Vacations Summer 2013: US State and National Parks

Beautiful scenery, historic trails, and inexpensive vacations…

If you would like to take an inexpensive vacation while discovering and exploring the history and natural beauty of the United States in a low-stress manner…why not consider time spent at a National or State Park?

The US National Park Service makes it easy and if you are a US tax-paying citizen, your tax dollars are paying to provide not only the information, but also the care, nurturing and availability of these parks to the general public. It is a real waste to not take advantage…

Clicking on the NPS link allows you to search for parks by name, location, activity or topic. You can also begin your vacation research by selecting particular states.

++ Looking for US state park camping facilities and campgrounds? Visit the National Parks Conservation Association.

++ Or find historic sites and properties via the National Register of Historic Places.

You need to know….

These are VERY popular tourist destinations. Whether you are visiting the US from another country or not, you will need to plan WELL in advance. Many parks take reservations up to 11 months in advance and many travelers make staying at these exciting locations a family tradition – meaning they book each year at the earliest chance.

Be aware of specific confirmation requirements. Two days in advance of your arrival is when most park administrators need to hear from you. Why? Because they usually have a lot of people who will gladly take your spot if you are not planning to attend. 48 hours notice gives the “Plan B” reservation time to get moving. Cancel without proper notification and you will likely incur a fee – probably a lot less than your average hotel will charge you.

Many park venues have a two-day minimum stay. This should not be a problem unless you have dire requirements to be somewhere else soon and only have one night to plan a stay somewhere. This is not the best opportunity to plan a park stay since you will not have time to see and visit even 50% of what most parks have to offer.

Country Vacations and Resorts