visiting National Parks | MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service is struggling to keep parks open during the government shutdown. Austin Adventures is advising vacationers to make their bookings (spaces fill up) because an experienced tour operator can adapt the itinerary © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

BILLINGS, MT – Jan. 17, 2019 – An experienced tour operator expects and prepares for the unexpected. A nimble tour company embraces the unexpected and sees opportunity in alternative planning.

As America’s government shutdown continues to set a record for longevity, Austin Adventures has seen a rise in consumer anxiety during a time many travelers are usually looking to book their spring and summer vacations. Since national parks are a primary focus for the company it is understandable that people are nervous and even holding off on making their vacation plans.

“First and foremost, this latest government shutdown should NOT shut down your vacation plans,” says Dan Austin, founder and director of Montana-based Austin Adventures. “Talking with both alumni travelers and prospective clients on the phone my first advice is to not panic and worry. We’ve seen this before and all will be OK.”

Austin points to a previous 17-day government shutdown in the fall of 2013. “Our itinerary had us visiting Bryce Canyon National Park but it was closed. Unknown to the guests, we had a contingency plan in place to instead visit and explore nearby Kodachrome Basin State Park, an equally awesome geological wonder 20 miles to the east. Many guests said that it was the unexpected highlight of their trip,” explains Austin.

Many of the company’s adventures in and around National Parks of the West take place during the spring, summer and fall. While these trips—other than nervousness in the marketplace—have not been directly impacted by the shutdown, Austin believes that the likelihood of the political impasse dragging on into their spring season is unlikely. However, if need be, they are ready to react should the situation warrant it.

This government shutdown has been a bit different than those in the past. According to the National Parks Conservation Association, “The Department of the Interior directed its staff, including National Park Service staff, to keep national parks as accessible as possible while still obeying the law. This means that approximately a third of our national park sites are completely closed, including places like presidential homes, museums and cultural sites with buildings that can be locked. Gates at many other park sites remain open, but few if any staff are on hand to protect visitors and park resources, and many visitor centers and restrooms remained locked and roads are closed due to weather.”

Austin points out that many parks remain partially open. While this may be good for the public and the gateway communities that rely on park visitors for their livelihood, it also poses certain risks such as the unlawful use of park resources like off-limits camping, harassment of wildlife, off-road driving, trash and vandalism.

“This is where national park travel with a professional tour company can be the best alternative,” points out Austin. “Our veteran guides are naturalists who don’t pass a chewing gum wrapper without picking it up. If a trailhead is closed due to fire damage or aggressive wildlife sightings, we have another option in place. I feel confident that if we are faced with such partial park closures in the future, our groups will adhere to the highest code of back country ethics with our guides sharing and setting positive examples for all.”

“We remain confident the shutdown will end soon, and the parks will get back to their mission established with our first National Park back in 1872: ‘For the enjoyment and betterment of the people’,” Austin said. “Without getting political, the current situation is unfortunate and unnecessary. The only people it is hurting right now are the government employees furloughed and the small businesses in and around our National Parks. But it has also got the public worried about how it might affect their vacation plans.”

The fact remains, suggests Austin, that booking a National Park vacation now may be a great way to put the unrest of our country out of mind. It is more positive to anticipate breathtaking views, stronger family bonds, and invigorating adventure instead.

Lemons really can be made into lemonade. An enthusiastic travel partner of the positive lifestyle brand, Life is Good, Austin Adventures is committed to living out their 10 Super Powers. In the case of dealing with a government shutdown, creativity, openness, humor and optimism have come in handy.

For the sake of the communities, businesses and furloughed National Park Service employees that contribute greatly to the ethos of national parks in the West, Austin Adventures hopes for a swift resolution to this most recent government shutdown.

But in the meantime, the company is open for business and ready to help travelers explore some of America’s most precious parcels of public land.

For more information, questions and trip availability, call 800-575-1540 or email [email protected]. For a full roster of Austin Adventures’ 2019 trips, cruises and distinctive accommodations on seven continents visit www.austinadventures.com.

To access the 2019 digital catalog or order a print copy, go to www.austinadventures.com/request-catalog/.

Austin Adventures is a Travel + Leisure Magazine World’s Best Award Winner and a Virtuoso Preferred Tour Operator.

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Hiking up the Mist Trail alongside Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park. National parks are ideal for summer family vacations, so much so, they are overrun. Tour operator like Austin Adventures not only has hotel space, but can facilitate the visit to minimize crowds © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Last year, a record setting 331 million people visited a national park in the U.S. 2015 had earlier set the record at 307 million visitors. Over the last two years there has been a 13 percent visitor increase overall. This is a trend that experts say is here to stay.

The good news is that more and more people are enjoying America’s “best idea.” The downside is that roads, pull-overs and entrance stations are more crowded than ever, parking is hard to find, campgrounds are booked full by noon, restaurant reservations are difficult to secure and for those waiting too long to book lodging, there’s no room left at the inn.

Because vacation time is too precious for such factors as frustration and anxiety, advance vacation planning that includes putting a professional tour operator in charge of the logistics can help buy peace of mind and a better overall experience.

“When a national park is in the equation, a good tour company can give you the kind of quality park vacation that just might not be possible on your own,” said Dan Austin, President of Austin Adventures, a leader in family-focused, multisport vacations here and abroad.

Austin’s company offers a good reason of why one should consider a tour operator for a national park vacation. “We have stayed ahead of the growth curve by adding capacity and trip departures. We also work hard to block the best rooms inside a park, a year or more in advance.” This is an investment (and risk) to the tour operator, having to secure everything so far into the future. But in Austin Adventures’ case, it has been a winning strategy.

Where an individual or family may find frustration going it on their own, booking through an operator can make the process pain-free. A tour operator has the rooms, the restaurant reservations and sightseeing logistics all worked out. They alleviate parking woes by dropping guests off at a trailhead and picking them up at a different spot later. They can also avoid the masses because they know where the crowds aren’t as well as the best times to be there (on Austin’s Yellowstone Park trips they often avoid the crowds at Old Faithful by visiting at sunrise – a short walk from their lodge).

“Guests benefit from our expertise, ‘insider’s knowledge and long-standing park connections,” Austin said.

Tour operators know the area, inside and outside the park, as well as the best places to stay, eat, view wildlife, etc. They have highly trained guides who are focused on customer service, safety and security, as well as having fun, said Rick Hoeninghausen, Director of Sales & Marketing for Yellowstone National Park Lodges.

Quality tour operators often build in special touches that enhance the experience for their guests. For example, Austin Adventures will surprise their guests with fresh made ice cream and fruit parfaits served along the hiking trail.

Some of Austin Adventures’ most popular National Park family itineraries include Yellowstone Family Adventure, Yosemite National Park Multisport, Grand Canyon Family Vacation & Tour, and the Bryce and Zion National Park Tour in Utah. For information on all of the company’s National Park adventures, see: http://www.austinadventures.com/national-park-vacations/

Based in Billings, MT, Austin Adventures has spent more than 40 years building an international reputation as a top provider of luxury, pre-set and custom-designed small group tours for adults and families to the world’s most captivating destinations. In 2013, Austin Adventures joined the Xanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings that includes operations in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park; and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also owns and operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, Ariz., the Grand Hotel in Tusayan, Ariz., Windstar Cruises, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, Country Walkers and Austin Adventures.

For information on Austin Adventures, www.austinadventures.com, call 800-575-1540 or email [email protected].