Motor Home Road Trip Summer 2010 is our newest winner of Trip of the Week and recipient of a Frommer’s day by day guide. Our winner built this road trip, which explores many of the great national parks, on TravelMuse for her family.

The Adorable Triplets!

1. Why are you taking this Trip?

It was truly my triplet’s idea to rent a “car house,” as they call it.  Every time they would see an RV or camper or land yacht drive by, they would get so excited. So, the seed was planted and we started talking to friends who had done similar trips—all with the same reply:”go for it!” So, we decided to take their advice and hit the road!  (The girls turned 8 in June.)

2. What are you most excited about seeing/doing?

We took the trip in July 2010 for 27 days and loved every moment.  From waking up and seeing buffalo in Hayden Valley (Yellowstone, WY) to the spectacular hoo doos of Bryce. The highlights of the trip included the “re-route” from Flagstaff to Sedona for some business I had (Sedona is breathtaking, enchanting and the back country Jeep Tour was beyond exciting for the kids), Bryce Canyon and the Grand Tetons.  The kids would tell you that their favorite part of the trip was living in the car house; going to Sedona; horseback riding in Zion, Utah; and, of course, driving through the herd of buffalo.

Sunrise at Bryce.

3. Any other interesting facts/ considerations about the trip?

RVs are great for family adventures. We’d recommended renting a privately-owned RV (several companies do this). Cost is very good and they are well maintained.  Also, kids love having sleeping options in the RV (over the cab, on the dinette fold out, the pull out couch, back bedroom). Make sure you book your national park reservations in advance, if traveling in the summer: use a GARMIN (life saver) and buy an annual park pass (it’s a huge cost saver!). We’re going to do this again in two years—and have already shared our TravelMuse trip plan (in hard copy print outs and online) with lots of friends and family who want to do the same.

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Tell us about your Trips and you could be featured in Trip of the Week–win one of the new Frommer’s Day by Day Guide Books.

With over three feet of fresh snow in Lake Tahoe this past week, it’s time to plan your skiing or snowboarding getaway for Presidents’ Day weekend, February 13 to 15! Enjoy some great conditions, mountain air, and fun with your family and friends.

We have been lucky enough to take a couple of trips this year to North Lake Tahoe, and since our daughter is 3 years old (and potty trained) she was excited to try ski school.

Alpine Meadows offers a great kids ski and snowboard program that spans ages 3 to 12 years old. We signed up for two half days of the Munchkins 3 to 4 years program starting at 9 a.m. From the minute we stepped into the indoor sign-up area, the instructors were upbeat, friendly and helpful. Given the fun environment, our daughter had no hesitation waving goodbye to mum and dad. The nursery slopes are close to the main building, so it’s easy to sneak-a-peek. After the instructors get the kids comfortable wearing their skis, they mainly focus on the “pizza” (snow plow—so you can stop) and ”french fries” (parallel) and let the kids go up and down a shallow slope on the magic carpet.

Ski School at Alpine Meadows.

With a happy munchkin, we enjoyed grown-up playtime and hit the front and backside of the hill. This year we joined the Alpine Members club. For a one time fee of $15 you can pre-load your ticket online for $59 (incl. holidays) versus $69/$74 (holidays) at the resort—they also offer $44 select days. This program is a great deal and, more importantly, saves time waiting in line.

For our afternoon activity we strapped a harness onto our munchkin and had fun on the larger magic carpet and on a couple of the green runs with chair lifts (Meadow and Subway). The harness worked out well, although someone enjoyed the need for speed and was reluctant to practice her “pizza” position!
Read more about tips for teaching kids to ski.

Afternoon ski fun at Alpine Meadows.

Where to Stay?
Stanford Alpine Ski Chalet: It is reminiscent of European-style ski accommodations with 14 family rooms (queen + bunk bed) downstairs,  while upstairs you can enjoy a shared communal room with comfy sofas, a roaring fire, and a bookcase full of kids games, books and activities. A set menu ($25 per adult) is offered every night in the adjoining dining room with communal tables. The food is good, staff are friendly and it’s the perfect setting to let kids back to play after dinner, while the adults can continue chatting. The chalet runs a complimentary shuttle bus to the resort only a couple of minutes away. (Note: affiliation with Stanford University is not required).

More places to stay in Lake Tahoe .

Where to Eat?
Rosie’s is good for a hearty breakfast.
River Ranch Lodge offers great pub lunches, dinners and also has a fine dining restaurant.
Christy Hills offers a great menu if you’re looking for fine dining.
More restaurants in Lake Tahoe.

What to Do?
If skiing’s not your thing, you can also have a great time snow tubing, sledding and taking winter walks. Bring your own sled or rent one for $9 at Granlibakken resort. Tahoe City and nearby Truckee also have great local shops.

Dad and daughter sledding at Granlibakken resort.

Childcare Options
If you’re looking for baby sitters or childcare here are some useful sites:
Interactive Childcare
Tahoe Kids Guide

Other Ideas on Where to Plan a Ski or Snowboard Trip
Check out our ski and snowboarding articles and destinations on TravelMuse

See Fiona’s Trip:  Skiing and Sledding in Lake Tahoe.

Photos: Fiona Ashley

Fall comes to the Mid-Atlantic and southeast a littler later than the New England states, so there’s still time to check out autumn color in these warmer regions. One of the best places for leaf peeping is along the incredibly scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, the 470-mile roadway that connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. The Blue Ridge Parkway snakes through mountaintop wilderness that displays more than 100 species of trees, making this expanse of asphalt one of the loveliest in the country when the leaves begin to fall.

Photo: Courtesy Asheville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The Parkway gets an estimated 1.5 million visitors during the month of October, which typically marks the peak of the color-changing season. If you visit during the last two weeks of October and the first week of November (especially on weekends), expect serious roadway congestion. But don’t let that dissuade you. With scenery this lovely, there’s no reason to rush: Follow the guiding principle of the park: “drive awhile and stop awhile.” There are numerous roadside pullouts that offer gorgeous vantage points, and many link to trails and picnic grounds. And if you’re willing to leave your auto behind and hike a quarter of a mile or so, it is easy enough to find solitude, even on the busiest Sunday afternoon.

My family and I like to arrive early (early!) in the morning, generally before sunrise, and hit the Parkway before the worst of the traffic. In years past we’ve driven for as long as two hours after daylight before we saw another car. In addition to helping us beat the crowds, we’ve found that morning light makes for stunning photographs; this is also the best time of the day to see wildlife, including white-tail deer and black bears.

Photo: Courtesy Asheville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

If the traffic along the Parkway slows down too much for you, consider an aerial tour. Asheville Hot Air Balloons out of Asheville, North Carolina, offers exhilarating trips year-round. Routes vary depending on air currents, but expect to see spectacular views above the mountains of the nearby Pisgah National Forest.

The Harry Potter books and movies transported the imaginations of children and adults alike to an enchanting world of adventure and wizardry. Soon, you’ll be able to physically transport your brood to the magical world of Harry Potter—no broomsticks required.

Yesterday, Universal Orlando Resort, along with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, disclosed the first-ever details on the Harry Potter-inspired attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Set to open in spring 2010 at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will bring J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series to life for fans to experience first hand.

Hogwarts Castle. Photo Courtesy of Universal Orlando

As you enter through the front archway at Hogsmeade, the characters, locations and magic of Harry Potter will materialize right before your eyes. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will include the following attractions:

• Hogsmeade station, where the Hogwarts Express will arrive amidst billowing steam

• Zonko’s joke shop, where you can buy Extendable Ears and Sneakoscopes

• Honeydukes, which sells candy and treats like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans

• Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head, where you can sample British fare and sip drinks like Butterbeer and pumpkin juice

• The Owl Post, where you can send letters to loved ones with a certified Hogsmeade postmark

• Ollivanders wand shop, an interactive experience where the wand chooses its wizard

• The magical instruments and equipment shop, Dervish and Banges, that sells Quidditch equipment and Triwizard apparel

• Dragon Challenge, a twin high-speed roller coaster featuring many elements of the Triwizard Tournament

• Flight of the Hippogriff, a family ride that simulates a Hippogriff training flight

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a state-of-the-art attraction using brand new technology to bring the stories of Harry Potter to life in a new and innovative way

• Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, which sells Harry Potter-inspired souvenirs

Flight of the Hippogriff. Photo Courtesy of Universal Orlando.

For up-to-date information, visit www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/

Read more about Orlando theme parks in our “Orlando: Theme Parks and Beyond” article.

Plan a trip to Orlando, Fla., on TravelMuse.

About five hours north of San Francisco lies Lassen Volcanic National Park. In a state that’s full of world-famous destinations for enjoying the great outdoors (Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Monument and more), Lassen tends to get overlooked. If you’re planning a trip there, this is to your advantage.

Last weekend, we spent three great days camping at Summit Lake South—right in the heart of Lassen. [View and/or copy and personalize our Lassen trip plan here]  Summit Lake South is one of a dozen campgrounds administered by the National Park Service (NPS). Our campsite came equipped with a bear box, firepit and picnic table. There is potable water available throughout the campground, but no flush toilets. If that’s an important “luxury,” you’ll find them at Summit Lake North—a quarter of a mile up the road.

We found Summit Lake South to be a great place to camp as a family. There were other families around, which always takes some pressure off the parents. The kids met other children quickly and entertained themselves tracking chipmunks, exploring the meadow and throwing rocks into the water. The lake provided a welcome respite after morning hikes and we all enjoyed a dip into its cool, clear waters.

Summit Lake South                    Kevin Fliess 2009

Lassen is a comparatively small park, which makes it possible to see and do a lot in weekend. The highlights of the park include an ascent of 10,500-foot Lassen Peak, a hike to the geothermally active region known as Bumpass Hell or the Sulfur Works, or a jaunt to one of the dozen or so alpine lakes.

Since we were traveling with two young kids—ages 4 and 6—we tackled hikes that were rated easy to moderate. The Kings Creek Falls trail took us down a steep ravine past a series of spectacular cascades. Note to parents: Take the horse trail route down and the creekside trail up. We did it the other way around and wouldn’t recommend it. The hike follows the creek almost the entire way and offers ample opportunities for a quick dip of the toes.

Cascades at Kings Creek Falls     Kevin Fliess 2009

The hike to Bumpass Hell was really spectacular with views of all the park’s tallest peaks visible throughout the journey. Bumpass Hell is probably the most interesting part of the park. It’s a geothermally active area that reeks of rotten eggs and features fumaroles (big steam vents blasting super-heated water vapor); bubbling mud pots; and streams of mineral rich, near-boiling water.)

Bumpass Hell                         Kevin Fliess 2009

If you want a great workout and million-dollar views, hike the signature mountain in the park—Lassen Peak. According to the NPS: “On May 22, 1915, an explosive eruption at Lassen Peak, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 200 miles to the east. This explosion was the most powerful in a 1914-17 series of eruptions that were the last to occur in the Cascades before the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Lassen Peak is the largest of a group of more than 30 volcanic domes erupted over the past 300,000 years in Lassen Volcanic National Park.”

It’s a steep 2.5-mile trail up with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Note: The final mile of the trail is closed for the season for repairs. At the top you’ll find a permament snow field and will be rewarded with 360 views of the northern Sierras and southern Cascades. On most days, Mt. Shasta is clearly visible.

Don’t overlook this great Western park. It’s not much farther from San Francisco than Yosemite and has a fraction of the summer crowds. It was our second trip to Lassen, and we will definitely go back.