier NP in Montana / Wyoming. Yellowstone is simply amazing with the Geysers and hot springs (also the Grand Teton NP south of Yellowstone is spectacular) and Glacier is the best NP we have been to for hiking (only day hikes - I'm not super fit at all!) and is often a lot less crowded than some others. The wildlife is also superb in Glacier - loads of bears and moose.
In Arizona / Utah then Arches (again as mentioned) is fantastic as is Monument Valley. Also in NE Arizona, Canyon de Chelley is worth a vist (and nearby, is 'Petrified Forest NP') and one of my favourite places is Sedona - North of Phoenix.
(oh, a note for Sarah - if you do go to Antelope Canyon - and you should as we went years ago before it became a bit more 'touristy' and its one of the best places I've been to in USA - then go to the Navajo office at Antelope Canyon car park in Page(which itself is a fantastically scenic town) and get a car pass (only a few $) to park on Highway 89 a couple of miles South of Page (by a road bridge - check with them for exact directions) for the very little known slot canyon off the main Highway there and head East for best part of the canyons - you'll probably have them all to yourselves and if you go a mile or so then it gets really narrow and scenic).
If you do Glacier / Yellowstone then you could go back to Seattle (about 700 miles, though!) and have a look at Olympic NP in Washington state and/or if you have to do beaches, then head down to the town of Seaside in Oregon (or that sort of area) where there are miles of sandy beaches and plenty of motels.
If beaches are a must, then I also love the Everglades NP in Florida (SW of Miami). The wildlife there is great, too - Crocodiles and Alligators etc and you could do airboat rides and canoe trips. If you do this, then a great road is this one in North Everglades (near the north entrance to the park) where you'll see loads of wildlife -
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
and then you could go onto Naples area for beaches or back to 'The Keys' on the SW point of Florida.
Or, in North East USA, then possibly Acadia NP in Maine - also near beaches - and stunning coastal scenery.
Anyway, I realise that this is probably getting boring for you now, so hope these few ideas have given you some research potential.
(My favourites are Yellowstone and any of the ideas in Arizona/Utah, though).
Cheers, Jon
I agree with Sarah, about Zion and Bryce NP's. Bryce in particular. I have travelled extensively in US National Parks over the past few years and there are some great ones.
Depending on what type of NP you are into, then I can thoroughly recommend Yellowstone and Glacier NP in Montana / Wyoming. Yellowstone is simply amazing with the Geysers and hot springs (also the Grand Teton NP south of Yellowstone is spectacular) and Glacier is the best NP we have been to for hiking (only day hikes - I'm not super fit at all!) and is often a lot less crowded than some others. The wildlife is also superb in Glacier - loads of bears and moose.
In Arizona / Utah then Arches (again as mentioned) is fantastic as is Monument Valley. Also in NE Arizona, Canyon de Chelley is worth a vist (and nearby, is 'Petrified Forest NP') and one of my favourite places is Sedona - North of Phoenix.
(oh, a note for Sarah - if you do go to Antelope Canyon - and you should as we went years ago before it became a bit more 'touristy' and its one of the best places I've been to in USA - then go to the Navajo office at Antelope Canyon car park in Page(which itself is a fantastically scenic town) and get a car pass (only a few $) to park on Highway 89 a couple of miles South of Page (by a road bridge - check with them for exact directions) for the very little known slot canyon off the main Highway there and head East for best part of the canyons - you'll probably have them all to yourselves and if you go a mile or so then it gets really narrow and scenic).
If you do Glacier / Yellowstone then you could go back to Seattle (about 700 miles, though!) and have a look at Olympic NP in Washington state and/or if you have to do beaches, then head down to the town of Seaside in Oregon (or that sort of area) where there are miles of sandy beaches and plenty of motels.
If beaches are a must, then I also love the Everglades NP in Florida (SW of Miami). The wildlife there is great, too - Crocodiles and Alligators etc and you could do airboat rides and canoe trips. If you do this, then a great road is this one in North Everglades (near the north entrance to the park) where you'll see loads of wildlife -
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...
and then you could go onto Naples area for beaches or back to 'The Keys' on the SW point of Florida.
Or, in North East USA, then possibly Acadia NP in Maine - also near beaches - and stunning coastal scenery.
Anyway, I realise that this is probably getting boring for you now, so hope these few ideas have given you some research potential.
(My favourites are Yellowstone and any of the ideas in Arizona/Utah, though).
Cheers, Jon
Zion, Yellowstone and Glacier are the ones that i have been thinking about. I just worry that i'd be pushing it to do all of this in 2 weeks. There's also the slight issue of knowing where to fly into and out of, as these places can be a little out of the way!
The one route i have at the moment is 1,700 miles
The one route i have at the moment is 1,700 miles
For Glacier, we flew to Calgary (also has the added bonus of going to 'Waterton Lakes NP' in Canada - actually borders USA and is joined onto Glacier NP - there is a road Customs entry/exit port from USA to Canada nearby). (Or if you don't mind the drive, then Seattle - to do the other beaches on way back I mentioned before).
For Yellowstone, we flew to Chicago then internal flight to Salt Lake City - 200 ish miles south of Yellowstone.
For Zion, then SLC again or Phoenix (would give you the chance to do Sedona and Antelope Canyon on the way up.)
Jon
For Yellowstone, we flew to Chicago then internal flight to Salt Lake City - 200 ish miles south of Yellowstone.
For Zion, then SLC again or Phoenix (would give you the chance to do Sedona and Antelope Canyon on the way up.)
Jon
I quite enjoyed some time I spent in Smoky Mountains and on the Appalachian Trail. Only downside is that it can be a bit artificial feeling as the parks authorities have cleared out the locals i.e. the hill billies, on the upside you don't get a one toothed Bubba taking a fancy to you.
Oh yes, one day I stopped off the side of the track to :ahem: inspect the trees, nudge nudge. As I was standing there inspecting the trees with dick in hand happened to notice that was standing quite close to some sort of animal trap.
Took a few seconds to realise that considering the large size of the trap that it was probably designed to catch something that I would not be too happy meeting face to face. Zipped up and scarpered sharpish.
Also not that far from Nashville etc.
Oh yes, one day I stopped off the side of the track to :ahem: inspect the trees, nudge nudge. As I was standing there inspecting the trees with dick in hand happened to notice that was standing quite close to some sort of animal trap.
Took a few seconds to realise that considering the large size of the trap that it was probably designed to catch something that I would not be too happy meeting face to face. Zipped up and scarpered sharpish.
Also not that far from Nashville etc.
Try Southern Florida, 100 miles west of Miami on I75 is Naples and Marco Island on the Gulf Coast with fabulous wide beaches, plenty of choice as far as accommodation goes and good food.
There's the Everglades National Park that runs alongside I75 for virtually the whole 100 miles from Miami, also worth a drive down the Keys to Key West, the whole of the Keys are stunning and it's somewhat surreal driving over 7 mile bridge which spans the Atlantic from one Key to the next. If you do this though allow a couple of days and stay over in Key West. The marine life off the Keys is something else. Well worth a visit.
There's the Everglades National Park that runs alongside I75 for virtually the whole 100 miles from Miami, also worth a drive down the Keys to Key West, the whole of the Keys are stunning and it's somewhat surreal driving over 7 mile bridge which spans the Atlantic from one Key to the next. If you do this though allow a couple of days and stay over in Key West. The marine life off the Keys is something else. Well worth a visit.
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