Vacations to Parks and Protected Natural Settings Come with Caveats and Tips

According to the latest Portrait of American Travelers® Survey by MMGY Global, road trips will be the most popular form of vacation travel this summer for Americans. Three in five U.S. adults (62 percent) expect to take at least one leisure vacation during the next six months with the preferred mode of transportation being personal car, while two in five (38 percent) say they will take a domestic flight. Looking further out to the next 12 months, four in five (81 percent) U.S. adults expect to take at least one trip.

However, if you are planning to visit a national park, make a reservation. Some destinations are implementing an entrance reservation system to better manage visitors during this chaotic time. And even though pandemic restrictions are being lifted here and there, some parks, such as Yosemite, are continuing enforcing a visitor policy at least through the end of summer.

Last year, according to the National Park Service, 237 million people, visited 423 national park sites across the country. And number was down more than a quarter from the previous year.

Not surprisingly, visitation numbers are expected to bounce back, if not surge, this summer after so many park closures. Grand Teton National Park in Northwestern Wyoming was one of those parks that closed down due to COVID. Still, more than 3.3 million people took to the sparse roads and trails there in 2020.

Snake River Sporting Club, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Grand Teton National Park: The Jackson Hole Airport is the only airport in America to lie within the borders of a national park. With daily flights connecting to 12 major travel hubs throughout the US, travelers touch down in hours against the backdrop of the mountains and enter another world entirely.

Exploring Snake River Sporting Club: Snake River is just 20 miles from downtown Jackson and the park’s entrance. Just south of the confluence of the Snake and Hoback rivers, Snake River spans 1,000 acres and provides an authentic Jackson Hole experience, embracing the natural surroundings and celebrating the beauty and ruggedness of the wilderness. The four-season resort offers equestrian (with permitted access to the Bridger-Teton National Forest for guided full-day rides), fly-fishing along the famed Snake River, miles of trails to be traveled by foot or bike, world class golf on a Tom Weiskopf-designed championship course, archery and shooting clays, children’s programs and more.

Suncadia Resort, Cle Elum, Washington

Mt. Rainer National Park: Suncadia Resort is part of the natural surroundings being just south of the Teanaway Community Forrest and just a crossing of the Cougar Valley from the entrance to the Mount Rainier National Park system. This slight removal from the thick of the action keeps you close by but also insulated from the influx of tourists that aim to take part in the adventure without absorbing the beauty of the surroundings.

Exploring Suncadia: The 6,400-acre all-season resort community located on the sunny side of the Cascade Mountains. With beautiful forested mountain landscape, Suncadia is the idyllic escape the explore the best of the Pacific Northwest with activities from hiking, biking, kayaking, archery and axe throwing. The Inn at Suncadia is an intimate wilderness getaway with Northwest-style design, while The Lodge at Suncadia sits high above the Cle Elum River with panoramic views and full amenities of a luxury hotel.

Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, East Cape, MX

Cabo Pulmo National Park: Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos is just a 45-minute drive from Cabo Pulmo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where guests can discover the oldest of only three coral reefs on the west coast of North America known for its abundance of sea life including seasonal whale shark encounters. 

Exploring Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos: Set within the 1,000-acre resort community of Costa Palmas, Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos is an idyllic oceanfront retreat surrounded by endless outdoor pursuits. This summer, guests can explore the wonders of the East Cape through Camp Verano, combining adventure with relaxation in a refined setting designed to reset the mind, body and spirit. The week long program harnesses the region’s storied history to create a modern-day luxury escape for adults that is rooted in the playful programming and heart-fulfilling fun associated with traditional summer camps. Experiences include an underwater excursion at Cabo Pulmo, a beachfront fitness bootcamp, a restorative spa treatment using indigenous ingredients and more.

Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, Kailua-Kona, HI

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: Located just a two-hour, scenic drive fromthe resort, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cultural landscapes in the world and encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most notable volcanoes, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Exploring Four Seasons Resort Hualālai: Set on 865 acres along the picturesque Kona-Kohala coast within Hualālai Resort, the 249-room Four Seasons Resort Hualālai is currently undergoing the final phase of a $100M renovation and welcomes guests to an exclusive, oceanfront oasis. An idyllic waterfront retreat, the resort is surrounded by white-sand beaches, black-lava landscapes and the sparkling blue ocean. Guest can immerse themselves in a variety of ocean adventures while on-site including canoeing and snorkeling, among recreational pursuits from golf to tennis. For those looking to relax and unwind, Hualālai Spa offers outdoor spa hales and a range of treatments from apothecary treatments to massage and body therapies and skincare. Additionally, the resort offers four main dining venues, among a collection of eight pools, from the famed ocean pool to the 1.8M gallon swimmable aquarium, King’s Pond, to kids-only spaces.

Tags: Bleisure, Roadtrips, Hotels, Resorts, Hawaii, Los Cabos, Wyoming