OK, So What Next?

Glacier National Park, Custer State Park, the Badlands.

Pacifc Northwest

Alaska

Hawaii

Sequoia NP, Kings Canyon NP, Joshua Tree NP, Death Valley NP

Redwood NP, Crater Lake, NP, Oregon Coast

Olympic NP, Mt. Rainier NP, Mt. St. Helens NP

Banff NP, Columbia Icefields

Saguaro NP, Organ Pipe NP, Carlsbad Caverns NP, White Sands NM

All spectacular!

Alaska and Hawaii are not on my list.
Pacific Northwest is (Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, ONP Coast)

Unrelated
Going to Tuscany in June

Also on my list are Charleston/Savanah and China

Some interesting suggestions so far. Thanks.

How about the east coast? Maine, Acadia NP, Massachusetts Cape Cod NS,New Hampshire White Mountains, hike the Appalachain Trail, Blue Ridge Parkwy, Skyline Drive, Florida, Everglades NP.

Yosemite!

Living on the east coast (originally Montreal and now South Florida) you always want to go somewhere else.

Well Charleston/Savanah is/are on the list.

Yosemite. My daughter and her husband were there a few years ago. I'll have to ask her about it.

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and surrounding areas. Chattanooga is lovely, as are several places in North Carolina. If you have an extended time, you could also hit beaches in North/South Carolina or around Savannah/Hilton Head.

I've made up a "some-day-in-the-future" plan for a tour of Civil War National Park Service sites, too--a loop from Arkansas to 2-3 places in Tennessee, 2-3 in Virginia, and Gettysburg.

Or come to to west Texas! (but not in the summer) Big Bend, of course. Fort Davis Mountains--the McDonald Observatory is there, plus a great state park and a restored fort. Guadalupe Mountains National Park area--highest peak in Texas. And not that far (in Texas terms) from Carlsbad Caverns.

Or Colorado.

What IS on your list? You've gotten a lot of great suggestions but why should we bother if you have no plans to go to some of these places?

Dukey,
So far my US list includes Charleston/Savanah and the Pacific Northwest.

Originally it did not include Yellowstone and Grand Teton but following some suggestions a year ago that's where I'm going at the start of August.

I have an international list as well. Going to Tuscany in June and just starting to research China possibly for next year.

I also have some complications as my wife is not interested in some destinations, so I go myself or with a friend to these.

I never wrote that I wouldn't consider/add some of the suggestions to one of the lists (US myself, US with wife, international). Just that some of those mentioned were never considered in the past.

Some previous trips may have started as my own ideas but ended up being built with much input from posters on this forum.

I really do appreciate the suggestions and write very detailed reports upon returning.

I love the Canadian Rockies and could visit that area every year--which is unusual for me. I like to choose a new destination every time we travel. (Except for that escape from winter in Ohio--2 hr flight to Florida) As Ellen mentioned above: Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.

From the list of your previous trips, I think you would love the Canadian Rockies. If you hike, it has hikes for all abilities, is a hiker's paradise. If you don't hike there is spectacular scenery right from the road. I have a trip report on the Canada board from our third visit in 2008.

I haven't been to Yosemite since high school. It's on our list.

Definitely Glacier. We've been to many, many national parks and I've been to all but a few of the 50 states, including Alaska twice. Glacier is still one of the most awesome parks I've ever been to. Fabulous scenery and great hiking.

Yes, Glacier is spectacular!! I'd put that on your list for sure!!!!!!!!!!! I'll be in Yellowstone and GTNP in July for the 1st time. After seeing Glacier, hope it doesn't disappoint.

If you are interested in spectacular scenery, wildlife, hiking, a beautiful deep blue ocean with great fishing, and wild open spaces with crystal clean air, you may want to put Alaska back on the list.

I took a very quick look at some photos of Glacier and it looks awesome.

That looks like the kind of place I could enjoy.

I don't know how much time you have but you might could combine Glacier with your Yellowstone/Grand Tetons trip. It's about a 8 hour drive from Yellowstone to Glacier with nice scenery along the way.

Connie,

It would have been an idea but that trip is planned and plane tickets in hand.

It's 7 days long so not enough time. Five full in YNP and 2 full in GTNP.

I usually like to put together more than one destination. Let's see what we can do.

Where's the nearest real airport to Glacier?

thanks.

Kalispell is by far the closest with several major airlines flying in/out. It's called Glacier Park International Airport.

Missoula International Airport would be a larger airport--around 2 hours south.

Canadian Rockies! Been there once, but still amazed at those incredible waterfalls, and torquoise blue lakes!!! Ready to go back for second trip soon! Banff, Jasper, and Lake Louise. Not too many tourist traps, junky towns, traffic not bad if you avoid summer months, I highly recommend every human to experience Canadian Rockies at least once in their life (no I'm not a member of the Canadian Travel board!, I'm American!) Just a really beautiful place....

I wouldn't try to divide up 7 days between Yellowstone, GTNP, and Glacier. Stick with your 7 days in Yellowstone area and consider Glacier later(unless you can add another 5 days to your plans). We plan on doing Glacier in 2011, btw. Will meet my parents there and also @ Bryce on two seperate trips in 2011.
Some of my favorite places would include Sequoia NP, along with Oregon/Redwoods/Portland/coast. Seattle area does look interesting. I know you said earlier that Alaska doesn't interest you, but it was spectacular. We go to Yosemite at the end of May. I think it will be great, if I can get past the crowds. I will be shocked if you don't love Yellowstone. I hope to go back there several times, even in the winter at some point.

You seem to like the Southwest. You might look into a southern Colorado and northern New Mexico trip. Fly into Santa Fe and visit Taos, Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes NP, etc. You'd need a couple of weeks because you would want to spend 4 or 5 days just in the Santa Fe area. It's quite special. Also, Mesa Verde is one of America's great wonders.

Another great trip is through the Canadian Rockies visiting the great national parks of Alberta and Britich Columbis. A 2 week trip here could also tie in Glacier and Waterton Parks. Glacier is a great NP but the Canadian parks are even grander.

Glacier looks interesting but may not be enough on its own.

A tie in with the Canadian Rockies could work.

Thanks.