What's Booking: US National Parks

No surprises here – increasing numbers of travelers are actively seeking out domestic vacations where social distancing issues are not a primary concern. For many, the U.S. National Parks fit the bill.

To find out the very latest about these types of vacations, we turned to Claire Schoeder of Elevations Travel, an affiliate of Signature Travel Network, who just weeks ago returned from a trip exploring national parks in Colorado and Utah.

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“I have been suggesting national parks to clients who are looking for domestic vacations,” she said. “What I suggest depends on the time of year, how much driving clients want to do and their level of activity.”

Flying from Atlanta to Denver on Delta Air Lines, Schoeder rented a car and checked out the Courtyard by Marriott Pueblo Downtown.

In Pueblo, she recommends exploring the Pueblo Riverwalk, a 32-acre waterfront area along the Arkansas River, featuring gondola boat rides, food and entertainment.

Schoeder explored Great Sand Dunes National Park, with its dune towers rising 750 feet, and drove through the mountainous Continental Divide to Durango, checking into the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Durango for a two-night stay.

That evening she dined at Steamworks Brewing Company, a microbrewery featuring bar-style comfort food.

From Durango, Schoeder also explored Mesa Verde National Park, where the Pueblo indigenous people have resided there for more than 700 years.

She drove to Moab, Utah, where she stayed at the Hyatt Place, visiting Arches National Park, which features thousands of breathtaking sandstone arches, at sunrise.

“If you’re going to the Arches, make sure you’re there at sunrise,” Schoeder recommended.

She also conducted a site inspection at the Sorrel River Ranch set on 250 acres to the backdrop of Utah’s arches, canyon-lands and red rock mesas. “I suggest Sorrell River Ranch to my upscale adventure clients who enjoy rustic ambience and excellent cuisine,” she said. “They can explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, take a raft trip along the Colorado River, take a horseback ride or simply sit by the river and relax.”

The next morning, Schoeder visited Canyonlands National Park, Utah’s largest national park, featuring soaring mesas, pinnacles and cliffs and spires covering 527 miles.

She returned the following day to explore Capital Reef, an area within the Canyonlands park designed for travelers interested in serious hiking.

Schoeder then drove to Bryce Canyon National Park, staying at the Best Westerns in Bryce Canyon. “We were there for sunset, which is absolutely spectacular, with changing colors on the canyon wall,” she said.

“The next day we drove to Zion National Park where we had tickets for their shuttle,” she said, advising travelers to get there early in order to park for free.

From there, Schoeder capped the trip off with two-nights in Las Vegas, where she stayed at the Venetian for two nights.