Snag a Cancellation – It Works!
In a previous blog I shared hints from Xanterra Parks and Resorts for securing reservations at some of the country’s best National Park Lodges. “Be persistent,” they say, “Rooms open up due to a variety of reasons. You might be the lucky one to re-book that room.” Today was my lucky day – I snagged a reservation at Old Faithful Inn on June 4th.
We’ve had the privilege of staying at Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel but never the venerable Old Faithful Inn. As a young girl I remember lunch there on my family’s first trip West in the 1950s. Two years ago our Yellowstone National Park vacation included lunch and a interpretive tour of the inn. An overnight was on our “Some Day” list.
In a few days we’re leaving on a road trip to the Pacific Northwest. Two months ago I checked the Xanterra website for a room at Old Faithful Inn without success; I looked again 30 days out since that’s when group tour operators must release rooms they’ve booked but haven’t filled. The last few weeks I’ve occasionally searched the website for availability. No luck until this morning when almost as an after thought I logged on. There it was, a room with two doubles and private bath. It didn’t take long to request and confirm our reservation. 
One additional hint I’d share is to register on the Xanterra site with your information when you begin your searches. That way you’re in the system and can quickly make a reservation when something opens up. Try it – maybe it will be your lucky day.
Xanterra Parks and Resorts operates nine lodges within Yellowstone National Park as well as restaurants, gift shops and activities. Plan your visit at their Yellowstone specific website. They are also official concessionaires at Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley and Crater Lake National Parks.
Old Faithful Inn – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
US Freestsyle Kayak Team Trials
The
ble for the prize drawing.
Driving down Military Trail, it’s easy to miss the entrance to the garden. The 14-acre botanical oasis is nearly hidden among strip malls, parking lots and the local driver’s license office. Once inside the gate that busy world is left behind as the sweet smell of oleander catches our attention.
Palms sway overhead as we wander through rose, herb, palm and tropical foliage gardens. We search for small labels identifying angel trumpet, ponytail palm, and rainbow eucalyptus. Some plants are unusual variations of the familiar; a huge prickly pear variety demonstrates what happens when a cactus grows in a humid climate with lots of rain. Orchids trail from the crook of a tree and complex delicate blossoms adorn the tips of ugly twisted, thorny stems. We assign descriptive names to unique unidentified foliage – wilted cabbage, Jurassic Park platter, and torpedo palm.
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