Suggestions and Opinions Requested from Tuggers for Western Trip

[Egret1986]

We live on East Coast, but have had the good fortune to travel to many areas out West over the years. All our trips have been wonderful with many fond memories and a desire to return to these places. However, so many places, so little time keeps us moving forward and visiting new places not yet explored.

I'm not into Ongoing searches since I find remarkable exchanges online that determine our next great vacation.

In August, there was a Ram's Horn outside Rocky Mountain NP setting online for the last week of June 2017. We've never been to CO and love the National Parks. We could do the one week and come back home, but......

I had been kicking around where to go for a second week. South Dakota seemed like a fantastic idea. No timeshare involved. Badlands NP, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Rapid City......wow, plenty to do in that direction!

I'm addicted to checking availability online on RCI. I guess that's one of the reasons I don't do ongoing searches.

Today, there was a 1BR (two of us traveling) at Otra Vez en Santa Fe that would line up with the week in CO (July 4th week). I put it on hold. I've looked at the reviews and done a TUG search on Santa Fe. Looks like another great place with lots to see and do over the course of a week.

Now I'm torn. There's only one timeshare in SD and we're not interested in staying in one place if we go there, so no need to worry about accommodations until some time in 2017 if we go that route. Availability for Santa Fe is rare and this week lines up with the CO week.

I would love to hear suggestions and opinions from Tuggers that are familiar with these areas and what they would do. We can only do two weeks at any given time, so it has to be one or the other.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Marathoner]

Park City Utah is a great mountain town and is also quite upscale with shops, good restaurants, brewery, etc. It used to be a silver mining community so there is a lot of historical ambience. Marriott timeshare is really good and is in town. World class mountain biking, hiking, and sightseeing near the town and along the Wasatch.

Another idea is Jackson Hole, which is fantastic and near Yellowstone.

 

[Roger830]

We liked the Black Hills area better than Santa Fe.

We stayed in a motel in Taos, but visited Santa Fe which is a good place to go if you want to buy a $20,000 painting.

We liked the SD scenery better and enjoyed Mt Rushmore more than we thought we woulld. Crazy Horse has a terrific light show in the evening. We stayed in a Comfort Inn in Custer and a hotel in Deadwood, a fun town.

 

[DaveNV]

Ask Luanne. She lives in Santa Fe. There is plenty to there that has nothing to do with spending your life savings on a painting. Of course, if you WANTED to buy one...

There is also plenty to do in the Black Hills. But the lone timeshare in Lead is too far from anywhere to suit me. The last time we went to the area we stayed in a motel in Rapid City. That trip was busy - we did a circle trip that started in Yellowstone NP, then went to the Custer's Little Bighorn Battlefield In Montana, Devil's Tower in Wyoming, Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, back through Cody, Wyoming to the Buffalo Bill Museum, and then back into Yellowstone. It was a great trip and we saw plenty.

For a trip combined with a Rocky Mountain NP stay, you'd be pretty much due South of the Black Hills. Shoot up I-25 and cut over to Rapid City, then work your way West from there. You could easily fill a second week. Timeshare stays would be tough.

Dave

 

[sue1947]

A bird in the hand; You've got two great weeks lining up so grab the opportunity. Those motel stays in SD etc will still be there next year but you may not get those exchanges again. I've also done the NP circuit in that area and the fall will be better vs early July.

Santa Fe: There is great art in Santa Fe, but it's over priced and over-hyped IMO. However, there is also great mountain scenery. Check out the various National Monuments within a day's drive. Bandolier is the best known, but I also really liked Pecos and Tent Rocks. A little further afield, Chaco Canyon is one of my favorites as is El Morro NM. Check here for National Park sites in NM: http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm

Sue

 

[Egret1986]

Thank you all for responding! Your responses assisted me!

I'm going to let the Santa Fe exchange go. While that week would work with the Colorado week; it's July 4th week. All vacation destinations get crowded during the Summer months, but I do believe July 4th week would be the most crowded time.

We've been to Utah and Wyoming and enjoyed our visits to these areas very much; however, we're looking to go somewhere yet unexplored.

After more research and determining what really interests us, I believe that the original plan to visit South Dakota and stay in various areas that we want to explore (Badlands, Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Rapid City) will be a better fit for this vacation.

The one timeshare in SD was never an option. There seem to be some really cool ranches and B&Bs that would allow us to stay near the things we want to see and do. Rapid City seems to have a lot to see and do for a couple of days.

We have very fond memories of Montana and Wyoming and I believe South Dakota would be a better fit for this upcoming trip.

The mention of it being a better time to do the National Parks in September is appreciated, but we've already secured the Colorado exchange and we're looking to tie in another week, so that's not an option. It should be a great trip!

Thank you all for your opinions and suggestions. It helped make things clearer in making the decision to let the Santa Fe exchange go.

 

[Laurie]

Another idea is to add a timeshare week in Vail or one of the adjacent towns (instead of or in addition to your other plans in SD) - there's more than enough great stuff to see and do in CO on both sides of RMNP.

That's what we did, and it worked out really well. If you want more info on places we couldn't have gotten to with just 1 week in Estes Park, I'll elaborate.

Either way, sounds like you'd be leaning towards starting out the week before your Rams Horn week, which is a good idea not just because of crowds, but also for altitude. I knew I didn't want to fly from almost-zero elevation on the east coast and drive right into RMNP, because I knew the first thing we would do is drive over the main park road and go walk around at over 12000 feet. So we started out in Vail.

 

[susieq]

Just wanted to say that while you're in Rapid City, don't miss Bear Country. We were there a few years back, and this was definitely one of the highlights ~ just FYI we did stay at Barefoot Condos, and loved the whole area. We took a day tour to catch a lot of the must sees,

http://www.blackhillsvacations.com/activities/tours/supplierdetail.cfm?s=651768

this was in a small 10 passenger van, there were only 6 of us besides the driver ~ everything was included in the price ~ and they would even do PU/DO at your resort or hotel. Whatever you do, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic vacation!!

~~~~~ following is a portion of my review, so you can see how much we actually did ~~~~~


There was so much to see and do in this area, that one week simply isn’t enough time for everything. I had done lots and lots of research before we even began our vacation, so we did have an idea of what we really wanted to do. On Monday we rode the 1880 train out of Hill City ~ about a 45 minute drive from the resort. We took the 10 AM train to Keystone, and spent the day walking around there. We rode the 5 PM train back to Hill City, and had supper there. On Tuesday I had arranged with Discovery Tours to do their Monumental Tour. This tour was the only one that would pick us up right at the resort, and boy, am I glad I booked it. This was the most incredible day. It began around 7 AM and included both Mt. Rushmore, and Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, (where we saw herds of Buffalo), the Needles Highway, and Pigtail Bridges ~ lunch was an all you can eat buffet at Heritage Village, and the day ended with a stop at the Prairie Berry Winery, with wine tasting. This was an all day tour ~ which included all admission fees and lunch, and then dropped us off at the resort. It wasn’t expensive ~ and was worth every penny spent on it. We both got to sit back and enjoy all the sights in an air conditioned 10 passenger van, (there were only 6 of us on this tour plus the driver) ~ a very relaxing, wonderful day! We had gone to Bear Country one day, (a drive through animal park on the outskirts of Rapid City ~ about an hour away), and had a really wonderful time. We drove into Wyoming on another, out to Devil’s Tower, probably a two hour drive. We toured Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood, and went to Presidents Park ~ both probably under 20 minutes away. Deadwood is a really unique and interesting place to just sit after supper and people watch. There are lots and lots of mine tours in both Deadwood and Lead, but we just never went on any. We did play miniature golf one day right in Deadwood, and that was really fun. There’s really no lack of things to do in the area, and every day was an adventure.

 

[Luanne]

Santa Fe: There is great art in Santa Fe, but it's over priced and over-hyped IMO. However, there is also great mountain scenery. Check out the various National Monuments within a day's drive. Bandolier is the best known, but I also really liked Pecos and Tent Rocks. A little further afield, Chaco Canyon is one of my favorites as is El Morro NM. Check here for National Park sites in NM: http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm

Sue

Everyone has their own opinion.

We do live in Santa Fe and love it here. If you decide to make this part of your trip PM me and I'd be happy to give you some ideas of what to do, and more importantly, where to eat.

Ooops, just saw your post about letting the Santa Fe week go. Actually 4th of July is not the busiest time here. It's much more crowded around the time of the International Folk Art Market (which is a little later in July) and Indian Market, which is in August.

 

[easyrider]

I didn't think Mt Rushmore or Crazy Horse monuments were worth spending a night in Keystone. If we do this trip again I think we would stay in the Badlands and Deadwood.

Bill

 

[sue1947]

I didn't think Mt Rushmore or Crazy Horse monuments were worth spending a night in Keystone. If we do this trip again I think we would stay in the Badlands and Deadwood.

Bill

I agree. Make sure you include Custer State Park on your list. It feels very much like a national park with those era of lodges and great scenery. Also Wind Cave.
We stayed at the Cedar Pass lodge in Badlands and liked it. Nothing fancy but a great location. There were also some nice looking cabins on the edge of the park near the entrance road.
In Rapid City (I think) we stayed in a Super 8 that had a separate bedroom and kitchenette; pretty good for that level of lodging.
We also did Devils Tower as a day trip from Rapid City which was very doable.

On your way to or from Estes Park, stop at Scotts Bluff National Monument for the wagon train/Oregon/California trail experience.

On the way back, we went through Wyoming and stopped at Fort Laramie which was ok. They were celebrating the Pony Express that year. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd go with Scotts Bluff hands down. I couldn't make the logistics work for Wounded Knee, but that might be another option for you.

Sue

 

[Egret1986]

Thanks all, for the suggestions, thoughts and experiences

I appreciate it.

As far as lodging in areas like this with so much to see and do, it's really just a crash pad as far as accommodations. Thank you so much for the suggestions for lodging and not-to-miss sights.

 

[lizap]

What are some of the TSs in Jackson, WY?

Park City Utah is a great mountain town and is also quite upscale with shops, good restaurants, brewery, etc. It used to be a silver mining community so there is a lot of historical ambience. Marriott timeshare is really good and is in town. World class mountain biking, hiking, and sightseeing near the town and along the Wasatch.

Another idea is Jackson Hole, which is fantastic and near Yellowstone.

 

[taterhed]

There's certainly lots of 'green' in Santa Fe.....

but if you ask me (and you didn't) the best 'green' in Santa Fe is the Hatch Chili's.

Mmmm. Eggs covered in roasted green chili with fresh tortillas and maybe a side of chorizo.

Can't you just taste it?

oops, I'm sorry. I see it's Colorado/west now. Oh well, the buffalo burgers are good. :>

 

[PigsDad]

If you like caves, check out Jewel Cave National Monument. It is close to Custer, SD and is absolutely amazing!

Kurt

 

[Egret1986]

Thank you for the suggestion

Although this trip is a ways off, I'm putting an itinerary together. We'll be in/near Custer for a couple of days.

I had seen Jewel Cave National Monument, but hadn't added that yet.

Thanks for the tip! Who can bypass "absolutely amazing?" Not me!

 

[Egret1986]

I'm back to thinking about this trip since airfares will be opening up soon.

Another idea is to add a timeshare week in Vail or one of the adjacent towns (instead of or in addition to your other plans in SD) - there's more than enough great stuff to see and do in CO on both sides of RMNP.

That's what we did, and it worked out really well. If you want more info on places we couldn't have gotten to with just 1 week in Estes Park, I'll elaborate.

Either way, sounds like you'd be leaning towards starting out the week before your Rams Horn week, which is a good idea not just because of crowds, but also for altitude. I knew I didn't want to fly from almost-zero elevation on the east coast and drive right into RMNP, because I knew the first thing we would do is drive over the main park road and go walk around at over 12000 feet. So we started out in Vail.

Laurie, thank you for your suggestion.

I'm now strongly considering spending the second week in Colorado.

In looking at availability for the week before Ram's Horn, I'm seeing availability currently in Vail (Streamside At Vail-Douglas 1BR) and in Fraser (Indian Peaks 2BR). I also saw availability in Steamboat Springs for the week after on July 1. With that being July 4th week, I would expect it to be more crowded vs. mid-June. Any thoughts, Tuggers?

Thanks all!

 

[BJRSanDiego]

A bird in the hand; You've got two great weeks lining up so grab the opportunity. Those motel stays in SD etc will still be there next year but you may not get those exchanges again. I've also done the NP circuit in that area and the fall will be better vs early July.

Santa Fe: There is great art in Santa Fe, but it's over priced and over-hyped IMO. However, there is also great mountain scenery. Check out the various National Monuments within a day's drive. Bandolier is the best known, but I also really liked Pecos and Tent Rocks. A little further afield, Chaco Canyon is one of my favorites as is El Morro NM. Check here for National Park sites in NM: http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm

Sue

I think that this is good advice.

Save the black hills for next year.

There is a lot to see in both locations.

 

[Egret1986]

I received an email and this post. Santa Fe is no longer on the radar for this trip.

I think that this is good advice.

Save the black hills for next year.

There is a lot to see in both locations.

In October I posted that I had decided to let the Santa Fe exchange go.

I'm now considering two weeks in Colorado and asking advice on two areas (Vail and Fraser) as a second week in conjunction with Ram's Horn.

Thank you.

 

[PigsDad]

Laurie, thank you for your suggestion.

I'm now strongly considering spending the second week in Colorado.

In looking at availability for the week before Ram's Horn, I'm seeing availability currently in Vail (Streamside At Vail-Douglas 1BR) and in Fraser (Indian Peaks 2BR). I also saw availability in Steamboat Springs for the week after on July 1. With that being July 4th week, I would expect it to be more crowded vs. mid-June. Any thoughts, Tuggers?

With Steamboat being more isolated, it never feels overcrowded even during holiday weeks. It is in a big valley and has a larger variety of activities than Vail or Fraiser, IMO.

I'm now considering two weeks in Colorado and asking advice on two areas (Vail and Fraser) as a second week in conjunction with Ram's Horn.

Vail will be more crowded and commercial (right on I-70), Fraser is a little more off the beaten path, cheaper and more laid back. Both have fantastic scenery.

My order of preference would be Steamboat, Fraiser and then Vail. Vail is my least favorite because there are more upscale, snooty people, IMO. The other towns are more my cup of tea...

Kurt

 

[Egret1986]

Thanks for your input, Kurt.

With Steamboat being more isolated, it never feels overcrowded even during holiday weeks. It is in a big valley and has a larger variety of activities than Vail or Fraiser, IMO.

Vail will be more crowded and commercial (right on I-70), Fraser is a little more off the beaten path, cheaper and more laid back. Both have fantastic scenery.

My order of preference would be Steamboat, Fraiser and then Vail. Vail is my least favorite because there are more upscale, snooty people, IMO. The other towns are more my cup of tea...

Kurt

In researching, I did think that Steamboat more aligned with the atmosphere that we're looking for. We're looking for a variety of activities in a less commercial setting.

 

[VegasBella]

I've been to both locations. Personally I would choose based on average weather for that time of year. So I think Santa Fe would be my choice.

I have to say though that I think the Badlands are one of the most spectacular sights in the world.

 

[Egret1986]

Everyone has their own opinion.

We do live in Santa Fe and love it here. If you decide to make this part of your trip PM me and I'd be happy to give you some ideas of what to do, and more importantly, where to eat.

Ooops, just saw your post about letting the Santa Fe week go. Actually 4th of July is not the busiest time here. It's much more crowded around the time of the International Folk Art Market (which is a little later in July) and Indian Market, which is in August.

We're finally heading to Santa Fe and will be there for the International Folk Art Market. We added a couple of days prior to our timeshare stay at Otra Vez. So much to see and do (museums, art galleries and the Arts, food tours, cooking classes, astronomy, parks, historical sites, National Monuments, restaurants, the IFAM). I originally planed on spending the couple of days prior in Albuquerque; however, there's so much that I want to do in Santa Fe that I think we'll head straight to Santa Fe. On another thread Pat shared some great things of interest and I might just have to spend a day and night in Albuquerque by extending the vacation one more day.


This is a post I did a while ago on Santa Fe--I truly love it--just in case you decide to investigate:

I lived in Albuquerque for a while--and I still haven't gotten over the love affair--I recommend that you go, but I think you need to spend at least one night. You can see more petroglyphs (15,000), more easily, in Albuquerque than in any other spot I know of: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid..._albuquerque-i. They are, essentially, right by the road. Old Town is fun to wander in, and the shops are less expensive than the shops in Santa Fe. A ride to the top of Sandia Peak is fun and the view is amazing--since it's desert, it's quite different from Ruidoso (be sure to see White Sands while you're in Ruidoso; it's not far, and it is unique).

Santa Fe has been discovered by tourists for quite a while, but you are a tourist, and it's still a neat spot: good museums and quite an art scene and restaurant venue.

My favorite drive is the back road (to the west, not the east), highway 4, from Santa Fe to Albuquerque. You go to Los Alamos (stop and see the museum), and then head to the largest caldera (volcano "pit") in the world, I think--if not "the," certainly "one of the". It stretches as far as you can see. Fat cattle are up to their bellies in tall grass; it's just magnificient. You'll be traveling through the Jemez Mountains, and it is referred to as "The Jemez."

You'll go by a soda spring with all kinds of strange shapes making a dam--very pretty and fun. You'll continue on to the south, in a lovely pine forest, and you'll pass the Jemez State Monument--one of my favorites http://nmmonuments.org/jemez I've mentioned it before on this board, but I was there once just about sunset, near the altar, when the bells from the monastery across the road began to ring. Memorable? Unforgetable.

There are a few trading posts along the way where you might want to stop also. You'll come into Albuquerque from the west, and pass very close to the Petroglyph Mounment, which doesn't take long to see and can easily be combined with the drive (unless you are at the Jemez State Monument at Sunset, then, of course, you'll be too late.

It takes an hour on Interstate 25 to get to Santa Fe from Albuquerque.

Other state monuments close to Albuquerque are interesting, too. I'm fond of Coronado State Monument. It's just north of Albuquerque, right around Bernillilo. http://nmmonuments.org/coronado

If you have time for more trips in New Mexico and are a fan of Native American art and jewelry, drive to Gallup. 95% of the Native American art passes through Gallup. Prices are half the price you'll pay in Albuquerque, and less than half the price you'll pay in Santa Fe.

On the way to Gallup, you can see the perpetual ice cave and Bandera Volcano. They are located pretty close to Grants New Mexico. http://www.icecaves.com/faq.html The volcano is a small one, so it's easy to explore--one time I was there with a recently broken knee and still managed nicely. The ice cave is unique, and doesn't take long to see. Acoma Pueblo (Sky Pueblo) is also located west of Albuquerque. Very few people still live there, but it's interesting. For me, visiting a pueblo where many people still live seems rude, so I prefer the ones that are pretty much "for show." http://www.indianpueblo.org/19pueblos/index.html If you are in Santa Fe, Taos Pueblo is a possibility for visiting, but a lot of people still live there.

Anyway, as you can see, I love New Mexico, and I love Albuquerque and Santa Fe--even if the tourists have discovered how wonderful they are.

It's important to remember that the scenery in New Mexico is like music: it's not just the notes that create it; it's the intervals also.

PStreet1, Feb 3, 2016

All I can say is, "Wow!" This should be a great trip!

Any recommendations that you want to throw my way, Luanne, Pat and anyone else, will, of course, be appreciated!

 

[Luanne]

Any recommendations that you want to throw my way, Luanne, Pat and anyone else, will, of course, be appreciated!

I sent you a list in a private message.

 

[Egret1986]

I sent you a list in a private message.

Awesome list, Luanne! Thank you!