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Instead of doing all the talking, this week we have invited some of our listeners to share their tips on travel based on their recent summer vacations. We get real insights from fellow travelers on visiting Montreal and many National Parks including Death Valley, Arches, Olympic, and Cascades.
ON THE PODCAST
00:32 – Talking with Kim and Tamara
01:40 – Talking with Harmony Skillman from Momma to Go
02:09 – How long to visit Montreal
02:36 – Where she stayed
03:50 – Top things to do and see in Montreal
08:26 – Final tips for Montreal
09:33 – Harmony’s favorite travel gear
10:58 – Talking with Michelle Thompson
11:52 – How long to spend in Arches National Park
12:34 – Where Michelle and her family stayed
14:23 – Favorite things to do
20:55 – Top tips for visiting the Arches
23:06 – Michelle’s favorite travel gear
24:00 – Talking with Jessica Noland about Death Valley
24:30 – When to visit Death Valley and how long to spend
26:57 – Where you could stay
29:08 – What to do and see in Death Valley
33:57 – Jessica’s favorite travel gear
35:15 – Talking with Martha Gitiha about Washington State
37:04 – How long to spend in each National Park
38:26 – Where to stay at the parks
39:50 – When you start booking your trip
40:40 – Top sights to see
46:18 – Tips for visiting the parks
48:19 – Martha’s favorite travel gear
50:34 – Talking with Kim and Tamara about what is coming up!
LISTENER TIPS
- If you are planning a trip to Montreal, it is recommended to plan at least five full days to explore the area. Any less and you may feel like you didn’t have enough time to visit everywhere you wanted to.
- If you are visiting in the summer, be sure to be aware of when things are closed during the week. Towards the end of August some attractions like Six Flags were not open during the week anymore.
- If you are planning to visit attractions while in the city you may want to look into the Attraction Pass which includes 28 attraction, metro and bus fare, and is good for 72 hours.
- Montreal is very advanced when if comes to paying with credit card. In Harmony’s case her family never needed to exchange money.
- If you are planning a trip out West and are interested in visiting the Arches, spending a couple days is a good amount of time to explore if you are solely interested in the Arches. But if you are interested in going four-wheeling or visiting the surrounding area as well you should plan to spend more than two days.
- If you would like to see the Delicate Arch which is a Utah landmark and is used on their license plates, be aware that it is a long hike with no shade. To get around this, Michelle and her family started there hike at around 5:30pm which worked out perfectly. Michelle also recommends that when you are getting a picture standing below the arch to hold hands and spread out!
- When visiting Arches National Park keep in mind that there are no food vendors of places to eat. So plan ahead and pack snacks to carry with you and maybe even a cooler in the car that has lunch and other food depending on how long you are planning to explore.
- Also keep in mind that the restrooms are minimal so when you see one you should use it because you don’t know when you will see the next one.
- When planning a trip to Death Valley you should try and plan your visit in early spring, late fall, or the winter time due to the high temperatures.
- If you really want explore Death Valley you should plan on spending at least a few full days there. There is so much to do and see, so you won’t run out of things.
- Be sure to bring food with you to the park because there isn’t much inside of the park and what there is may be closed. So make sure if you are planning to eat in the park to check the hours or bring food with you.
- If you are planning to visit one or even all three of the national parks in Washington State, you should plan for at least three days in each. Though Olympic National Park you could spend much more.
- Camping in the National Parks in Washington State. You need to book at least six months in advance for campsites. If you are planning to stay in cabins of other lodges inside of the parks you will need to book your trip about a year in advance. So keep this in mind when you are planning your trip.
FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR
Harmony recommends dressing comfortably and though her family didn’t have a good daypack she suggests using one to carry around snacks and other necessities. She will be looking for her own before her next trip.
Michelle loves to wear her Chaco shoes. She also loves to use her Smart Flask water bottle that came with a carrying case that straps across her body.
Jessica loves to wear her Lululemon leggings especially when taking a flight because they are so comfortable. She will pair that with a t-shirt and loose fit button up shirt and a pair of tennis shoes.
Martha loves wearing her Columbia sandals along with Kuhl pants, which keep her comfortable and cool.
MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST
Planning your visit to the Death Valley
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If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!
I’m finally listening to this! I’m so behind in my podcast listening! Thanks for having me. And I’m still looking for a good day bag 🙂
Try the Travelon sling bag with locking zippers. It has been my recent go-to bag. (Tamara)