Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe identify some state and regional parks not yet discovered by the instagram folks.

I love how everyone blames "instagram" for this issue. I take it you've NEVER searched online for things to do / places to go? Because if you have -- if you've EVER found out about somewhere you'd like to go via the internet, youre just as 'bad' as these 'instagram' folks.

I'm old. I traveled around northern India for 2 months and used 3x24 shot camera films. That was before there was an internet. I guess I was part of the "library book" set.

Now I use the internet to find places to avoid.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I don't want to camp for several reasons:
- We do not have camping equipment. We'd have to go out and invest in stuff for something we're just not interested in doing.
- In theory, camping can be fun but I just don't like it. I want a roof over my head. An actual roof, not a tent.
- All that setup and take down, ugh. Again, PITA.
- We are flying. We'd have to haul all that stuff with us which is a pita.

Camping isn't for everyone and that's ok.

PP above posted about renting camping equipment and having the company set it up for you.

But yes, you are too good for camping, so cough up the $$$$$ and stop complaining.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I don't want to camp for several reasons:
- We do not have camping equipment. We'd have to go out and invest in stuff for something we're just not interested in doing.
- In theory, camping can be fun but I just don't like it. I want a roof over my head. An actual roof, not a tent.
- All that setup and take down, ugh. Again, PITA.
- We are flying. We'd have to haul all that stuff with us which is a pita.

Camping isn't for everyone and that's ok.

It is completely okay. But at the end of the day, the national parks are fundamentally about preserving uniquely beautiful wild natural landscapes. Camping goes with that more readily than a fully equipped resort building, and prices reflect that. It's an incredible gift that the national parks exists, and are accessible to anyone at the much lower price point of a tent and sleeping bag. Meanwhile, OP can fly to Iceland, which is completely and utterly out of my family's price range. But we've done multiple NPS visits!

Anonymous wrote:Maybe identify some state and regional parks not yet discovered by the instagram folks.

I love how everyone blames "instagram" for this issue. I take it you've NEVER searched online for things to do / places to go? Because if you have -- if you've EVER found out about somewhere you'd like to go via the internet, youre just as 'bad' as these 'instagram' folks.

OP here. I don't want to camp for several reasons:
- We do not have camping equipment. We'd have to go out and invest in stuff for something we're just not interested in doing.
- In theory, camping can be fun but I just don't like it. I want a roof over my head. An actual roof, not a tent.
- All that setup and take down, ugh. Again, PITA.
- We are flying. We'd have to haul all that stuff with us which is a pita.

Camping isn't for everyone and that's ok.

Maybe identify some state and regional parks not yet discovered by the instagram folks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Interest in visiting national parks will not decrease.

This. Social media plays a role in this too. People who would otherwise have never known what certain places look like or that they even exist, now can see videos of them all the time.

I consider that a good thing. It can be viewed virtually. For locations that are nice but not worth paying $$$ for flight + hotel.

For example: Key West overland bridge, Arches NP Utah, Acadia Maine, or this one..
Kjeragbolten boulder. I can see it online, Youtube, etc.

If that photo is real, I'm going to suffer from extreme anxiety.

Anonymous wrote:You should really try camping.

Bears.

You can visit the NPs without spending a ton of money, but you have to plan/book in advance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should really try camping.

Isn't that a challenge on a trip you fly to?

Dp. No. I live near a different, but equally popular NP. There are so so so many places to rent this, or rent an RV. Some of the places even set up the camp site for you!

But if you're too good for camping, it won't matter.

Anonymous wrote:You should really try camping.

Isn't that a challenge on a trip you fly to?

You should really try camping.

I mean, you can definitely save money and go camping. But you rather sh*t all over camping, so the alternative is paying the hotel prices.

Dont complain about being bougie and then complain about being too cheap

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:getting lodging inside the park has always been difficult and something that you need to book a year in advance, not a few months before. Same goes for hotels nearby.

the timed entry passes is a newer issue. We haven't done a US national park in years but even 9 years ago there was no timed entry.

Went to Yellowstone before pandemic and only lucked into hotel rooms four months ahead of time because a new hotel building in the park opened ahead of schedule. It cost more money per night than a Manhattan hotel.

We’re planning to go this summer and the prices are outrageous for a lodge room with no Wi-Fi or AC. But there’s no other choice if you don’t want to drive hours each way in and out of the park.

Anonymous wrote:getting lodging inside the park has always been difficult and something that you need to book a year in advance, not a few months before. Same goes for hotels nearby.

the timed entry passes is a newer issue. We haven't done a US national park in years but even 9 years ago there was no timed entry.

Went to Yellowstone before pandemic and only lucked into hotel rooms four months ahead of time because a new hotel building in the park opened ahead of schedule. It cost more money per night than a Manhattan hotel.