Throwing out a few random ideas


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Posted by Ballpark Frank (24.237.83.208) on 14:03:02 07/28/13

In Reply to: Couple lodging questions posted by Rick

Hi Rick,

I was telling my wife about your inquiry and your search parameters. She had some worthy input that I will include here. I'll add a few possibilities drawn from my experience.

First, the Mrs. absolutely loves Colter Bay. She speaks from having frequented the place in her teens, and having visited years later with her adolescent daughters. She says there is so much to do there that would be of interest to your daughters, beyond what is available at most lodging establishments. This includes the gift shop and grocery store, the grill, where you can get burgers and ice cream, the museum and visitor center, the marina (with boat rides and rentals), ranger talks at the amphitheater, horseback riding, bike riding (sounds like "BYO"), and lots of trails to hike. My better half says that Colter Bay has some cabins that share a bathroom. She insists that your budget could withstand renting both sides of that arrangement, which would provide four beds, two on each side.

When we discussed the towns around Yellowstone, we both agreed that Cody is the first place we would recommend taking teenagers. The incredible museum is a principle component, but the daily gunfights, rodeo, and Sierra Trading Post are all plusses as well. I know a Loon that frequents this page who has a mandatory stop in Cody for a night or two on all trips, so his three pre-adolescent girls can hang out in the swimming pool at their favorite motel.

There was a time when I visited Yellowstone with my first wife and two kids from Colorado. Most of the time, we tent camped, but there were some instances where we availed ourselves of park lodging in Yellowstone. There were western cabins at Canyon and Lake that had three beds. On a winter trip to Old Faithful, we rented a SnowLodge cabin that had two double beds. We were able to get a third bed, a rollaway, so our adolescent son and daughter would not have to share a bed. I readily admit to having a strong bias toward staying in park lodging, for a host of reasons, including proximity to features, proximity to reasonable healthy food choices via the cafeterias, and proximity to interpretive services, like walks, talks, and evening programs.

One other thought that struck me is probably beyond your budget, primarily due to requiring four air fares between Ohio and Greater Yellowstone. It struck me that most motor homes have a four bed arrangement. There are many that have over/under bunk beds, that would be perfect for your daughters. If it were one of the mid-size cab-overs, you could sleep above the cab, while your mother used the bed typically formed by the seats of the kitchen table. If it wasn't a cab-over, there would normally be a bed in the rear.

There has been a proliferation of B&B's in the Gardiner/Hwy 89 area in recent years. You might Google the opportunity or go to the Gardiner Chamber of Commerce web site, and check out what is available.

I sure hope this trip comes together for you. I doubt anyone has to tell you that it won't be long before it is almost impossible to put together this type of trip, and get the girls to participate. At some point, they will likely have summer jobs, then later, some sort of college program, internship, or even permanent employment that prohibits taking the time.

Besides, your trip reports are a joy to read, so we Loons have a selfish interest in seeing this come together.

Ballpark



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