Journey West with Boscov’s Travel

With so many options for travel around the globe, we often forget some of the most amazing sites are right next door, so to speak. The Western US offers many unique attractions, from national monuments and parks to best kept secrets known mostly to seasoned travelers and locals.

We’ve packaged the very best of these experiences into eleven unique, exclusive and unforgettable adventures. See the West the way it was meant to be seen, without having to drive or stress. We pride ourselves on taking the road less traveled and telling the stories that have formed the great history of the West.

These tours continue to be some of our most popular vacations and with this year’s new and updated itineraries, there is sure to be a Western tour that will help shorten your bucket list.

You can check out all of the great options and their inclusions here: Boscov’s Travel Western Tours

Tours:

• 10-Day Alaska by Land- June 1-10, 2013
  • Enjoy escorted tours around the beautiful state of Alaska including a train ride, a private sightseeing cruise and tours of Denali National Park.
• 10-Day Northern California & Yosemite - June 16-25, 2013
  • There will be no whining on this tour, but plenty of wine! Visit several California wineries as well as tour the picturesque San Francisco Bay and surrounding areas. Also, enjoy the beauty of nature in Yosemite National Park.
• 9-Day Wonderful Wild West - July 13-21, 2013
  • Tour Denver, CO; journey along the Oregon Trail; visit Mt.Rushmore; explore Yellowstone National Park and much more in the Wonderful Wild West!
• 10-Day Oregon/Washington Cities, Seashores and Mountains - July 28- August 6, 2013
  • Did you know you can visit a rain forest in the US? You can in Washington! You can also visit the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park and Mt. Saint Helen’s National Volcanic Monument and much more on this exciting adventure!
• 9-Day Northern Rockies National Parks - August 10-18, 2013
  • Explore Yellowstone National Park and take unique tours of the Northern Rockies such as an open air train tour and a tour on an antique fire engine!
• 9-Day Western National Parks - August 31 – September 8, 2013
  • Take exciting tours of Salt Lake City, UT, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, WY, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. Have your cameras at the ready!
• 9-Day Southern National Parks, including Lake Mead and Las Vegas - September 15-23, 2013
  • Besides living it up on the Las Vegas Strip, enjoy the beauty of the Colorado River, Arches National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. This could be your lucky trip!
• 9-Day Colorado and New Mexico Balloon Fiesta - September 29 – October 7, 2013
  • Tour the Garden of the Gods and Rocky Mountain National Park, take memorable train rides through beautiful landscapes and top it all off with a visit to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta!
• 7-Day Ozark Autumn with Branson - October 13-19, 2013
  • This trip is packed with entertainment! Enjoy dinner and a show at Dixie Stampede, an acrobatic display during the Acrobats of China Show, and the musical stylings of the Oakridge Boys and the 12 Irish Tenors. And don’t forget touring the lovely landscapes and museums of the area.
• 7-Day Colorado Christmas - December 3-9, 2013
  • Enjoy the holiday season in gorgeous Colorado! Take part in a Christmas parade, enjoy the Christmas lights and even do some holiday shopping at the Georgetown Christmas Market.
• 7-Day Southern California with Rose Parade – December 30, 2013 – January 4, 2014
  • Get a behind the scenes look at the Rose Parade before enjoying the finished product. Also, tour all that Southern California has to offer including Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Reagan Presidential Library and Warner Brothers Studios!

All of the Boscov’s Journey West packages include the following:

• Airport transfers in your destination cities (except for pre- and post-tour arrivals)
• Deluxe motorcoach transportation throughout the tour
• First class accommodations
• Several meals
• Services of a professional Journey West Tour Director
• Admissions and guided tours of all included activities
• Porterage of on piece of luggage throughout the tour
• Souvenir memory group photo
• Special photo album
• All taxes and gratuities for the Tour Director and Driver

For more information or to book your Journey West adventure, contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist by calling 800-755-8020 or emailing travelrequest@boscovs.com.

Back to Nature – Making a Family Vacation in the Great Outdoors

Achieving family togetherness is never an easy task—and it can be especially difficult when taking the whole gang on vacation. While it can seem nearly impossible to find a destination that everyone will love, a getaway to one of the many national parks in the U.S. or Canada just may be the answer for achieving family harmony.

Along with their overwhelming beauty and endless list of diversions, national parks can challenge every member of the family, both physically and mentally, allowing everyone to return home with real accomplishments to think back on. Parents can relax knowing the parks and surrounding towns are easy-going places that are very accustomed to the needs of families. You don’t have to worry about fitting in and you’ll likely meet plenty of other families with children.

Most national parks throughout the U.S. and Canada offer a range of accommodations and dining and camping options for different budgets. Of course, depending on your family’s survival skills, you can “rough it” as much or as little as you want. Most parks also offer educational programs and camps that allow children and parents to spend time apart, learning on their own. With 58 national parks in the U.S. and 36 national park reserves in Canada, there’s an incredible assortment of parks located in nearly every kind of environment, from mountain and coastal areas to desert locales and snowy climes.

To help you narrow down the field of parks, we’ve chosen a few of our favorites from each country. Should you prefer to leave the exploring to the experts, consider taking a guided tour that will take you up close to many parks and interesting sites. Your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist can help you find which national parks and tours best fit your family’s interests and needs.

National Parks in the United States

The U.S. is loaded with mesmerizing national parks, and these oases of pristine beauty are overwhelming in every way imaginable—in number, size and their capacity to inspire wonder. The most difficult question to answer is: Which one will you see next? Here are a few of our faves…

• Acadia National Park
  The eastern U.S. provides splendid options for outdoor vacations and Acadia National Park is one of its most celebrated. The park has a rich human history that includes Native Americans, European settlers, artists, conservationists and more. Each group has made its mark on what is today Acadia National Park. The park is located on the coast of Maine and has unsurpassed northern Oceanside views and cliff climbing that you won’t find in other parks. Sheer cliff faces collide with the pounding surf, and small fishing and sail boats ply Frenchman Bay where the air is perfumed by fir trees and the Atlantic Ocean. Protecting over 47,000 acres, Acadia’s scenic trails are a hiker’s dream. There is also fishing, island exploring and beautiful gardens to gaze upon here.
• Yellowstone National Park
  A place where a picture truly says a thousand words, images of Yellowstone speak for themselves. The oldest national park in America, Yellowstone is spread out over three states (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho), and within its 3,468 square miles offers some of the most compelling geothermal and geological wonders—the famous geyser Old Faithful, Yellowstone Caldera (the largest super volcano on the continent) and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, to name just a few. The park is also home to lots of fun, furry creatures. There is a variety of summer and winter activities suitable for everyone, from extreme back-country hiker to the young family who requires somewhat gentler trails. Note that permits and reservations are required for some of the things you might want to do, such as fishing, camping, renting snow machines, llama packing and horseback riding.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  A top pick for those living in the American Midwest is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is hands down one of the best all-around parks for the family. It falls within the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. You can choose to rough it on the Appalachian Trail, camp out in a developed campground or wilderness, or stay anywhere from luxurious suites to nice inexpensive hotels in nearby Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And, speaking of Pigeon Forge, you have Dollywood theme park and all the innumerable attractions the town offers nearby. On the North Carolina side you have more campgrounds, the city of Cherokee that has several Native America museums, whitewater rafting and fly fishing (the last two are actually offered in both states). The mountains are absolutely beautiful and make for great photo ops.

Joann’s Wonderful Wild Journey West

Joann, Group Tour Planner, shares her adventures in the Wild West on a Boscov’s Travel Escorted Western Tour. Thanks, Joann!

My travel companions and I were chauffeured at a gentle pace through the picturesque, mountainous landscape, soothed by soft, sweet songs of cowboys and tickled by Cheryl’s witty re-telling of pioneer times, lesser known facts and descriptions of local culture. She even taught us a real western cheer: “HEEEE HAWWW!”

What made this experience most special was the leisurely pace, stunning scenery, delightful tour guide and seeing some of the United States’ most famous attractions; like Mount Rushmore, Old Faithful and Yellowstone National Park. Our group bonded over meals and site-seeing, sharing pictures of loved ones and a mutual love for expanding horizons.

It’s one thing to learn American history in a classroom, but quite another to see first-hand amazing sights such as the wagon wheel ruts along the Oregon Trail in Wyoming.

Thousands of men, women and children traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840’s, many times risking their lives to reach what they hoped would be a better life. I have a greater appreciation now of the hardships they had to endure.

It was fun seeing the animals of Bear County USA, riding in a jeep into a bison herd in Custer State Park and visiting the Coors Light Brewery.

The inspiration for the iconic Coors Light mountain range logo can be seen from the brewery’s parking lot. Where else in the world but the western US could you taste a fresh brewed Coors Light and then have a bowl of delicious bison stew? The national park views and wildlife were absolutely breath-taking. What great foresight some had in preserving these areas so future generations would be able to enjoy them.

Other attractions included quaint towns, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a real western rodeo, a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and perhaps my favorite: Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood is where Dances with Wolves was filmed and Kevin Costner has taken quite a strong interest in the town. He owns a local restaurant, casino, attraction and town tour all dedicated to the film and his other movies. The restaurant features costumes from Kevin Costner’s movies, as well as a guest book that had me joking to my husband and new friends I was leaving a message with my phone number and the words “Call me, Kevin”. A lady can dream, right?

Our group had bonded so much that it was difficult to say goodbye at the end of the tour. We left each other with promises to keep in touch through emails and letters, as well as lots of pictures and souvenirs.

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Click here to see Boscov’s Travel Escorted Western Tours scheduled for 2012.