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Traveling on a Budget

Are you just getting ready to plan your family vacation? Maybe you’ve already planned it. If you are getting ready to escape for some summer fun, here are some things to take into consideration if you’re trying to keep your budget in check or you have to stay within a budget.

Gas prices and RVs – you may have opted to take the camper out for that great road trip. Here is an unpleasant reality if you intend to fill up the tank at the pump and travel on the road. Gas prices for summer have soared. The average one-way trip even 100-miles in your RV could cost you $200 one way and another $200 another way. Reality is you could rent a nice hotel room for $100 a night for a weekend escape and save money. So unless you’re going to drive somewhere and camp for at least a week, weigh out your expenses. Now if you’re not concerned with budget and cost, this shouldn’t cause a problem.

Last-minute hotel deals – if you’re willing to risk getting to your destination and not being able to find an adequate room, you can save money by finding a room the evening of your trip. Hotels often rent the last rooms at a discounted rate sometimes up to 20 to 35 percent cheaper than the standard room rate. Now remember, if you’re planning an extensive vacation somewhere you’ve never been, do not try this. Use your travel agent to secure a nice, clean stay. Your travel agent can also try and find last-minute package deals for you if you’re a little more open on where you intend to visit.

Costco – if some major vacation spots like Hawaii, costs for basic goods and services is often 25 to 50 percent more than the mainland. Save money by finding the region’s Costco to buy your basic foods for meals. This recommendation is best when you intend to go somewhere for longer than a weekend and/or you have a big family to feed. Also, Costco will stock some of the tourist foods and souvenirs at a discounted rate, so you can also buy gifts to take home while you’re there.

 

The Best California Redwood Groves

The vast majority of the redwood forests are found in Northern California. In fact, most of the redwood groves stop around Big Sur. If you would like to camp, hike or explore some of the best redwood groves sure to make you feel small in the shadow of these trees’ magnificence, here are some favorites groves.

Roaring Camp – This area is a private preserve that has been protected by the owners for generations. Because it has been protected for so long, old growth trees still stand in their overwhelming girth and height. You can take the train ride through the forest and passively observe the beauty, or you can walk along the road and hiking trails that weave throughout the area. You might consider this trip if you live in the greater Sacramento area and you don’t want to drive more than two hours; however, it is not a peaceful area and it’s highly populated outside of the preserve.

Richardson Grove State Park -- This park is located right alone highway 101 and is one of the southern most groves right before you come to the world-famous Avenue of the Giants. You can stop your car and get out and purchase some redwood souvenirs at the local shops or grab a quick bite to eat. You will see plenty of references to Big Foot up in this area and maybe spot a carved Big Foot statue or one of the cute carved black bears. The park has a picnic area for you to lunch and explore the trees and take a hike. Most of the parks along this route have rest stops and places to stop and hike around; but if you don’t want to drive all day, Richardson Grove makes a good destination.

Humboldt Redwood State Park -- This also has a favorite campground and visitor’s center. Travelers can camp among the giant redwoods where a stream runs nearby. Designated trails are marked for you to camp and start your day with a hike through the often foggy or overcast redwoods. Count on the overcast most of the time. It is the constant moisture in the air that feeds these giants and enables their growth, which is why they are located along the coastline and in valleys where moisture drifts through. This park’s hiking trails take you right into the heart of old-growth trees, and as you hike through the bright green plant life, ferns, grass and clover will strike you as exquisitely beautiful and picturesque. You can hike as far as the Russian River or continue on up the trail for another 10 miles to explore the forest and wildlife.  

 

 

Favorite Waterfalls

Nothing is more full of energy than a rapidly flowing waterfall. The sheer movement and force of the water careening downward has this completely undeniable power of nature to just leave you awestruck by the enormity of it all. With the spring runoff coming soon, you will want to check out some of the most engaging waterfalls on the West Coast. Here are two favorites:
 
Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Valley – These glorious falls send water cascading down 188 meters where the water has carved out the granite face of the mountain into quite a spectacle all its own. Visit the falls in early spring when the fresh snowmelt has created a powerful shower and you will feel the great awe of nature in action. The source of the falls is Ostrander Lake, which is estimated at 16 kilometers to the south. You can start in the valley and hike up to the falls. You would be well advised to have a poncho on the ready to protect from the overspray that often saturates the trail.
 
Snoqualmie Falls -- Another force of nature, these falls are located in Washington State off Interstate 202. Whether you elect to go in winter or springtime, the falls are quite a sight to behold. The snow-covered icefalls are incredible, and you should take a look now before winter ends. A short hike down from the parking lot takes you to the deck overlook or you can hike further down the trail closer to the falls. The majestic falls make a spectacular display of water rushing downward into a pool at the bottom to continue on into the river. The hike is not strenuous, so for you casual hikers it’s a do-able trek.

Clear Lake – An Angler's Delight

If you’re going to visit Clear Lake now is the time. The weather is moderate and you should get some great springtime temperatures before the heat of summer sets in. Known as the bass capital, Clear Lake is a great fishermen’s lake. You can dock a boat their year around or you can take a fishing tour with a seasoned and experience fishermen from the area. It’s also a terrific drive from the greater Sacramento area up to Clear Lake this time of year. You will drive through green rolling hills up into the lake area and through the wild-flower sprinkled valleys carved out in the foothills. Fresh water is running rapidly through the streams this time of year, and it’s a truly beautiful sight. You can charter a small fishing boat out onto the lake to fish for the lake's world-famous bass or stay on shore and the various inlets and parks and enjoy a picnic. It’s kind of fun to stop along the highway at the little old-fashioned Foster’s Freeze, grab some burgers and an ice cream cone, and walk across the street to the lake-facing park and eat lunch. Also, the lake is lined with numerous quaint motels and lakeside campgrounds. On a non-holiday weekend, you can drive in and choose your ideal overnight stay, but don’t try this during summer break or holidays, as you will find a lack of vacancies. Running and hiking trails make it fun to take your dog out for a long, leisurely stroll or just go for a morning run.

Adventures in Christmas Tree Hunts

You can plan an entire weekend getaway this year around a trip to cut your own fresh Christmas tree. You can make your plans by using the California Christmas Tree Association’s website that contains a list of the regional growers in the area. We thought George’s Choose and Cut sounded fun with its many activities and fun assortment of goodies and things to do while you hunt and pick out your tree for the season. Located in Paynes Creek, which is 23 miles north of Redbluff in Tahoma County, this Christmas tree farm is an authentic experience where you should probably consider staying at one of the many regional bed and breakfasts or driving back to Shasta, which is one of the nearest and most scenic small towns in the area. Plan to make this a full weekend excursion, enjoy the fresh smell of the pines, and have a great time as you find the ideal tree.

Five Advantages of Family RV Vacations

Recreational vehicles aka as RVs are especially wonderful when families with young children want to travel in an easy and efficient way. Here are five advantages to scheduling an RV vacation.
 
No worries of disturbing your neighbors. If you have a baby that cries, a toddler that screams, laughs loudly and general squeals, not all of your neighbors will appreciate your rambunctious brood. Hotel walls can be paper thin – and while your neighbors may not complain about the noise, it is likely you will feel uncomfortable and be unable to relax. In an RV, you can park far enough for neighbors and not have to worry about the noise factor.
 
The ultimate pack and play. You can pre-load your RV with all of your children’s favorite toys and not have to worry about getting 100 miles away only to discover that you don’t have enough entertainment for the little ones.
 
Video on board. While you travel on those longer trips, you can turn on a video or movie and your kids can watch a movie or play video games. You can even bring in a Wii and hook it up for when you’re stopped and perhaps hit bad weather. Nothing prevents an endless loop of the question, “Are we there yet?” better than a movie to distract the kids.
 
Necessities can be kept in storage. If you have a baby with a lot of “baggage” then it’s wonderful that you can store all of those necessary care items on the RV. Diapers, special soaps, lotion – you name it. Store them so that you end up being frustrated miles from the nearest store because you forgot a necessity or can’t find a particular but necessary brand name. Baby losing her favorite bottle with a particular nipple that she insists on sucking on can be a vacation-ruining experience. So, pack extras when you might find yourself in this predicament.
 
Extra jackets, towels and sundries. You can also load your RV with extra jackets even when you feel assured of warm weather. You never know when on your journey you might need extra warmth. So you can leave extra jackets or towels for bathing on the RV just for convenience.
 
If you would like information on planning an RV trip, please send email to Elisa Taylor at etaylor@worldlesstraveled.com.

The Valley of the Moon

Have you ever heard of the Valley of the Moon located near Sonoma? The Valley of the Moon is one of the little-known treasures in the heart of California. Located in the Sonoma Mountain Range of Glen Ellen in Sonoma County, the valley is surrounded by large grassy meadows bordered by a redwood forest. One of the primary campgrounds, Valley of the Moon Camp is a perfect place to stay in the redwoods, because you can camp in the grassland area where this is also plenty of sunshine but still be surrounded by forest. While there you must visit Jack London State Park, which is actually a secluded ranch-like area where world-famous writer Jack London wrote some of his classic tales. Among the sites to visit, stop and see his dream home, Wolf House and Pig Palace, which is two unique silos, stone barns, ruines of a former winery, and House of Happy Walls Museum. This area of the park features nine miles of hiking and riding trails. Do be prepared to walk, because the different landmarks are often miles apart. You can and should take the guided tour, where a docent will share insights about the famous writer and the various structures. Do plan a full-day trip. You can cap your adventure with a stop at any of the Sonoma wineries and dozens of fine restaurants to choose from. Do plan to have breakfast at Hank’s Creekside Restaurant, which was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for it’s from-scratch pancakes – and we mean whole-wheat flour personally ground by the cook. You can get anymore homemade than that.

Northern California Coastal Towns to Love

Tucked up against the coastline of California, you will find numerous tiny coastal towns that often take up no more than three or four blocks. These country towns don’t always sit right on the ocean, but rather are tucked into the rolling coastal hills right before you emerge onto the deep blue skyline that says you’ve arrived at the sea. So, here are two favorite coast-side towns that are at once quaint, sweet and reminiscent of old-fashioned days gone by.

Bodega – no, not Bodega Bay. Bodega is located roughly five miles inland from Bodega Bay. It is not more than five to six shops big, and if you’re not paying attention you can easily miss it or not realize it even exists. It has a small café and a restaurant or two. The country mart is great to pick up a few minor supplies for a picnic. They have a few arts and crafts and galleries to browse. If you just want to escape city life and enjoy a quiet lunch, it’s a nice stop.

Occidental – what a great name. Occidental, which is another 10 miles away from Bodega and tucked in the redwoods, is larger and has four hotels and miscellaneous bed and breakfasts. The town’s main street is loaded mostly with Italian restaurants (it was an Italian immigrants' town). The Union Hotel Restaurant has incredible and organic breakfast foods. It serves lunch and dinner too, but the breakfast foods stand out. The town also has numerous galleries and shops to stroll and browse. It also surprisingly has a supermarket. We’ve stayed in the Negri’s Occidental Hotel and the Inn at Occidental, which is a house. Here is the insider scope. The Negri’s is a standard, basic hotel. It serves its purpose – and it’s a clean stay. The Inn is upscale and more luxurious. It depends, of course, on your budget which one you would prefer to stay at.

 

Family Owned Cruise Line Ends 60-Year History

Cruise West began offering cruises to Alaska more than 60 years ago and has recently ceased its operations. Dick West, chairman and managing director, said, “I am absolutely heartbroken that this family legacy has come to an end. We have done absolutely everything to maintain operations but, with limited resources and the current tight financial market, we simply cannot continue.” The September 22 Danube Cruise was the final cruise operated by the line and the company’s Galapagos partner is working on an alternate program for guests who have bookings. American Safari Cruises and parent company Inner-Sea Discoveries are offering special rates for displaced guests, honoring Cruise West fares for guests throughout 2010.  A dedicated phone line has been set up for passengers booked on Cruise West at 877-405-9490.   

Port Angeles

Port Angeles is a treasure located on the coast of Washington state. If you live in California and you have time to drive up to Washington in the fall then you’ll enjoy the tepid weather and occasional rain. The fall foliage is nothing like the East Coast, but you will be in for some color on your journey north. One thing you’ll notice once you get into Oregon is the series of small towns that are quaint and sweet to shop and stroll through. Also, we recommend you include a stop at the Olympic National Park -- it is gorgeous no matter what time of year. The reason you should consider the stop is that you will notice that most of the old-growth forest is gone from your drive. Logging has reduced the majority of the forest down to a homogenized tree farm with uprooted tree “junkyards” along the drive; but a diversion into the National Park means views of pristine and beautiful forests. Check out the Olympic Hot Springs Road, hike, or fish at the Lake Mills reservoir. When you’re finished with your commune with nature, continue your trip toward Port Angeles, which is one of the larger cities on the Washington coast. You can also catch a ferry from Port Angeles and continue on your way to Victoria.