Fearless Traveler /Questions & Answers
Compare options for a trip to Yellowstone
Q: My husband and I are planning on taking our extended family to Yellowstone next summer. Any suggestions on where to stay and which city to fly into, while keeping expenses reasonable? We hope to stay one week and see as much of the park and the area as possible. Any recommendations for things to do?
A. Every time we write about this topic we’re inundated with e-mails from readers with dissenting opinions, so we’ll let Linda Miller of Yellowstone National Park take the heat.
While Miller acknowledges that each of the park’s gateway airports (West Yellowstone, Bozeman and Billings, Mont.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Salt Lake City; and Jackson and Cody, Wyo.) has its appeal, she prefers Jackson. But she recommends that you visit the park’s extremely comprehensive Web site, www.nps.gov/yell , to compare all the options as you plan your itinerary. “Jackson is very interesting: sort of small-towny, yet very elegant in its own way,” Miller said. “And the drive through the Grand Tetons on the way to the park is a great thing. Even if they didn’t stop, but just drove through it, they’d see the mountains and the views. . . . It’s just incredibly beautiful.” It’s about a 50-mile drive from the airport, and you’ll enter the park through the south entrance.
Must-sees include Old Faithful, of course, and the rest of the park’s geysers, hot springs, mudpots and fumaroles; the spectacular Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone; and Lake Yellowstone, North America’s largest high-altitude lake. Miller recommends contacting the park’s concessionaire, Xanterra ( www.travelyellowstone . c o m , 866-GEYSERLAND), whose agents not only book lodging but will help you plan your visit, suggesting activities and making reservations for tours and guides. As for lodging, you’re smart to plan now if you want to stay inside the park: The most popular hotels fill up a year ahead, especially if you’re looking at July, August and even September, Miller said. Old Faithful Inn and the Lake Hotel are the most desirable spots — the inn especially, with its distinctive architecture and dining room that overlooks the lake. “It’s a special place,” Miller said. She warned against using commercial booking agents to make reservations; if you do it through Xanterra, there’s no booking fee.
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Q: I’ll be going on vacation in the Southwest and taking several tours with private guides. What is an appropriate tip? Full day (not multiple days), probably just me and the guide.
A: For a private guide, tip 10 to 15 percent of the cost of the tour, more if the guide was particularly helpful. Don’t forget a couple of bucks for the driver. But check when you book the trip: Some companies have no-tipping policies or might include a gratuity in the cost of the excursion.
