Most recently updated August 4th, 2023
Over the years, I’ve found a few favorite tools for planning and booking travel in the US and around the world.
Most of my travel adventures have been in or close to National Parks or other incredible outdoor destinations.
I focus on time spent in Nature, but there are also plenty of cultural and historical sights to see!
For your convenience, I’ve included links to my favorite travel companies, and some blog posts about trips I’ve taken with them.
Some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I will receive a small payment at no additional cost to you. I do not get paid for recommendations, all opinions on this site are my own. See full Disclosure page here.
Travel Destinations USA
The average American spends 87% of their time indoors, 6% of it in a car, and just 7% of their life outdoors.
That’s too bad, because there are a lot of benefits to spending time outdoors!
National Parks
For National Park locations in the US, the National Park Service provides a park locator that may help you with some destination ideas.
I’ve written about some of the National Parks I’ve visited – with more to come!
Read more here about:
- Arches National Park
- Shenandoah National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- New River Gorge National Park
State Parks
Many States in the US have online pages to help people navigate the State parks in their area.
I’ve spent the most time in North Carolina State Parks and Virginia State Parks, but an online search would easily find parks in other parts of the country.
These sites provide important information like location, hours, fees and lodging options – as well as detailed Trail and park maps.
I’ve written about a few of the State Parks I’ve visited – with more to come! Read more here about:
- Umstead State Park, NC
- Flume Gorge at Franconia Notch State Park, NH
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX
- Pilot Mountain State Park, NC
- First Landing State Park, VA
- Stone Mountain State Park, NC
Adventure Travel
There are a couple of companies that I rely on when I want to go on hiking/adventure trips outside of the US.
Though I’ve arranged all of the details for many trips on my own, it’s much more convenient – and usually less expensive – to have the help of an experienced team in my destination country.
They take care of getting transfers, hiking permits, lodging, renting any necessary equipment and engaging trail guides – which can be tricky, especially when traveling in a remote area.
Adventure Travel Companies
If you have multiple flights and other transfers to reach your destination, it can be really confusing – especially if you don’t know the language!
It’s good to have someone on the ground to help you navigate the potential pitfalls that come with the mechanics of getting where you want to go.
There are two companies I’ve traveled the most with for guided trips. They’re both great companies, which is why I keep going back to them!
G Adventures
I’ve got special regard for G Adventures because I’ve taken so many wonderful trips with them. They’re very eco-friendly and always have great discounts available.
My first trip with G Adventures was back in 2004, to hike and see ancient sites on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and my most recent was in 2020 (right before the pandemic) to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand.
G Adventures offers vacations for solo travelers, couples, and the whole family, too.
NOTE: After March 31, 2023, GAP no longer requires all travelers to show proof of COVID vaccines & boosters or provide a Medical exemption to travel with them on any tour, but you can find an “all vaccinated” tour if you want one.
To learn more, see my G Adventures Travel page and get links to trip discounts!
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel provides expert group leaders and take care of all of the necessary permits and transfers for all of their trips, including entrance to any National parks abroad.
I’ve hiked the Isle of Skye in Scotland and cycled in Tuscany with this company, and much more. They were great!
They also offer some really good discounts on Last Minute travel.
NOTE: After March 31, 2023, Intrepid no longer requires all travelers to show proof of COVID vaccines & boosters or provide a Medical exemption to travel with them on any tour.
Travel Resources
For me, the most stressful part of a trip is getting to my destination and getting back home.
With flight cancellations, close connections, and carry-on rules changing for each flight, just navigating the airlines is enough to make you stay at home!
Getting in the TSA Pre-Check line for flights in the US can help smooth the process.
Just go to their site, fill out the form, pay the fee and bring your ID to a quick in-person meeting and you’ll get your TSA Pre-check account number.
With TSA Pre-Check you won’t have to remove your shoes or unpack your laptop while going through airport Security – this is very important if time is tight and you’re wearing hiking boots!
A Guide To Enjoying National Parks
I write a lot about the individual hikes I’ve taken in the wonderful National Parks across America, but pretty much leave the descriptions of the parks themselves to the Park websites.
A friend from the National Parks shared this Guide with me recently, and I thought I would pass it on to you!
The US is home to 62 national parks, and I’ve visited a bunch of them. But if you want to read about them ALL go here:
https://www.loveholidays.com/
Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872, and the rest followed, up to New River Gorge National Park, which was dedicated less than a decade ago.
Other Helpful Travel Sites
The resources below help me keep everything organized with detailed itineraries, and usually provide some good discounts, too:
- Travelocity – I use them mainly for researching and booking flights. This is great because you can see flight options from many different airlines and from different airports. If you book rental car and lodging along with your flights, you can get some really good deals.
- Crystal Travel – Some great discount flights and other travel deals.
- Booking.com – Great for booking hotel rooms and comparison shopping. The more you book with them, the better deals you get. Also, most bookings are cancellable and don’t require a deposit.
- Cozycozy.com – Look for a room with Cozycozy for your next hiking trip – they’re sure to have a place near the trail that suits you!
- City Pass – Discount Activity Passes for specific destination cities, you get great discounts on multiple local attractions!
- Sightseeing Pass – Sightseeing Passes give you access to activities and services for a discount. Passes are available for: New York City, New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville, Orlando, Miami, Key West, and more!
For more vacation planning ideas, see my Trip Planning post. You may also find some tips in my post about planning your trip budget.
I hope these resources help you plan the trip of your dreams 🙂 However you do it, get out there and have your hiking adventure!
Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ
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