Suggestions for a trip next Summer

My bucket list is a loop tour thru New Mexico, but I want to stay a couple of months, not weeks. If I had 3 weeks in the summer, I think I'd like to try Alaska,

That depends on where you are in AZ and NM, both of which have a good number of high-altitude tourist areas. I live at pretty much the lowest point in Angel Fire, and our elevation at the house is 8,400 feet.

:)
Lynn

SwanInWA wrote:

Lauren wrote:
Remember, in the summer it gets darn hot down here in AZ, NM and UT! Hey, we head NORTH !

That is an excellent point, Lauren -- and we Washingtonians are definitely not accustomed to very hot weather. If (or should I say WHEN) we go to New Mexico, we would likely go in mid to late September when things are starting to cool down a little. On the other hand, we were in Yuma, AZ once in September and it was 110°!

There are three parts of a trip - the planning, the doing and the memories ---- enjoy them all!

I am a planner as well. Being of engineering mindset I do not need to tell you the detail I go into! DW Barbara says she is so glad I do it as she never could.

I will be exploring all of these suggestions and hope to do them ALL somewhere down the road. I have so much to think about -- I absolutely LOVE the planning, to me it's almost as much fun as the trip itself. Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas. :)

Lauren wrote:
Remember, in the summer it gets darn hot down here in AZ, NM and UT! Hey, we head NORTH !

That is an excellent point, Lauren -- and we Washingtonians are definitely not accustomed to very hot weather. If (or should I say WHEN) we go to New Mexico, we would likely go in mid to late September when things are starting to cool down a little. On the other hand, we were in Yuma, AZ once in September and it was 110°!

Try the Trans-Canada from Vancouver to Calgary. Some of the best scenery on earth. The road at Kicking Horse Pass is safe but will get your blood flowing with the steep rock walls to the north and the drop into eternity to the south!! Kind of makes you feel like a mountain goat. The road passes Lake Louise and Banff along the way and both areas have top notch camping.

Head North from Calgary to Edmunton then west into Jasper. Drive the Ice Fields Parkway through the mountains back to Banff. Glaciers on the side of the road and likely you will see grizzlies, elk etc.

You can keep going south from there to Cranbrook BC and then home.

Lots of scenery, wildlife, fresh air and mountains on that route!

Remember, in the summer it gets darn hot down here in AZ, NM and UT! Hey, we head NORTH !

Don't discount Banff, maybe Jasper and over to Revelstoke (love that area as well) and Kootenay.

Also, of course, beautiful Colorado. Lived there 8 years and loved it.

Planning is part of the fun.

Glacier is someplace we have considered as we've never been there, except once when we traveled though it on a train to Chicago. New Mexico is also a great idea -- that's completely unexplored territory for us. I LOVE the Okanagan Valley, but am thinking a bit farther away for this particular trip (although I wouldn't have to take a ferry, so that's good!). Definitely great suggestions, all of them, thanks so much. Decisions, decisions!

Glacier Nat'l Park, Waterton, Banff, Jasper.

Ka Ron has a great suggestion.

We have done that area; stayed just south of Kelowna. It is great.

But ..........

We "met" SideHillSoup on here and think he lives in Csstlegar. Told us to come to Kootenay Lake and hung on that like a dog on a good bone. Well, we did it and stayed at a place 12 miles north of Kaslo. Great RV park right on this huge lake.

Now, DW Barbara and I (along with Sadie and previous dogs) have done a lot of hiking but hiking Idaho Peak was probably the most beautiful hike we have ever done. Go to LaurenBarbara.com and Wanderings and Candada Kootenay Lake area.

It is something many people don't even think about and we are still indebted to him for suggesting it. God willing we will get back - a long way from Tucson and we are not getting any younger!

Enjoy. Be safe.