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#56: Three Perfect Days in New River Gorge National Park

Are you thinking about visiting our nation’s 63rd national park, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia? Then you’re in luck. In this episode, we talk about our recent visit to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve with our dear friends Bob and Sue. And we’ve arranged it into a three-day itinerary to give you a starting point for planning your visit.

 

You can find links to many of the places and activities we discuss in this episode on our blog post about New River Gorge National Park – click here.

 

Please subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.

 

Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.

 

To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.

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50 The Best National Parks to Visit in Each Season

We get a lot of questions from people asking us what parks they should visit during specific times of the year. On today’s episode we’re going season to season, talking about which parks are great to visit during the winter, spring, summer, and fall. We cover all 63 national parks, taking into account factors like their weather, accessibility, wildflowers, fall foliage, crowds, and much more. Grab a pen and paper and get ready to take notes. You might learn a few seasonal travel tips that’ll come in handy when planning your next spring break destination, summer vacation, or fall getaway.

 

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode:

·      The only national park that closes in the winter

·      The one piece of the U.S. that is below the equator

·      Our favorite park to snowmobile in

·      Best national parks to view the brilliant fall colors

·      Which park you can tour while on a beer train excursion

·      The park you’d visit if you also wanted to attend the International Chili Championship

·      Which parks you can visit in the winter for a tropical getaway

·      And our list of national parks that are great to visit in any season.

 

Links to more information:

·      The Kula Cloth

·      Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (link to the beer train)

·      54th Annual CASI Terlingua ​International ​Chili Championship

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49 Glacier National Park: Part 2 of 2

From historic hotels to jaw-dropping vistas to spectacular hiking trails, Glacier has it all. Because of its mountainous terrain, activities and sights are clustered in several unique areas of the park and along the central park road corridor. A visit to this magnificent place feels like going to several national parks, all nestled around the Continental Divide. It would take a lifetime to see and do everything that Glacier National Park has to offer, and in this second episode of our two-part series on the park, we talk about our favorites. If you haven’t listened to the first part of this series, please check it out here.

 

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode:

·      Why it’s so important to do advanced planning before visiting Glacier NP

·      The best time to visit

·      Recent changes to the park’s system for entering the park – you may need a reservation

·      Why you might want to park your car and take the hikers’ shuttle

·      Overview of the historic lodges and hotels in and around the park

·      Some of our favorite hikes in each area of the park

·      Where to get the best huckleberry bear claws in Montana

·      And much more!

 

Links to more information:

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48 Glacier National Park: Part 1 of 2

The Crown of the Continent, Glacier National Park is one of the most visited and beloved destinations in the National Park System. In this part 1 of 2 episodes on the park, we discuss one of its most unique aspects: their backcountry chalets. Ten chalets dotted the park back more than a hundred years ago, providing visitors a place to rest between day-long horseback rides. Today, three of the ten original chalets still exist and operate as places where travelers can spend a night or two while exploring the park. In August, we hiked up to Granite Park Chalet, along the Highline Trail, and spent a couple of nights in this historical site. Join us as we talk about how we planned the trip and our experience in the backcountry of this magnificent park.

 

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode:

·      Why the Great Northern Railway built the backcountry chalets

·      What happened to all of them

·      Which ones still exist

·      Planning a visit to stay at one of the remaining chalets

·      Why you’ll need a reservation/ticket for Going to the Sun Road

·      Tips and tricks regarding the park’s shuttle system

·      The story of our visit to Granite Park Chalet in August 2021

 

Links to more information:

 

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47 Dining Around the Parks

Over the years while we explored the national parks, we also found a lot of unique and authentic places to eat, and today we’re sharing some of our favorites. In this mid-summer bonus episode, we provide a sampling of great restaurants, bars and bakeries. From donut shops to breweries and steakhouses, we discuss where you can get some delicious food while you’re visiting the parks. It’s always fun to find your own hidden gems when traveling, but if you find yourself at a loss for where to dine, we have some suggestions for you to try.

 

  • Some of the places and areas of the country we cover in this episode:
  • Pizza, pizza, beer and quesadillas in Moab, Utah
  • Pizza and noodles in Springdale by Zion NP
  • Covered wagons, pizza and pie in Torrey, Utah by Capitol Reef NP
  • A place to buy socks and dinner in Escalante, Utah
  • It’s all about the huckleberries in Glacier NP in Montana
  • In and around the three NPs in Washington state
  • Black Hills and Badlands NP in South Dakota
  • Donuts and barbeque in Estes Park, CO by Rocky Mountain NP
  • The best trailer pizza in Terlingua, TX, near Big Bend NP
  • A breakfast spot in Joshua Tree, CA
  • A brewery in Flagstaff, AZ, not far from the Grand Canyon

 

Links to more information:

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46 Twenty-Five National Parks to Visit in Your Lifetime

Our country’s national parks are frequently referred to as “America’s Best Idea,” for good reason. There are 423 National Park Service sites that protect everything from natural wonders to historical sites to endangered animals. Every one of them has something unique and special to offer visitors, but on this episode, we showcase our favorite 25 national parks. If you’re not planning to visit every national park, these are the ones we think you should visit in your lifetime.

What are some of the parks that made our list?

  • The crown jewel of the North Atlantic coast
  • A park that contains 2,000 sandstone arches
  • A park that’s beloved for its fruit orchards and its mini pies to go 
  • The largest park in the lower 48; it’s also the hottest, driest and lowest park
  • A park where visitors walk amongst brown bears
  • A park where you can see the largest trees by volume in the world
  • The park that’s referred to as the Alps of America
  • A park that has multiple ecosystems
  • A park with the highest road and the highest Visitor Center in the U.S.

Links to more information:

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