Day 3 in the Grand Canyon: tragic crash site, fun on the Little Colorado River
The hot hike is soon forgotten. We all consider how privileged we are to be playing in a place few Grand Canyon visitors ever see – the Little Colorado River
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Day 2 in the Grand Canyon: exploring the “ancients,” a dubious crowd estimate and birthday cake!
I sit up in my sleeping bag and look around. We are steps from the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The light on the multi-hued rock—pink, orange, brown is spectacular as the sun comes up
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Rafting the Grand Canyon with Western River Expeditions
We are diverse group of 32 (not including four guides) on this seven-day rafting adventure in the Grand Canyon, from across the country and generations.
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Tips for the first time RVers this fall
Because of COVID, plus the desire to get outside safely with your own bathroom and kitchen, many Americans are turning to RVing
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SO MANY CHOICES FOR FALL GETAWAYS
This fall, with many schools, starting with remote learning and parents working from home, there is an unprecedented opportunity for a family road trip
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A hike to remember: North Rim of the Grand Canyon
After a five-mile hike, we’re sitting on a rock taking in the panoramic view from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
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Bryce Canyon National Park: Hoodoo you think you’re feeling?
Hoodoos actually have eroded out of cliffs, forming thin walls of rock called fins.Isn’t nature amazing?! Here at Bryce Canyon we are at the top of what is famously called “The Grand Staircase”
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YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE A SUMMER JOB WILL LEAD
I last rafted the Grand Canyon 40 years ago on a trip where we paddled, following the guide’s shouted directions. I was glad for the opportunity to go again, confident that we could raft safely and stay healthy with Western River’s comprehensive COVID-19 mitigation plan
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Cure Your Wanderlust on a Grand Canyon Rafting Trip This Fall
If your wanderlust is stronger than ever and you have some flexibility in your schedule, there may be no better time for a Grand Canyon rafting adventure than now.
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Taking the kids: To Aspen this summer and fall
Everyone who visits Aspen — summer, fall or winter — should make time for an ACES activity, whether guided hike (there are free guided walks), winter snowshoe tours, storytelling, free junior naturalist activity books and the chance to visit the resident rescued Golden Eagle, Red Tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl that can no longer live in the wild
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Even if it rains, glamping is still fun
For the uninitiated, glamping means experiencing the outdoors without the work or challenges (except maybe weather!) that camping typically requires
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Staying safe in national parks from COVID, bears, bison and more…
As well as keeping our distance and wearing masks to avoid contracting COVID-19, it’s imperative as we flock to national parks to consider what else we must do to keep ourselves and our families safe
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On the road this pandemic summer
We experienced the mask issue firsthand on our 2,850-mile road trip from Colorado to Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, social distancing as much as possible
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The short strange ride on an E-bike, up to Maroon Bells near Aspen CO
We headed up eight miles to the Maroon Bells, one of Colorado’s most iconic rides along Maroon Creek Road from Aspen Highlands to Maroon Lake
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Pizza in Aspen? Pizza in Heaven? This is Colorado
The Gant Aspen not only is Aspen’s only condominium hotel that offers food and beverage right here, but the new artisanal take out pizzas from Boulder’s popular Boss Lady Pizza has proved a huge hit on weekends.
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Pandemic Summer reunion in Crested Butte CO
This Pandemic summer, Elk Avenue has been made one way to allow for more outdoor socially-distanced seating and masks are required for those strolling on Elk Avenue.
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To a unique family-owned Montana ranch
A visit to Flathead Lake Lodge, just south of Glacier NP, this pandemic summer is about a lot more than learning a new sport or upping your skill, visiting kids say, especially after being stuck at home for months.
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A picture perfect day in Jackson Hole WY on the last day of our epic #CovidSummer2020 road trip
The big difference this pandemic summer: Families wearing masks when they are near other people or inside shops. Clerks and restaurant servers are wearing masks too.
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More masks everywhere – including Jackson Hole WY
Certainly, there is a lot to feel anxious about this summer whether you are at home or traveling with spikes in COVID-19 cases in many states. Locals in Wyoming, like elsewhere, say they are nervous seeing so many out of state license plates
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Away from it all: At River Dance Lodge in scenic central Idaho
We’re spending a couple of days in a cabin at River Dance Lodge in Idaho, part of the Row Adventures portfolio, known for their rafting and sea kayaking trips.
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Families give Paws Up high marks
Suha Jhaveri opted for a mom-son road trip to the Resort at Paws Up, where they stayed in a huge safari-like tent
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Chuckwagon caps a day of weather challenges
When it rains, you just soldier on as we did horseback riding and riding ATV vehicles
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A cold summer rain can’t stop the fun: Paws Up
At least we are cozy and dry in our tent. That’s right—our tent. electricity, an in-suite bathroom, and heated floor.
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Navigating Glacier National Park during #COVIDSUMMER2020
So far this summer, the east side of the park remains closed due to heavy winter snows—we could only go as far as Avalanche, where we went hiking to Avalanche Lake, about a two miles each way with a gradual gain of about 500 feet in elevation.
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At Glacier National Park: a Covid summer like no other
Glacier National Park is only partially open this Covid summer. No park lodging. Eastern side closed completely. So be prepared for scarce lodging, food, even hiking options
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Flathead Lodge: Kids discover friendships and much more
After months sheltering at home, “This place encourages you to make new friends,”
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How to make the most of the pandemic summer
The good news: If you can work remotely with kids’ camps and summer school canceled, you can opt for a longer break. Perhaps this is the year to take that big road trip out West or get a longer rental in a mountain or beach town.
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Best Bacon Ever: On a breakfast trail ride
“The breakfast ride is my favorite thing at the ranch. Breakfast tastes so much better,” says Sydney Byrne, 17, a guest at Flathead Lake Lodge in NW Montana
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Three generations, 75 years: The Averill family and Flathead Lake Ranch
Flathead Lake Lodge is much more than a lodge – it’s a ranch, farm and acre upon acre of wilderness and lakefront.
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A huge menu at Flathead Lake Lodge in Montana
What should we today? that’s the biggest decision a guest must make with nearly two dozen activities—including those just for kids and for teens.
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Flathead Lake Lodge copes well with Covid Summer
At Flathead Lake Lodge, rather than 125 people spread out in 22 cozy log cabins and the main lodge, there are 83, including 30 kids
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A mind game: fly-fishing in Yellowstone National Park
Fly fishing in Yellowstone is a big deal. If I could have only one fishing license in the world it would be here at Yellowstone National Park,” says Almond, who traded an executive career to become a fly fishing guide.
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A different kind of camping – Under Canvas
This is camping Under Canvas style, modeled after the traditional safari experience and especially welcome this Pandemic summer when everyone is anxious to enjoy the outdoors but may not want the work of camping, sleeping on the ground or sharing communal bathrooms.
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Big Geyser, Little Geyser – social distancing at Yellowstone NP
We’re at Yellowstone National Park but we’re not at Old Faithful. We’re a few miles away at Lone Star Geyser that required a little over a two-mile hike—really a mellow walk along a beautiful steam.
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A look at summer travel under COVID rules
We’re talking about the havoc the COVID-19 Pandemic has wreaked on in lives. That includes, of course, any travel plans we might have had for this summer.
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As Orlando Reopens, Safety First at Theme Parks
Just to enter, you’ll need an advance reservation, temperature screening and a mask. Welcome to the New Normal as Orlando begins to open in this Pandemic Summer.
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On the Road – Covid Summer 2020: 1st stop Jackson Hole; it’s cold, rainy and tourists and businesses are coming back
ckson, of course, is the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This time of year, the town should be buzzing with tourists, including many from overseas. Summer is high season—typically.
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Rocky Mountain Towns are Reopening for Adventurers
As long as you are willing to wear masks and social distance, you will find mountain towns have fine-tuned their lodging, restaurants, and guided adventures so that you can get outdoors and enjoy yourselves this summer—safely.
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On a road trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Badlands
This summer, it seems, road trips are expected to be particularly popular — if families opt to leave home at all. That’s why throughout the summer, we’ll spotlight some classic American road trips — like to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Badlands.
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Heading outdoors any way you want this summer
Families, it seems, think camping can be the antidote they seek — and a way to get out of town safely, according to a new COVID-19 edition of the North American Camping Report, sponsored by Kampgrounds of America.
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Summer travel, or not, in the new normal
What’s a family to do? If families get away at all, they are likely to drive and stay closer to home, suggests Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association
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Getting moms and daughters out of their comfort zones
When Steff Keene wanted to backpack for the first time, she didn’t turn to adventure-loving friends for advice like college students might. She turned to mom.
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Why Greece is the Destination for Skip-Gen Vacations
Isn’t this the best possible gift for the young ones! Grandparents today are healthy, active and available. Combining their stories and their unconditional love with the young children’s curiosity connects the kids with their past and their roots
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Thinking about adventures past and to come — in Alaska
Nearly a year later, stuck at home, trips canceled in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I smile thinking about that stellar day and the rest of last summer’s trip to Alaska
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To Golden Gate Park for its big birthday
They called the area the Great Sand Wastes, but even those who believed in the project could never have imagined what Golden Gate Park would become
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Thinking about the great outdoors
As for Doc, he retired and opted for a second career where people meet him with big smiles on their faces, some having waited more than a year to meet him
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To Philadelphia and celebrating women during women’s history month
For 2020, Philadelphia has officially changed the city’s “City of Brotherly Love” moniker to the “City of Sisterly Love,” acknowledging that women of color were not fully enfranchised until the 1965 Voting Rights Act
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Snow graffiti? Who knew? The kids program at Vista Verde Ranch
All you need is some snow and spray bottles with food coloring—blue, yellow, green, red, purple…
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Back to Vista Verde Ranch – snowmobiles and more fun in the snow
Welcome to Vista Verde Ranch near the tiny Colorado town of Clark and about a 40-minute drive from Steamboat Springs-and a world away from the busy ski town where you have to jockey on the slopes for a place to sit at lunch time.
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Under the Devil’s Thumb, a guest ranch for XC, snowshoe and spa lovers
We see that giant snow-covered thumb as we are getting a Nordic classic ski lesson at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, a four-season resort on 6,500 pristine acres about 75 miles west of Denver and 15 miles from Winter Park and its famous downhill slope
