The Grand Canyon. Niagara Falls. Old Faithful. They are the vacation destinations that define a childhood. What's magical about these spots, we've discovered, is that no matter how many times you see them in photographs, or read about them or view them on TV, they still blow you away in real life. Indeed, visiting them may well be the closest experience the modern American family has to an ancient pilgrimage. So in that spirit, we present a steamy, natural wonder your family will remember for a lifetime, the Old Faithful Geyser located in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (For other classic family vacations, click on the following links: the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, and Mount Rushmore.)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY
WHY FAMILIES LOVE IT: Up to 8,400 gallons of boiling water shoot some 150 feet skyward roughly every 76 minutes--what's not to love? Plus, Yellowstone itself, the first national park--founded in 1872--offers 2.2 million wilderness acres, the largest concentration of wild mammals (not counting tourists) in the contiguous 48 states and more geysers, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs than the rest of the world combined.BEST TIME TO GO: Our choice would be late summer or early fall, when the weather is pleasant (if cool), trails are dry, big-animal watching is prime and bugs are scarce. In spring, the Yellowstone River and its waterfalls--including one twice the height of Niagara--are spectacular, but the weather is chilly and mercurial. In midsummer, weather and wild flowers peak, but so does tourism, jamming the park's 370 miles of paved roads. In winter, the majority of Yellowstone is open only to travel by ski, snowmobile or snow coach.
TOURING STRATEGY: Yellowstone is big, so give it at least three days and focus on one or two areas of the park. Old Faithful is the centerpiece of the Upper Geyser Basin in south Yellowstone, where scores of geothermal features are accessible by boardwalk trails. At the Old Faithful Visitor Center, pick up an eruption schedule and ask rangers about age-appropriate hikes, recent animal sightings, wild flowers to watch for and more. Also, look for the free "A Pocket Guide to Picnics in Yellowstone Park" at hotel desks. For an eagle's-eye view of Old Faithful, hike up to Observation Point, which is 2.1 miles one way; for a view over the top of your burger bun, snag a geyser-side seat at Old Faithful Lodge cafeteria. The geyser is mobbed midday, so plan your up close viewing at odd hours--in early morning, say, when cool temperatures can result in an extra-steamy show.
BEST ANIMAL WATCHING: Try Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley, where open grasslands lure hungry bison, deer, antelope and elk. Head out at dusk and dawn; early risers will even spy elk near Old Faithful. When you enter the park, ask the ranger at the gate for an animal checklist, a sheet with simple silhouettes, so your kids can log their sightings.
BEST LODGING NEAR OLD FAITHFUL: The Old Faithful Inn (open May through October), with its massive rhyolite boulders, giant pine logs and turn-of-the-century vintage. Rooms with shared bath are only $85.86 per night; with private bath, $106 to $385 per night. The Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Cabins (open May through November), built in 1998, offer modern rooms and cabins, each with two double beds and bath. Rooms are $161 per night; cabins start at $121 per night. Madison Campground, 16 miles away, is the nearest place to pitch a tent; a site with no hookups costs $17. Reservations for lodging and for five of the park's 12 campgrounds are taken up to one year in advance. Call 307-344-7311 or click here.
BEST SOUVENIRS: Take home polished stones--rooting around the bins to choose them is half the fun--and a T-shirt of a grizzly bear with glow-in-the-dark teeth.
MONEY-SAVING TIP: Take advantage of early-bird, late-season and Internet lodging specials, which can save you up to 55 percent off room rates; call 307-344-7311.
BEST SPLURGE: We pick the Old West Cookout, which departs from the north entrance of the park. You'll be part of a crowd, but it's worth it just to see the cowboys at work grilling steaks, singing songs and enchanting your kids. Prices start at $40 for kids ages 6 to 12 and $80 for adults to travel to the cookout in a horse-drawn wagon. A horseback ride instead costs $60 for adults and $50 for kids 8-11 for one-hour. Call 866-646-0388 or 307-344-7311.
FACTS AND FIGURES:
Where it is: In Yellowstone National Park, in the northwest corner of Wyoming.
Annual visitation: 3.1 million people.
Length of eruptions: 90 seconds to 5 minutes.
Fun fact: It's actually not the oldest, nor the biggest, nor the most regular geyser in Yellowstone.
Where to watch it erupt online: Old Faithful Geyser WebCam.
Admission to park: $20 per vehicle for seven-day entrance to the park.
RESOURCES:
General information: 866-646-0388 or 307-344-7381.
Recommended guidebook: An Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (The Mountaineers).
Web sites: The park's official site, National Park Service: Yellowstone, or Travel Yellowstone.
Rani Arbo is a frequent contributor to FAMILYFUN. Steve Dupuis and Curtis Rist contributed tips to this report.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Originally published in May 2000. Updated May, 2005.
