When you consider a family vacation in the Western United States, the first ideas that come to mind might be Yellowstone National Park or Disneyland. However, there are other options that are not as well-known but filled with just as many adventures. Your family can bond over marshmallows at a campfire on a dude ranch, hike the trails in Southern Utah or visit the Badlands at Mount Rushmore.
Take a four-day bus tour from Los Angeles, California through Nevada, Utah and Arizona. As of October 2010, this bus trip is $218 per person covering three nights of hotel accommodations as well as a professional guide and an air-conditioned bus. You will travel through the Mohave Desert then down the main strip of Las Vegas. National attractions along the route include Glen Canyon and Arches National Park. On the final day you will be offered a tour of Ether M's chocolate factory in Las Vegas to see how the company creates its sweet confections, and then tour its Cactus Garden that is filled with over 300 plant species. Remember to wear layers of clothing as the temperatures vary during the day as well as comfortable walking shoes.
Tours 4 Fun
Attn: Customer Service Dept.
77 Las Tunas Drive, Suite# 203
Arcadia, CA 91007
866-933-7368
tours4fun.com
Great Train Escapes offers a six-day tour that features an Amtrak train ride for travelers young and old. The train travels from Seattle, Washington to Glacier Park, Montana. Each passenger package starts at $1499 and covers accommodations, travel and some meals, as of October 2010. You can discover Seattle's Space Needle and the Pike Place Market. Then the train will take you through the scenic western United States to a quick stop at Whitefish, Montana. The next stop brings you to Glacier National Park where you will hop into a vintage 1930 convertible tour bus to witness waterfalls and wildlife along the Logan Pass. Spend the evening with entertainment by Montana native folk artist David Walburn. You will go on a cruise of Swiftcurrent Lake, enjoy time to explore the majestic Montana mountains and spend your nights in historic lodges. Remember to pack reading material or a personal music player for the long train rides.
Great Train Escapes, LLC.
6417-A Fauntleroy Way S.W.
Seattle, WA 98136
888-544-7245
greattrainescapes.com
Join Western River Expeditions on a four-day river rafting adventure down the Colorado River in Utah. Experience the views from the red rocks in Moab as you go on an off-road safari. Tour the Arches National Park and spend one night camping on a beach along the Colorado River during a 2-day rafting expedition. The cost per adult is $595, and $495 per child with the minimum age of five years. All camping and rafting equipment is provided by Western River Expeditions. Meals on the river are prepared by your guide and include standard fare of pastas, steaks, fish or chicken.
Western River Expeditions
7258 Racquet Club Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
866-904-1160
westernriver.com
