2025 Travel goals?

[Texas Clodhopper]

We're leaving 62 ℉ in the Texas Hill for Zion and Bryce in the morning. For a change, I want to photograph these two favorite parks in the winter. The first overnight stop will be in Brownfield, TX, followed by an Elks Lodge in Albuquerque, Kaibab Paiute RV Park, and Watchman Park in Zion.

I filled the diesel tank at Buc-ees, New Braunfels, TX this morning - $2.72 and praying the Open Roads Card will work for the trip. Every time I try to log in it gives a bad l bad log-in message and locks me out for 60 minutes. I reboot my phone and it usually then works. Technology!

 

[Buster]

Check the McDonald Observatory website and see if you can get tickets to the "Star Party". Its amazing to view the planets and galaxies through their big telescopes. Davis Mountains State Park is awesome.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm a native Texan who has traveled all over the state.

I'm glad you are going to Caddo Lake and Jefferson is a step back in time. Hopefully, they will still have the Christmas lights up.

The Mission Trail and the River Walk in San Antonio are fun.

This is a must in Amarillo, get your free streak at the Big Texan Steak House and visit Palo Duro Canyon.

Just added the Star Party and the Big Texan Steak house to out list. The others are on it already. I'll start a TX trip report thread in the next few days and list out our itinerary along with periodic updates. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Neal]

Have to start planning soon for the summer travel. How are reservations looking for hot spots about? I'm hoping to head in the direction of Glacier first. My guess is getting reservations shouldn't be as difficult as recent years' past. What are you all seeing for those already seeking reservations?

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

We are leaving for the NKK Rally in Washington DC at the end of March. After the rally, we're going to the Adirondacks for a few weeks and then to Traverse City, MI for 2 weeks. We will be visiting friends in Fargo, North Dakota in early June. We will leave the motorhome at their farm and fly home for 2 weeks in June.

We have to be in Bismark on July 4th for a wedding I'm officiating. Then going to Glacier since my wife had never seen it even though we were there last August when it snowed so hard we couldn't see anything but the snow plow in front of us. We want to spend some time in Washington, Oregon, and northern California.

I'm not planning to make a reservation for any place until a day or so before arrival. We plan to use Harvest Host, Elks Lodges, Walmarts, etc when a park isn't available or needed.

 

[sheridany]

Some places are already pretty full. One I checked was Hearthside Grove. Some spots available but not a lot to choose from. I am seeing a pretty hefty increase in the price for a standard pull through out here in the west even at places like KOA which was over $100/night depending on location. I have seen some premium places like sun resorts pushing towards 150/night but that could be seasonal or holiday pricing for Presidents’ Day weekend.

 

[sheridany]

@Texas Clodhopper I have heard a lot of positive comments about Elks lodges. You just need a sponsor, fill out a membership form and get approved correct? I am thinking of joining as they are plentiful here in the west.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

Yes, you do need a sponsor.

 

[BGMAC]

Have to start planning soon for the summer travel. How are reservations looking for hot spots about? I'm hoping to head in the direction of Glacier first. My guess is getting reservations shouldn't be as difficult as recent years' past. What are you all seeing for those already seeking reservations?

We were up on east side of glacier 2nd week in June. The highway to the sky road was closed due to a sudden snow storm. The KOA was pretty high in cost, but we stayed at Chewy Blackbones. Not the fanciest, but friendly and not to many people there.

 

[newmarokie]

Sheridany, the two closest lodges to you are Alameda and Richmond. Just google California Elks lodges and call one of them. Getting a sponsor is usually quite easy. Most lodges are always looking to grow membership (extra dues).

 

[sheridany]

I am actually in Indio and there an elks lodge very close to my place. I’ll go over next week and check it out. One of my neighbors said he would sponsor me. I think it’s a great option if I can fit into their lots even if they don’t have power.

 

[bpaikman]

I do see a lot of elks lodges around when planning. I don't know of any in our area, and we can't consider joining anyhow, too busy already.

 

[bpaikman]

We're heading out in early June, briefly visiting a few spots (Cheyenne Mountain State Park, wagon ruts at Guernsey SP, then on the Dubois for a few days, then a few week in Oregon/Vancouver area to visit family....Then we're tentatively planning to drop down into San Jose and Huntington Beach areas to visit friends and family, then over to Colorado for 7 weeks in our fav - Lake City. Heading home in October. Planning to miss out on summer in Texas. Longest trip ever.
We did nearly 3 months out in 2023, and it went great, and it's good that we get along well with each other.
Would appreciate tips on where to stay in California - we've never been there in an RV, and I think Bob has never been at all. I visited friends in the late 70s, and they took me around to Napa Valley, Sausalito, Top of the Mark, Lombard, Ghiradelli, Redwoods. Tourist stuff - it was OK.

 

[Neal]

I'm not planning to make a reservation for any place until a day or so before arrival. We plan to use Harvest Host, Elks Lodges, Walmarts, etc when a park isn't available or needed.

I don't like to make reservations early if I can avoid it as well. I'm worried if I do that then something is likely to go south somewhere enroute. If it's a popular destination then I have no choice. My Colorado adventure was one where it was hard in some places, or sites were not available and then 1-2 weeks prior things opened up. I think people reserve just like hoarding toilet paper (now eggs) and then cancel as the reservation nears so things always seem to open up. I at least need to figure out where and when and what to see.

 

[bpaikman]

BTW, I only made reservations at 4 or places that were time-critical. for example,> places where we plan to stay for a while.
We do plan to visit Butchart Gardens with our daughter and I had to make a lot of reservations for that.
I found other places about the same to get reservations. But they are places that are always difficult and I get the reservations in January. When we traveled in 2023 I noticed every place that we stayed had empty sites so we decided to wait until the day before to make reservations for just the overnight sites. I might make a reservation a few days before Big Texan in Amarillo, because the last time we passed through they put us in a more expensive area because the cheaper area at the front was full lol.

 

[bpaikman]

my husband has always wanted to see Bouchart Gardens and we are making a mini trip in the middle of our long vacation to see that. We are taking a train from Vancouver Washington to Seattle (My daughter lives close to the Amtrak station n Vancouver). It's very cheap.
Then we're taking the Clipper to Victoria BC, staying two nights, and then the whole trip in reverse. The train ride and clipper are part of the fun - (we did upgrade seats for a nice view on the Clipper)