Comments on Joe Biden for vice president...a right choice, a nice leader from DE...

We are proud to announce a new Travel Crazy Adventure for 2009!  Join us as we experience a region of North America that boasts some of the most famous landscapes in the world.  Modeled after our Experience Alaska trip, Experience The Canadian Rockies has been developed to not merely drive you through the Canadian Rockies, but instead to allow you to vacation amidst a truly world-class Travel Destination and discover its essence.   After departing Kentucky, our three week vacation begins with our cross country drive to Grand Teton National Park.  Our journey will be dotted with two overnight stays en route.  Then, the real fun begins!   We’ll be spending 3 nights in the old western town of Jackson, in hotel accommodations within a short walk of the numerous shops and restaurants at its charming village square.  The town serves as gateway to Grand Teton National Park, and encourages visitors to come play in the Great Outdoors.  And, that’s just what we’ll be doing!   Our daytime activities include a guided tour through Grand Tetons National Park and a peaceful raft trip on the Snake River.  During the tour, we'll discover the jagged mountain settings for which the park is noted and learn about its history and wildlife.  During the float trip, we'll follow the river as it flows through Grand Tetons and be treated to a 10-mile parade of lofty granite peaks.   Our evening outdoor activities will find us enjoying two staples of Western Culture.  At the Wyoming Rodeo, we'll thrill to a small town rodeo with an Anyone Who Has the Gumption Can Do It attitude that displays the original intention of the sport.  And, at Bar T5 Ranch, we'll experience a truly unique chuckwagon meal as we board covered wagons and head through a scenic canyon to a secluded campsite.  After a cowboy hosted dutch oven meal and some hand-clapping western music, we'll reboard our covered wagons and begin to head back as the sun begins to set upon Jackson.   From Jackson, we'll continue our northward trek to Glacier National Park, where lakefront rooms with awe-inspiring views of Lake McDonald will be our home for the next two evenings.  During our stay in Glacier, we will board the park's classic red touring sedans for an all-day exploration of the Going to the Sun Road, acclaimed to be one of the world's most scenic drives.  Weather permitting, the jammer unfurls its top affording unobstructed views of the mountaintops looming overhead.    Glacier National Park hugs the Canadian Border, and butts right up to Waterton Lakes National Park, forming the world's first International Peace Park.  More significantly, Waterton Lakes marks the beginning of The Canadian Rockies.   Following our 2-night stay in Glacier, we'll cross the Canadian Border and head for Waterton Lakes National Park.  It is here that the Rocky Mountains reach their narrowest width, and it is here that deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies resides.  Waterton is a compact park, and is dwarfed by Glacier and it's northern Canadian Rockies counterparts.  Therefore, the park is relatively uncrowded.   We'll spend a half-day touring the park, stopping at several viewpoints for photos and short walks, visiting the magnificant Prince of Wales Hotel, and enjoying a 2-hour sightseeing cruise before continuing on to Banff.   Though we will have gotten a taste of the Canadian Rockies in Waterton, UNESCO (an agency of the United Nations) does not recognize Waterton as one of the four national parks that comprise Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.  The four parks that make up the World Heritage Site are Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper.  Of these four Canadian National Parks, our trip focuses upon two -- Banff National Park and Jasper National Park -- mainly because the scenery on the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain Range is more beautiful than the Western side, and the attractions are more interesting, too   Banff Township sits at the southern end of Banff National Park.  Jasper National Park rests atop Banff National Park.  Running north and south, bisecting both Banff and Jasper, is the Icefields Parkway.  Though some attractions are very close to the townships, most are scattered along this parkway throughout both parks.  Icefields Parkway is a Big Deal, with every bend in the road providing another incredible vista, and the town of Banff is considered gateway to the Icefields Parkway.   Though the length of the parkway can be driven in half a day, why would you drive all of the way to what's considered one of the most scenic places on Earth, then proceed to whisk through it?  Instead, our trip's intent is to let our guests Experience the Canadian Rockies.  We want you to be able to take leisurely strolls or easy hikes through world-class settings.  We want you to be able to sit on a bench and contemplate wonderous sites and bask in your surroundings.  We want you to relax and really enjoy a place that you may very well never come to again.   We have a list of 17 attractions and activities that we want our guests to see and experience during their time in Banff and Jasper.  Strategically, we'll be entering Banff township, staying there for 4 nights, and spending time visiting the attractions near it and the lower half of Icefields Parkway before moving north to Jasper Township.  Once in Jasper, we'll spend 3 nights discovering the sites along the upper half of Icefields Parkway.     During our 4-night stay in Banff, we have selected hotel accommodations within walking distance of Town Centre.  Besides being a striking little town that is surrounded by mountains, Banff serves as the hub for commercial activity for the entire Canadian Rockies region.  It's a very welcoming and hospitable town, offering every ammenity a visitor could want.  There are lots of restaurants, bars, and shops, and it's a great place to unwind following a busy day of sightseeing in the Rockies!   Banff National Park is probably most noted for its surreal alpine lake settings.  The reason most people flock to these lakes vary.  One might boast the bluest water ever seen; another might reflect its surrounding mountains as if it were a mirror.  One might be a striking emerald color; another might simply be a place of tranquility, with a postcard perfect mountain setting.  Whatever the reason, there are four lakes considered must-see attractions in Banff National Park--Lake Louise, Moraine, Bow and Peyto.  We will be visiting each of these four lakes, allowing enough time for pleasant strolls along the park's trails.   At Johnston Canyon, we'll encounter one of Banff's most popular trails and boardwalks.  The trail snakes along a majestic narrow canyon created by a small but powerul river.  The impressive trail features boarded walkways, bridges, and even a tunnel!  The reward of those following the path is two sets of lovely waterfalls.   Part of the Canadian Rockies Heritage are grand hotels that were built by the Canadian Railways to lure visitors to a newfound wilderness.  Though we won't be staying in any of them, we will come face-to-face with them during our travels.  You'll see the palace-like Fairmont Chateau looming over Lake Louise--it's quite unavoidable.    During an outing to the Fairmont Banff Springs, we'll discover one of the world's greatest mountain resorts.   We'll enjoy a guided tour of the opulent castle-like hotel and be treated to lunch in one of its restaurants.  Before leaving, we'll make sure to check out Bow Falls, which plunges right behind the hotel.    Our trip features three gondola rides, two of which are in Banff National Park.  At Banff Gondola, we'll ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where we'll be able to see six mountain ranges.  We'll enjoy a meal at its Regal View restaurant while relishing breathtaking views from its windows.  We'll ride a second gondola in Lake Louise at the Lodge of Ten Peaks.  Like in Banff, we'll have a meal following the ride, this one in the lodge at the gondola's base.
 
Following our 4-night stay in Banff, we'll head north along the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper Township, where we'll be staying for three nights.  Upon departing Banff National Park and entering Jasper National Park, we'll come upon the world-famous Columbia Icefields.  This awe-inspiring site is the largest glacier field in the Canadian Rockies.  At Icefield Center, we'll learn about glacier formation before boarding an icefield explorer tour.  The 90-minute tour will transport us via specially designed big-wheeled vehicles to Athabasca Glacier where we'll have the opportunity to actually walk upon its surface!  After the tour, we'll savor the phenomenal views from the center's dining room as we treat everyone to lunch before continuing our day.    During our visit in Jasper, we will visit two of the park's notable waterfalls--Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls.  Both of these Icefield Parkway stopping points offer short pleasant walks that flaunt amazing views of turbulent waters being forced through narrow passages and tumbling to basins below.   We'll discover several other waterfalls when exploring the bridges of Maligne Canyon.  Though an easy walk, this trail is a longer one.  It's an entertaining interpretive trail that crosses the canyon six times via bridges, and has a variety of stunning sights like sheer cliffs, waterfalls, underground rivers, and even a weeping rock.   Jasper National Park is home to numerous bodies of water, but none is more famous than Maligne Lake.  Jasper visitors flock to this lake to see one of the most photographed locations in the world.  There's only one way to get to world-famous Spirit Island, and that is by boat through the emerald waters of Maligne Lake .  We'll make sure everybody has the opportunity to capture their own picture of the majestic stand of trees amidst Maligne Lake during a 90-minute cruise to Spirit Island.   We'll top off our Jasper National Park Experience with a ride up Whistler's Mountain aboard Jasper Tramway.  From the upper platform we'll be able to view six mountain ranges and see the town of Jasper from above.  Before returning to the bottom, we'll treat everybody to a meal at Treeline Restaurant, savoring panoramic views from its glass-enclosed seating area.   After our relaxing 7-night stay in The Canadian Rockies, we'll begin heading eastward.  The first stop on our journey home will be Alberta's largest city.  During our 2-night stay in Calgary, we'll discover the many faces that this western city has donned throughout its history and growth.   Our Calgary visit will begin when we're joined by a local guide for a tour of the city.  Then, we'll visit Fort Calgary, home of the original North West Mounted Police that settled and gave birth to the city.    A tour of Olympic Park (site of the 1988 Winter Olympics) will follow.  We'll be able to see the world's only indoor training facility for bobsled, luge, and skeleton athletes.  We'll see the bobsled track and the ski jump tower.  And, we'll visit the Olympic Hall of Fame.    Our touring of Calgary will come to an end after spending a few hours at Steven Avenue Walk.  A Canadian Historic site, the pedestrian mall has a high concentration of 20th century buildings.  Despite the hustle and bustle of its shops and restaurants, the district affords visitors a glimpse of what was once Calgary.   Following our 2-night stay in Calgary, we continue east, with simple overnight stops in Montana and North Dakota before arriving in Hayward, Wisconsin.   Hayward is home of the World Lumberjack Championships, and when we are travelling through town, the event will be taking place.  After checking into our hotel, we will head for an evening of old-fashion fun as we watch competitors chop wood, saw wood, roll upon logs, and speed climb.  Being that the session is only about 2 1/2 hours and there are more than 15 different contests, you can be assured that the show will provide non-stop action.   After overnighting in Hayward, we'll head for the last destination of our trip--Baraboo, Wisconsin.  Being hometown of the Ringling Brothers and location of the first Ringling Brothers performance, it isn't surprising that Baraboo's biggest attraction is Circus World.  This slice of Americana remembers and celebrates the bygone glory days of the traveling circus.  This site boasts the world's largest collection of ornately decorated circus wagons, a circus museum, a bigtop with live performances, and historic Ringlingville (winter quarters for the circus).    We'll cap off our Baraboo visit with a shuttle to
Ho Chunk Casino for those interesting in live gaming and entertainment, and to Tanger Outlet Center for those interested in shopping.   Following our overnight in Baraboo, we'll journey back to Kentucky with fond memories of an Alpine Adventure of a lifetime!

We are proud to announce a new Travel Crazy Adventure for 2009!  Join us as we experience a region of North America that boasts some of the most famous landscapes in the world.  Modeled after our Experience Alaska trip, Experience The Canadian Rockies has been developed to not merely drive you through the Canadian Rockies, but instead to allow you to vacation amidst a truly world-class Travel Destination and discover its essence.   After departing Kentucky, our three week vacation begins with our cross country drive to Grand Teton National Park.  Our journey will be dotted with two overnight stays en route.  Then, the real fun begins!   We’ll be spending 3 nights in the old western town of Jackson, in hotel accommodations within a short walk of the numerous shops and restaurants at its charming village square.  The town serves as gateway to Grand Teton National Park, and encourages visitors to come play in the Great Outdoors.  And, that’s just what we’ll be doing!   Our daytime activities include a guided tour through Grand Tetons National Park and a peaceful raft trip on the Snake River.  During the tour, we'll discover the jagged mountain settings for which the park is noted and learn about its history and wildlife.  During the float trip, we'll follow the river as it flows through Grand Tetons and be treated to a 10-mile parade of lofty granite peaks.   Our evening outdoor activities will find us enjoying two staples of Western Culture.  At the Wyoming Rodeo, we'll thrill to a small town rodeo with an Anyone Who Has the Gumption Can Do It attitude that displays the original intention of the sport.  And, at Bar T5 Ranch, we'll experience a truly unique chuckwagon meal as we board covered wagons and head through a scenic canyon to a secluded campsite.  After a cowboy hosted dutch oven meal and some hand-clapping western music, we'll reboard our covered wagons and begin to head back as the sun begins to set upon Jackson.   From Jackson, we'll continue our northward trek to Glacier National Park, where lakefront rooms with awe-inspiring views of Lake McDonald will be our home for the next two evenings.  During our stay in Glacier, we will board the park's classic red touring sedans for an all-day exploration of the Going to the Sun Road, acclaimed to be one of the world's most scenic drives.  Weather permitting, the jammer unfurls its top affording unobstructed views of the mountaintops looming overhead.    Glacier National Park hugs the Canadian Border, and butts right up to Waterton Lakes National Park, forming the world's first International Peace Park.  More significantly, Waterton Lakes marks the beginning of The Canadian Rockies.   Following our 2-night stay in Glacier, we'll cross the Canadian Border and head for Waterton Lakes National Park.  It is here that the Rocky Mountains reach their narrowest width, and it is here that deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies resides.  Waterton is a compact park, and is dwarfed by Glacier and it's northern Canadian Rockies counterparts.  Therefore, the park is relatively uncrowded.   We'll spend a half-day touring the park, stopping at several viewpoints for photos and short walks, visiting the magnificant Prince of Wales Hotel, and enjoying a 2-hour sightseeing cruise before continuing on to Banff.   Though we will have gotten a taste of the Canadian Rockies in Waterton, UNESCO (an agency of the United Nations) does not recognize Waterton as one of the four national parks that comprise Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.  The four parks that make up the World Heritage Site are Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper.  Of these four Canadian National Parks, our trip focuses upon two -- Banff National Park and Jasper National Park -- mainly because the scenery on the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain Range is more beautiful than the Western side, and the attractions are more interesting, too   Banff Township sits at the southern end of Banff National Park.  Jasper National Park rests atop Banff National Park.  Running north and south, bisecting both Banff and Jasper, is the Icefields Parkway.  Though some attractions are very close to the townships, most are scattered along this parkway throughout both parks.  Icefields Parkway is a Big Deal, with every bend in the road providing another incredible vista, and the town of Banff is considered gateway to the Icefields Parkway.   Though the length of the parkway can be driven in half a day, why would you drive all of the way to what's considered one of the most scenic places on Earth, then proceed to whisk through it?  Instead, our trip's intent is to let our guests Experience the Canadian Rockies.  We want you to be able to take leisurely strolls or easy hikes through world-class settings.  We want you to be able to sit on a bench and contemplate wonderous sites and bask in your surroundings.  We want you to relax and really enjoy a place that you may very well never come to again.   We have a list of 17 attractions and activities that we want our guests to see and experience during their time in Banff and Jasper.  Strategically, we'll be entering Banff township, staying there for 4 nights, and spending time visiting the attractions near it and the lower half of Icefields Parkway before moving north to Jasper Township.  Once in Jasper, we'll spend 3 nights discovering the sites along the upper half of Icefields Parkway.     During our 4-night stay in Banff, we have selected hotel accommodations within walking distance of Town Centre.  Besides being a striking little town that is surrounded by mountains, Banff serves as the hub for commercial activity for the entire Canadian Rockies region.  It's a very welcoming and hospitable town, offering every ammenity a visitor could want.  There are lots of restaurants, bars, and shops, and it's a great place to unwind following a busy day of sightseeing in the Rockies!   Banff National Park is probably most noted for its surreal alpine lake settings.  The reason most people flock to these lakes vary.  One might boast the bluest water ever seen; another might reflect its surrounding mountains as if it were a mirror.  One might be a striking emerald color; another might simply be a place of tranquility, with a postcard perfect mountain setting.  Whatever the reason, there are four lakes considered must-see attractions in Banff National Park--Lake Louise, Moraine, Bow and Peyto.  We will be visiting each of these four lakes, allowing enough time for pleasant strolls along the park's trails.   At Johnston Canyon, we'll encounter one of Banff's most popular trails and boardwalks.  The trail snakes along a majestic narrow canyon created by a small but powerul river.  The impressive trail features boarded walkways, bridges, and even a tunnel!  The reward of those following the path is two sets of lovely waterfalls.   Part of the Canadian Rockies Heritage are grand hotels that were built by the Canadian Railways to lure visitors to a newfound wilderness.  Though we won't be staying in any of them, we will come face-to-face with them during our travels.  You'll see the palace-like Fairmont Chateau looming over Lake Louise--it's quite unavoidable.    During an outing to the Fairmont Banff Springs, we'll discover one of the world's greatest mountain resorts.   We'll enjoy a guided tour of the opulent castle-like hotel and be treated to lunch in one of its restaurants.  Before leaving, we'll make sure to check out Bow Falls, which plunges right behind the hotel.    Our trip features three gondola rides, two of which are in Banff National Park.  At Banff Gondola, we'll ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where we'll be able to see six mountain ranges.  We'll enjoy a meal at its Regal View restaurant while relishing breathtaking views from its windows.  We'll ride a second gondola in Lake Louise at the Lodge of Ten Peaks.  Like in Banff, we'll have a meal following the ride, this one in the lodge at the gondola's base.
 
Following our 4-night stay in Banff, we'll head north along the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper Township, where we'll be staying for three nights.  Upon departing Banff National Park and entering Jasper National Park, we'll come upon the world-famous Columbia Icefields.  This awe-inspiring site is the largest glacier field in the Canadian Rockies.  At Icefield Center, we'll learn about glacier formation before boarding an icefield explorer tour.  The 90-minute tour will transport us via specially designed big-wheeled vehicles to Athabasca Glacier where we'll have the opportunity to actually walk upon its surface!  After the tour, we'll savor the phenomenal views from the center's dining room as we treat everyone to lunch before continuing our day.    During our visit in Jasper, we will visit two of the park's notable waterfalls--Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls.  Both of these Icefield Parkway stopping points offer short pleasant walks that flaunt amazing views of turbulent waters being forced through narrow passages and tumbling to basins below.   We'll discover several other waterfalls when exploring the bridges of Maligne Canyon.  Though an easy walk, this trail is a longer one.  It's an entertaining interpretive trail that crosses the canyon six times via bridges, and has a variety of stunning sights like sheer cliffs, waterfalls, underground rivers, and even a weeping rock.   Jasper National Park is home to numerous bodies of water, but none is more famous than Maligne Lake.  Jasper visitors flock to this lake to see one of the most photographed locations in the world.  There's only one way to get to world-famous Spirit Island, and that is by boat through the emerald waters of Maligne Lake .  We'll make sure everybody has the opportunity to capture their own picture of the majestic stand of trees amidst Maligne Lake during a 90-minute cruise to Spirit Island.   We'll top off our Jasper National Park Experience with a ride up Whistler's Mountain aboard Jasper Tramway.  From the upper platform we'll be able to view six mountain ranges and see the town of Jasper from above.  Before returning to the bottom, we'll treat everybody to a meal at Treeline Restaurant, savoring panoramic views from its glass-enclosed seating area.   After our relaxing 7-night stay in The Canadian Rockies, we'll begin heading eastward.  The first stop on our journey home will be Alberta's largest city.  During our 2-night stay in Calgary, we'll discover the many faces that this western city has donned throughout its history and growth.   Our Calgary visit will begin when we're joined by a local guide for a tour of the city.  Then, we'll visit Fort Calgary, home of the original North West Mounted Police that settled and gave birth to the city.    A tour of Olympic Park (site of the 1988 Winter Olympics) will follow.  We'll be able to see the world's only indoor training facility for bobsled, luge, and skeleton athletes.  We'll see the bobsled track and the ski jump tower.  And, we'll visit the Olympic Hall of Fame.    Our touring of Calgary will come to an end after spending a few hours at Steven Avenue Walk.  A Canadian Historic site, the pedestrian mall has a high concentration of 20th century buildings.  Despite the hustle and bustle of its shops and restaurants, the district affords visitors a glimpse of what was once Calgary.   Following our 2-night stay in Calgary, we continue east, with simple overnight stops in Montana and North Dakota before arriving in Hayward, Wisconsin.   Hayward is home of the World Lumberjack Championships, and when we are travelling through town, the event will be taking place.  After checking into our hotel, we will head for an evening of old-fashion fun as we watch competitors chop wood, saw wood, roll upon logs, and speed climb.  Being that the session is only about 2 1/2 hours and there are more than 15 different contests, you can be assured that the show will provide non-stop action.   After overnighting in Hayward, we'll head for the last destination of our trip--Baraboo, Wisconsin.  Being hometown of the Ringling Brothers and location of the first Ringling Brothers performance, it isn't surprising that Baraboo's biggest attraction is Circus World.  This slice of Americana remembers and celebrates the bygone glory days of the traveling circus.  This site boasts the world's largest collection of ornately decorated circus wagons, a circus museum, a bigtop with live performances, and historic Ringlingville (winter quarters for the circus).    We'll cap off our Baraboo visit with a shuttle to
Ho Chunk Casino for those interesting in live gaming and entertainment, and to Tanger Outlet Center for those interested in shopping.   Following our overnight in Baraboo, we'll journey back to Kentucky with fond memories of an Alpine Adventure of a lifetime!

We are proud to announce a new Travel Crazy Adventure for 2009!  Join us as we experience a region of North America that boasts some of the most famous landscapes in the world.  Modeled after our Experience Alaska trip, Experience The Canadian Rockies has been developed to not merely drive you through the Canadian Rockies, but instead to allow you to vacation amidst a truly world-class Travel Destination and discover its essence.   After departing Kentucky, our three week vacation begins with our cross country drive to Grand Teton National Park.  Our journey will be dotted with two overnight stays en route.  Then, the real fun begins!   We’ll be spending 3 nights in the old western town of Jackson, in hotel accommodations within a short walk of the numerous shops and restaurants at its charming village square.  The town serves as gateway to Grand Teton National Park, and encourages visitors to come play in the Great Outdoors.  And, that’s just what we’ll be doing!   Our daytime activities include a guided tour through Grand Tetons National Park and a peaceful raft trip on the Snake River.  During the tour, we'll discover the jagged mountain settings for which the park is noted and learn about its history and wildlife.  During the float trip, we'll follow the river as it flows through Grand Tetons and be treated to a 10-mile parade of lofty granite peaks.   Our evening outdoor activities will find us enjoying two staples of Western Culture.  At the Wyoming Rodeo, we'll thrill to a small town rodeo with an Anyone Who Has the Gumption Can Do It attitude that displays the original intention of the sport.  And, at Bar T5 Ranch, we'll experience a truly unique chuckwagon meal as we board covered wagons and head through a scenic canyon to a secluded campsite.  After a cowboy hosted dutch oven meal and some hand-clapping western music, we'll reboard our covered wagons and begin to head back as the sun begins to set upon Jackson.   From Jackson, we'll continue our northward trek to Glacier National Park, where lakefront rooms with awe-inspiring views of Lake McDonald will be our home for the next two evenings.  During our stay in Glacier, we will board the park's classic red touring sedans for an all-day exploration of the Going to the Sun Road, acclaimed to be one of the world's most scenic drives.  Weather permitting, the jammer unfurls its top affording unobstructed views of the mountaintops looming overhead.    Glacier National Park hugs the Canadian Border, and butts right up to Waterton Lakes National Park, forming the world's first International Peace Park.  More significantly, Waterton Lakes marks the beginning of The Canadian Rockies.   Following our 2-night stay in Glacier, we'll cross the Canadian Border and head for Waterton Lakes National Park.  It is here that the Rocky Mountains reach their narrowest width, and it is here that deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies resides.  Waterton is a compact park, and is dwarfed by Glacier and it's northern Canadian Rockies counterparts.  Therefore, the park is relatively uncrowded.   We'll spend a half-day touring the park, stopping at several viewpoints for photos and short walks, visiting the magnificant Prince of Wales Hotel, and enjoying a 2-hour sightseeing cruise before continuing on to Banff.   Though we will have gotten a taste of the Canadian Rockies in Waterton, UNESCO (an agency of the United Nations) does not recognize Waterton as one of the four national parks that comprise Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.  The four parks that make up the World Heritage Site are Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper.  Of these four Canadian National Parks, our trip focuses upon two -- Banff National Park and Jasper National Park -- mainly because the scenery on the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain Range is more beautiful than the Western side, and the attractions are more interesting, too   Banff Township sits at the southern end of Banff National Park.  Jasper National Park rests atop Banff National Park.  Running north and south, bisecting both Banff and Jasper, is the Icefields Parkway.  Though some attractions are very close to the townships, most are scattered along this parkway throughout both parks.  Icefields Parkway is a Big Deal, with every bend in the road providing another incredible vista, and the town of Banff is considered gateway to the Icefields Parkway.   Though the length of the parkway can be driven in half a day, why would you drive all of the way to what's considered one of the most scenic places on Earth, then proceed to whisk through it?  Instead, our trip's intent is to let our guests Experience the Canadian Rockies.  We want you to be able to take leisurely strolls or easy hikes through world-class settings.  We want you to be able to sit on a bench and contemplate wonderous sites and bask in your surroundings.  We want you to relax and really enjoy a place that you may very well never come to again.   We have a list of 17 attractions and activities that we want our guests to see and experience during their time in Banff and Jasper.  Strategically, we'll be entering Banff township, staying there for 4 nights, and spending time visiting the attractions near it and the lower half of Icefields Parkway before moving north to Jasper Township.  Once in Jasper, we'll spend 3 nights discovering the sites along the upper half of Icefields Parkway.     During our 4-night stay in Banff, we have selected hotel accommodations within walking distance of Town Centre.  Besides being a striking little town that is surrounded by mountains, Banff serves as the hub for commercial activity for the entire Canadian Rockies region.  It's a very welcoming and hospitable town, offering every ammenity a visitor could want.  There are lots of restaurants, bars, and shops, and it's a great place to unwind following a busy day of sightseeing in the Rockies!   Banff National Park is probably most noted for its surreal alpine lake settings.  The reason most people flock to these lakes vary.  One might boast the bluest water ever seen; another might reflect its surrounding mountains as if it were a mirror.  One might be a striking emerald color; another might simply be a place of tranquility, with a postcard perfect mountain setting.  Whatever the reason, there are four lakes considered must-see attractions in Banff National Park--Lake Louise, Moraine, Bow and Peyto.  We will be visiting each of these four lakes, allowing enough time for pleasant strolls along the park's trails.   At Johnston Canyon, we'll encounter one of Banff's most popular trails and boardwalks.  The trail snakes along a majestic narrow canyon created by a small but powerul river.  The impressive trail features boarded walkways, bridges, and even a tunnel!  The reward of those following the path is two sets of lovely waterfalls.   Part of the Canadian Rockies Heritage are grand hotels that were built by the Canadian Railways to lure visitors to a newfound wilderness.  Though we won't be staying in any of them, we will come face-to-face with them during our travels.  You'll see the palace-like Fairmont Chateau looming over Lake Louise--it's quite unavoidable.    During an outing to the Fairmont Banff Springs, we'll discover one of the world's greatest mountain resorts.   We'll enjoy a guided tour of the opulent castle-like hotel and be treated to lunch in one of its restaurants.  Before leaving, we'll make sure to check out Bow Falls, which plunges right behind the hotel.    Our trip features three gondola rides, two of which are in Banff National Park.  At Banff Gondola, we'll ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where we'll be able to see six mountain ranges.  We'll enjoy a meal at its Regal View restaurant while relishing breathtaking views from its windows.  We'll ride a second gondola in Lake Louise at the Lodge of Ten Peaks.  Like in Banff, we'll have a meal following the ride, this one in the lodge at the gondola's base.
 
Following our 4-night stay in Banff, we'll head north along the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper Township, where we'll be staying for three nights.  Upon departing Banff National Park and entering Jasper National Park, we'll come upon the world-famous Columbia Icefields.  This awe-inspiring site is the largest glacier field in the Canadian Rockies.  At Icefield Center, we'll learn about glacier formation before boarding an icefield explorer tour.  The 90-minute tour will transport us via specially designed big-wheeled vehicles to Athabasca Glacier where we'll have the opportunity to actually walk upon its surface!  After the tour, we'll savor the phenomenal views from the center's dining room as we treat everyone to lunch before continuing our day.    During our visit in Jasper, we will visit two of the park's notable waterfalls--Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls.  Both of these Icefield Parkway stopping points offer short pleasant walks that flaunt amazing views of turbulent waters being forced through narrow passages and tumbling to basins below.   We'll discover several other waterfalls when exploring the bridges of Maligne Canyon.  Though an easy walk, this trail is a longer one.  It's an entertaining interpretive trail that crosses the canyon six times via bridges, and has a variety of stunning sights like sheer cliffs, waterfalls, underground rivers, and even a weeping rock.   Jasper National Park is home to numerous bodies of water, but none is more famous than Maligne Lake.  Jasper visitors flock to this lake to see one of the most photographed locations in the world.  There's only one way to get to world-famous Spirit Island, and that is by boat through the emerald waters of Maligne Lake .  We'll make sure everybody has the opportunity to capture their own picture of the majestic stand of trees amidst Maligne Lake during a 90-minute cruise to Spirit Island.   We'll top off our Jasper National Park Experience with a ride up Whistler's Mountain aboard Jasper Tramway.  From the upper platform we'll be able to view six mountain ranges and see the town of Jasper from above.  Before returning to the bottom, we'll treat everybody to a meal at Treeline Restaurant, savoring panoramic views from its glass-enclosed seating area.   After our relaxing 7-night stay in The Canadian Rockies, we'll begin heading eastward.  The first stop on our journey home will be Alberta's largest city.  During our 2-night stay in Calgary, we'll discover the many faces that this western city has donned throughout its history and growth.   Our Calgary visit will begin when we're joined by a local guide for a tour of the city.  Then, we'll visit Fort Calgary, home of the original North West Mounted Police that settled and gave birth to the city.    A tour of Olympic Park (site of the 1988 Winter Olympics) will follow.  We'll be able to see the world's only indoor training facility for bobsled, luge, and skeleton athletes.  We'll see the bobsled track and the ski jump tower.  And, we'll visit the Olympic Hall of Fame.    Our touring of Calgary will come to an end after spending a few hours at Steven Avenue Walk.  A Canadian Historic site, the pedestrian mall has a high concentration of 20th century buildings.  Despite the hustle and bustle of its shops and restaurants, the district affords visitors a glimpse of what was once Calgary.   Following our 2-night stay in Calgary, we continue east, with simple overnight stops in Montana and North Dakota before arriving in Hayward, Wisconsin.   Hayward is home of the World Lumberjack Championships, and when we are travelling through town, the event will be taking place.  After checking into our hotel, we will head for an evening of old-fashion fun as we watch competitors chop wood, saw wood, roll upon logs, and speed climb.  Being that the session is only about 2 1/2 hours and there are more than 15 different contests, you can be assured that the show will provide non-stop action.   After overnighting in Hayward, we'll head for the last destination of our trip--Baraboo, Wisconsin.  Being hometown of the Ringling Brothers and location of the first Ringling Brothers performance, it isn't surprising that Baraboo's biggest attraction is Circus World.  This slice of Americana remembers and celebrates the bygone glory days of the traveling circus.  This site boasts the world's largest collection of ornately decorated circus wagons, a circus museum, a bigtop with live performances, and historic Ringlingville (winter quarters for the circus).    We'll cap off our Baraboo visit with a shuttle to
Ho Chunk Casino for those interesting in live gaming and entertainment, and to Tanger Outlet Center for those interested in shopping.   Following our overnight in Baraboo, we'll journey back to Kentucky with fond memories of an Alpine Adventure of a lifetime!

We are proud to announce a new Travel Crazy Adventure for 2009!  Join us as we experience a region of North America that boasts some of the most famous landscapes in the world.  Modeled after our Experience Alaska trip, Experience The Canadian Rockies has been developed to not merely drive you through the Canadian Rockies, but instead to allow you to vacation amidst a truly world-class Travel Destination and discover its essence.   After departing Kentucky, our three week vacation begins with our cross country drive to Grand Teton National Park.  Our journey will be dotted with two overnight stays en route.  Then, the real fun begins!   We’ll be spending 3 nights in the old western town of Jackson, in hotel accommodations within a short walk of the numerous shops and restaurants at its charming village square.  The town serves as gateway to Grand Teton National Park, and encourages visitors to come play in the Great Outdoors.  And, that’s just what we’ll be doing!   Our daytime activities include a guided tour through Grand Tetons National Park and a peaceful raft trip on the Snake River.  During the tour, we'll discover the jagged mountain settings for which the park is noted and learn about its history and wildlife.  During the float trip, we'll follow the river as it flows through Grand Tetons and be treated to a 10-mile parade of lofty granite peaks.   Our evening outdoor activities will find us enjoying two staples of Western Culture.  At the Wyoming Rodeo, we'll thrill to a small town rodeo with an Anyone Who Has the Gumption Can Do It attitude that displays the original intention of the sport.  And, at Bar T5 Ranch, we'll experience a truly unique chuckwagon meal as we board covered wagons and head through a scenic canyon to a secluded campsite.  After a cowboy hosted dutch oven meal and some hand-clapping western music, we'll reboard our covered wagons and begin to head back as the sun begins to set upon Jackson.   From Jackson, we'll continue our northward trek to Glacier National Park, where lakefront rooms with awe-inspiring views of Lake McDonald will be our home for the next two evenings.  During our stay in Glacier, we will board the park's classic red touring sedans for an all-day exploration of the Going to the Sun Road, acclaimed to be one of the world's most scenic drives.  Weather permitting, the jammer unfurls its top affording unobstructed views of the mountaintops looming overhead.    Glacier National Park hugs the Canadian Border, and butts right up to Waterton Lakes National Park, forming the world's first International Peace Park.  More significantly, Waterton Lakes marks the beginning of The Canadian Rockies.   Following our 2-night stay in Glacier, we'll cross the Canadian Border and head for Waterton Lakes National Park.  It is here that the Rocky Mountains reach their narrowest width, and it is here that deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies resides.  Waterton is a compact park, and is dwarfed by Glacier and it's northern Canadian Rockies counterparts.  Therefore, the park is relatively uncrowded.   We'll spend a half-day touring the park, stopping at several viewpoints for photos and short walks, visiting the magnificant Prince of Wales Hotel, and enjoying a 2-hour sightseeing cruise before continuing on to Banff.   Though we will have gotten a taste of the Canadian Rockies in Waterton, UNESCO (an agency of the United Nations) does not recognize Waterton as one of the four national parks that comprise Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.  The four parks that make up the World Heritage Site are Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper.  Of these four Canadian National Parks, our trip focuses upon two -- Banff National Park and Jasper National Park -- mainly because the scenery on the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain Range is more beautiful than the Western side, and the attractions are more interesting, too   Banff Township sits at the southern end of Banff National Park.  Jasper National Park rests atop Banff National Park.  Running north and south, bisecting both Banff and Jasper, is the Icefields Parkway.  Though some attractions are very close to the townships, most are scattered along this parkway throughout both parks.  Icefields Parkway is a Big Deal, with every bend in the road providing another incredible vista, and the town of Banff is considered gateway to the Icefields Parkway.   Though the length of the parkway can be driven in half a day, why would you drive all of the way to what's considered one of the most scenic places on Earth, then proceed to whisk through it?  Instead, our trip's intent is to let our guests Experience the Canadian Rockies.  We want you to be able to take leisurely strolls or easy hikes through world-class settings.  We want you to be able to sit on a bench and contemplate wonderous sites and bask in your surroundings.  We want you to relax and really enjoy a place that you may very well never come to again.   We have a list of 17 attractions and activities that we want our guests to see and experience during their time in Banff and Jasper.  Strategically, we'll be entering Banff township, staying there for 4 nights, and spending time visiting the attractions near it and the lower half of Icefields Parkway before moving north to Jasper Township.  Once in Jasper, we'll spend 3 nights discovering the sites along the upper half of Icefields Parkway.     During our 4-night stay in Banff, we have selected hotel accommodations within walking distance of Town Centre.  Besides being a striking little town that is surrounded by mountains, Banff serves as the hub for commercial activity for the entire Canadian Rockies region.  It's a very welcoming and hospitable town, offering every ammenity a visitor could want.  There are lots of restaurants, bars, and shops, and it's a great place to unwind following a busy day of sightseeing in the Rockies!   Banff National Park is probably most noted for its surreal alpine lake settings.  The reason most people flock to these lakes vary.  One might boast the bluest water ever seen; another might reflect its surrounding mountains as if it were a mirror.  One might be a striking emerald color; another might simply be a place of tranquility, with a postcard perfect mountain setting.  Whatever the reason, there are four lakes considered must-see attractions in Banff National Park--Lake Louise, Moraine, Bow and Peyto.  We will be visiting each of these four lakes, allowing enough time for pleasant strolls along the park's trails.   At Johnston Canyon, we'll encounter one of Banff's most popular trails and boardwalks.  The trail snakes along a majestic narrow canyon created by a small but powerul river.  The impressive trail features boarded walkways, bridges, and even a tunnel!  The reward of those following the path is two sets of lovely waterfalls.   Part of the Canadian Rockies Heritage are grand hotels that were built by the Canadian Railways to lure visitors to a newfound wilderness.  Though we won't be staying in any of them, we will come face-to-face with them during our travels.  You'll see the palace-like Fairmont Chateau looming over Lake Louise--it's quite unavoidable.    During an outing to the Fairmont Banff Springs, we'll discover one of the world's greatest mountain resorts.   We'll enjoy a guided tour of the opulent castle-like hotel and be treated to lunch in one of its restaurants.  Before leaving, we'll make sure to check out Bow Falls, which plunges right behind the hotel.    Our trip features three gondola rides, two of which are in Banff National Park.  At Banff Gondola, we'll ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where we'll be able to see six mountain ranges.  We'll enjoy a meal at its Regal View restaurant while relishing breathtaking views from its windows.  We'll ride a second gondola in Lake Louise at the Lodge of Ten Peaks.  Like in Banff, we'll have a meal following the ride, this one in the lodge at the gondola's base.
 
Following our 4-night stay in Banff, we'll head north along the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper Township, where we'll be staying for three nights.  Upon departing Banff National Park and entering Jasper National Park, we'll come upon the world-famous Columbia Icefields.  This awe-inspiring site is the largest glacier field in the Canadian Rockies.  At Icefield Center, we'll learn about glacier formation before boarding an icefield explorer tour.  The 90-minute tour will transport us via specially designed big-wheeled vehicles to Athabasca Glacier where we'll have the opportunity to actually walk upon its surface!  After the tour, we'll savor the phenomenal views from the center's dining room as we treat everyone to lunch before continuing our day.    During our visit in Jasper, we will visit two of the park's notable waterfalls--Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls.  Both of these Icefield Parkway stopping points offer short pleasant walks that flaunt amazing views of turbulent waters being forced through narrow passages and tumbling to basins below.   We'll discover several other waterfalls when exploring the bridges of Maligne Canyon.  Though an easy walk, this trail is a longer one.  It's an entertaining interpretive trail that crosses the canyon six times via bridges, and has a variety of stunning sights like sheer cliffs, waterfalls, underground rivers, and even a weeping rock.   Jasper National Park is home to numerous bodies of water, but none is more famous than Maligne Lake.  Jasper visitors flock to this lake to see one of the most photographed locations in the world.  There's only one way to get to world-famous Spirit Island, and that is by boat through the emerald waters of Maligne Lake .  We'll make sure everybody has the opportunity to capture their own picture of the majestic stand of trees amidst Maligne Lake during a 90-minute cruise to Spirit Island.   We'll top off our Jasper National Park Experience with a ride up Whistler's Mountain aboard Jasper Tramway.  From the upper platform we'll be able to view six mountain ranges and see the town of Jasper from above.  Before returning to the bottom, we'll treat everybody to a meal at Treeline Restaurant, savoring panoramic views from its glass-enclosed seating area.   After our relaxing 7-night stay in The Canadian Rockies, we'll begin heading eastward.  The first stop on our journey home will be Alberta's largest city.  During our 2-night stay in Calgary, we'll discover the many faces that this western city has donned throughout its history and growth.   Our Calgary visit will begin when we're joined by a local guide for a tour of the city.  Then, we'll visit Fort Calgary, home of the original North West Mounted Police that settled and gave birth to the city.    A tour of Olympic Park (site of the 1988 Winter Olympics) will follow.  We'll be able to see the world's only indoor training facility for bobsled, luge, and skeleton athletes.  We'll see the bobsled track and the ski jump tower.  And, we'll visit the Olympic Hall of Fame.    Our touring of Calgary will come to an end after spending a few hours at Steven Avenue Walk.  A Canadian Historic site, the pedestrian mall has a high concentration of 20th century buildings.  Despite the hustle and bustle of its shops and restaurants, the district affords visitors a glimpse of what was once Calgary.   Following our 2-night stay in Calgary, we continue east, with simple overnight stops in Montana and North Dakota before arriving in Hayward, Wisconsin.   Hayward is home of the World Lumberjack Championships, and when we are travelling through town, the event will be taking place.  After checking into our hotel, we will head for an evening of old-fashion fun as we watch competitors chop wood, saw wood, roll upon logs, and speed climb.  Being that the session is only about 2 1/2 hours and there are more than 15 different contests, you can be assured that the show will provide non-stop action.   After overnighting in Hayward, we'll head for the last destination of our trip--Baraboo, Wisconsin.  Being hometown of the Ringling Brothers and location of the first Ringling Brothers performance, it isn't surprising that Baraboo's biggest attraction is Circus World.  This slice of Americana remembers and celebrates the bygone glory days of the traveling circus.  This site boasts the world's largest collection of ornately decorated circus wagons, a circus museum, a bigtop with live performances, and historic Ringlingville (winter quarters for the circus).    We'll cap off our Baraboo visit with a shuttle to
Ho Chunk Casino for those interesting in live gaming and entertainment, and to Tanger Outlet Center for those interested in shopping.   Following our overnight in Baraboo, we'll journey back to Kentucky with fond memories of an Alpine Adventure of a lifetime!