Travel
10 destinations for Western America
List of Activities for Summer Vacation
Great Falls, Montana
1. Lewis & Clark Expedition
Spend some time at the Lewis & Clark National Historical Trail Interpretive Center. Whether you are a history buff or not, it is a plus. Both adults and children will enjoy the film and exhibit, which retrace vividly the men’s difficult expedition by boat to find a ‘Northwest passage’ to the Pacific Ocean.
Started in May 1804 in St. Louis, Missouri, the expedition went all away to the Pacific Ocean before ending almost two hundred years ago in September 1806, back where it had all begun.
Photo Courtesy: Gregg Murphey
On the way to the Interpretive Center, Great Falls, Montana
The two men recorded information about the plants, animals and Indian encounters in their journals. Lewis and Clark discovered the Great Falls of the Missouri in Montana in June 1805, which led them to take an 18-mile (29 km) detour around the falls and costing them one month.
Outside, near the river, rangers and volunteers give short talks about many interesting topics such as animal skins, medicine and the arms used during the expedition.
Located at 4201 Giant Springs Road. Adults entrance fee is $5. Call (406) 727 8733.
2. Go to the Giant Springs Heritage State Park
This park is just amazing, so don’t miss it. It is the perfect place for a picnic this summer.
Visitors can view a trout hatchery and marvel at the smallest river in the world, the river Roe, with only 201 feet. One is immediately struck by the clearness of the river’s water that takes its source from the Giant Springs.
Giant Springs Heritage State Park and River Roe, Great Falls
The Giant Springs are the largest sweetwater springs in the U.S. It is hard to imagine that more than 193 millions gallon of water flows there daily!
The Park is at 4600 Giant Springs Rd. Call (406) 454-5840.
Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Mirage Tigers
Come to see the beautiful and rare white tigers at the Mirage hotel. Siegfried and Roy, two Germans, started breeding a new brand of tigers beginning of the 1980’s. They have blue eyes and brown or black stripes.
Tiger at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas
When you enter the Mirage hotel, the tigers are on display behind a glass window and wander between the fountains and a large swimming pool. This attraction is free.
4. Stop at the Bellagio Hotel
Visitors can enjoy a daily fountain show from 3 p.m. to midnight offered by the hotel. It is a light and water show rhythmed with modern and classical music. This magical atmosphere will make your day or evening. You will also understand why the hotel and casino cost about $1.6 billion to build.
Conservatory in the lobby of the Bellagio in Las Vegas
Another great thing to do if you happen to be at the Bellagio is to go into the Conservatory in the lobby. The colorful flower and water displays, which change every season, will without any doubt satisfy all of your senses. On the way out, make sure to step into Jean Philippe’s Patisserie and try some of his chocolate or baked specialties.
On Nevada/Arizona Border
5. Visit the Hoover Dam
Why not stopping at the Hoover dam if you want to get out of Las Vegas or if you are driving to the Grand Canyon? Be prepared for long queues leaving or entering the dam due to police controls and a slow down on the bridge.
Located 30 miles (48 km) from Las Vegas, the construction of the dam ended 75 years ago this year after five years of hard labor. “It took 5 Millions barrels of cement to make it,” said our guide Richard. “If no one is buried under the cement, still 96 people lost their life during the construction.
Hoover Dam in Nevada
It was built among other reasons to help control the flooding of the Colorado River. Today, the dam has 17 generators that you can see during the guided tour.
From the platform, it is a fascinating sight. Imagine looking down 726 feet. Just next to it, is the Lake Mead, another great place to sightsee in the area.
The fee for the guided tour is $11.
Call (702) 494-2517.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
6. Hermit’s Rest
Named after the hermit, Louis Boucher, who lived there for more than 20 years in the late 19th century, this stone house was built in 1914, the same year as the Lookout Studio. It is the work of the famous architect Mary Colter.
Inside of Hermit’s Rest in Grand Canyon, Arizona
There are an interesting fireplace and rustic chairs inside. It is only reachable by shuttle bus, foot or by bike. It is the last stop going west on the Hermit’s Rest Road. As the road is long (about 8 miles/12 km) most tourists take the bus to reach the house. However, you can walk for part of it and jump on the bus at anytime.
The Hermit’s Rest is a great place to relax and have a bite to eat. From there, experienced hikers can start a 9-mile (14.5 km) hike on the Boucher trail going to the Colorado River.
7. Condors and sunsets
Two evening attractions are to watch sunsets and wait for California condors. The birds can be spotted on the cliffs at the Lookout Studio and at the Bright Angel Lodge. People come prepared with zooms and binoculars to admire the birds.
Other gather one hour before sunset along the trails or outside their lodges. You will see people’s faces turning to amazement and contentment each time the light and shadows change and the rocks start glowing.
Lookout studio to watch condors and sunsets, Grand Canyon
We enjoyed four sunsets, one being a dramatic skyline with a rainbow over the El Tovar Hotel. The best places to watch sunsets are the Hopi, Mather, Yaki and Pima Points.
Keep the free map you receive at the entrance handy as it lists the time of sunsets and shows all viewing points. If you are in the park during the ranger program “Condor Talk”, it is worth to go learn about this rare endangered specie.
The South Rim entrance is located 80 miles (129 km) Northwest of Flagstaff and 60 miles (96 km)from Williams and 270 miles (435 km) from Las Vegas.
Check out the web site:
Sonoma Valley, California
8. Do some wine tasting
Just about an hour away from San Francisco, the Sonoma Valley is the ideal place if you are looking for warmth while vacationing in the San Francisco area. While there, why not doing some wine tasting in some of the many wineries around the valley?
You can also visit the vineyards in some case as most owners organize small or large tour visits of their premises. Among the many you could choose to go visit are: Kenwood, Ravenswood or the Chateau St. Jean vineyards. We really enjoyed Chateau St. Jean (8555 Sonoma Hwy in Kenwood – call 707-833-4134).
Driving to Sonoma via the San Francisco Bridge
While you can sleep in many villages on the Sonoma Valley, Sonoma is a good pick. The village is a good size with a beautiful Spanish style downtown and excellent restaurants for dining.
If you have time, stop by the General’s Daughter for fine dining with some Californian dishes and a regional wine. Make an early reservation as it is a popular and busy place.
Address: 400 W. Spain Street, Sonoma. Call (707) 938 4004.
Near Monterey, California, South of San Francisco
9. Take some drives
The coast around Carmel & Monterey is magnificent. Allow two days at least to drive to discover the coast, beaches and parks.
Big Sur (Big South) is a destination for a full day if you plan to visit the Pfeiffer Big Sur Park. There you will probably see some unique California blue birds and spot some redwood trees.
Take the Cabrillo Highway and stop at the many view points along the road. The road is very picturesque with the mountains coming to the see.
When we went it was foggy in some part but we could still distinguish the many flowers and lush vegetation. The view of the Bixby Creek Bridge definitely made my day.
Big Sur covers a large area (90 miles/155 km) from Carmel to Carpoforo Creek.
Big Sur coast, California
Another great destination for beautiful vistas along the California coast is the 17 Mile drive. It will bring you by the famous Pebble Beach, many golf courses, amazing mansions and a colony of seal lions & otters. Seagulls, cormorans and pelicans will fly above you while you walk on the beautiful coast private beaches.
One popular attractions are the various trees damaged by the wind over the years. One special tree is the lone cypress, which has become so popular that you can’t even sell the picture you take!
California Blue Bird, Big Sur
Among the many golf tournaments that take place on this road is the U.S. Golf Championship which will happen this year from June 14-20th.
You can enter the road from Monterey and Carmel. The only disadvantage is the toll of $9.25. It is definitely worth your money in nice weather.
San Francisco, California
10. Visit Alcatraz
If there is a Prison, which everyone has heard of, it is the Prison of Alcatraz on the Bay of San Francisco.
Famous for inmates such as Al Capone, the gangster, who was sent to Alcatraz for not having paid taxes, it was filmed many times for Hollywood.
You probably watched movies in the 1990’s like the Rock (1996) with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage or Murder in the First (1995) with Kevin Bacon. Another earlier popular film was Escape from Alcatraz (1979) Clint Eastwood.
Alcatraz at sunset, San Francisco in California
Alcatraz was a jail for 30 years and Al Capone arrived at its beginning in 1934. Some inmates tried to escape but it was difficult even if the jail is only 1.2 miles (2 km) away from the shore of San Francisco.
The visit is extremely popular and you will see long queues for the day and night cruises. What you pay for is the ferry ride. It includes the audio tour. It is free for kids until the age of 4. Reserve early, several days in advance or you may not get a spot.
ALCATRAZ CRUISES – PIER 33 Check out Alcatraz web site: