Travel Puma

Now that we’ve discussed how to stay safe while travelling the nation’s national parks, let’s explore one!

Established as a national park and treasure on March 1, 1972, Yellowstone National Park is located primarily in Wyoming but also extends into the states of Montana and Idaho.  Yellowstone was the first park of its kind, making a name for itself with a complex variety of wildlife and geothermal features, particularly Old Faithful Geyser.

The national park covers an expansive 3,468 square miles which includes lakes, canyons, mountain ranges and rivers.  Yellowstone features one of the largest higher-altitide lakes in North America and the Yellowstone Caldera is the largest supervolcano on the continent.  So, you know, you might not be bored at this national park, like ever.

With hundreds of species of birds, fish, reptiles and mammals this vast park lends itself to the magic of nature, untouched, but yet still available to be viewed by 3 to 4 million visitors per year.  Yellowstone offers visitors many recreational activities such as hiking, boating, camping, fishing and our favorite, sightseeing.

Paved roads provide Yellowstone visitors access to the major park areas such as lakes and waterfalls.  Pets are required to be leashed at all times and are restricted to certain camping zones and hiking trails.

Whether you’re visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time or the fiftieth, you will always see something new and again experience the shear awe of nature at work, and play.

With the current state of the economy, the rising costs of fuel and unemployment, it’s high time we turn to our local national parks for a reasonably-priced vacation.

While doing some research on such parks, we came acrossKurt Repanshek’s recent post on how to stay safe while visiting U.S. national parks, and it was so informative, we thought we’d start there.

In order to avoid accidents and getting lost in the country’s amazing national parks, here is a good list of tips to bear in mind:

• Always, always make sure you have a map of the area you are in, and a step above this would be to carry a compass and know where you’re headed and where you’ve been, and it would also be prudent to actually know how to work the compass, so practice before you head out on your adventures.
• Dress accordingly.  This means if you’re in Yellowstone, you might need both shorts and pants, so do yourself a favor and buy some multi-function apparel to save on packing, and pack-ridden backaches.
• Don’t make the mistake of assuming water found at high altitudes is safe to drink, always treat your water no matter where you find it.
• When you’re climbing high, remember that you’re headed deeper into the effects of UV, so wear appropriate sunscreen and headwear.
• Take your time and enjoy yourself.  There’s no reason to hurry and risk a fall, take time to look around and enjoy the scenery, after all, that’s why you’re there.

We hope this list has been helpful to hikers and national park enthusiasts alike.  Next up, we’re headed to Yellowstone!

Ever wondered what the top romantic U.S. travel destinations were?  We think you’ll be surprised by the leaders. 

Here’s a list of the Top 10 U.S. Travel Destinations, in order of the most popular:

1. Hawaii
2. Las Vegas
3. Florida
4. California
5. Texas
6. Georgia
7. Virginia
8. New York
9. North Carolina
10. Colorado

As you can see, it’s quite a veritable variety of locations within the United States, each offering travellers tempting excursions and adventures.

Even with the long flight, Hawaii seems to always get the top slot in U.S. travel with its honeymoon desirability as well as a beach-lovers paradise.  Make sure you check out our earlier post on the Big Island’s Kona Village Resort.

Of course, coming in a close second is Sin City itself.  With 24-hour entertainment and some of the best shows and musical acts ever congregated into one area, it’s no wonder so many flock to Las Vegas to get married or to just enjoy the show.

Coming in third, Florida’s beaches and theme parks will always tempt travelers with stunning Key West and Orlando’s Walt Disney World.  Florida is a perfect state to enjoy the simple pleasures of life hand in hand with your partner.

With each U.S. destination, you can experience the wonder and romance of what the States have to offer.

Kona Village Resort is the only all-inclusive resort on the Big Island in Hawaii and where countless newleyweds have flocked for their romantic honeymood getaway.

But you don’t have to be recently hitched to enjoy the incredible vistas from Kona Village Resort’s hales, or grass-roofed huts.  Picture no TVs, no radios, no clock letting you know it’s time to do this and that and no Web access, and you’ve correctly imagined your own hale.

Set a world apart from the concrete and high-rise hotels and attractions, this former fishing village is just waiting for you.  We’re seeing some really great rates for the second week of June, so you better get cracking on this Hawaiian vacation.

Now that we know gas prices are going to keep rising well on into the Memorial Day weekend, we need to start planning our staycations.

First we recommend grabbing a city guide of your hometown at the local library.  Thumb through the history of your city and get out there and do what the tourists do.  From museums to historical plaques, get to know you city better this weekend.

This weekend most pools in the country are opening where it’s warm enough, so find those beach towels and make a day of it, but be sure to bring the sunscreen.

Look in your local papers to see if there are any festivals going on in your area this weekend, you’ll be surprised what you might find.

As more and more Americans go the staycation route due to rising unemployment and fuel costs, people are getting to know their cities more than they would have before.  Get out there and have some home-travel fun!

As gas prices creep up this week and weekend, more and more travelers will be staying at home this Memorial Day weekend.

Due to soaring fuel costs, the American highways may be a little bit emptier this year while motorists stay at home to celebrate the holiday.

According to a recent report, only about a third of Americans plan to travel on Memorial Day weekend, leaving the rest of us to enjoy what they’re leaving behind- more room at your favorite restaurants, more space at the local pool and more time for you at your favorite museum.  We say let them travel, while we enjoy travelling around our own cities.

Right now you can book your San Francisco, California getaway and save.

For just $410 per person, you can fly and stay at the 4-star Orchard Hotel for 4 nights!  The Orchard  features stunningly designed rooms supplied with none other than Aveda bath products and stocked with DVD and CD players with five speakers throughout the hotel room, along with a desk with cordless phone and two lines featuring voicemail.

Now you can take in all of what San Fran has to offer, and enjoy a great base location as well.

Happy travelling!

Whether you’re headed to San Francisco for the first time or the twentieth, this Californian city has it all.  From the Golden Gate Bridge to Fisherman’s Wharf, there is more packed into the city than you can fit into a weekend getaway.

The gem of the Bay area, San Francisco is located on a small seven-by-seven mile slice of land at the tip of a peninsula between the San Fran Bay and Pacific coast.  With a population of 800,000 ethnically-varied residents who can afford to live in this high-priced and coveted city, you will find a cornucopia of wonderful restaurants and cultural experiences which makes San Fran one of the most visited cities not only in the US, but in the world.

Highlights of the city include the Golden Gate Bridge, of course, along with Fisherman’s Wharf which holds the treasures of Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and the ferry launch to Alcatraz Island.

You cannot leave San Francisco without visiting Chinatown, the largest and most crowded Chinatown outside of Asia.  And Southeast San Francisco, while mostly a residential area, is worth a visit with its many nice parks and bay-side neighborhoods, as well as being home to the 49ers NFL team at Monster Park. 

Any way you slice it, you will not want to leave this city by the bay.

About to pack up the kids for summer?  Then don’t delay, book your Orlando, Florida vacation now!

When you book a stay of 4 nights or more, you can receive a free Universal Studios Theme Park admission pass.  And did we mention this is already on top of a savings of up to 30% off your room rates?!

Be sure to book your destination vacation by July 31 to take advantage of these savings and start planning that Florida trip you and your family have been dreaming of.

A new travel alert is under effect in Thailand.  While the anti-governmental protests seem to have ended in Bangkok, the situation is still rather volatile and might best be preserved as a travel destination later in the year.

That aside, Thailand is one of the best locations for adventure travel in the world.  Not only do you have amazing scuba diving, kayaking, climbing, hiking, repelling and beaches, you also have a haven of history in this rich and fertile land.

Traveling to Thailand between November and February is best as the rain has abated and is not too hot during these months.  Also, this is the prime period for the country’s festivals that you don’t want to miss.

If you find that you cannot wait to visit Thailand, be sure to check out iExplore’s current deal to Thailand and Cambodia.  Right now you can take advantage of at least 20% in savings, though you may not want to.