An outdoors vacation can be very affordable, and allows one to experience the wonders of nature, afford personal and spiritual rejuvenation and can be a bonding experience.
The National Park Service has made great strides in recent years to make the National Parks accessible. Full hotel and cabin services are available in many parks and can offer the same creature comforts in the great outdoors that one would find at any vacation destination. Some of our favorite parks that offers these full array of services are Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, and Yellowstone National Park. Each offers a grand lodge, hotel rooms, and larger cabins suitable for the entire family. The parks offer outdoor programs for children, shopping and gift stores, restaurants, and great walking trails to view the wonders of nature. The room rates at these parks vary from $74.00 to $172.00 per night and are much higher than renting a typical campsite, but can offer a great value for the travel dollar.
While many people look to camping as a "Roughing it" experience, this is not always the case. Every State has a series of forests and State Parks that can offer a wide range of accommodations and activities at affordable prices and "pet-friendly" policies are often in effect. The cost of a campsite or even a cabin in a State park can be very reasonable and a variety of amenities are often close at hand. In addition, many small towns near State Parks and Forests cater to tourists. Members of a household who are not inclined to a "Roughing it" experience can often find many things to stir their interests near by.
We have also found an outdoors vacation is a great time for parents to introduce an educational tool like a portable field microscope. The timing can offer a child structure and guidance while allowing them the freedom and creativity to just have fun with what they can discover away from the pressures of school. Here is a very good field scope offered by one of our educational affiliates.
When one is away from the city lights, the evening stars are very striking, especially in the National Parks. One of the best sources for star gazing sproducts is Edmund Scientifics. They have several products that can help anyone enjoy the night sky and are perfect on a family camping trip, or even on the trail. The Star finder, the Mysky and a childs telescope kit are 3 fine examples
It has been our experience that a horse ride through the National Parks can allow a person to cover a great deal of ground and over rough terrain very easily in a short amount of time. It has been expressed, first hand, to our team of Road Scholars that the horse ride services have been a great value. Many have expressed to us that they were able to see territory they otherwise would never have had the chance to experience. These horseback tours have been a source for great adventure to those who had limited time in the national park, limited outdoors experience, or had physical limits on how hard they could hike the trail.
There are plenty of opportunities to have a "true outdoors/nature experience" within a state or national park and "roughing it" need not be part of that experience.
Of course, More adventurous members of the house hold can arrange for backpacking excursions with the Park's Rangers. In many areas near the National Parks and forests, Mules, donkeys and burrows are available for rent as pack animals on the trails which can allow younger members of the household to take part in a significant backpacking adventure.
Like all travel adventures, an outdoors experience should be kept simple, and have a focus on the quality of the experience rather than on the quantity of activities..
The hotel and amenities in the National Parks are operated by the Xanterra Corporation. Xanterra also runs a number of conference and retreat centers throughout the National Park system, and throughout the Ohio State Park system and a very high end luxury spa retreat in Northern California.
For those who are more adventure minded looking for a change in lifestyle, Xanterra offers employment that often includes employee lodging and meal services. This tends to make the cost of living very reasonable and allows their employees to take advantage of the entire National Park on days off.
To find out more, visit them at the following link
For age appropriate gear and safety equipment for children, you can't beat Upside Over
Backpacking is a unique form of camping where one packs up all the provisions for several days, and carries the load by foot to a campsite in the wilderness. It affords someone the experience to leave civilization and become immersed in nature in a very profound way. Testimony from an adventure of this kind can be found at the following link
