Many of you have been asking about domestic travel opportunities to complement all your international travel, so I thought I’d look at National Parks today.
President Grant designated Yellowstone as the FIRST National Park in 1872, and now there are 63 of them in 30 different states. The largest one is Wrangell – St. Elias in Alaska, and it is larger than the 8 smallest states. That’s a lot of wilderness!
Hardcore outdoor enthusiasts have flocked to the National Parks for decades, but now it’s a much more mainstream vacation choice for people with all different types of interests. You don’t have to sleep in a tent to experience these national treasures.
The National Parks all have spectacular scenery and wildlife viewing, of course. You might immediately think of snow-capped mountains and glaciers (and there are lots of those), but there are also 8 National Parks in California alone, and several in the Southwest that include deserts. Hawaii has active volcanoes! There’s so much to see!
When I was in Denali NP a few years ago, I was introduced to the National Parks Passport – the place to collect stamps and stickers from all the National Parks. I have quite a few more to go before I’ve got all the parks covered, but it’s something for me to aspire to.
Several companies offer tours that include National Parks. Below are some examples from Tauck, a company we talked about a few weeks ago. (Here’s the link if you missed that article: https://pamperedcruiser.com/what-about-tauck/)
Tauck (which in 2025 is celebrating one HUNDRED years of escorting travellers around the world) is an especially good choice for visiting the National Parks. Because of Tauck’s long-term relationships and partnerships within the parks, you’ll stay at hotels and lodges INSIDE the parks, and you’ll visit the must-see places at the best time of day and with fewer crowds. Tauck takes care of all the details, so there’s no planning, no organizing… and best of all, no driving.
Learn more about visiting the National Parks with Tauck here: https://www.tauck.com/tours-and-cruises/national-parks?insider=mmjy-sue-bob-bradley-the-pampered-cruiser
- Canyonlands — Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Zion, 1-week March to October from $4990. Also available as a “Bridges” tour if you want to take children with you.
- Grand Alaska – Denali NP and Alaska for 2 weeks. May to August from $7990.
- Death Valley & Joshua Tree – from Las Vegas to San Diego for one week from $5990.
- Yellowstone & Grand Teton – Jackson to Rapid City (also includes Mt. Rushmore) for 1 week from $5190 1 week. Also available as a “Bridges” tour for families.
- Canyonlands & Arches NP – from Salt Lake City to Denver for 1-week from $7990.
- Sequoia & Yosemite – RT from San Francisco for 1-week from $6790.
- Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, & Canyonlands – from Grand Junction (CO) to Las Vegas for 10-days from $7990
- Glacier, Waterton, Banff, Kootenay and Jasper National Parks – RT from Calgary for 10 days from $7990.
- Volcanoes NP — RT from Honolulu for 12-days from $11890.
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Today’s Other Travel Opportunities
UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION
Uniworld is offering up to 20% off as an early booking discount for 2026 departures. Here’s 3 examples:
TULIPS & Windmills from Amsterdam to Antwerp for 10-days
- Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Haarlem (for Keukenhof Gardens), Hoorn, Nijmegen, Rotterdam (Kinderdijk), Veere, Bruges, Antwerp (overnight)
- Departures March 21 through May 1 from $3359
WINE & MORE: Bordeaux, France for 7-nights
- Visit Cussac (for Medoc Oyster tasting), Cadillac (Toulouse-Lautrec’s house), Blaye (for Blaye Fortress – a UNESCO site), Bourg sur Gironde, Libourne (for the Farmer’s Market), Saint Emilion
- Departures April through October from $3039
- Optional extension to Biarritz Basque Country (3-nights PRE) and/or Paris (2-nights post).
INDIA: Ganges River Cruise for 13-days between New Delhi and Kolkata
- Few countries simultaneously fascinate and frighten travellers as much as India, so why not visit it in comfort while still being exposed to the things that make this country so unique.
- Visit New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), Kolkata, Cruise the Ganges, Kalna, Matairi, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Khusbagh,, Mayapur, Chandannagar.
- Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and internal flights.
- Departures January – March and September – December from $6639
If you want to see the entire list of 20% OFF river cruises, here’s the link:
https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2026-early-booking-savings
OCEANIA FLASH SALE
Oceania is running a flash sale until the end of the month that includes 74 itineraries:
Here’s some examples:
EASTERN SEABOARD: Miami round-trip departing April 19 for 12-days
- Visit Key West, Bahamas, Bermuda (overnight), Charleston (2-nights), Port Canaveral, Nassau.
- Verandas from $4699 with complimentary Beverage Package or $400 pp OBC
- See our Oceania Vista ship tour video: https://youtu.be/nN5lyXCEy_g
JAPAN & ALASKA from Seattle to Tokyo departing September 18 for 19-days
- Visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier, Kodiak, Anchorage, Dutch Harbor, Hokkaido, Miyako, Hitachinaka, Tokyo (overnight)
- Verandas from $6030 with complimentary Beverage Package or $500 pp OBC
- See our Oceania Riviera ship tour video: https://youtu.be/KvgJJ2bE1OU?si=ky1ahrsgV6B5fm_M
AUSTRALIA & NZ from Auckland to Sydney departing Janurary 25, 2026 for 14-days
- Visit Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Hobart, Melbourne (overnight).
- Verandas from $7749 with complimentary Beverage Package or $500 pp OBC
- See our Oceania Riviera ship tour video: https://youtu.be/KvgJJ2bE1OU?si=ky1ahrsgV6B5fm_M
ACTIVE ADVENTURES with ATLAS Ocean Voyages
ATLAS is a new cruise line with yachts that hold fewer than 200 guests, and visit some remote corners of the world. Fares include shore shore/landing activities, an open bar, specialty dining, and gratuities.
Learn more about Atlas Ocean Voyages here: https://inspires.to/experiences/the-atlas-ocean-voyages-experience-wx208
ANTARCTICA with FREE AIR and FREE Pre-cruise hotel night.
- If you’re ready to travel in the next few months, Atlas is making this offer (with FREE airfare from the US) to fill the last few cabins on sailings to Antarctica this season:
- February 25 for 14-nights including South Georgia from $12,804
- March 5 for 9-nights from $9699
- March 11 for 11-nights from $11,499
- March 14 for 11-nights from $10,224
- March 22 for 11-nights from $10,224
IRELAND to PORTUGAL from Dublin to Lisbon departing October 11 for 10-nights
- When not in the polar regions, ATLAS conducts Epicurean Expeditions for those who really want to explore a region’s food and wine. This sailing is hosted by TV personality Chef Christy Rost, and vintner Jon Schlegel
- Visit Dublin, Waterford (Ireland), La Rochelle (France), Bordeaux (overnight), Bilbao, Gijon (Spain), Lisbon (overnight).
- Fares from $4499
POLAR NORWAY: From Tromso to Longyearbyen departing August 17 for 9-nights
- This is like a safari at sea! Spot puffins, reindeer, arctic terns and foxes. See the ice floes, icebergs, and do some glacier cruising. OMG I want to do this cruise so badly!
- This cruise includes a private jet ride back to Oslo, Zodiac landings, boots, and a parka you get to keep.
- Fares from $6499
In Case You Missed It:
TRAVEL HACKS: When we found ourselves in Eastern Europe recently, we found some tools to make our trip more seamless: https://pamperedcruiser.com/travel-hacks-you-can-use/
OUR BACKSTORY: We were travelling with clients about a year ago, and discovered by their questions, that they didn’t know much about us. Here’s a bit of our story
https://pamperedcruiser.com/our-clients-and-our-backstory/
Latest YOUTUBE Post:
LOWER DANUBE: Perhaps you’ve already travelled the most common part of the Danube between Bavaria and Budapest. Or maybe you want to see Eastern Europe (Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania) from the comfort of a riverboat. Here’s our video blog from our trip there in October: https://youtu.be/-OhF7PSrj0c
Recently booked a Viking Cruise?
Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board. Our clients worry that if they book on-line (or on board), that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.
We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.
We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.
There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).
If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
