Please help me plan a multi generation trip to Yellowstone
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Anonymous
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Looking to go on this trip for July or August of 2017 for about a week. Planning a trip with grandparents in their 70's who enjoy hiking but not in the greatest health, 30 year old adult siblings and children ranging from 7 months to 8 years old. What is a good base? Our immediate family will have the 7m old and we only plan to take the baby on short hikes. We are ok with splitting up because our 8yo, DH and childless adult siblings could handle more. Our group has a big range of interests. I am not a nature person and enjoy spas and luxury resorts. All the men love fishing. My mom is obsessed with taking pictures.
Where should we fly to? Strongly prefer a non-stop direct from DC. Other family members will be flying from NY and Boston. |
Anonymous
| Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Why Yellowstone? |
Anonymous
My parents' health is deteriorating and it is somewhere they want to go. I think my mom wants one big family picture on this family vacation. My mom fought cancer but she always makes it sound like they are going to die any day now. My boys are very active and so are my brother and DH. I expect to take it easy and stay back with the baby because this baby probably won't do well on long drives or walks. Short walks in baby carrier will be doable. |
Anonymous
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I think you need to go down to your local library, head to the travel section, and pull out a few books on Yellowstone. I did just that a few weeks ago, so I feel pretty well versed in it now (although I've never been there).
So, there isn't anyway you are getting a "direct" flight to Yellowstone. The closest "direct" flight you can get is to Salt Lake City, but you will have a 5.5 hr. drive after that. Or you can fly into Jackson Hole, or Idaho Falls or Billings or Bozeman... but you will still have 1-3 hrs. of driving to do to get to Yellowstone. There is no "spa" type of lodging in Yellowstone. Any "spa" type of lodging would be in Jackson or Teton Village... and that will require several hours of driving to get in and out of the park if you stay in Jackson. On further thought, maybe you need to stay in Jackson, and take a one-day guided tour of Yellowstone -- it's expensive, but it would give you the picture you are looking for with the least amount of planning and effort. But, really, it seems like you all are romanticizing the trip that you aren't really in a good position to take. Can't you rent a beach house for a week -- beach photos are good... it would be easier to get to it, better accomodations for all the different ages/needs, and lots closer to the supplies you need. Yellowstone is very expensive if you are flying. I'm looking at $6000+ for our family of 4 to have 6 days (including two that are travel days). Hotels and flights and rental cars (and food and tours) really add up! I don't think you have put much thought into this...it's not as simple as you think. |
Anonymous
| Just to clarify -- the whole trip will be $6000+ ... not just the flights. |
Anonymous
We (family of three) did Yellowstone/ Grand Teton for seven nights last summer for less than $3000, including RT flight to Jackson and car rental. And no camping was involved. Scoring RT tickets from DCA for $270 helped. |
Anonymous
We have done the beach before. Have also done Disney and Grand Canyon altogether. Cost is non-issue. It can be 10k or 15k or 20k. Doesn't matter. |
Anonymous
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https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/north-america/wyoming-vacations/
Since you said money isn't an issue, then do Adventures by Disney. Something for everyone. It includes Yellowstone. If that won't work, perhaps free itinerary will give you some insight into your planning? Perhaps Tauck does similar tours? Your issue with tours will be the baby. |
Anonymous
I am impressed, but I have a hard time believing this.... the hotels in the park are all $300/night (including taxes). Seven nights is $2100... plus flights and food and activity fees and a rental car???? I don't believe it. Rental car is $500. Hotels for seven nights = $2100. Food is at least $100/day for a family. ($700). Flights -- you definitely scored... I haven't seen anything less than $600 to any of the location (well, SLC may be around $500 something). But, you still have to spend an extra 3 hrs in the car (beyond what you would spend driving from JH or Idaho Falls). Our expected expenses for this summer: $630/person for flight to Idaho Falls == $2400 (roughly) Rental Car = $500 for the week with gas Hotels (most nights in the parks, but a couple in JH) = $2000 Food = $600 Tours/bike rental/ferry/horseback ride = $800 So, already we're over $6000 for four people. LOVE the idea PP had for OP to do Adventures by Disney (or you could also do REI Family Adventures). That would be the best idea if money is not an issue. Austin Adventures is another one I've looked at. You are looking at$3000+ per person PLUS flight costs. But, they would take care of all the details for you (except flights). Sounds like full service would be good for your group. |
Anonymous
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OP here. DH hates being on a schedule when on vacation. His idea of vacation is waking up when he feels like it, eating breakfast leisurely and then deciding what we should do that day. On our last beach vacation with family, that is what we did and dinner was often a nightmare. By the time we were all hungry, we'd pick a restaurant. By the time we arrived, there would be a wait and time to get a table for us would be often an hour since we had 10+ people. Then we'd end up getting take out or going next door to some random pizza joint or Chinese take out.
Ugh. Planning family vacations is so NOT enjoyable. I am doing this for my parents. I am not a nature person. I don't know how this baby will do. Currently 8m pregnant so I have no idea what the baby's temperament will be like. |
Anonymous
| DH suggested maybe I should go on this trip alone with my family since he will already be taking a full week off for another family vacation and we plan to do a few long local beach trips. I said he can't get out of it. Compromise might be that he come for 5 days and I spend a few days alone with my parents, siblings and our 3 kids. |
Anonymous
| No direct flights to Yellowstone. Count on flight + couple of hours driving. I've flown in and out of Salt Lake City every time I've visited Yellowstone. Lodges/hotels within park are booked way in advance. Probably a year out. With that said the town of West Yellowstone has lots of hotels but is outside park. If you want to eat dinner in the classic Old Faithful Lodge make reservations way in advance. They only seat so many people at a given time. Lodge is worth a visit regardless. Use the NPS site for YNP. It has valuable info for planning your trip and has a section for day hikes of varying lengths/times. The park is huge and you will end up spending lots of time driving from one section to another depending on what you choose to see. The park will be crazy busy in the summertime. |
Anonymous
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Disney cruise through Panama Canal? No need to be on a schedule other than dinner (but no need for a reservation and you'll never have to wait). Hiking opportunities as excursions? Or Alaska cruise with Disney?
Cruises are easy. |
Anonymous
OP here. Can you clarify when you say crazy busy? I've been in NYC during Rockefeller tree going up, Disney a handful of times and places like Zoo Lights and Christmastown where it takes 1-2 hours to get into the parking lot. Trying to decipher what you mean by crazy busy. I don't expect or need to the parks to be empty. I expect lots of tourists. It's not like the parking lot will be backed up with a long wait to park, right? I can't find direct flights to Jackson, WY. I do see direct non=stop to Salt Lake City but that is a 6 hour drive to Yellowstone vs 2 hours from Jackson. |
Anonymous
My dad has major sea sickness. I suggested Disney cruise last year. Our immediate family went but not my extended family. |