vacation in yosemite

Every year, millions of people from all over the world flock to California to spend their summer vacation in Yosemite National Park.  Located in the heart of California, Yosemite National Park is easily accessible via highway or via Fresno International Airport, which lies a mere 61 miles from the south gate of the park.  During the summer season, there are many reasons why tourists choose to take their vacation in Yosemite National Park.

A vacation in Yosemite  holds something for everyone.  Each summer, dozens of campgrounds in the park are reserved months in advance, so that visitors can take advantage of the natural beauty while on vacation in Yosemite.  In addition to camping, hiking is another reason that people often choose to take their vacation in Yosemite.  There are endless miles of hiking trails within the park which showcase it’s natural beauty.  For the more adventurous types, rock climbing is another popular allure, where climbers can try their skills on harder routes such as El Capitan.  If photography is a hobby, there are endless beautifully composed scenes just waiting to be captured on film.

Though the summer season is the most popular, it is not the only time to take a vacation in Yosemite.  The winter season is equally as beautiful, and much more peaceful in the park.  Most hotels in Yosemite are open through the winter, and some offer special events, such as the Bracebridge Dinner, Vintner’s Holidays, and Chef’s Holidays at the Ahwahnee Hotel.  In addition to these special events, visitors can also test their skills on the ski hill at Badger Pass during a winter vacation in Yosemite.  Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular on the trails near the Tenaya Lodge, where there is also an ice skating rink for visitors to enjoy.  And just as during the summer season, Yosemite in winter is a photographer’s paradise.

Whether guests choose to take their vacation in Yosemite National Park during the summer or winter season, one thing is for sure:  there are endless ways to enjoy this beautiful park!

To learn more about the lodging and activity options available for your vacation in Yosemite Park visit NationalParkReservations.com or call 866-875-8456.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is not your typical American National Park.  It’s a region of extremes… extreme temperatures… extreme geology… extreme history… extreme scenery. Death Valley could be considered a rebel amongst Americas National Parks and appeals to those who are seeking a departure from their familiar surroundings, and a refuge from cold in winter.

Death Valley comes alive in the late fall and winter months when the rest of the country is shivering under the icy chill of winter and a blanket of snow. Death Valley is a popular choice amongst ‘snow-birds’ throughout north America with her dry desert climate and her persuasively mild temperatures.

Death Valley National Park is a large park, covering more than 3 million acres, roughly 1 1/2 times the size of Delaware.  It is also an area of extreme, albeit unusual scenic beauty and adventure.

Visitors flock to Death Valley throughout the year, but even more so in the winter months, and activities such as hiking, biking and horseback riding are all popular sports within the area.

Death Valley and the Mojave Dessert is home to more than 56 kinds of mammal, 36 variations of reptile, several sorts of amphibians and fish species, and more than 400 classifications of birds have been spotted within the park.

Mammals found inside the park include include bighorn sheep, foxes, coyotes, squirrels, rodents, jackrabbits, bats and more.  There can also be found a wide variety of reptiles within the borders of Death Valley  such as the Chuckwalla, the second largest lizard found inside the United States. This interesting creature likes to hang out near rocky areas and will squeeze into rocky crevices and inflate itself when it feels threatened.  Another interesting reptile is the desert horned lizard a moderately sized lizard with pointed scales that protrude from it’s head and body in the shape of horns.  Only the ‘horns’ on it’s head are rigid, the rest of the horn-like scales are soft and feel more like normal reptile skin.  One interesting thing about the horned lizard is it’s ability to shoot a stream of blood from the corner of it’s eyes when it is threatened by a predator.  This creates a distraction and allows the lizard an opportunity to escape.

There are more than a half-dozen ghost towns in Death Valley.   These colorful relics from Death Valley’s past were mostly mining towns that sprung up around the turn of the twenty-first century when gold, silver and copper ore was found in the area. One of the most interesting of these ghost towns is the town of Panamint City.  This little town was short lived, but made up for it’s short life through its audacious reputation.  Panamint City was founded by two outlaws who were hiding-out from the law.  During their hiatus in the Panamint Mountains, these two lucky outlaws discovered silver in Surprise Canyon and subsequently decided to give up their life of crime for a more domestic lifestyle.  During it’s time, Panamint City was considered one of the toughest, rawest, most hard-boiled little hell-hole that ever passed for a civilized town.  However the fast life of Panamint City led to an early demise, as the city went from the height of it’s boom in 1874 to utter destruction from a flash flood just two years later in 1876.

More information can be found about Death Valley National Park and it’s many tourist attractions, lodging options and activities by visiting NationalParkReservations.com/deathvalley.htm There you will find a complete listing of lodging options both inside the park as well as near the parks perimeter.  You can also learn more about Death Valley’s many ghost towns and other tourist attractions at the National Park Reservations site.

Death Valley is only one destination in a world filled with adventure, surprise and beauty.  The world is begging to be explored, and the opportunity has never been greater!  Discover how you can save up to 85% off all your traveling and vacation costs and actually get paid to vacation!  Visit MOR Vacations Daily for more information!