Best prices in the summer for RV rentals

If you are trying to stay within a budget for an RV trip this summer using a rented RV, consider that the best prices are either in June or the second half of August. You could save 20-40% on the cost of one of the larger components of your trip. With airfares cheaper than they have been in years in combination with a great rate on your RV, you can really save a bunch if you travel in the right time of the summer. And the crowds may be a little bit more manageable!

It's not too late to consider a National Park vacation out West. While we are seeing that some popular campgrounds are booked for certain dates this summer, we have had no problem getting rental RV's for our clients. Availability in Canada may be a little dicey during the peak of the summer, but there are still plenty of great dates available for visiting our neighbors to the north. And the exchange rates continue to be fantastic compared to last year.

So give our trip consultants a call toll-free at 800-247-0970 to find a great destination and a great time to save a lot of green with Tracks & Trails!

Affordable family vacations, part 2

by Sheri Ballard

Even when you rent an RV, we’ve found it to be more economical and affordable than renting a car and paying for hotel rooms and all those meals out. On a recent trip to Florida, 2 nights hotel, transportation, and one day at a theme park including all those meals out, cost us over $700. After we picked up our rental RV, our costs dropped to less than $250 per day, including transportation, a place to sleep, food and gas. It left money over to do really cool things like take a surfing lesson, visit a hospital for rescued sea turtles and go snorkeling. The kids remember these activities and talk about them more than their day at the theme park.

If you’re willing to rough it more, and rent some tenting equipment, it gets even more affordable, but you’ll want to go in the best weather months. Many outdoor sporting goods stores like REI and MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) offer gear rentals, as do many Outdoor Programs in universities. If you own some of the gear, you can ship your equipment via UPS to meet you in your gateway city. (You’ll need to have a very clean camp stove and don’t even think about shipping the gas for it.)

More tips to save money?

1. Try traveling in the early season to a summer destination park, before summer peak travel and prices hit. You’ll have fewer crowds, but you might have to put up with some inclement weather. Or go over the winter break to places like Death Valley or Joshua Tree National Parks. It’s prime season there, but demand for RVs is lower, and so are the prices.
2. Don’t plan on driving, and driving, and driving. Pick a couple of key parks and stick to those, spending multiple days in each. You’ll really get a feel for the park and it will allow you to take in the ranger programs, films, campfire talks, etc, and just hang out fishing or playing in the creek or ocean for a day.
3. Pick a couple of exceptional activities to do, ones that will really be highlights. Our boys still talk about the whitewater trip from 2 years ago, where we dropped into the Big Kahuna wave, with Gabe (then 4) hanging “face” in the front of the raft. What fun!
4. Even visiting out of the way places can be memorable. The date farm outside of Death Valley is a good example – almost 3 years later, the $4 date milkshakes are still a topic of discussion, and the boys wonder when we can go back there, along with the hot springs soaking in Yellowstone (which was free).
5. Let’s face it, when you live in a city, there are plenty of great places to eat out, so why spend your money and your time in line, waiting for food that isn’t that great while you’re on your vacation. Try a campfire cookout instead. It’s inexpensive, a great way to spend time with your kids in a positive way (rather than trying to corral them into table manners in a hotel dining room), and fun. From starting the fire together, to sticking a hot dog or marshmallow on a stick, to burning the paper plates in the fire, there’s something everyone in the family can do.

So the bottom line, getting your family outdoors for that summer vacation can be fun, educational and reasonably priced. And all of these things matter considering all the pressures we're all under today. We say, "Get Outdoors!" and you'll see what we're talking about!

Affordable family vacations, part 1

by Sheri Ballard

Looking for ways to have a great affordable family vacation? Over the year, we've taken a lot of trips and some of our best vacations are the ones where we camp, either taking our own equipment or renting an RV when we arrive. Those trips have also been some of the boys' best memories, from seeing elk walk through our campsite to splashing in the creek next to the camper to having hot chocolate inside the RV after a very wet and chilly hike in the rainforest (where the youngest one fell in the creek).

What makes it so affordable? It's a combination of things:

1. Hotels in many areas have a legal maximum of 4 people per room or do not have rollaway cot options, which means for a family of 5 or more, you're looking at paying for 2 rooms. The average price of a hotel room is now $100, and that's not in the peak seasons or in the national parks. In the popular areas like Jackson, Wyoming, even the least expensive hotel in the summer can be over $150 per room.
2. Then there's a rental vehicle cost, which can run you up to $75-$80 per day for a minivan that can hold your family plus all your bags.
3. Meal costs can be very expensive as well. The lodges within the national parks have several dining options, but they are all costly. Even if you plan on taking a cooler and eating lunch out in a picnic area or on the trail, you'll still need to have dinner and some sort of breakfast at the hotel. Dinner entrees in the park lodges' dining rooms can start at $20, with very limited choices for kids. Kids are almost always hungry and when you start having to buy those in-between meal snacks, drinks, etc., these costs definitely start to add up per day. Prices outside the park in the adjacent communities are high too. The quality of food can vary wildly as well. We like to eat out on our trips a few times, and we don't mind paying for good food, but it's hard to pay high prices to mediocre food day in and day out.
   
4. Entertainment costs can sneak up on you. If you go to a theme park like Disney, you can spend up to $90 per person per day just for admission fees. Even with the multi-day tickets, it's still a heck of a lot of money. For as little as $20, you can get a multi-day pass to a national park, where there are multitudes of things to do. Take a hike, have a swim, climb around on some rocks, take part in a ranger program, soak in a hot spring, build sandcastles, watch for wildlife, build a campfire and roast marshmallows. They're all free once you get inside the park and you can do them all over the course of a few days. You can also sign up for guided activities like rafting, horseback riding or bicycling, but you're not committed to doing something every day, over the course of a week you still haven't spent that much on entertainment.

Tomorrow I'll tell you more about some recent outdoors experiences and give you more tips on saving money while have a great time with your family.

New travel insurance coverage

For those that are interested in purchasing travel insurance, we have a link on our website that will directly connect you to Travel Guard. We have had very positive feedback from our clients about the cost and the customer service. They offer a toll free telephone number if you have any questions (1-800-454-7107 ).

What's new from Travel Guard is that they have announced coverage for involuntary termination or layoff. All four of their core plans now include this trip cancellation coverage. They require one year of continuous employment with the same employer and doesn't have limitations on your departure date.

We have been hearing that many folks have either postponed or canceled their summer vacation plans due to uncertainty about the future with the economy and their jobs. We hope that the announcement of this new coverage will help those feel more comfortable with starting the process of planning a great summer vacation to our National Parks in the western US or Canada. As always, if you have any questions for us at Tracks & Trails, give us a call on our dime at 800-247-0970.

It's not too late to book your Spring Break vacation!

If you can give us two weeks notice and you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do, we can help create a fun getaway. Popular destinations for spring break vacations are Florida, Arizona and Southern California. Here are some choices from our trip catalog that may work for you:

Central Florida and the Space Coast - This trip starts in Orlando and heads into Old Florida where cool springs flow into rivers that are lined with mangroves, and are home to alligators, river otters and all types of birds. You'll visit the oldest European settlement in the United States at St. Augustine, and then tour the modern technology at the Kennedy Space Center. Get active with kayaking to see manatee and dolphins, try surfing, or just grab a boogie board and play in the surf.

Tucson, Tombstone and the Sonoran Desert - This trip is perfect for spring break (we have clients there right now). Visiting Tucson and the surrounding area will give you a taste of the wild Sonoran Desert, home of the giant Saguaro cacti. Family-oriented museums feature everything from outdoor wildlife to missiles to the world's largest outdoor airplane display. Wandering movie sets, visiting Tombstone, "The Town Too Tough To Die" or going underground at Kartchner Caverns round out the adventures.

San Diego, Palm Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert - This is a perfect mix of city adventures & wilderness for those who want a taste of both. Start with visiting parks like Legoland and Seaworld. Spend a day at the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park, then try surfing, kayaking, boat touring and bicycle riding. Head into the largest state park in California, amidst the desert where you can hike or tour by jeep. Pass the Salton Sea (before it shrinks) enroute to Palm Springs, where you can ride the Aerial Tram through 4 climate zones. Return to Los Angeles for more theme park action, or simply to fly home.

Give us a call before it's too late! 800-247-0970!! We can make that last-minute trip happen!!!

Yosemite camping reservations and the Ides of March

Well, yesterday was the 15th of March - can't you hear the whispers of "beware the ides of March" tracing back to the murder of Julius Caesar?

And it was the date where campsites in Yosemite National Park are available for another 30 day reservation window, five months in advance. That means that you now can make reservations up to August 14, 2009. This rolling five month window continues throughout the year and March 15th is one of the most popular dates for making reservations due to the peak of the camping season in Yosemite.

We were lucky enough to make about half of the outstanding requests for reservations for our clients yesterday. Based on our past experience, getting half is great! And for those clients who did not get reservations, we have other favorite campgrounds that are just outside of the park that are beautiful and not quite so crowded. Yes, they'll miss camping inside the park and they will still be close enough to enjoy one of the most popular national parks in the USA!

This is one of those reasons why our trip proposals have approximate prices. Many times, particularly as it gets closer to the summertime, campgrounds have booked up for the season (or at least when you want to travel). And, pricing is usually different from one campground to the next. So, when we have to rearrange your planned route due to a campground change we do our best to minimize any impact on the overall cost that we include in proposals. We know how sensitive everyone is to vacation costs and please know that we do our best to ensure the total cost of your trip will be at or lower than your quoted cost.

If you have any questions about booking your Tracks & Trails vacation or would like to know more, just give us a call at 800-247-0970 and talk to one of our knowledgeable trip consultants.

Hellooooooooo Canada!!!!

Last October we told you about bargains in Canada and guess what? They are still around!!!

We are seeing the availability RVs drying up around the end of July and beginning of August, but there is plenty of opportunity to take a fabulous vacation at a 20% discount when compared to last year. The currency exchange rates are still VERY favorable for Americans wanting to travel to Canada and we have the itineraries made just for you!

Check out the Northern Rockies & Western Canada region on our website. There are a bunch of great reasons (other than the cost savings) to travel to Canada this summer:

1. The pace is a little bit slower.
   
2. It's a lot less crazy.
   
3. We have access to high quality RVs.
   
4. It's less commercial than its southern neighbor
5. There are unbelievable destinations like Lake Louise (see the picture) and Tofino.
   
6. You get to see glaciers in the summer & majestic fjords on the Pacific Ocean.
7. It's less crowded.
8. And more!!!

Give us a ring at 800-247-0970 and talk to one of our trip consultants about an affordable, family vacation to the national parks of western Canada.

When to take that summer trip? JUNE!

We just thought we'd give you a quick update on RV rental rates for summer travel. Some RV rental companies are offering daily rates that are 20% less if you choose the first couple of weeks of June to travel instead of the first two weeks of July. That's the type of savings that can make a huge difference in your total travel budget!

And while some RV rental companies have fixed seasonal rates throughout the year, some companies let their rental rates "float" with demand. So, all we can say to you, is if you are thinking of taking that National Park RV vacation with Tracks & Trails, book sooner rather than later in order to get the best deals that are out there. We pass on these types of savings to you when we can get them, so give us a call now (800-243-9490) because availability is starting to dry up as we speak!

It's confirmed - Las Vegas is a bargain!

We have been seeing that Las Vegas is an incredible bargain this year and that's good news for you if you are considering our most popular trip that starts in Las Vegas: Bryce, Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks. It's a great place to start your Tracks & Trails RV vacation to see some of the most beautiful geography in the western United States and see three National Parks!

Hotel rates are the lowest we've seen in years. Our favorites for families are on the Strip and include the MGM Grand, The Excalibur, Mandalay Bay and The Bellagio. You'll also find airfares at real bargains. We encourage you to check with your favorite airline to find the best deals or use your frequent flyer miles. The local ecomony in Las Vegas is suffering with high real estate foreclosure rates and high rental vacancies so their economy is looking for anything that can help!

We hope that this information helps in creating a wonderful family vacation and keeps it affordable and in your budget!

Yosemite National Park reservation window

For many intrepid campers out there, Yosemite is the pinnacle of the great outdoors. The vistas made popular by Ansel Adams are there for millions of visitors each year for hikers, climbers and photographers. And there are many choices of where to stay while visiting the park. From the classic Ahwhanee Hotel and campgrounds in the park to accomodations that just outside the park, there are choices for just about any budget. Some are definitely more luxurious and some are offer great value even inside the park.

For those that want to camp inside the park, you absolutely need reservations. With 35 million potential campers close by (that's the population of California) and limited camping inside the park, a campsite reservation is extremely difficult to secure. Of all the parks that we cover, Yosemite is the only one that has a five-month rolling reservation window. A new 30 day block of reservations opens on the 15th of each month. So, this Sunday, February 15th, you'll be able to book campsites up to July 15th. Yes, this is right in the heart of the summer camping season! And usually all those reservations are taken within 30 minutes.

Yes, we have many clients that want to stay in the park and we do our best to secure those reservations. We will have staff that will come into the office this Sunday to work the phones and the internet to secure those reservations. If for some reason, the campsites get all booked, we do have other options. There are other fantastic, secluded campgrounds just outside of the park that offer similar idyllic settings that we have scoped out for our clients (and we have never had a problem booking these alternate sites).

Yosemite is a must-see on many travel wish lists and we have the processes to help with making those dreams come true. To get a glance at one of our trips, check out Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to get an idea of what's possible! Then call one of our trip consultants at 800-247-0970 to make it happen!

New United baggage shipment program

Sorry that we haven't posted anything yet this week. It's been a bit crazy around here.

We try to keep you informed of useful travel tips when we hear about them and here's a good one!
If you are looking to ship your luggage ahead and you are flying United, the airline has just introduced Door-to-Door Baggage service in conjunction with FedEx. This particularly works with bulky luggage items such as skis. They have a special introductory offer where you can save up to 45% on this new service. Check out this link to United's website.

Update on availability of campgrounds and RV's for the summer

We have been busy bees here since the holidays as many start to plan their summer vacations, particularly folks that are big planners because they want their trip to go just right or they have big families (takes a lot to coordinate 6-8 calendars, right?).

We are already seeing limited availability of campgrounds along the California coast around the Fourth of July holiday. We expect to see a continuation of the trend of vacationers staying closer to home, so it's not surprising to see California campgrounds booking up (there's a ton of people living in California!).

So far we are still seeing good RV availability with many companies - even in Canada (where the exchange rate still offers a 20% discount for US travelers!). And we know that this will change soon, particularly around major holidays (Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day) and major events (Calgary Stampede, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Burning Man). We do our best to keep a calendar of major happenings so that we can steer you around the big crowds. Don't procrasinate if you have plans for a great National Park vacation! Now is the best time to plan!

If you call us today (800-247-0970), one of our trip consultants can help you with finding that out-of-the-way, off-the-beaten-path destination, fun activity or campground that will make your vacation!

Comparing Disney, cruising and National Park RV vacations

We know that you have many choices in where and how to take your summer vacation so we thought we'd give you a quick comparison that may help you make a decision for this year's trip. We've tried to keep these comparisons as "apples-to-apples" as possible. We have not included the additional costs of airfares or optional excursions in our comparisons either. The prices below are for a family of four.

We chose to compare an RV trip with two popular destinations. The first trip we chose to compare is the quintessential family vacation, a trip to Disney World. Disney is now promoting a vacation special that is offering 3 nights free accommodations in a one week package. Their package includes one week's accommodation, 7 day park passes, full meal package and ground transportation to/from the airport. The cost for an early June 2009 trip is approximately $4,950.

The second vacation package we chose is an early June 2009 sailing on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to the Western Caribbean. We chose Royal because when you Google "family cruise", they were #1. This cruise to the western Caribbean is 7 nights and departs Miami for Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. A junior suite, including meals, to accommodate a family of four would cost approximately $7,650.

Now in comparison to these two vacations, we think that a Tracks & Trails driving adventure is not only a better value, but a better vacation since it gets everyone outdoors and appreciating the natural beauty of our National Parks. We chose for this comparison our most popular trip last year. For $3,950 you will visit Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks over a one week trip. The cost of this adventure includes first night's hotel stay, RV rental for six nights, campgrounds, fuel costs (assuming $1.75/gallon), groceries/meals for a week (assuming $500 for a family of four) and a National Parks pass.

So when you are getting ready to plan that fabulous vacation for this summer, we think that when you look at your budget and the experience that you will have as a family, that a Tracks & Trails RV vacation will be a great choice!

Booking now saves money and gets the best vacation!

In spite of our faltering economy, National Park vacations are expected to be a hot ticket in 2009. We are urging you to book now to be sure you get the best that’s available! If you are considering putting off a decision to book your vacation, here's a couple of good reasons to not procrastinate:

1. The best campsites will be claimed by other travelers. Not only do we have an extensive list of our favorite campgrounds, but we also have our favorite campsites within those campgrounds. We would hate it if you were to miss out on that site that was right next to a river or secluded away from bathrooms or roads.
2. The cost of your vacation will increase the longer you wait to commit. Most RV rental companies slowly raise their rates each week as summer approaches (the "high" season) and we have to pass those additional costs along to you. To get the best value for your vacation dollar, committing early is the thing to do.

The moment you pay your deposit we will begin reserving your RV, hotel, campsites and excursions. If you’re worried about having to cancel later, consider purchasing affordable travel insurance (we highly recommend this - we have seen many cases where travel insurance was needed and many of our clients are glad they made the purchase).

We hope to provide you with the best assistance possible in creating a trip-of-a-lifetime. Helping you save a few dollars is just one way we can help. Talk to a trip consultant on our dime to learn more (800-247-0970).

It all starts in Vegas!

Last year, many of our clients started their Tracks & Trails adventures in Las Vegas. It's a great jumping off point for the National parks in Utah, Arizona and California. And here's the good news, airfares right now are just fantastic to Las Vegas from many cities in the eastern half of the United States. And even better news: there are screaming deals for hotel rooms in Las Vegas! The economic situation has had a big impact on tourism in southern Nevada and many hotels are using discounted prices to lure travelers that may be on the fence - wanting to travel but trying to stay on a tighter budget.

We constantly receive solicitations from all the major hotels with fantastic price promotions that we pass on to you. And now is the time to book. We haven't seen prices this low for many hotels in a long time. Travel-based websites are also offering many deep discounts.

And the best part - after you save on great airfares and hotels, we help you create a road trip with stunning scenery in places like Zion National Park, Lake Powell, the Grand Canyon and Death Valley. Nothing beats camping in an RV in these locales. And there's nothing like a campfire to finish off a day of experiencing the great outdoors. We can help. Check out our website to find out how RV travel in the National Parks can be fun and exciting!

NEW INFO Jan. 8, 2009: Jet Blue has just announced a seat sale from NYC to Las Vegas! I just checked it out and there are seats for $159 roundtrip JFK-LAS in the middle of June! Let us know and we'll coordinate around your flight arrangements!

Planning ahead for big families

Big families have to plan ahead all the time. If you have more than three children in your family, you know that as a parent you have the equivalent of a degree in logistics. Getting the kids here and there between school, play dates, soccer practice, shopping, family stuff, more sports, band practice and tons of other stuff qualifies any parent to organize a major symposium.

When we work with a larger family, our biggest concern is always related to the size of the RV. Normally we can find a rental RV that can accomodate seven passengers (2 adults and 5 children). While these quarters may be a little tight for larger families, we have found that the larger RV's are spacious enough for a good size group that's used to being close.

There are also newer RV's that actually have a set of bunk beds. The bunk bed lengths are around 72", so kids that are shorter than 5'6" will fit just fine. And one of our RV rental connections actually has an RV that they say can accomodate 10! This would be very unusual and we would probably only recommend this vehicle for eight because sleeping 10 would be VERY tight (we would probably suggest a tent and a couple of sleeping bags for the bigger kids).

And since we know that big families are always very busy, we help take the load of planning a big trip off your hands and do our best to ensure everyone's wants and desires are not only met but exceeded. And with everyone's eyes on their budgets, you'll find that RV vacations can be some of the most affordable out there. Talk to a Tracks & Trails trip consultant to find out more, toll free at 800-247-0970.

2009 - The Year of Looking for Travel Deals

As we look at next year and what's possible for your travel options, we see that many deals will be there to be had.

Travel to destinations outside of the United States will be more attractive than earlier in 2008 because of the stronger dollar. Currently, there is a 20% discount in the cost of the Euro but there is no guarantee that the exchange rates will stay this favorable. We hope that you will stay closer to home and see the magificence of our National Parks.

The price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States is averaging around $1.65 right now and seems to be headed lower. Many forecasters are expecting that this will not hold through next summer's driving season, but it's expected to stay well below the record prices of 2008. This should be favorable for you to choose a Tracks & Trails driving adventure since 2009 gasoline prices may be half what they were in 2008. And don't forget that when traveling by RV, you save by buying your own food - and it usually tastes better, too!

Airfares are predicted to be stable through 2009 yet scheduled flights may drop as ridership is expected to continue to be depressed due to economic conditions. If you are looking for deals, popular destinations such as Las Vegas, San Francisco and Denver will work very well with many of our itineraries. For instance, all of our trips to visit Bryce Canyon National Park start in Las Vegas which has direct flights from many locations in the eastern half of the United States. And campgrounds in the National Parks are some of the best values out there!

Bottom line, we can help create fantastic and affordable family vacations. The way we do this is to shop around for the best options for RV rentals, campgrounds and excursions. Our list of suppliers is extensive with time-tested people and services. We know that price is always a concern and we work with you to create the best value for you possible.

Low holiday airfares and where to go!

While we are all hearing about doom and gloom in the economy (and it may be worse for some than others), we are hoping that would-be travelers are seeing the economy of a Tracks & Trails vacation. One portion of a total vacation, in addition to what we provide on the ground - either RV or car-based National Park vacations - there is another significant cost to most of our clients: airfare.

We have written in this blog in a previous post about airfares being more affordable due to the price of oil falling back to more financially reasonable levels. We have also been reading about holiday airfare sales right around the corner. In the coming days and weeks, there may be discounts up to 25% on airfares to key gateway cities. This is great news since we see an opportunity for families to spend their holidays in new, different and exciting locales such as Tucson, Florida and San Diego. Depending on what you want to do, each of these three destinations has so much to offer.

The wild west of Arizona calls in our most popular winter destination, Tucson. The trip from our catalog called Tucson, Tombstone and the Sonoran Desert features great sites such as Kartchner Caverns, western movie sets, the world's largest outdoor airplane display and wildlife uniquely adapted to the desert.



Don't forget the the quintessential winter getaway - the state of Florida. This is a new region for us and our Orlando-based RV vacation and our Florida Keys trip are hard to beat! If you're trying to beat the cold, then a Tracks & Trails Florida trip is the answer. This is also a great location to bring together family for a reunion. We have experience with planning family reunions, honeymoons and just good ol' fashioned family fun.

To visit the San Diego area, we have created a beach and desert itinerary that will give you a great mix of activities where you can visit the world famous San Diego Zoo, pedal around La Jolla or off-road in the Anza-Borrego Desert. Some have described the beautiful weather in San Diego as the most ideal in the 48 states. And there is so much to do! Check our our San Diego itinerary for a taste of what's possible!

If you're thinking of somewhere else to play for the holidays, give one of our trip consultants a call at 800-247-0970 and we'll see how we can help you create a holiday trip of a lifetime!

How about Canadian bargains?

Here is an addendum to the last post -

With the current exchange rate being so in favor of the US dollar versus the Canadian dollar, we are strongly urging our clients that are planning a trip to Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Jasper, Banff or other western Canada destinations, to BOOK NOW! Much of last year the exchange rate was at par or US$1 equaled CD$1. As of today, US$1 buys CD$1.27. This is a great opportunity to essentially get more than a 20% discount on a trip to Canada. We can book your RV now and the sooner you pay for the RV rental portion of your trip, the sooner you can lock in what are unprecedented exchange rates. Early bookings are also getting a discount on top of the great exchange rate for booking and paying early.

Please, if you have any questions, you can call me directly at 800-247-0947 or comment on this post. You can also reach one of our talented and gifted Tracks & Trails trip consultants at the same toll-free number above.

Looking for bargains?

Many factors will affect travel for pleasure in the next 12 months and we are seeing many reasons to book now for next year's summer vacation. We realize that many folks are watching their wallets very closely and have concerns about their job security. Optimistically, we also see that most people are still working and many still want to show their kids the National Parks.


First, with the price of oil down 50% from its record highs in the summer, airlines are not under the same financial pressure as they were just a few months ago. I personally have been getting fare alerts from a major travel website nearly weekly with great prices and availability.


Second, we still see the RV as the vehicle of choice when it comes to packing everyone comfortably to experience the great outdoors of the National Parks. There is nothing like staying in the parks, seeing stars at night and having a campfire. Your meals can be much healthier than eating out and cost less too. Overall, for the experience, we see RV travel as a great bargain.


Third, with many travelers looking for big bargains, we have found that we can still help with creating an itinerary that includes a rental car or SUV that is sized to your family or group and accomodations that will save travel dollars. While eating out becomes more of a necessity, you can still eat healthy if you have a simple cooler with you in the car.


Our hope is that you let us help you with your National or state park vacation plans. If cost is an issue, let us know and we'll do our best to create the best vacation that meets your desires and is within your budget. You can call toll-free at 800-247-0970 to talk to a trip consultant or check out our trip catalog on-line. We're ready to help plan that "trip of a lifetime".