Melinda, Author at Witte Travel

Grand Teton National Park

We didn’t spend as much time in the Grand Teton National Park, though next time around we will definitely expand our explorations of this spectacular area. We got to view the Tetons from many different turnouts and overlooks. Each one was well worth the stop. We also got to enjoy a float trip down the Snake River, as well as exploring the town of Jackson Hole.

Yellowstone National Park Slideshow

Views of the Tetons – Albright View Turnout, Glacier View Turnout, Teton Point Turnout, Snake River Overlook, and Oxbow Bend. We stopped at each outlook and were rewarded every single time. The scenery is beyond description. My two favorite stops were Snake River Overlook and Oxbow Bend.

Moulton Barn, which is located in the Mormon Row area, is a sight to see against the backdrop of the Teton range. This is one of the most photographed barns in the world. We actually stopped at this spot twice, in the late afternoon and early morning. It was worth the trip both times and one of the many highlights of the trip.

Scenic Float Trip – we decided to enjoy the area by participating in a 13-mile float trip on the Snake River. The trip time was three hours total, including transportation to the river and back, and included a box lunch. Our river guide was quite knowledgeable and kept us entertained. The scenery from the river was so unique, we were glad we signed up. I never knew eagles nests were so large and seeing eagles flying overhead…spectacular. Next time we are planning to try White Water Rafting.

Jackson Hole, WY – while you’re in the area, don’t miss out on visiting this quaint town. Jackson Hole has amazing boardwalks and a Town Square that has elk antler arches, which is a site to behold. There are a lot of shops to visit, and so many options for dining that you are sure to find something you’ll enjoy. We got the chance to see an Elk Chandelier being assembled. My husband and I took a day to just visit this town, which was yet another of our highlights. When we return to the National Parks, we’re sure to visit Jackson Hole again.

Yellowstone National Park…Thermal Areas

Mud Volcano Area, includes Dragon’s Mouth Spring – interesting to see, but not one I have to see again. If you are short on time, skip this area.

Old Faithful – isn’t quite as faithful as it used to be. The time of eruption is about every hour-and-a-half. It was a lot of waiting as we arrived right after an eruption. We were eventually rewarded and it was interesting to watch. Did you know that Yellowstone National Park is considered on of the largest active volcanoes in the world? It’s not the typical volcano in scale or appearance.

Midway Geyser Basin with the Excelsior Geyser (third largest geyser in the world), Turquoise and Opal Pool, and my favorite…the Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone and second largest in the world. This is one area I would return to every time we visit Yellowstone on vacation.

Mammoth Hot Springs that include unique limestone terraces. This is quite an interesting spot to visit and explore. I would definitely go back to this area again.

Yellowstone National Park Slideshow

Yellowstone National Park…Animals Aplenty

Bison, Elk, Moose, Birds, Wolves, and Bear

Haydn Valley – our absolute FAVORITE spot. My husband and I visited this valley in the early afternoon and found a tiny herd of Bison. The next day we decided to return to the valley and were rewarded by an awesome site…the largest heard of Bison I have ever seen in my life. Did you know that female Bison also have horns? I didn’t know that until seeing it with my own eyes. Mike and I spent more than an hour in the valley enjoying the amazing sights and sounds of these animals. It’s a hoot to watch them cross the road. Just know that they are in control and will cross in their own time so if you get stopped by one just settle in and enjoy the views.

Animals when you least expect it. My husband and I happened upon two Bull Elk, one of whom still had fur on his horns. Their horns are absolutely massive and were quite a sight see. We got to enjoy the Elk with quite a few other tourists who were very respectful of the animals. Being quiet and staying at a safe distance is key to enjoying these wild animals.

On our trip we also saw a momma Grizzly and her two cubs from a vast distance away. We didn’t get any closer looks, which was fine with me. We also got to see an adolescent bear on our way leaving the park at the end of our stay. He was investigating a meadow area and we were on an upper level with many other tourists. Once he started getting closer, and even knowing he’d have to climb to get to us, I decided to venture back to the car. It was quite an amazing highlight that we didn’t expect to see.

Yellowstone National Park Slideshow

Yellowstone National Park…Scenery Galore

Yellowstone is without a doubt my most favorite place to visit. The scenery is simply breathtaking.

Gibbon Falls Trail – nice short trail with waterfall views.

Brink of Upper Falls – this trail is as long as you want. My husband and I enjoyed views of the upper falls and decided to continue down the path, over a bridge and found ourselves by Yellowstone River. Beware of signs and of your surroundings. While we didn’t see any wildlife, except a beaver, there is a sign warning of bear in the area. The next day when we were in our car coming back from the Lower Falls and in the same spot where we had saw the sign for Yellowstone River there was a wolf. Now a second word of caution, don’t forget these are wild animals. I can’t tell you how many vehicles were on the side of the road and people were out of their vehicles approaching the animal.

Lower Falls – Two vantage points

For an amazing view that includes a short and leisurely walk, visit Artist Point. This is where we got the absolute best views and images of the Lower Falls.
For those that want to get “up close and personal” with the Lower Falls and are in great shape, check out Uncle Tom’s Trail. This trail is not for those with mobility issues. The trail is a 500-feet and includes a 328 steep steel staircase and paved inclines.

Kepler Cascades – quite a beautiful waterfall and worth the short trek to the viewing spot.

Calcite Springs Overlook – a short walk to the overlook area (The Narrows), which will afford you views of the river 500 feet below. One of our most favorite images taken was at this very spot. The scenery…well worth the stop.

Lewis Falls – 30 feet tall on the Lewis River. A last-minute stop that we thoroughly enjoyed running across.

Yellowstone National Park Slideshow

Yellowstone National Park…Accommodations

In preparing for our visit, I felt it important to find the best accommodations possible based on what we wanted to see. Yellowstone is quite vast at 2,000,000 miles, so we knew we would be traveling via car quite a bit and wanted to minimize the commute to/from our lodgings. Unfortunately I began my search for accommodations after the National Park reservation system had opened up, so the best dates/rates were already gone for accommodations inside the park. If this happens to you, there are so many options just outside the park that you’re sure to find what will work best for your family. With four entrances, be sure to find the best “home base” for your family so you can minimize traveling time as much as possible.

Tips and Hints for an enjoyable and SAFE vacation at Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

Follow the speed limits, signs, and rules regarding distances to animals at all times. The parks are amazing; however, if you don’t follow the rules you or the animals can get hurt. The animals are not caged, so you are entering their habitat. I saw many people forget that in the excitement of seeing elk, bear, wolves, and even bison.

Did you know that more than 100 deer, moose, bears, elk, bison, & wolves are killed each year due to speeding vehicles?
Did you know that while bison can weigh as much as 2,000 lbs, they are faster than you would think and can spring 30 miles per hour. More people are injured by bison than any other animal in Yellowstone. If you heed the wisdom of the safety rules, you are ensured to have an amazing time.
Staying safe in Yellowstone’s superhot places. There are many hydrothermal areas. Water is often near or above boiling. The crust above the water is thin and easily breaks. The best way to stay safe is to follow all signs and stay on boardwalks and designated trails. They protect you and the delicate formations. If the wind blows some of your possessions away from the boardwalk, don’t try and retrieve it if it’s in a thermal area. Find a park ranger to see if they can help.

Two National Treasures in the United States…Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park

What one was better? If you only had time to see only one park what one should you choose? I must say if you are traveling that far and with the parks so close together, take the time to at least get in the highlights of both parks. It was quite the debate on our trip on which park is the absolute must see. My husband Mike was drawn to Grand Teton due to the awesome mountains and the famous Moulton Barn, while I thought Yellowstone won out hands-down due to the varied landscape and animals. Mike’s mom and her husband have gone to both parks as well and it was a similar debate with his mom preferring Yellowstone and step-father choosing the Tetons. I can tell you with 100% certainty you can’t take a bad picture of the Tetons or at Yellowstone, nor does any image you’ve seen do them justice. The scenery is beyond description. It’s one of those places you MUST see in your lifetime.

Grand Teton National Park Slideshow

Yellowstone National Park Slideshow

Press Release – Alaska Comes Alive with Vivid Imagery

Holland America Line

For more information, contact:

Karen Chircop or Lorna Elve, Witte Travel & Tours

(616) 942-5112

ALASKA COMES ALIVE WITH VIVID IMAGERY AT THE HILTON GRAND RAPIDS AIRPORT AT 11:00AM ON FEBRUARY 4, 2012

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (January 4, 2012) – Witte Travel & Tours will host ON STAGE ALASKA, a free multi-media Alaska travel presentation created to provide a glimpse of the history, scenic grandeur, wildlife and friendliness of the people to those planning an Alaska vacation.

The program, sponsored by Witte Travel & Holland America Line and produced by Holland America Line, features their Alaska CruiseTour destination film and live performance of an entertaining duo who have extensive travel experience in Alaska and the Yukon. The entertainers also work in the Great Land; one as a river guide on the Nenana River in Denali and one performs at Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre in Denali National Park. They are honored to serve as ambassadors for Alaska and look forward to sharing their passion, experience, and recommendations for a great vacation in the Great Land.

The show is open to the public and will take place at the Hilton Grand Rapids Airport, 4747 28^th Street S.E. (Free parking) on February 4, at 11:00am.

Alaska, with its popular travel season beginning in May and ending in mid-September, is one of the best summer travel destinations to see by both land and sea. Travelers plan early, and so there’s no better way to get started on planning than to attend this show.

In addition, ON STAGE ALASKA provides information on 2012 Holland America cruise and cruisetour itineraries to Alaska and the Yukon.

Admission is FREE however; seats must be reserved by January 26. For information or reservations, call Witte Travel at 616-942-5112 or 800 GO WITTE

Witte Travel & Tours, in business for over 36 years, is one of West Michigan’s premier travel companies, providing travel consulting to individuals, families, and honeymoon couples for their vacation packages, cruises and more at destinations throughout the world. Witte Travel also custom-designs group tours to destinations in Europe, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Africa, Australia, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, South America, Vietnam, and the continental United States. Specialty group tours include performance tours for vocal and handbell choirs, student study programs, tours focusing on religious, art, architectural, cultural and/or historical themes, and family heritage.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line’s fleet of 13 ships offers nearly 500 cruises to 314 ports of call in 97 countries, territories or dependencies. Two- to 108-day itineraries visit all seven continents, including Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal.

In the 2006 Portrait of Affluent Travelers survey by Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell, Holland America Line topped the list of cruise lines sought after by affluent leisure travelers. Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, totaling more than $225 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Café powered by The New York Times, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner’s Dream Beds.

World’s Leading Cruise Lines

The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world, Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Costa Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The World’s Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.

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Allure of the Seas

ALLURE OF THE SEAS INAUGURAL

November 19-21, 2010

My husband and I had the opportunity to cruise on the new Allure of the Seas with Royal Caribbean. This was a two night cruise from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, out to sea and back to port. It was the inaugural sailing and offered to select agencies, Royal Caribbean staff and press. Filming of the motion picture “Jack and Jill” starring Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes and Al Pacino was taking place while we were onboard. It was a very exciting cruise!

The Allure of the Seas is the largest ship at sea. It is 225,282 tons, will carry up to 5400 passengers and 2384 staff. It is one huge ship! Looking at these facts prior to the trip we were a little overwhelmed by the size and number of people. Once onboard we realized how well Royal Caribbean has this figured out. They built a city at sea with a neighborhood concept which breaks the ship up into seven distinct neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are Central Park, Boardwalk, Pool & Sports Zone, Royal Promenade, Entertainment Place and Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center. The Allure also has information centers (similar to an Ipad with a touch screen) at each elevator giving you directions to different dining, entertainment and activity areas on the ship. The information centers also tell you how full each restaurant is. We found this very helpful and I am sure guests will as well.

There are 25 different dining choices onboard the Allure, 14 of which are complimentary. We really enjoyed the selection that the Allure offered. Some of the unique complimentary options are specialty hog dogs and brats at Boardwalk Dog House, My Family Time Dining allowing parents to stay behind and have dinner after their kids do – the kids are picked up by staff of Adventure Ocean about 1 hour into dinner and Boardwalk Donuts offering donuts, pastries and specialty coffees. Clients can easily cruise on this ship with out additional dining costs however if they are looking to try something new and different they can opt to pay a small surcharge for some of the other options. A few that we enjoyed were Starbucks, Mexican cuisine at Rita’s Catinas, cupcakes at the Cupcake Cupboard and tapas at Vintages Wine Bar. I think the Allure will surprise guests with the number of dining options, wide variety of options and how good the food is!

Just like with dining the Allure doesn’t disappoint when it comes to entertainment and activities. At the stern of this ship is the amazing AquaTheatre offering entertainment during the day and at night. Studio B offers ice shows at Sea! When we were onboard it was themed after the movie, How to Train your Dragon. We loved it and families will

too! At the Boardwalk you will find a full-sized Carousel and the Zip Line which is suspended 9 decks above you! At the Pool and Sports Zone the Allure offers Flow Rider which is a surf simulator, Allure Dunes Mini Golf, and H2O Zone for family fun, which also has an area for toddlers and infants. There are endless activities onboard; some others include a Sports Court, Table Tennis, Rock Climbing Walls, the Beach Pool, Card Room and Library. During the evening hours you will stay busy at the Casino Royale, Comedy Live, On Air Club, themed Street Parties on the Royal Promenade and the many different dining venues and bars. Another option for the evening is to head over to the Amber Theatre which offers three shows. Guests can choose from Chicago: The Musical, Blue Planet and Headliner Show. We went to Chicago: The Musical and I loved it! It was more amazing then the movie in my opinion and a great way to start the evening!

The Allure offers a lot of shopping options for those of us that love to shop. Some of the unique options are the Candy Shop offering more then 72 varieties of bulk candy. Pets at Sea which allows you to make your own stuffed animal pet and Pinwheels which offers childrens clothing and toys.

The Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center is on Deck 6. The Spa has 29 treatment rooms with a full list of options to choose from. The Fitness Center offers new classes to choose from, I think clients will enjoy the variety.

Royal Caribbean specializes in the family cruise experience. Onboard the Allure is the Adventure Ocean & Youth Zone. The youth program is for kids ages 3-11 and there is a separate teen program for kids ages 12-17. With in these two programs the kids are broken down into 5 different groups based on age. With in the area is an Ocean Theatre, Science Lab, Arcade and a nightclub called Fuel. The Allure also offers a Royal Babies and Royal Tots Nursery for children 6 to 36 months. Parents have day and night drop-off options and there is an extra charge for this. There are specific times during the day that are complimentary and offer free-time play for the kids.

There are 37 different categories of cabins on the Allure. They are broken down into Interior, Outside, Balcony, Balcony Suite and Loft Suite. This offers a wide variety of options depending on the type of cabin the clients are interested in, the number in their party and their budget. There are 17 decks on the Allure and we were on Deck 14. We had a Balcony Stateroom which was called a Central Park View Stateroom with Balcony. This actually faced the interior of the ship vs. out to Sea. It looked out over Central Park which is really beautiful; a street full of foliage, dining and shops. I wouldn’t suggest being on Deck 14 as we would hear the noise of the pool chairs one deck above us each morning. I would imagine this is pretty typical as they set up the pool area each morning.

We did tour a lot of the cabins and I liked how Royal Caribbean offers so many different family options with multiple baths, layout options and beds offering larger families to get just one cabin.

We had such a great time on the new Allure. I would highly suggest this to families as well as couples looking for a high energy experience with a lot of options. This is one ship we will go on again! I wouldn’t hesitate to say it is the best of its type at Sea!