Rocky Mountains travel tips

The air is crisp, and the leaves are bursting into vivid hues. Maybe you’re planning a road trip to admire the beauty. But getting your fill of fall foliage from behind the wheel can turn into an awkward juggle between admiring the vistas and navigating traffic. If you hop on a train, you can give the scenery your full attention and view some sights you just can’t see from the highway. Here are five great American train rides that offer day trips for peak-autumn panoramas.

The traditional territories in Alberta are home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit who have called these territories home for time immemorial. We respectfully acknowledge the diverse histories, cultures, and territories of Treaty 6, 7, 8, 4, and 10, as well as the homelands of the Métis, the 8 Métis Settlements, the 6 Métis Regions of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Hyatt's newest promotion celebrates its recent incorporation of 800-plus luxurious Mr & Mrs Smith properties around the world, ranging from an apartment-style hotel in downtown Reykjavik to an all-inclusive hot spring resort in the Rocky Mountains. This fall is the perfect time to explore Hyatt's newest addition because World of Hyatt members can earn double points at Mr & Mrs Smith properties.

Stepping into The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, Colorado, just outside of Vail, feels like entering a cozy alpine oasis. This year-round resort destination is tucked into the mountain up on a perch among the majestic Rocky Mountains, peering down to showcase the scenic beauty of the Vail Valley. The property, with rooms from around $1,000 during ski season and far less during shoulder seasons, looks – and feels – like something straight out of a sophisticated Swiss postcard, albeit with Colorado’s rugged Wild West spirit.

Sep 18, 2024 • 7 min read

Aug 30, 2024 • 9 min read

In conjunction with Make-A-Wish, Railbookers Group (RBG) a teen and her family to experience an overnight journey aboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr train traveling through the Rocky Mountains.

Jackson Hole offers adventure for every season. This wondrous Wyoming destination is irresistible to skiers eager to conquer the surrounding slopes, hikers longing to summit stunning peaks and naturalists excited to trek into some of the United States’ top national parks. The town, nestled amid the Rocky Mountains, makes a scenic base camp with luxurious lodgings to match. The next time adventure calls, Jackson Hole and its amazing accommodations await.

Nestled in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, Aspen is a small ski town known for vacationers with big budgets.

In the battle to safeguard the planet’s endangered ecosystems, Canada is a global leader. Some of the world’s oldest, best managed, and biodiverse national parks reside north of the 49th parallel, collected under the umbrella of Parks Canada, a growing network of nearly 50 parks inaugurated since 1911.

Looking for a cool way to vacation in Canada this summer? How about a road trip hitting all the highlights of Alberta, the big Western province where the prairie meets the Rocky Mountains.

The Grand Canyon, the Napa Valley, New Orleans — the United States' biggest draws need little in the way of introduction, having long captured imaginations across the globe. But in some ways, big isn't always best, at least where carbon footprints are concerned — and there are ways to take in the country's greatest hits without the correspondingly great environmental cost. From kayaking the Everglades to going electric in Washington, DC, here's how you can tread lightly while still enjoying the very best of the US.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to prioritize wellness in 2024? This collection of hotels is filled with options to guide you on your journey to well-being. These properties have elevated the wellness experience, ensuring that travelers can maintain existing goals or establish new ones even when away from home.

Ice-skating through pine forests, across alpine lakes, and on urban canals and remote glaciers can be an exhilarating way to experience winter wonderlands. But with rising global temperatures, natural ice, or “wild ice,” is becoming a rarity.

Nestled within the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Montana offers an array of skiing and snowboarding options that cater to every winter enthusiast’s dreams. But what sets Montana apart is visitors won’t encounter those long lift lines that can dampen any ski trip.

In the US, embarking on a train trip means taking the track less travelled. Once the symbol of technological advancement and westward expansion, the country’s railroads have had a hard time moving into the modern era. But when you ride the rails in the US, you’re afforded the opportunity to peel back the layers of this land and experience it on a human scale. 

Winter may not be everyone’s favorite season, but with fewer crowds and serene landscapes, it could be one of the best times to travel. The key, besides the right winter wardrobe? Diving into adventures from coast to coast. Here are a few hot spots for embracing the cold.

While Canada’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts are home to their fair share of spectacular landscapes, those who venture into the vast interior of the country can find towering mountains, verdant forests, and rushing rivers—and for those hoping to explore all three at once, Alberta is the perfect destination. Measuring in at just over 660,000 square kilometers, this sprawling province hosts large tracts of the Rocky Mountains, offering ample opportunity for outdoor adventure aficionados to explore to their hearts’ content. For impending visitors, there’s no shortage of dazzling ecolodges to use as a base, but when it comes to finding the perfect blend of luxury accommodations and rustic charm, there’s no beating Mount Engadine Lodge.

I don’t remember when my love of Canada began — it’s something that’s always been there, this connection to a country that feels like a second home even though I haven’t spent longer than a month there in one go. I grew up by the sea in Cornwall and planned to study marine biology and live out on the water, researching whales and sharks. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, my lack of scientific aptitude quickly put paid to that idea, but the love of nature remained and has been an anchor in my life and in my writing.

The United States is supersized, from its sprawling big cities to its epic natural splendors. And its citizens? When it comes to friendliness and national pride, we can be a little “extra” too.

What are the friendliest places in America? The self-storage company Neighbor.com has just released its fourth annual list of America’s 25 Most Neighborly Cities, in honor of National Neighbor Day. The 2023 study ranks U.S. cities based on factors like charitable donations, volunteering, crime rates and more.