Travel&Vacation

At SmarterTravel.com, we’re big fans of booking early. Travelers who plan in advance typically get the best deals on airfare and enjoy a greater choice of accommodations. This is particularly true for summer, the peak travel season for many popular destinations.

If you’ve only just started thinking about your summer vacation, don’t stress—it’s not too late to put together a great trip.

National parks

Perhaps this is the year you’ve decided to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Or maybe you’re choosing between Yellowstone and Yosemite. Acadia also holds a strong appeal. Visiting a national park in summer is often a great time to go, as the weather is pleasant, park rangers increase their available programs, and activities abound. Whichever park you choose, a few preliminary plans can make all the difference.

“Make plans early and you’ll minimize drawbacks,” says Jeffrey Olson, spokesman for the National Park Service. He cites the four parks above, as well as the Grand Canyon, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Zion, Cuyahoga Valley, and Grand Teton national parks as the top 10 most visited in the country. If you’re going to one of these hotspots, Olson recommends outlining your vacation structure before you go. “Make a list: How many days do we have? Are we flying? Are we driving? How many miles do we want to put into one day?” Putting together a structured trip in advance will go far in minimizing frustration.

“When calling or booking reservations online, have a few sets of vacation dates in mind,” says Kenny Karst, PR manager for the DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite. “That way if your first choice is not available, you may book alternative dates right on the spot without having to call back. Midweek bookings are sometimes more readily available than weekends.”

For summer travel, Olson suggests advance reservations rather than looking for vacancies at the last minute—or once you get there. “More planning time is better and the best lodge rooms get reserved by people planning their trips months in advance, like during the winter.” Yosemite, for example, takes lodging reservations 366 days in advance at select properties.

If you do find sold-out lodges and campsites, visiting in other seasons can be equally enjoyable. “Don’t forget the shoulder season … before Memorial Day and after Labor Day,” says Olson. “Spring and fall are great times to see national parks. And those desert parks—How about December, January, and February?”