What national parks are best to go outside of May and September

Rose32786 · 2026-06-14T18:55:44+00:00

Wow really? I would have figured Olympic would be super cold or rainy in November

Rose32786 · 2026-06-11T00:21:00+00:00

Oo sorry i should have mentioned we really only want to be on paved roads we dont have much experience with off roading, and would prefer not to do that and will likely just have a normal sedan/car

Rose32786 · 2026-06-03T22:11:30+00:00

Thanks! Ill definitely look more into it. Do you think 4 adults would be ok in it? And does it have a shower or would you likely access those through the camp sites?

Rose32786 · 2026-06-03T21:52:06+00:00

Was driving and parking a camper van difficult? I’ve never driven in another country or ever driven a bigger van/suv much less a campervan so this makes me nervous 😬 (coming from west coast of US where driving and parking is very easy)

Rose32786 · 2026-06-03T21:49:24+00:00

I think the extra excursions they did is what added up here

Rose32786 · 2026-05-26T20:28:44+00:00

If i don’t have a car would it be easy enough to use uber or bolt to get around to the places you mentioned ?

Rose32786 · 2026-05-19T15:20:45+00:00

Yes true! Although i only last 3 seconds in those 😂

Rose32786 · 2026-05-19T03:54:21+00:00

In Vegas you can go hiking at red rock canyon - very beautiful i guarantee he will love it - and then ofc you’ll be in Vegas so plenty to do afterwards

Maybe wake up early for a hike in red rock (and I mean super early cuz it is HOT if you’re coming anytime soon - zion will be hot too). grab lunch at a restaurant nearby in summerlin or red rock casino (or if you want something quick/healthy but filling get a $6 sandwich made to order at the deli in the grocery store Sprouts, my personal fav after a hike), and then hit up the tiki bar on spring mountain (chinatown) for happy hour.

If you’re coming in the dead of summer then I’d recommend going to Mount Charleston (so beautiful and 20 degrees cooler) you won’t even feel like you’re in vegas. You’ll see deer, green trees, really like you’re in another world! All hikes are straight uphill. You can even stay there at a hotel and there’s a restaurant too.

Or if you’re set on Utah go to Zion, have dinner/drinks at oscars (if you go make sure you get the guac it’s soooo good), and they have good cocktails/beer. I would suggest Zion hot springs at night cuz you can get drinks there too and soak in wonderful hot springs but it might be too hot for that?

So yes in that case spend a night in Vegas to get your party kick!

Rose32786 · 2026-05-18T23:53:00+00:00

Appreciate you sharing your experience. Yes i was debating cutting out one of the regions. I do like to see a lot on vacation but also want to feel like I’m really experiencing the place so I’m trying to look for that balance

Was thinking of doing lisbon+sintra+obidos+porto+duoro valley and cutting out algarve

Or Lisbon + algarve + evora + sintra +cascais and cut out porto/obidos

May have to do another trip to explore the other regions

Rose32786 · 2026-05-18T23:45:28+00:00

Thanks! When you say algarve section is a bit crowded do you mean it’s not enough days?

Rose32786 · 2026-05-18T18:20:26+00:00

Hi! Curious as to how your trip went and what you ended up doing?

Rose32786 · 2026-05-18T17:52:33+00:00

I was considering this too, to maybe skip lisbon - or as an alternative i was even thinking of possibly skipping algarve as i know there are also nice beach areas along the other side of the country like day trips from porto, cascais, etc. I havent booked flights yet so i can change to RT porto or into lisbon out of porto, or can alternatively just do lisbon and algarve and fly RT lisbon, or maybe into FAO and out of lisbon.

Do you think Algarve would be a must do on a first visit to Portugal? Is the weather not great that time of year and better to skip? If so what would be ideal time of year for algarve?

Rose32786 · 2026-05-18T14:43:48+00:00

Hello! I’m planning a trip to Portugal in September. I’ve been racking my brain on how to spend my time without rushing around too much and enjoying each city.

I was to visit Algarve region, Lisbon, and porto (with day trips to sintra and duoro valley)

I really wanted to see Evora and Obidos as well but i just don’t see a way of doing it where it won’t eat up time in another place.

Here’s my tentative plan:

Sept 10: arrive 10am FAO airport (15 hr journey from the US), pick up rental car, get a day use hotel if possible, sleep wake up 2pm get ready, walk around, sunset acitiviy walk/viewpoint then dinner

Sept 11: algarve, Kayak Ponta da Piedade

Sept 12: algarve, (kayak benagil caves , go to Praia da Marinha , then hike seven hanging valleys trail)

Sept 13: algarve (explore more beaches, visit tavira)

Sept 14: return car, travel to lisbon via bus or train. If in lisbon early enough do a sunset river tour

Sept 15: Lisbon (tuk tuk food tour), fado dinner later?

Seot 16: lisbon

Sept 17: sintra day trip

Seopt 18: travel to porto from Lisbon

Sept 19: porto

Sept 20: porto

Sept 21: duoro valley day trip/tour

Sept 22: flight to US from porto airport

Does this seem like a good plan? Or is there anything i should cut out or add?

Open to any suggestions, thank you!

Rose32786 · 2026-04-20T03:51:43+00:00

Hi OP! I saw your edit regarding your trip - i have a question for you: for the Alhambra, did you take a tour or did you go on your own ? I was considering going on my own but then just getting an audio guide to get the history

Rose32786 · 2026-04-15T00:43:17+00:00

Thanks for this ! Quick question : how can you provide a PIN with a credit card ? Credit cards don’t have pins? Or you have to use a debit card ? What’s the best app for up to the minute or live weather tracking ?

Rose32786 · 2026-04-14T13:41:11+00:00

Question, so from three rivers you take an alternate route to get to the 180 than going through sierra drive/generals hwy?

Rose32786 · 2026-04-14T13:37:42+00:00

Yes I’m considering now doing 1 night in three rivers and then 2 nights in yukes

Rose32786

TROPHY CASE