Globus America’s National Parks Tour: My Personal Review
Few vacations capture the scenery, history, and spirit of the American West quite like the Globus America’s National Parks tour.
After selling travel for more than 35 years, I believe this may be the North American tour I have sold more often than any other. I recently had the opportunity to experience it personally—and now I understand its lasting popularity even better.
This well-designed 10-day journey travels from Rapid City to Salt Lake City through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. It combines famous national parks with historic towns, Western landmarks, remarkable wildlife, and exceptionally convenient accommodations.
Having now taken the tour myself, I can honestly say it was well worth it.
Grand Tetons
Experience the Best of the American West
The itinerary brings together many of the places travelers have dreamed of seeing for years:
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Crazy Horse Memorial
- Deadwood
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
- Cody, Wyoming
- Yellowstone National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Jackson, Wyoming
- Salt Lake City
Seeing these destinations on an organized Globus tour removes much of the work involved in planning a national parks vacation. You do not have to map a complicated driving route, repeatedly check into hotels, search for parking, or decide which sights deserve your limited time.
Instead, an experienced Tour Director and professional driver manage the logistics while you enjoy the scenery and learn about the places you are visiting.
A Tour Director Who Made the Experience Better
One of the benefits of traveling with Globus was having an experienced Tour Director who gave us helpful advice throughout the vacation.
At Mount Rushmore, for example, our Tour Director suggested walking the Presidential Trail to the left. The trail provides a much closer look at the monument and several excellent viewpoints.
We were also given a very practical tip: after reaching the upper viewing area and seeing the best views, turn around and walk back the way we came rather than continuing down all the stairs.
That simple piece of advice allowed us to enjoy the most rewarding part of the trail without tackling more steps than necessary. These are the kinds of helpful details you may not know when visiting independently.
Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial
Mount Rushmore is naturally one of the most anticipated stops on the tour. Photographs are familiar, but standing beneath the enormous faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln is a completely different experience.
The walk along the Presidential Trail provides changing perspectives of the monument and a much closer view of the mountain carving.
The visit to Crazy Horse Memorial adds another important perspective on the people and history of the region. The immense mountain carving honors the Lakota leader Crazy Horse and the culture and heritage of North America’s Indigenous peoples.
Experiencing Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse during the same journey provides travelers with a broader and more thoughtful understanding of the Black Hills.
Mount Rushmore
Deadwood and the Legends of the Old West
Deadwood brings the stories of the American frontier to life.
Names such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are woven into the history of this former gold-rush town. Walking its streets with the benefit of a guided tour is far more meaningful than simply stopping for a photograph.
This is one of the advantages of traveling with Globus: the itinerary does not focus only on scenery. It also introduces travelers to the history, personalities, and events that shaped the American West.
A Local Perspective at Little Bighorn
Our visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument was especially meaningful because a local Crow Nation expert joined us on the motorcoach.
The expert explained the events surrounding the Battle of Little Bighorn and provided valuable historical and cultural context as we traveled through the battlefield. Hearing the story from a knowledgeable local perspective made the visit far more interesting and powerful.
If we had visited the monument independently, we could have toured the battlefield, but we would not necessarily have received the same detailed explanation or understood the significance of everything we were seeing.
This was another example of the value Globus added to the trip. The tour did more than take us to an important historical site—it helped us understand it.
The journey then continued to Cody, Wyoming, the town associated with the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody. Cody retains a strong Western identity and provides a natural transition between the history of the frontier and the extraordinary landscapes of Yellowstone.
Staying Inside Yellowstone Is a Definite Plus
Yellowstone is one of the greatest highlights of the Globus America’s National Parks tour, and the location of the accommodations is a major advantage of this itinerary.
With Globus, we stayed at the historic Old Faithful Inn, right next to Old Faithful Geyser. Instead of staying at a hotel farther away and having to leave the park at the end of the day, we were able to remain in the heart of Yellowstone.
There is something very special about staying at this historic inn and being able to walk outside to see Old Faithful. The geyser erupts approximately every 90 minutes, so its convenient location gives you more opportunities to experience it without feeling rushed.
We also stayed at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, within walking distance of the remarkable Mammoth Hot Springs terraces. Being able to walk from the hotel to this extraordinary area was another definite plus.
These locations make an enormous difference. Rather than spending additional time traveling back and forth to hotels outside Yellowstone, you have more time to enjoy the park—especially during the quieter mornings and evenings.
Old Faithful
The Unforgettable Old Faithful Experience
Staying at the historic Old Faithful Inn was one of the features that made the tour feel so special.
Imagine stepping outside your hotel and watching one of the world’s most famous geysers erupt. You do not have to plan another drive, find parking, or worry about leaving immediately afterward. You have time to slow down and appreciate where you are.
Old Faithful is only one part of this remarkable geothermal area. Yellowstone also contains colorful hot springs, steaming vents, bubbling pools, waterfalls, canyons, and vast wildlife habitats.
No photograph fully conveys the size and variety of Yellowstone. Around each bend, the scenery seems to change. Staying inside the park allows you to feel more connected to it rather than simply passing through as a daytime visitor.
Yellowstone Wildlife
Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, but Yellowstone offers opportunities to see bison, elk, deer, and other animals in their natural environment.
One benefit of having an experienced Tour Director and driver is that they know the region and understand where wildlife may be spotted. Travelers can concentrate on looking out the window and taking photographs instead of watching the road.
Of course, Yellowstone’s animals are wild. Visitors should always maintain a safe distance and follow park guidance.
Grand Teton National Park and Jackson
After Yellowstone, the journey continues through Grand Teton National Park.
The Tetons rise dramatically above lakes, forests, and open valleys, creating some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in North America. Even after the wonders of Yellowstone, the first view of these peaks can be breathtaking.
Jackson offers a lively conclusion to the national parks portion of the trip. Its Western character, shops, galleries, restaurants, and famous antler arches make it an enjoyable place to explore.
My Personal Highlight: Floating the Snake River
One of the greatest highlights for me personally was an optional two-and-a-half-hour scenic float down the Snake River outside Jackson.
I would highly recommend adding this experience.
The float was peaceful and incredibly relaxing, with spectacular scenery throughout the journey. The views of the Grand Tetons from the river were simply amazing. Floating along the Snake River gives you a completely different perspective of the mountains and surrounding wilderness.
Photographs and videos may be beautiful, but they cannot capture what it feels like to be there. You have to experience the scale of the mountains, the stillness of the river, and the fresh air in person to truly appreciate it.
We traveled at the end of August, and the weather during our visit was perfect. It was comfortable and wonderfully refreshing, making the river float even more enjoyable. Weather can naturally vary, but our late-August experience could not have been better.
For me, this optional excursion was not simply another activity. It became one of the most memorable experiences of the entire vacation.
Snake River float
Why I Recommend Globus for the National Parks
A national parks vacation can appear simple until you begin planning it. Distances are considerable, accommodations inside the parks can be difficult to secure, and the most logical route is not always obvious.
Globus takes care of those details.
The company provides:
- A carefully organized itinerary
- Transportation by comfortable motorcoach
- An experienced Tour Director
- A professional driver
- Guided sightseeing and included attractions
- Knowledgeable local experts
- Prearranged accommodations
- Selected meals
- Time in both natural and historic destinations
Globus is an especially good choice for travelers who want a comfortable, well-organized vacation offering strong value without needing to arrange every detail independently.
The days can be active, and there is considerable ground to cover. That is the nature of seeing several major Western destinations within one vacation. However, the itinerary is thoughtfully planned, and each travel day moves you toward another worthwhile experience.
My Honest Opinion After Taking the Tour
I have recommended and sold this itinerary to many travelers during my career. Experiencing it personally confirmed why it remains so popular.
The tour offers a rare combination of iconic scenery, American history, wildlife, national parks, and Western culture. More importantly, it places travelers in the heart of the experience—especially in Yellowstone, where the location of the accommodations can make an enormous difference.
This is not simply a vacation for checking destinations off a list. It is an opportunity to stand beneath Mount Rushmore, gain a local perspective at Little Bighorn, watch Old Faithful erupt, look for bison in Yellowstone, see the peaks of the Grand Tetons, and peacefully float down the Snake River.
For travelers who have always wanted to experience the American West but do not want to manage the driving and complicated arrangements themselves, the Globus America’s National Parks tour is one I can recommend with confidence.
I sold this tour successfully for years. After traveling on it myself, I believe it is well worth the journey.
Plan Your Globus National Parks Vacation With Curlew Travel
Choosing the correct departure date, flights, room arrangements, travel insurance, and optional experiences can make a significant difference in your vacation.
Curlew Travel can help you review the available Globus departures and select the itinerary and arrangements that best suit your travel style.
Contact Curlew Travel to begin planning your Globus America’s National Parks vacation.
My brother and I in Yellowstone