TRAVEL PLANS
 

MY FAMILY IS GOING TO GLACIER IN AUG 99, WE WANT TO FLY AND RIDE (TRAIN) FROM CHICAGO TO THE PARK, WHICH SHOULD WE DO FIRST, AND SHOULD WE RENT A CAR, AND WHERE <BR>

Make certain you have reservations for your place to stay at Glacier, then find out if you can get from the railway station to that lodging (many can arrange shuttle pickup). If this is indeed the case, you would not need a rental car when you arrive at Glacier NP; many of the main roads can be accessed via bus tours. Of course, you may decide to rent a car in order to get more flexibility. <BR> <BR>Or you may decide to rent a car in Chicago and drive the entire way to Glacier NP (this type of travel is not for everyone, but maybe for you). Note that, unless you want to pay outrageous drop off fees, you MUST return the car at the same place you rented it. Thus, if you rent in Chicago, you will have to drive BACK to Chicago.

Saw your post at Fodor's...I am planning on driving from Chicago to Kalispell in the summer. One female, one dog, one way. My husband will travel home with me. I'm thinking of renting a car for the round trip. My concerns are...the distance, the route, the side trips, etc. any advice ?

Saw your post at Fodor's...I am planning on driving from Chicago to Kalispell in the summer. One female, one dog, one way. My husband will travel home with me. I'm thinking of renting a car for the round trip. My concerns are...the distance, the route, the side trips, etc. any advice ?

To find the distance for the most direct route between two cities, go to www.mapquest.com. It says the driving distance between these two cities is 1699.3 miles or 2732.2 km. <BR> <BR>As for route, I recommend taking I-94 and US Hiway 2 one way (stopping at Teddy Roosevelt Park and Minneapolis) and visiting Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Black Hills, and Badlands on the other way. Yellowstone is one of the most fascinating spots on the face of this earth, so I recommend you include that on the return trip -- it's a place that should be shared with someone you love!

I have visited Glacier several times, but always with a car. One year we rented a car in Kalispell from Rent a Wreck after flying in via Salt Lake City. Another time we flew into Great Falls and rented a car. <BR>The name Rent a Wreck is something of a misnomer because the car was about a year old and in "Hertz" condition. As I recall it was a mid range Chevrolet. <BR>But, be warned, car rental prices out there are higher because there is not much competition. <BR> <BR>I honestly don't think you can see Glacier well without your own transportation. I have looked at the red bus tours, but they are not for me. Glacier is first and foremost a hikers park and to see it you need to drive to the trailheads, park, and walk. Otherwise, you miss the best scenery. <BR> <BR>Driving from Chicago is do-able, but it is a long, long ways across the flats of the northern plains. You could break up the trip by seeing the Badlands National Park going out and T. Roosevelt National Park coming back. Mt. Rushmore is out that way, too. But eastern Montana and North Dakota are relatively flat. Of course, you can cruise at 70 75 mph for hours, drinking coffee to stay awake, and cover 650 - 700 miles a day. I personally would fly both ways and spend more time seeing the sights of Glacier and Waterton than to spend time sitting in a train staring out of the window at miles of nothing much remarkable. <BR> <BR>Of course, if you are not a hiker, I think two days is all you need. If you are a hiker, then you might need two weeks! I all depends on what you like to do and what you expect to see. <BR>