From glitz and glitter to lavish dining, the desert playground of Las Vegas extends a warm welcome. More than a high energy city of tempting nightlife, the soul-stirring surrounding landscapes make up America’s most beloved national parks. Kick off your US National Park tour meeting your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner before settling in for your western adventure beginning tomorrow.
There’s no better place to admire the Southwest’s multi-colored landscapes than Zion National Park, where towering cream, pink and red cliffs rise all around you. Drive through the park beneath its soaring red rock walls and stop for lunch at Zion Lodge. Continue north to Bryce Canyon, taking in the changing scenery along the way. This evening, perhaps join Ebenezer’s Barn & Grill and the Bryce Canyon Wranglers for a memorable night of live country music and a delicious BBQ dinner.
Keep your camera close today as you take in the striking landscapes of Bryce Canyon. Feel dwarfed by the rusty red limestone hoodoos that rise from the desert floor toward Utah’s wide skies. Later, in Salt Lake City, uncover the local stories of Utah’s capital as you see Temple Square and learn about the beliefs and history of the Mormon pioneers who settled here. You’ll also get a sense of the city’s modern character, with its lively cafes, boutiques and ever-evolving dining scene. Round off the day with dinner alongside your fellow travelers.
Get ready for a change of scenery on your US National Park tour today, taking in views of Wasatch Range and southeast Idaho as you head north from Salt Lake City to Jackson. Standing in the shadows of the Teton Range’s icy peaks, this mountain town has an Old West look with a modern twist. Get a feel for the outdoor vibe – home to three ski areas and many rugged trails – on your own. Grab dinner this evening in one of the old-timey saloons and steakhouses destined to fuel your adventures through western frontiers.
Grand Teton National Park’s alpine landscapes of eight peaks tower over 12,000 feet above you. Learn how, established in 1929, Grand Teton is home to a 40-mile mountain range straddling Idaho and Wyoming with views of wildlife, glacier-carved lakes and alpine terrain. Inhabited first by Native Americans and later American pioneers, Grand Teton is the perfect place to explore over 200 miles of hiking trails and take in views of the Tetons from the Snake River. Get your bearings choosing to join a gentle Snake River Float Trip in the Park, learning from your guide about the park’s resident wildlife. The promise of Yellowstone’s geothermal wonderland leads to your next destination. Arriving in Yellowstone, stay right in the heart of it all overnighting at one of the lodges in this iconic national park.
See how Yellowstone National Park - one of the world’s oldest national parks with over 500 geysers – is in a league of its own. At the end of your visit, you’ll surely appreciate its vastness, variety of landscapes and terrains, wildlife, vegetation, lakes and geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Alongside your Travel Director, marvel at Old Faithful, the thousand-year-old geyser which has been shooting water into the sky every 90 minutes for centuries. Stop at Lake Yellowstone, containing the largest number of wild cutthroat trout in North America, before viewing Artists Point. Savor a quiet moment at this viewpoint to watch the stunning cascade of the Lower Falls. Finish off an epic day of sightseeing with one of the many impressive geyser basins where bubbling mud pots and geysers invite you to stand back and watch the show.
Start your day in Cody with a visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West — five museums in one, bringing the spirit of the American West to life through frontier art and artifacts. Later, head east across the plains to Billings where Montana’s ranching heritage takes center stage. At the Billings Depot, enjoy your Be My Guest experience hosted by beef advocate Chaley Harney and Local Chef Stephen Hindman. Learn how the arrival of the railroad transformed the state’s cattle industry, then sit down to a three-course meal crafted from locally sourced beef, paired with beer and wine.
Today on your US National Park tour, explore history and living traditions starting with a visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the battlefield where the ill-fated Custer led his men against a battalion of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors now known as Custer’s last stand. From battlefields to the Black Hills, make your way to the base of Crazy Horse Memorial, an iconic monument representing the Oglala Lakota warrior 'Crazy Horse'. Marvel at the colossal carved face as you take in its grandeur from the mountain's base and uncover its fascinating origins from your Local Specialist. Light up your night on an Optional Experience joining Mount Rushmore by Night with a Park Ranger. The sculpture lighting ceremony culminates as the faces of the monument are fully illuminated.
Whether or not you caught the show last night, the must-see sight of Mount Rushmore National Memorial makes a dramatic start to your day with the opportunity to take the perfect picture. View the faces of former American presidents etched into the granite rock-face. Later, you could join an Optional Experience venturing into Badlands National Park to explore 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America feeling like you’ve entered an ancient world. A MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience awaits this evening as you meet Lakota Tribe Member Stephen Yellowhawk who shares his passion for his culture over stories of his tribe’s history during a festive evening of singing, dance and music.
Your journey through the Western Frontiers comes to an end today. You may depart from Rapid City Regional Airport at your leisure.
