Why you should visit National Parks in the off-season

by Darren Murph on

So, you missed out on those fee-free weekends at the National Parks last year? Don’t sweat it — you didn’t miss much. As with anything that’s both free and open to the public, those weekends drew huge crowds. And while gratis is always nice, fighting the crowds is decidedly not. The way we see it, America’s pristine National Park system is best enjoyed with as little ambient noise as possible. After all, entering these parks gives you a chance to really connect with nature and to simply soak in some of the most beautiful regions of the country. Good luck trying to soak anything in with hordes of tourists surrounding you, kids wailing about their PSP battery dying and crowded roadways leading to the entrance.

For better or worse, most National Parks turn into circuses (or zoos, if you prefer that visual) during the warmer months. Particularly in the flagship parks (Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Great Smoky Mountains, etc.), the summer months lead to bumper-to-bumper traffic, waiting lines at scenic pulloffs, and a general sense of frustration. Call us crazy, but that doesn’t exactly sound like the ideal National Park experience.

Thankfully for you, there’s a solution. Go now.The winter months are undoubtedly the time to visit, and for a number of reasons. For starters, you’ll find fewer people around you. In essence, you get more of the park to “yourself,” with more room to explore areas that you find particularly interesting. There’s also less waiting at the entrance, no queues for snapping shots at gorgeous overlooks and no added stress. There’s also the distinct chance that you’ll see magnificent sites covered in snow, which certainly adds a touch of character to things and gives your shots a lot more color.

We recently visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, and we’d be shocked if 50 other vehicles were at the park. Generous portions were drizzled with a light dusting of snow, but all of the roads were perfectly clear and all of the trails were open for exploration. There’s also the huge benefit of being able to drive yourself up and down Hermit Road. For those unaware, Hermit Road is a seven mile stretch that bends around the south rim, and it provides stunning overlooks over a great variety of points around the canyon. You’ll feel as if you’re looking at completely different canyons when moving from pullout to pullout, and it’s a real joy to cruise at your leisure, pull off at each stop and gaze at the new angles presented to you. Here’s the kicker: it’s only open to public vehicles in December, January and February. The rest of the year, you’ll be forced to park your ride and hop on a shuttle with scads of others. Don’t get us wrong — we appreciate the green aspect of using public transportation, but having the autonomy to drive yourself really enriches the experience.

We also stopped by Arches National Park in Utah, and we were able to secure rare shots of Delicate Arch surrounded by snow. The 1.5 mile hike was also made more difficult (and in turn, entirely more fun) by forcing us to trudge through the white stuff while attempting to scout out the next trailhead. We only passed three couples on the march to the top. It felt less like following school kids in a single-file line and more like blazing our own trail up a mountain. Be honest with yourself — which option would you prefer? To contrast this, we visited Yosemite in the dead of summer last year, and even during the recession, the main highway (US 120) that crosses from east to west was jammed, and we had a much tougher time locating spots for pictures in which no people were around.

Finally, heading to National Parks in the off-season will save you big bucks on travel. Flights are typically cheaper, hotels are definitely cheaper (our 2-bedroom room at the Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel was literally 50 percent less expensive than the summer rate), and you won’t have to pay peak prices when it comes time to pick up a souvenir. If you’ve got some vacation time that you’ve been dying to burn, there’s no better time to make a National Park run than right now. These gems weren’t meant to have a theme park vibe to ’em, and all of that serenity you’ve been dreaming of will be a lot easier to find if you make the off-season your season.

[Images provided by Dana Jo Photography]

5 little-known, must-see sites on a Southwest road trip

by Darren Murph on

So, you’ve settled on the American Southwest as your next road trip destination. Congratulations — you’ve made a sound choice indeed. Picking one of America’s most storied regions to ramble around in is the easy part, but selecting the routes and spots to see is a bit more difficult. You’ve always got the obvious choices – Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, for instance — but it’s the offbeat gems that really stick with you long after you dust off your boots, hang the cowboy hat and return the rental car.

We recently embarked on a 3,600 mile journey that crisscrossed the Southwest, touching parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. The cliché stops were nothing short of awe-inspiring, but we found five must-see areas along the way that showcased exactly what this region of the country is all about. Read on if you’re eager to get your wheels turning.

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Lake Mead National Recreation Area

When you think of beautiful sights in the south of the Silver State, you probably think of neon skyscrapers, or if we’re talking really south, the Hoover Dam. Frankly, there’s no need to fight the crowds at either. For just $5 per vehicle, the 40 or so mile drive from south to north of the park is a wild ride full of expansive views, a plethora of short (albeit rewarding) hikes and a relative lack of human life. Don’t be shocked if you find yourself atop a peak, overlooking miles of pristine desert mountains, with nary a soul in sight. If you’re looking to connect with nature (or just disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the real world), you won’t find a more stunning hour-long drive in Nevada.

Bryce Canyon City, Utah

Just a few short hours outside of desert lies a brisk, highly elevated region of Utah that few outsiders bother to explore. The minuscule town (or should we say village?) of Bryce Canyon City has but two real hotels, and one of those were constructed last May. This place truly shines in the winter; we checked in to the Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel to find an exceptionally friendly staff, a well appointed room, a steaming outdoor hot tub circled by snow and a hot breakfast that would make your local Shoney’s envious. Horseback rides overlooking Utah’s gorgeous orange rocks are but miles away, and the exceedingly underrated Bryce Canyon National Park is right next door. You’re also under two hours away from skiing at Brian Head, and better still, Scenic Byway 12 is just up the road. Speaking of…

Scenic Byway US 12

You’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by not traversing the entire 120 mile stretch of asphalt, which is known as Utah’s first all-American highway. Starting at Bryce Canyon City and terminating at Torrey, this sparsely driven gem carves through towering mountains, stunning monuments and a few towns in particular that are just oozing with character (Tropic and Escalante, if you’re wondering). We found dozens of scenic pulloffs that were impossible to pass by, and the dearth of other vehicles allowed for countless in-road snaps that truly demonstrate the magic of a road trip. For those with ample time, an off-road tested vehicle and plenty of spare gas cans, the 55.5 mile Hole-in-the-Rock Road at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is the preeminent “road less traveled.”

Four Corners / Scenic Byway US 163

There’s really only one way to start the southbound journey down US 163, and that’s from the east after a jaunt down to the Four Corners of America. Sure, you could cut through Utah from the north, but where’s the fun in that? Stepping foot in four states simultaneously generates a feeling of pride and joviality that we have personally never felt in any other scenario — in a sense, it’s the ultimate travel accomplishment, or at least the one that you’ll never forget to tell your grand-kids about. Shortly after you pass Bluff, UT, US 163 begins; it takes but a mile to captivate. Sandwiched on both sides by towering rocks and colossal peaks, the town of Mexican Hat (and the aptly named rock to which the place owes its moniker) is a comedic break in the otherwise solemn excursion. Monument Valley State Park, just north of the Arizona border, is a satisfying conclusion to the buildup that precedes it. A seemingly never-ending expanse of otherworldly statues dot the roadside, inviting you to rest your laurels while soaking in the untamed southwest sun.

Pecos, Texas

If you notice yourself on I-10 heading east (which you won’t, given that Interstates are strictly forbidden ’round these parts), you’ll see a billboard or two beckoning you to visit Pecos. Unlike those signs coaxing you to break for “The Thing?,” this sleepy town of under 10,000 is certainly worth a look. As the story goes, the world’s first rodeo was held here in 1883, and by the looks of it, the weekend wranglin’ is still at the height of popularity over a century later. You’ll find wildly colorful buildings lining the generally wide-open downtown, more pick-up trucks and spurs than you could ever imagine, and beyond all of that, a real, bona fide taste of Texas. Without question, the essence of Texas is still alive and well in the far west of the state. If you dreamed of tumbleweeds and dusty streets but stumbled upon meadows and metropolises when you landed in central Texas, you’ll find the authentic Lone Star vibe you’re searching for just a few hundred (lonely) miles to the west.

[Images provided by Dana Jo Photography]

ABC News and Hotels.com list best US cities for hotel deals

by Katie Hammel on

On most trips, your two biggest expenses will be your transportation and your accommodation. You don’t have much control over the price of your flight, but you can balance out that cost by picking a destination where you are more likely to score a deal on your hotel. ABC News has put together a list of popular tourist destinations in the US where hotel rates are falling, including Las Vegas, Tuscon, Anchorage and Chicago.

In some cites, the savings can be as much as 30%. In New York, the average has dropped from $281 to $196 – nearly $100 per night. Stay 2-3 nights and that could cover your airfare. Miami’s average is down from $176 to $140 and the cost of a typical hotel room in San Francisco has decreased from $155 to $124. Even rates in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, are down 18% from $191 to $157.

The stats came from Hotels.com’s list of average hotel room rates around the world. Chicago, with a drop of 22% came in third place (tied with Anchorage) among major cities for the most significant drop in rates. Juneau, Alaska, was in second place. New York and Las Vegas tied for the top spot with a drop of 30%. Every state in the US experienced a drop in the average nightly rate, except for North Dakota. Rates there remained stable.

The lowest prices in the country were found in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Boise, Idaho; and Las Vegas.

The global average for hotel price drops was 17% with Moscow experiencing the most significant decrease of 52%.

Illinois man works 50 jobs in 50 states

by Katie Hammel on

Looking to spice up your work routine? Want to travel the country but don’t have the cash to go without a job for an extended period of time? Take a page from Daniel Seddiqui’s playbook. Quit your job and contract yourself out to 50 different employers in 50 states over the course of 50 weeks. You’ll get variety, the chance to travel for a year, and a somewhat steady income. It’s genius.

Bored with his job at an office in Skokie, Illinois, Daniel decided to try something new. Actually, he decided to try something new every week. He resolved to work his way across the US, doing odd jobs in each state. Along the way, he held some jobs he loved (working as a dietitian in Mississippi) and some he loathed (taking abuse from film company execs in LA). He also worked as a border patrol officer in Arizona, helped out a cellar master in Napa Valley, made cheese in Wisconsin, and toiled in an oil refinery in Oklahoma.

Some jobs paid well, like the medical device manufacturer that gave him $2000 for getting the company coverage on CNN, while others, like the gig making furniture with the Amish in Pennsylvania, well…not so much. For that, Daniel earned just $100 for the week.

Daniel says some jobs were more difficult than others, but it seems like one of the hardest aspects of undertaking this project was probably setting it up. Daniel says he estimates that 100 companies rejected his offer per state. But he continued making cold calls and networking and eventually landed all 50 gigs.

So what’s the next job for Daniel? Writing a book about the adventure, of course.

Report lists America’s most polluted beaches

by Katie Hammel on

On Tuesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council released its annual Testing the Waters report, which lists the most polluted beaches at the country’s oceans, lakes and bays.

The worst offenders have been on the list for several years, with contamination levels exceeding national standards anywhere from 60% to 90% of the time. The top beaches for contamination include Shired Island, Florida; Kings at Stacy Brook, Massachusetts; and Joerse Park in Indiana.

The report lists the number of days that beaches were closed or that contamination warnings were issued. This year’s number, 20,000, is one of the highest in the 19-year history of the report. The full report also shows how often each beach checks its contamination level. While the majority perform checks every day, others lack the funds and only check the water a few times a week, so contamination levels may actually be higher than reported at some beaches.

The biggest culprit of beach pollution: stormwater run-off and poorly designed sewage systems. For those of you as grossed out as I am right now, don’t worry. The report also lists the beaches that are the cleanest.

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