|
|
Post by mary on Sept 20, 2016 11:19:02 GMT
I've returned from Trafalgar's 15 day Scenic Parks Explorer tour and had a wonderful time. I'll be sharing my experience on this thread.
|
|
|
|
Post by tiffany on Sept 20, 2016 11:45:05 GMT
I am looking forward to hearing about your trip Mary.
|
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 20, 2016 23:29:49 GMT
This was a 15 day comprehensive national parks tour with a twist. The tour is outlined in Trafalgar's USA & Canada brochure. Here was the twist: We had a full coach of 52 travelers. 38 were on the 15 day Scenic Parks Explorer tour and 14 were on the Western Frontiers tour (yes, you heard correctly) which was identical to the Scenic Parks Explorer tour until Day 10 when we reached Denver. We then said good-bye to those on the Western Frontiers tour, and picked up another 14 who had signed on to Best of the Canyonlands tour, which had an identical itinerary to the rest of the Scenic Parks Explorer tour, except Best of the Canyonlands had a night in Las Vegas included at the end of their tour. I suppose Trafalgar is doing this to have full coaches. I don't know if this is typical to run these three tours in this manner. It did not detract from my enjoyment of the tour, but we had two farewell dinners and two group pictures with each group of 14.
I was traveling solo and there were only 2 solos on this tour (including the two segments), myself and another woman who was assigned as my seatmate. She was very pleasant and an experienced traveler. Of course, I was hoping to have both seats to myself, but I couldn't have had a nicer person on the coach to sit next to for 15 days. The other demographics on the coach were two sets of mothers-daughters, one set of sisters, and the rest were couples. Ages ranged from 30's to 65+. I am middle-aged and was one of the 'younger' ones on the tour. This tour definitely skewed older. I found all to be friendly and I enjoyed interacting with the group.
Nationalities included U.S., New Zealand (2), Australia (4) and U.K. (4).
The Tour Director (more on the TD in another post) had a fair seat rotation with everyone's names above their seats for the day which he changed on a daily basis. Everyone complied, BUT, there's always that one exception - a woman who stated she had severe motion sickness and needed to sit in the front of the coach. She and her husband rotated between the third and fourth row on the coach on the right hand side every day. This was not announced and I only realized it when my seatmate and I were in the row behind her for a day early on. We misread where our card was positioned and accidentally sat in her row and she told us we were actually back one row and she had to be where we were because she had severe motion sickness. Despite her stated severe motion sickness, she went rafting, on a jet boat ride and on an off-road vehicle, two of which were optional excursions and the third the TD had made arrangements for an alternative for those who did not feel comfortable on an off-road experience. Both my seatmate and I felt she was feigning 'motion sickness' to stay in the front of the coach. Just my 'pet peeve'.
Although I just arrived home yesterday, I am having to go out-of-town tomorrow for 3 days, so I will continue this when I return.
|
|
denise
Junior Member
Posts: 86 
|
Post by denise on Sept 24, 2016 22:06:57 GMT
I leave on this trip on 2 October (travelling solo from Australia). Thanks for your initial thoughts Mary - I look forward to the remainder of your tour review. I will try and remember to check to see if you've posted an update before I leave.
|
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 25, 2016 23:13:52 GMT
I leave on this trip on 2 October (travelling solo from Australia). Thanks for your initial thoughts Mary - I look forward to the remainder of your tour review. I will try and remember to check to see if you've posted an update before I leave. Denise, you will love this trip! I am back and should have my entire review posted before the end of this week. Let me know if you have any questions. |
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 25, 2016 23:50:49 GMT
Tour Director - Our Tour Director was Bob Powell. He was outstanding. He works for the University of Texas during the academic year as a marine biologist and is very knowledgeable about the national parks. He is 66 and has accumulated a lifetime of information on the parks from personal experience. If he is your Tour Director, you will be very pleased.
Driver - Mark (I don't think he actually told us his last name) - excellent, friendly and helpful driver, very skilled with the coach, particularly on the switchbacks in Mesa Verde National Park.
Las Vegas: I arrived in Las Vegas on September 2nd, one day in advance of the official start of the tour. Our tour hotel was The Tropicana which has a retro feel (it's one of the older hotels, but has been nicely updated). I checked in around 2 p.m. and my room was ready. I settled in my room and went for something to eat in the hotel. I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and left the hotel at 6 p.m. via a cab to The Flamingo to see Donny & Marie (Osmond) at 7:30 p.m. Let me say this, The Flamingo Hotel is a crazy, crazy place. Wall-to-wall people in the casino which I had to walk through to arrive at the theatre...drinking...shouting...I suppose this is Vegas, but it seemed like a big fraternity party...and I found the casino area of The Tropicana to be, well, somewhat more adult. The Donny & Marie show was high energy, they sang, danced and had eight twenty-something dancers and a small band in their show. I splurged and had a ticket close to the stage in the second row on the side. I cabbed it back to the hotel and called it a night. Taxi stands are readily available outside all of the hotels, including The Tropicana.
September 3rd - I had purchased a Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour online from Viator as I only had one day in Las Vegas and no transportation. I really recommend this if you have limited time. One of the stops is at The Tropicana. You can also purchase a pass (one or two days) from the attendant who is stationed outside at the north entrance to the hotel. I saw a lot of Las Vegas in a short period of time. There is commentary and the top of the bus is open air, so you are able to get some great pictures.
At 6:00 p.m., there was the Welcome Reception and it was fabulous - the best one I have ever been to on a tour. Lots and lots of food (buffet style), wine, beer, sodas - no need to eat dinner after! Well, it's Las Vegas. It really set a nice tone for the upcoming trip.
To be continued... |
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 28, 2016 12:28:53 GMT
Today, I'll be jumping slightly ahead and will review the optional excursions. Check back later today if my review is not yet complete.
Optional Excursions:
Day 3 -Salt Lake City (Sept. 5th)-Tour of Temple Square Gardens and Dinner at Lion House - This optional was a guided tour of some of the Temple Square Gardens by a woman who is one of the individuals who oversees the gardens for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is followed by a nice dinner (with a huge, to die for, piece of cake) at The Lion House which is a former home of Brigham Young, former president of the church. No alcohol served at dinner at this restaurant as it is a Mormon restaurant, only water or pink lemonade, which you are advised in advance of signing on to the dinner. I attended as did approximately half of the coach. If you choose not to participate, there is an Olive Garden across the street from the Hilton Salt Lake City Center where we stayed for the night, along with a few other restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
Day 4 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming (Sept. 6th)-Snake River Float Trip - This was a gentle float trip (10 miles) on a raft on the Snake River. Beautiful scenery with the Grand Tetons in the background. There were multiple rafts as all on the coach participated. I didn't see much wildlife, but I enjoyed being on the river. It was chilly and I had on my winter jacket and gloves. I would recommend this optional.
Day 8 - Rapid City, South Dakota (Sept.10th) - Evening Lighting of Mount Rushmore - This is an evening lighting of Mount Rushmore that includes a patriotic program. I did not participate in this optional as I had been to Mount Rushmore previously and we were scheduled for an included day visit the next day. Most of the coach attended and I heard all positive comments.
Day 9 - Rapid City, South Dakota (Sept.11th) - Badlands National Park -I'm not certain why this is an optional excursion as it should be included, but I would not have missed this. Do go. Only half of the coach participated, I think some were tired from the active pace of the tour and opted out, but one can sleep when you arrive home. It includes a stop at Wall Drug for lunch, an iconic piece of Americana. Eat a hearty breakfast, bring a snack and spend the time there wandering around Wall Drug. Make sure to stop by "the backyard". Everyone except for me headed for the restaurant (a cafeteria) and missed experiencing the quirkiness and kitschiness of this place. Loved it. Maybe it's just me...loved the Badlands, too.
Day 11 - Moab, Utah (Sept. 13th) - Jet Boat Ride with Dinner/Cookout - This was a jet boat ride on the Colorado River with a cookout dinner following. I did not participate and I wish I had. I opted out because I have the opportunity to boat where I live, but my seatmate raved about the scenery and red cliffs at sunset (and food) and I regretted not going. 95% of the coach participated. If you do stay behind, check out The Moab Diner which is close to the hotel (Best Western Canyonlands Inn) and where I had dinner. It's a 50's style diner with foods to match...more Americana.
Day 15 - Grand Canyon National Park (Sept. 17th) - Helicopter and Plane Flights Over the Grand Canyon - You can choose from several options (aircraft and duration) to take a variety of helicopter or small plane flights over the Grand Canyon. I did not opt for a flight, but approximately half of the coach did, and all seemed to have a positive experience. If you do not participate, there is time to have a later breakfast.
Next: Highlights and Tips
|
|
|
|
Post by plane2catch on Sept 29, 2016 2:18:52 GMT
High Mary, I was wondering what the charge was for the badlands and Wall Drug optional?
|
|
|
|
Post by chech on Sept 29, 2016 11:20:22 GMT
Mary...don't beat yourself up too much over missing the Moab boat trip. It's nice but given everything else you see in Utah and Arizona, you didn't miss anything unusual. The best part of the trip was our driver's sense of humour.  |
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 29, 2016 11:39:25 GMT
High Mary, I was wondering what the charge was for the badlands and Wall Drug optional? It was $40.
|
|
|
|
Post by plane2catch on Sept 29, 2016 17:13:44 GMT
High Mary, I was wondering what the charge was for the badlands and Wall Drug optional? It was $40.
Kind of curious where the other passenger's were when this optional was taking place? The reason I asked was back in 2013 this was an included part of the trip. As I remember these sites where enroute on the way to Denver. It is not like they could lounge in the hotel. Unless, they did a hell of a lot of back tracking with the bus.
I guess it kind of ties in with the other thread about the welcome home coupon. Trafalgar seems to be getting desperate. They give you a coupon but take out previously included sites from a trip. Guess you're still ahead $60 if you get to use that coupon.
I was really surprised with Daphne's remarks on the low numbers.
|
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 29, 2016 22:26:41 GMT
Kind of curious where the other passenger's were when this optional was taking place? The reason I asked was back in 2013 this was an included part of the trip. As I remember these sites where enroute on the way to Denver. It is not like they could lounge in the hotel. Unless, they did a hell of a lot of back tracking with the bus.
I guess it kind of ties in with the other thread about the welcome home coupon. Trafalgar seems to be getting desperate. They give you a coupon but take out previously included sites from a trip. Guess you're still ahead $60 if you get to use that coupon.
I was really surprised with Daphne's remarks on the low numbers.
We were in Rapid City two nights. We went to the Crazy Horse Memorial on the way there and then the tour went to the optional Mount Rushmore Lighting Ceremony in the evening. The next morning we went to Mount Rushmore which was included and later returned to the hotel and dropped off those not going to the Badlands. My seatmate did not go to the Badlands, she utilized the time to do laundry at the hotel. I think others just stayed at the hotel or walked around, but there's really not much to see independently in Rapid City. We had the first of two farewell dinners that evening in Rapid City (see my earlier post about that). We left the next day for Denver.
I also noticed I left off an optional on my post on optional excursions and I will be editing that post momentarily.
|
|
|
|
Post by mary on Sept 29, 2016 22:55:31 GMT
I will be posting here my Highlights and Tips on this tour. I hope to have this complete by the end of this weekend. Check back on my progress...
Highlights and Tips:
Guide Book-I purchased Lonely Planet's USA National Parks (2016) before I left on my trip. It contained just enough updated information on each park with highlights without getting into the weeds like some guide books. It was also compact enough for me to take with me (you can also purchase an e-version).
Hiking Poles-I have collapsible hiking poles which I packed as I thought there would be an opportunity to do some independent hiking. I noted a couple on this trip had also brought hiking poles. Not really needed as any free time allotted in the parks was not really compatible to hiking very far and on any short hike, one didn't really need hiking poles. The tour is Scenic Parks Explorer. Anyway, if you are thinking of including them in your bag, you can leave them at home.
To Be Continued.... |
|
|
|
Post by mary on Oct 5, 2016 14:31:50 GMT
I will be continuing this soon.
I volunteer for the Red Cross and am waiting for my assignment here in Florida for Hurricane Matthew. |
|
