These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things....My Favorite Travel Accessories

Well the time has come to pack for our latest adventure and I thought this would be a good time to share some of my favorite travel accessories and packing tips with you.  I have actually updated a few items for this trip so while I will clue you in on what they are....I will have reviews on them by the time I get back!

Suitcase

I am a HUGE fan of the rolling duffel.  I have had so many suitcases...hard sides....soft sides....wheels...no wheels....you name it.  I was always in search of the perfect suitcase.  I ran across a rolling duffel several years ago when I was looking in an outlet store.  This was perfect!  The size was perfect.  The pockets were perfect.  Then it broke.  The search has been going on again for the perfect duffel.  I've had several.  Some are too big...some too small. Some have the extra zipper compartment on the bottom.  I believe it's supposed to be for putting shoes or dress clothes in and keeping them separate from the main compartment.  Good idea in theory but in reality the top part is usually pretty heavy and pushes down into the bottom compartment making it virtually impossible to open without flipping the whole top part (and all your clothes) upside down and then wrestling with it in a hotel room because now it's huge all opened up.  Nope....not a good choice for me.  Some of the best ones are a little too large for airline standards so be very careful when you are purchasing one because the total dimensions can easily go over the amount allowed and if you are flying AirTran be assured that they will pull out a measuring tape and measure the bag to be sure that it complies and then charge you a rather hefty fee if it doesn't!

I loved my latest bag and it served me well for several years.  However, it was time to replace it.  The search began again for the perfect bag.  I looked in stores.  I looked online.  The ONLY bag that I found that made me stop and go hmmmmm I like that was one made by Eagle Creek as part of their Ease Collection.  Ok so this bag isn't cheap (it runs $375.00) but it has a whole lot of really cool features.

1.  It is lightweight.  The bag itself weighs only 10 lb. 7 oz. My last duffel was at least 5 lbs heavier than that with nothing in it.  When airlines are charging for anything over 50 lbs....it's really important to have a lightweight suitcase to begin with.

2. It's a great size.  The bag measures 15x30x15 in. This is a total of 60 inches in airline lingo and is under the maximum allowed size.

3. It has two way lockable zippers to secure the main compartment and the front pocket.

4.  It has multiple grab handles for easy grab and go.

5.  It has a TSA friendly lock included to keep the bag secure.

6.  It has rugged wheels and handle for a smooth ride.  It really rolls nicely.  Some bags do not roll well and it can be really frustrating.  This bag is very smooth.  

7.  Slip away luggage tag that won't fall off.

8.  Interior compression straps.

9.  This is the best feature of all.....IT STANDS UP when you stop!  As much as I loved my last bag for the storage, I hated that as soon as I would stop and want to stand it up to check in at the kiosk it would fall over!  There was absolutely no way that it would stand up without finding something to lean it on!  This bag stands up!!!  It actually has somewhat of a frame to it.  It keeps it's shape but is also soft so it can expand.  Because it keeps it's shape, the bag stands on a flat end!  It's great!!

10.  It comes with the Eagle Creek No Matter what warranty.  

This is the first time that I will be using this bag.  I started to pack a couple days ago and right now it is holding about 2/3 of the clothes that I plan to pack and I still have lots of room left.  

Tip:  When using a rolling duffel, make sure that you weigh it before you arrive at the airport.  They hold a lot and it's really easy to go over 50 pounds if you are not careful!

Carry On Bag

Airlines allow you one carry on item and one personal item (such as a purse or backpack).  One of your carryon bags can go in the overhead and the other must fit under the seat in front of you.  What is the best solution for a carry on bag?  Again, I have tried them all.  I have them all!  I have briefcases and laptop bags and roller bags and totes.  You name it...I've tried it.  I admit that I use different ones for different trips but I have found a really good solution recently...at least for me!  Now I don't recommend this for the guys out there but it really is perfect for me!  I purchased a Vera Bradley tote.  The thing is amazing.  It holds everything, doubles as a purse AND fits under the seat in front of me!

More and more people are carrying on bigger and bigger bags due to the ever increasing baggage fees that the airlines impose.  If you have been on a plane any time in the past few years, you know how precious overhead space as become!  Personally, I always check a bag.  If I am flying with my husband or meeting him somewhere, I let him check the bag because he has status with United Airlines due to the amount of business travel he does each year.  If I am traveling on my own reservation I suck it up and ante up the cost for one suitcase.  I can't live without clothes on my vacation and I can't cram them all in a carryon bag unless it's a weekend trip so I just figure it into the cost of flying.  Therefore, I try to put as much stuff in my checked bag as possible and go light on carryon end.  Over the past few years with having the iPad instead of a laptop and a smaller camera (more on these later), I've really been able to cut down the carryon size.  

The Vera Bradley tote holds my wallet, important documents such as itineraries and confirmation numbers, my headphones, my iPad, my camera, extra outlets for charging items, my chargers, and my phone and I still have pockets left!  I have everything I need for my flight in one spot. It's easy to go through security and I don't have to worry about overhead space being available!

This bag was recently on sale for 45.00....retail is slightly higher but keep looking for a sale.  You won't be sorry you made this investment!

Toiletry Organizer

Lewis n Clark Hanging Toiletry Organizer

Here's another area that I've tried many different ways to organize my toiletries with little success.  Oh I've come up with a system over the years but it just never seemed quite right or very efficient.  A girl has to have all her girly stuff with her so.  I'm sure guys have their guy stuff too but my husband seems to get by with just packing his stuff into ziplock bags.  A couple years ago when our travel really started to pick up, I started to invest in toiletries, hair stuff and makeup that I could just keep packed and have ready to go whenever we decided to pick up and go. That makes my life a whole lot easier.  I picked up small travel size (TSA approved sizes) of items as well as empty bottles that I could put my own shampoo and conditioner, etc. in and take with me.  I had a lot of clinique "free gift" bags and started packing those with my toiletries, hair items and make up.  This kept everything in place but I found that I had more and more bags.  When I would pull things out of the suitcase every evening at the hotel I would have to take 5 separate bags into the bathroom with me!!  Unpack them every night....pack them up again in the morning!  It was a vicious cycle!  So for Christmas I decided to buy a hanging travel organizer for my husband. I figured he could try it out and see if he liked it and then I could buy one for myself when we were ready to start traveling again.  Well...he never used it.  He prefers his ziplock bags and has his own system so who am I to try to change that.  So...I have inherited the hanging travel organizer.  I have it packed and ready to go so we shall see how it works out.  It sure seems to keep things in one place and packs up pretty small!

I purchased a Lewis n' Clark bag on Amazon.com.  I believe it ran about $15.00.  Certainly worth a try and I will let you know how it works!

Hanging toiletry organizer folded up to pack

Mini Surge Protector

I just saw a blog by another traveler who mentioned that they found a way to solve the lack of outlets in hotel rooms and airports!  They purchased a mini surge protector!  Now this seems like a wonderful idea!  Everyone has electronic gadgets that have to be charged every night when you get to the hotel and there are never enough outlets to go around.  This is especially true if you are traveling with other family members!  So I went back to amazon.com and bought myself a Belkin Mini Surge Protector for $11.89. It is not really "mini".  It's a full three outlets with two USB ports for charging also.  The outlet prongs do not fold in so they do stick out but the nice thing is that the outlet swivels so you can plug it in to a hard to reach hotel outlet.  It fits perfectly into one of the small pockets in my Vera Bradley Carry on bag too!  Again, we shall see how this works out....more review to come after I use it!

Camera

Yet another area that I have recently tweaked as technology has changed.  I used to carry a small point and shoot digital camera.  Easy to use, easy to carry around....pictures so..so. Then I moved to a Digital SLR.  I currently have a Canon 50D with lenses.  This is my "good camera".  It is great...takes awesome pictures but it is cumbersome to carry around on a trip.  It adds an extra carryon since it has it's own backpack and I don't want to pack it in my checked luggage.

The next step was to downsize to an "in between" camera.  Somewhere between the point and shoot and the DSLR.  Last year, my husband bought me a Nikon Coolpix P500.  (They now have the P510 model with even more zoom capability).  My Coolpix has a 36X wide optical zoom and a lens that is 4.0-144 mm.  It is 12.1 megapixel.  It has auto modes...it has manual modes.....it even has an HD video camera built in!! The best part is that is small and lightweight...a little over a pound at most (including bag, batteries and memory cards) compared to 9.5 pounds for the DSLR! What more could I want?  I have to say as much as I love my DSLR....I LOVE my Coolpix when I travel!!  It is the perfect size, fits in my Vera Bradley Carryon bag very nicely and takes awesome pictures!  

My Nikon CoolPix P500...it's perfect for travel!

The size difference between my CoolPix and my Cannon 50D....what a difference it makes for traveling!

GPS

We use a Garmin as our GPS.  I would not recommend traveling without one.  Just amazes me that we ever found our way around an unfamiliar city without one!  One thing to check before you go is if there is a Garmin law in the state that you are going to visit.  Sometimes there are certain regulations regarding sticking the Garmin (or other GPS device) to the window.  Check out the regulations for the state that you are driving to before leaving home.  Below is a dash mount for our Garmin that can be used instead of attaching it to the windshield.

iPAD

Here is my number one travel accessory.  If I could only pack one thing to take with me.....my iPad would be that one thing!  If you travel and you haven't invested in an iPad or other tablet device...run...do not walk...to the nearest store and get yourself one!  I LOVE my iPad.  It has saved me so much space. has given me so much to do, and keeps me up to date while I am traveling.  I am a reader.....I love to read.  I used to load up my carryon with as many paperback books as I could carry and shove a few more in my checked bag.  There were times that I gave some to the flight attendants just to lighten the load after I had read one!  First thing I bought was a Kindle when it came it out. Loved it....saved space.  I no longer had to pack up lots of books, I simply slid my Kindle in my purse or carryon and off I went. However, I still had to carry my iPod for music and my laptop to process my pictures.  Then came the iPAD!!!   Revolutionary...just like the commercials said!  I bought a First Generation iPad and it was wonderful.  Now I didn't have to take my laptop, I had my books still on my Kindle ap on my iPad, I had access to my music and movies and internet and I even had games that I could play and pass the time on the plane!  I could read and respond to my email or I could ignore my email and simply find the top rated things to see in an area.  

Recently I just upgraded from the First Generation iPad to the "New" iPad (3rd Generation).  Lots of it is still the same but now I have access to a camera on my iPad and I can download apps like iMovie and iPhoto and Photoshop to edit my photos and videos while I am on the road!  This adds a whole new dimension.  

I have an apple keyboard that I used to pack with me and use to write in my blog while I was on vacation.  My son purchased a Brookstone keyboard and cover combined for my husband.  Once again...he didn't use it.....sooooo....It's now mine....at least for this trip.  Again, saves space as I don't have to carry a separate keyboard and it protects the iPad at the same time and props it up for easy viewing of movies while in flight!  I am hoping that this makes it easy to blog while I am gone!  Again, it's a new addition to this trip so I promise a further review when I get back!

iPad with Keyboard and cover from Brookstone

Folds up to be very compact with iPad and keyboard inside.

Camera Connectors for iPad

Here is a little purchase that has really come in handy.  Apple sells connectors for iPads that allow you to connect your camera directly to the iPad or to download the memory card into the iPad. You get both connectors in one kit.  It was a relatively inexpensive purchase (around $30.00 with tax) and it is well worth the money if you take lots of photos while on vacation!

Apple Camera Connection Kit for iPad

Noise Canceling Headphones

These are wonderful!!!  I bought my husband a pair of Bose Over the Ear Noise Canceling Headphones several years back as a Christmas present.  He has raved about them every since he got them.  He swears that they are the best thing a frequent traveler can have. I heard everything he said but stuck with my little earbuds thinking that they were good enough mainly because the over the ear headphones look so huge!  Well Bose came out with an "On the Ear" headphone and my son got me a pair for Christmas last year.  I am kicking myself for not buying these sooner!  These things are amazing!  They really block out the engine noise of the plane and the talking (except for high pitched, loud female voices for some reason!) and the screaming children!  It is so much more relaxing to sit on the plane and watch a movie or listen to music while being in your own little world.  We recently bought my son a pair of "Beats by Dre" noise canceling headphones and he loves them too.  If you travel frequently or for long distances or have ever taken a flight to Orlando you need to add these to your travel arsenal!

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones....a must have for travelers!

Phone

This is a no-brainer but I'm going to add it on here.  You should always have your phone with you in case there is an emergency.  However, if you have a smartphone, it adds a whole different dimension to traveling.  Download some travel apps that will help you travel smarter. For instance, since we fly United, I have the United app on my phone.  It helps with any last minute changes, gate assignments, travel times and other travel information.  Airport info apps are helpful as are hotel apps.  Anything that you think would help you travel smarter and more efficiently are good apps to have.  Your smartphone can also serve as internet access (my iPad is wifi only so the phone is a good option when wifi is not available).  You can use navigation on the phone if necessary also. Make sure you pack any necessary chargers for both the hotel and the vehicle!

Always pack your Smartphone!

Yes I am a true Disney nut....check out my iPhone cover!

Travel Guides

Yes most everything is online now and easy to access but depending on where you are headed, you may or may not have internet access when you need to look something up!  It's also good to have a regular map just in case the GPS doesn't find a satellite!  Many times you can get a local map from the rental car agencies so just ask...it's free.  I always like to look at the Travel Guides for a new destination. I love looking at the pictures and reading about all the places to visit. Again, it's handy to keep with you in case of a lack of internet signal for your phone!  

Ready to Go!

So these are a few of my favorite travel accessories and some new ways to solve some packing problems or at least make packing more space efficient.  My bags are almost packed for our trip to Alaska, Washington and Oregon!  We are doing our last checks on the weather for the time we are going to be there and finalizing our packing.  We are struggling through the last few days of work and looking forward to heading out bright and early Saturday morning!  Be sure to follow me as I take you along with me on our latest vacation!!

Follow me on twitter @travelswithmelb

Next up......heading to Alaska!

Planning our Trip to Denali National Park....and Crater Lake National Park

So summer vacation time has rolled around once again.  It's not like we don't travel during the rest of the year but there is something special about summer vacation.  It's also a time that I pull out my list of places that I want to see but are only accessible in the summer months.  This time we decided to knock a couple of those places off our list....Denali National Park and Crater Lake National Park.  Now these two parks really aren't that close together but hey it's not one of our patented family vacations if they are!

How the decision came about:

So every family has a different way of deciding where to go on their family vacation.  We start out by saying...."So where do you want to go this year?"   Everyone gets to put in their two-cents and we eventually come to a decision. Pretty normal to this point! This is when it starts to go a little crazy! Here's a little insight into what went into our decision this year. 

We actually started out considering a trip to Boston and traveling north to Acadia National Park in Maine.  My husband and I had done this trip years ago but our son hadn't been there. We checked prices for hotels in Boston in the summer and, as you would expect, they were pretty outrageous!  Airfare prices were pretty good.  Things to see and do.  A trip to Fenway Park.  This was a top contender.

The next suggestion was a West Coast trip....flying into San Francisco, heading north to the Redwood Forest and then heading even further north to Crater Lake in southern Oregon and then back to San Francisco.  Then it went to "Well...we could fly into San Francisco, head north and keep going, ending in Seattle and flying back from Seattle."  Then we got to "What about the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington?  Could we manage a couple days there?"  We looked up airfares and hotel costs and checked out attractions that we could see along the way.  The San Juan Islands looked beautiful and had lots of things to do if you are into the outdoors and hiking and biking and WHALE WATCHING. Ok there's the key words....WHALE WATCHING.  If you don't understand why this was a problem for us....read back a few blogs to my entry on Whale Watching!  Been there done that...not so sure the trip to the San Juan Islands was for us.  So I very innocently say....."How far is it to fly to Anchorage from Seattle?"  Well maybe it wasn't quite that innocent because 1.  I REALLY didn't want to go Whale Watching.  2.  I have always wanted to go to Alaska and 3.  It would make my list of states that I've been to....47!!!  One step closer to my goal of seeing all 50 states and a really big one to cross off my list!

So we started to research Alaska....this always leads to the cruise suggestions.  Now I will admit that I have never been on a cruise and for some reason it just doesn't appeal to me that much.  Now I know a lot of cruise people that absolutely love the cruise experience and wouldn't do it any other way.  I'm not trying to put that down at all....it is a great way to travel if you enjoy it and certainly a great way to see Alaska.  Some day I may come around and give the cruising thing a go but for us....it just doesn't seem like all that good of an option.  However, for an Alaskan vacation...we thought we would give it a good look!  There were lots of options with the cruises...lots of different cruise lines offering everything from 7 day cruises around the coast of Alaska to 13-14 day land and sea cruises.  There is certainly lots to choose from and I would highly recommend looking into the options if you are thinking of a trip to Alaska. We ultimately decided against it and here were our reasons....again...these are personal reasons and not meant to apply to everyone...just us....the rooms on a cruise ship are small....we are "space" people....the more space the better.  We do not like to be cramped in a hotel room....let alone on a ship.  Now everyone says that you are never in your room on a cruise ship so it doesn't matter...well...it matters to me!  I am used to a king sized bed in my home as well as a decent sized bathroom.  I don't really want to go on a "vacation" and cram into a double bed and a cube of a bathroom.  I may not be in the room a lot but I will be in there to sleep and get ready for the day!  We did look at larger rooms but even the largest room on the ship wasn't all that large!!!  Ok...so second reason....we really like to travel at our own pace.  We are the people who rent a car at Disney World so we can come and go as we please instead of taking Disney's very efficient transportation system!  Being on a cruise ship and having to travel as a group or at someone else's pace would be very difficult for us.  Third and final reason...we just aren't that social on our vacations.  We like to spend time with each other but really...we don't travel with other people we know let alone don't know!  

So...after ruling out the cruise option...and talking about what we really wanted to see in Alaska, we decided that our "must see" attraction is Mount McKinley in Denali National Park.  I had an Aunt and Uncle who lived in Alaska for many years.  Unfortunately, we were never able to visit them while they lived there and they have since passed away.  One of the last things that my Uncle said to me before he passed was "I hove you make it to Alaska one day."  They lived in the Anchorage area and loved Mount McKinley and Denali National Park more than anything.  This makes for a very personal reason for me to want to visit this area of Alaska.  So it was decided that these were our focus areas for our visit.

The New England trip was put on the back burner for now.  Still an option for a later trip but it isn't dependent on season.  We live close enough to the East Coast that airfares are reasonable and drive times aren't too bad.  Denali National Park is only open in from Mid-May through Mid-September so if we were going to go there it had to be for a summer trip!

Tips:  

1.  Brainstorm places/areas that you might want to visit. Let everyone throw out an idea.  Brainstorming means no one is wrong so feel free to toss out the wildest things possible.

2.  Do some research before you make a final decision.  Check out the areas, the cost of traveling there....airfare, rental vehicles, gas prices if you are traveling by car, hotel rooms and food costs. Weigh your options and know what kind of a budget you would like to stay around so there's no real surprise.  There is so much info out there on the internet to help you plan....get out there and find it!  Half the fun of the trip is the planning!

3.  Know what kind of a traveler you are and what you like and don't like.  Don't make a decision to something just because others love it.  Explore all your options but know yourselves.  

Now you know where you are going....planing an itinerary:

Ok so this is where we are not normal.  We have now decided on a location.  Now this would be "the" location for most people.  Head to Alaska....spend a week and come home.  Oh...no...not with us....this is just the beginning!  

So we started with a flight from Cleveland to Anchorage.  As I've stated before, my husband travels a lot for business and he has accrued quite a few miles with United.  So in order to be able to use the miles he has earned and earn more....we are pretty loyal to United.  That doesn't mean that if there isn't a better deal with another carrier we won't look at it but you have to weigh the frequent flyer miles and perks in there.  Flights to Anchorage were pricey but doable.  

We started discussing our itinerary and the one thing that I couldn't get out of my mind was the desire to go to Crater Lake National Park also.  The two of us had taken a trip to the Seattle/Portland area last October and just didn't have the time to make the drive down to Crater Lake.  Plus it was on the cusp of their season and being able to see as much as possible of the park so we left it on our list of a place that we definitely want to visit.  We started feeling badly that we wouldn't be able to get to this park on this particular trip.  WELL.......

One thing led to another and we started to look at multi-destination flights.....hmmm...really wasn't all that much difference from a round trip to and from Anchorage to Cleveland.  This is how the craziness starts......  By the end of our discussion and planning....we have concocted one crazy plan for our summer vacation.....here's what we ended up with!

Saturday June 23 - Fly from Cleveland to Anchorage.  (15 hours with a 5 hour layover in San Francisco)  Upgraded to First Class for this leg using my husband's mileage!  Definitely worth it for this long of a trip!

Sunday June 24 - Drive to Denali National Park

Monday June 25 - We are doing the 8 hour Tundra Wilderness Bus tour through Denali  (this is the time of year that Alaska has almost 24 hours of sunlight so it helps when planing the bus tour),  

Tuesday June 26  - Heading back to Anchorage and seeing the city

Wednesday June 27 - Heading south from Anchorage to Turnagain Arm and Portage Glacier.  We then have to drive back to Anchorage and make it to the airport in time for our early evening flight from Anchorage to Seattle.

Thursday June 28 - We are heading to Olympic National Park and then driving south to Eugene, Oregon

Friday June 29 - Visiting Crater Lake National Park and then heading north to spend the night in Portland, Oregon.

Saturday June 30 - We are going to visit Columbia River Gorge and possibly a quick trip to Mount Rainier National Park.  These are repeats for my husband and I but new to our son so we would like to make a quick stop so he can see these beautiful areas.  Then we are heading to Seattle.

Sunday July 1 - We are going to head into Downtown Seattle to go to Pike's Market and take in a Mariner's game and finish up with dinner at the Space Needle before heading to the airport for our return "red-eye" flight to Cleveland!

Remember I warned you it was pretty crazy!!!  However....it wouldn't be a vacation for us unless it was this crazy!!

Tip:  Plan your itinerary ahead and keep your options open.

Booking Hotels and Reservations Based on Your Itinerary:

Now that you have your itinerary pretty well set, it's time to take a look at the things you want to do and see and places that you want to eat that require reservations. Book anything ahead that you will be disappointed if you miss.  This can happen during busy summer traveling times as certain things do book up for the times that you want.  

So for instance, we took a look at our itinerary, checked out Tripadvisor.com (always my beginning spot) to see what was recommended in the areas we were staying.  If you have read my blogs you know that due to my husbands travel, we are loyal to Hilton brands and choose to accrue points through them.  For this trip we were actually able to use our points for a couple nights of the more expensive hotels to cut the cost of accommodations.   

We took a look at our itinerary day by day, checked out TripAdvisor and the Hilton Website and booked away.  When we got to Denali...there were no Hiltons!  We checked out the area's lodging options and and settled on a two night stay at the Denali Princess Lodge (we shall see how this experience is....stay tuned!).  So once our Hilton's were booked for the trip, we turned our attention to attractions and dinners.  Since Denali National Park has a short tourist season, tours and lodging fill up quickly.  We are only going to be there for two days so it was really important to plan ahead. We had our lodging but really wanted to do a tour.  We made sure to book that online so we could get the time and date that we needed.  Same thing for dinner at the Space Needle.  We only have one option for making that happen with our tight schedule so we made sure to book that reservation ahead of time.  We are also huge Ruth's Chris Steakhouse fans and no trip would be complete without a visit there so we made sure we booked that dinner for one of our nights in Seattle.

Tip:  Book ahead for any hotels or "must see" attractions to avoid disappointment. You may also get an advance pay internet special price on hotels this way so make sure to check ahead!

And we're off.....

Well almost...a little more than a week left before we embark on our latest adventure.  I'm getting so anxious to get there and to see the wonders that await us.....  I'm not really good on patience so the next 10 days is going to be a killer for me but there's lots to do to get ready still!  I hope that you can come along with me and follow my adventures as we go!

Follow me on twitter @travelswithmelb

Next up.....Packing for our next adventure...my favorite travel items and packing tips!

The Grand Canyon - The Grandaddy of All Atractions

There is nothing that can prepare you for your first view of the Grand Canyon

I'm taking short diversion from our West Coast Adventures  to provide some information on visiting the Grand Canyon as a  dear friend of mine and her family will be making their way there for the first time next week.

Ah.....the Grand Canyon.  The grandaddy of all natural attractions in my opinion! Once you have seen the Grand Canyon it seems as though you compare everything else to it.  I am not sure how many times since our first visit to the Canyon that we have been at another place and someone has made the comment, "It's really great...it's just not quite the Grand Canyon!"  Since our first visit in August of 2003, we have been back twice...."just to make sure it's still there!".  It just never gets old and there is something so reassuring about it being the same yet different each time you see it.   There is a reason that it is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.

Our first visit to the canyon was part of a pretty crazy endeavor.  If you have read my first blogs on how we roll you know that we usually choose a part of the country that we want to see, fly to the nearest airport and then travel to everything in that vicinity!  We get to see a lot that way but sometimes it is more of a highlights tour than an in depth study of one attraction! If you have not read my initial blogs, a.  you need to do that and b. now you know that every trip can very easily turn into an adventure!  This was back when we were still refining our style!  To top things off we were taking:  my Dad who was 75. My mom who was 67.  My son who was 13 and my husband and I. Your next question.....What were we thinking????

Well we planned our trip for 10 days.  We flew into Las Vegas because the airfare was lower than Phoenix at the time.  We rented a van and after staying in Vegas for the evening we were off......here are a list of places that we fit into that trip....I laugh every time I think of it!

From Vegas we drove to Hoover Dam and onto the Grand Canyon,  We spent most of a day and a half at the Grand Canyon making sure to see Sunrise and Sunset and then headed out to the East around the Canyon and up to Utah, making stops at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon and continuing north to Salt Lake City to visit family.  From there we drove through Kemmerer, Wyoming since my dad grew up here and headed up to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone.  Drove from Yellowstone back to Las Vegas via Idaho.  Now you're saying that this would be enough right?  Wrong...we got to the Las Vegas Airport just in time to catch our flight to Anaheim where we spent 2 days at Disneyland and then flew back to Vegas and took our flight home the next morning!  Insanity at it's best!  We were wondering why the parents were dragging by the end of the trip!

 So let me focus on the Grand Canyon here:

1. The Grand Canyon is BIG!

 Ok I know....."Thanks Captain Obvious" as my son would say.  However....when you are planning a driving trip to the Canyon...make sure you take into account that there is no way to cross the canyon....you have to drive AROUND the Canyon when you are going anywhere!  Therefore when you are thinking that you can get to the South Rim as well as the North Rim...remember that you need to drive half a day to get to the other side!!  When you want to drive to Hoover Dam or from Hoover Dam to the Grand Canyon there are only certain roads that will take you there and it's not a real direct route!!  Plan extra time for drive time than you would if you were on a regular roadway.  Make sure you double check the miles between points and calculate your time and then add on some extra time.  The roadways are not always straight!  Speed limits may be greatly reduced in some cases and you may see something along the way that may cause you to stop and look!  Add to that traffic if you are traveling in the summer.  Crowds are up and roads are often just double lanes with one each direction.

2.  Plan your lodging early especially if you are going during the busy summer months.

There are several lodges at the Grand Canyon:  El Tovar, Yavapai Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Kachina Lodge and Maswik Lodge and Bright Angel Lodge.  All provide great views of the canyon and allow you to stay within the park boundaries.  The big thing to remember here is that these lodges were built many years ago, have small rooms and few amenities.  There are also very few rooms in comparison to the hoards of people that visit the Grand Canyon during peak months.  If you want to spend a night or two at one of the lodges, plan ahead...rooms fill up quickly.

If you are like me and prefer a little comfort even at the Grand Canyon then I have some other options for you!  When I see the words, "private bath" in the listing for the lodge as an amenity....I am looking for another option!  While this is great for some people to get close to nature by staying at the Lodge, I don't need to forgo a "private bath" for the experience to become one with nature!  As you know my motto is "Camping is a hotel without room service!"  

We ruled out the lodge option pretty quickly in our case and started to check out local hotels.  There aren't a lot of cities close to the Canyon that offer lodging so prices are fairly high depending on seasonal demand.  Williams offered several choices as did Flagstaff but those are both a significant drive from the park.  We wanted to be sure to see both sunset and sunrise at the canyon so we wanted to be close enough to get there in the early morning.  This is when we fell upon a little town called Tusayan, AZ.  There are about 5 hotels there and it is about 1.5 miles from the entrance to the park on South Rim Drive.  It's a bit further to the rim but really only a 15-20 minutes to drive and park there.  The two times that we have stayed in Tusayan we have stayed at the Best Western Premier.  The first time we had a very spacious room that was very comfortable.  My parents had a comfortable room and got a good nights rest before heading back out on our adventure.  Our second time staying there, we somehow ended up with a suite.  It was just my husband, son and myself on this trip and this room was huge!!!  It had two separate bedrooms, two baths(much better than worrying if I was going to have a private bath included!), a sitting area and kitchen area.  The price was reasonable as we were in the off season during this particular trip.  There is another hotel that looks very nice that is directly across the street from the Best Western.  We went over there for dinner, very nice gift shop and lobby area.  Dinner was decent.  The rooms do not rate as high on sites such as Tripadvisor.com so I would most likely book a room at the Best Western again if I was going to stay in Tusayan.  The third trip to the Canyon we did a little differently.  We booked a hotel in Sedona and took one of the luxury bus tours of the Canyon offered by Pink Jeep Tours. So there are different options but if you want to stay close to the Canyon and don't want to compromise on comfort, I would highly recommend the Best Western in Tusayan.

3. Try to See both Sunrise and Sunset at the Canyon rim

Sometimes this is hard to do if you are on a tight schedule but it is something that you will never regret doing.  We were able to work this in by seeing sunset on our night of arrival and then getting up early and catching sunrise the following morning...continuing through the Canyon area and off on our way north to our next adventure.

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

4.  Make sure you dress in layers and take a jacket!

It doesn't matter what time of the year it is at the Grand Canyon, it gets COLD in the evenings and early mornings.  August Temperatures were close to 100 degrees at Hoover Dam when we were there and we were freezing by the end of the day at the Canyon.  Sunrise was also cold but it does warm up as the day progresses.  Remember you are in a dessert climate.  It gets very hot during the day but there is nothing to hold the heat in once the sun sets so make sure you dress appropriately.

Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise

5.  Make time to stop and look at the Canyon from various points.

Drive along the roadway or take the shuttle bus if you are there in the summer months and take time to stop and look at the views.  They are amazing and constantly shifting as the angle of the sun changes.  Different overlooks provide very different views and each one is amazing and awe-inspiring so don't miss out!  You can also walk along the pathway near the rim in certain areas.  When we had my parents with us, my dad (always a risk taker) was determined to get as close to the rim as he could!  My mom, the worrier of course stayed as far away from the rim as she could!  She spent the entire time worrying that my father was going to fall over the side.  Luckily nothing like that happened but do be aware of where you are walking.  Falling into the canyon does happen and the chance of  surviving a fall into the canyon 

is very low.  There are railings and bars along the more populated areas but as you get away from those spots, just be sure to watch your footing.

6.  Plan your route.

If you are traveling to the Grand Canyon during the summer months you need to know that you can only drive so far into the park.  The rest of the park is accessible by shuttle bus.  The reason for this is that the crowds are so large during this peak season that the cars have to be limited.  The shuttle bus service is free and runs on a schedule.  If you know this ahead of time and know where the stops are you can plan your time more wisely and not feel so overwhelmed by it.  Here is a link to the National Park Services website which shows the routes and the schedule and provides information for visitors with mobility issues.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm

If you are thinking of making the trek to the North Rim, you will really need to plan ahead.  As I noted above it takes about half a day to drive around the Grand Canyon and down the roadway to the North Rim.  There are only certain months it is accessible due to snowy road conditions and lodging is not nearly as plentiful.  The crowds are less than on the South Rim but it isn't as easy as it might sound to get to the North Rim.

7.  Know about alternative methods of going to the Canyon.

There is a train that runs from Williams to the Grand Canyon and drops visitors off and takes them home. There are various tours and price options available.  The website for this is:

 http://www.thetrain.com/

There are also luxury bus tours such as the one that we did out of Sedona.  There are several vendors who offer tours.  We were very satisfied with ours with Pink Jeep.  We were picked up at our hotel in the morning and dropped off at the hotel in the evening.  It included a stop for lunch at one of the lodges (there are options) and a stop at a Native American gift shop on the way back. Here is the website for Pink Jeep Tours:

http://pinkjeeptours.com/tour/grand-canyon-experience/

I would however not advise one of these tours if this is your first trip to the Grand Canyon.  They are nice but very limited in what you can see.  They are only at the rim for a few hours.  The rest is travel time.  You are also limited to a schedule. It is also fairly expensive depending on what price option you choose.  It was a great way for us to do the canyon for our third trip..like I said to check and make sure it was still there without having to drive it ourselves.  If it's your first time there, I would say to do it yourself.  You will be happy that you took the extra time to do it.  

8.  Other adventures at the Canyon

There are other things to do while at the Grand Canyon.  We did not personally experience these things but I think they are certainly worth a mention in case you happen to be a bit more adventurous than we were!  

Mule Rides:  What review of the Grand Canyon would be complete without at least mentioning the famed Mule Rides.  There are rides from the South Rim which run all year long and rides on the North Rim which run from mid-May through mid-October.  Lengths of rides vary as do weight limits and locations visited.  Make sure that you check National Park Services Website for more information:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/mule_trips.htm

Helicopter Rides: Ok...personally I of the belief that all helicopters crash!  My husband is trying to talk me out of the belief but so far he hasn't succeeded.  You will be the first to know if he does!  However, I know that there are people out there that enjoy this type of adventure so I will include it here.  Helicopter tours run out of various locations.  There are many Helicopter Tour companies and rates vary in price.  Here are links to a few of the companies:

http://www.papillon.com/

http://www.thecanyon.com/subcategory.php/swmc/tourgrandcanyon/helicopter-tours

http://www.allgrandcanyontours.com/Grand-Canyon-Tours/Helicopter-Tours/sbc-2849?pref=02&aid=ltg1328&gclid=COKjw7OZvLACFcIUKgod5Fd-qg

Hiking and Camping:  Now you know if I hesitate to stay in a lodge...hiking and camping are not my thing either....but again it maybe a favorite for some out there.  Please check out the National Parks Website for tips and warnings before starting out on any kind of adventure like this.  There are guided hiking tours that are available.  If you are planning any hiking or camping activity please be sure to apply for the proper permits.  There are also developed campgrounds within the park that allow camping.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/overnight-hiking.htm

White Water Rafting:  There are several companies that offer white water rafting opportunities in the Canyon.  Some trips are 1 day and others run several days.  Some are self-guided and some are commercial guided tours.  Please check out the National Park Services website for information on vendors and offerings.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/whitewater-rafting.htm

Grand Canyon Skyway:  "The Glass Bridge".  This is a relatively new addition to the attractions available near the Grand Canyon.  First thing to remember is that this is NOT located in Grand Canyon National Park.  It is located in a smaller part of the same canyon system and is suspended more than 4,000 feet in the air.  It is located at the Grand Canyon Hualapai West Entrance.  It will cost $25.00 per person in addition to an entry fee.  There is a limit of how many people can be on the bridge at one time so it's first come first serve.  This attraction is operated by the Hualapai Tribe.

9.  The Grand Canyon provides fun for all ages.

Remember we had various generations with us on our first trip to the Grand Canyon.  Our ages ranged from 13-75 and not one of us wasn't totally enthralled by the beauty and awesomeness of the Canyon,  Access to the rim is easy in areas where there are overlooks.  If you want a bit more of a challenge, that is possible also.  Don't let age affect your decision to visit.

10. Go and Enjoy!

The Grand Canyon is a one of a kind experience.  It is so immense...so amazing that it's hard to take it all in.  It's almost more than our eyes can process.  Everywhere you turn there is something different to see.  The colors change before your eyes with the changing of the sunlight.  You feel so small when you are standing surrounded by the vastness of this wonder.  It is a great place to visit whether for a few hours or many days.  It is just something that I feel that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime! 

Next up:  Planning for our trip to Denali National Park

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