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Federal, State, and Local Government solutions built with your security in mind!

National travel has over 40 years of experience working in government travel management and continues to serve some of the largest federal, state, and local government agencies with some of the toughest travel requirements there are..

From deploying thousands of travelers to natural disaster zones, to handling humanitarian teams moving through dangerous countries around the world. We know the job our government travelers are doing is vital work and they know who to trust to handle the travel arrangements.

We know every government agency is a little different and will customize your travel management to fit what YOU need out of your travel!

GSA Certification

View our updated GSA Contract that has led many government agencies to trust National Travel as their preferred travel partner.

Strategic Partnerships

National Travel works with a variety of expense management tools inclosing Concur, ChromeRiver, and many more! These relationships help make your travel program operations smooth and easy to manage.

Policy Enforcement

Our years of government experience have taught us the nuances of government travel policies and our resources help to enforce it!

Airline Ticketing Agency

We help find the most efficient, comfortable, and best route by:

• Comparing alternate origins/destinations to find the best options for you.
• Analyzing connection cities and times to avoid missed connects and create a stress-free flight experience.
• Comparing seat maps across airlines and departure times to find the most comfortable option for you.
• Give instant access to the itinerary via Email, the IT App, or our Website for quick reference.

Additional government travel services for your convenience

• Flight Insurance – We include a standard flight life insurance of up to $250,000 per traveler to cover the unlikely event of an airline accident.
• Frequent Flyer enrollment assistance if requested.
• Save all membership numbers in the traveler’s profile so you don’t need to remember them.
• Seat selection, monitoring, and purchasing, if your preference is not available, we will monitor your flight for a better seat to open up or help in purchasing a better seat at your request.
• Baggage tracking or lost baggage assistance so you can get on with your life while we track down your luggage.
• Traveler’s Rights Advisement, we know what the airlines are responsible for and how to help in any situation.
• Split Ticket Payments – We can accept multiple forms of payment on ticket purchases if needed.
• Flight Stats Monitoring – automated system that watches for any travel interruptions so you know faster and can plan ahead.
• En-Route Assistance – We are here to provide assistance or recommendations throughout your entire travel experience, so you always have a travel expert in your pocket.

Services you can depend on

Special Services

Flight stats monitoring, irregular flight operations, international travel, software that keeps a watchful eye on all our airline reservations to alert of any interruptions, delays, or cancellations so you can rest easy.

Our agents are constantly monitoring the Flight Stats system which alerts us if any reservation we have booked could suffer interruptions. This allows us to alert our travelers as soon as something comes up so we can help you to adapt faster and get back to your business. We will reach out with a phone ca

ll with new flight options already selected to get your travelers rerouted faster so they can always get where they need to be when they need to be there.

A Critical Special Service

Irregular Operations (IROPs) training is a priority for all of National Travel’s advisors. Each traveler’s flight interruption, or potential problem, is acted on in real time. On many occasions, our Travel Specialist will have already selected alternate flights for an itinerary as a backup, before the client is even aware of the issue!

Our advantage is that we research and analyze not only one airline or routing, but on multiple airlines and routing options to find the best solution. On a stormy winter day, it is not uncommon for our Concierge Group to act as triage in routing flight status reports to our Travel Advisors, who may have hundreds of these issues to work through during a daily operation. Our services, including the rerouting and re-booking of itineraries impacted by IROPs, are available 24 hours a day, without charge!

Special Service – International Desk

Our team of globe-trotting agents are able to assist with country specific travel recommendations, cultural advice, restaurant recommendations/reservations, and much more!

Our Agents will assist with:

• Passport and VISA Assistance/Procurement
• Global Entry Payment/Procurement
• Interpreter Procurement and Assistance
• International Currency Exchange
• Country Briefing Protocol
• International Meet and Greet Reservations
• International Black Car Reservations
• Rail Schedules, Ferry Reservations
• Consolidator Ticket Review
• Duty of Care- stay connected with your travelers traveling internationally.
• CDC Bulletins, State Bulletins, Embassy Locations
• In-house Monitoring, Passengers on a Plane

Participating with FedRooms and being a full-service travel agency, National Travel’s Hotel Program presents the most in selections and value.

The benefits of the program are:

• Rates are always at or below per diem
• No hidden service or resort fees unless requested by the traveler
• No minimum stay requirement
• More than 180+ plus chains

Many of the FedRoom properties also offer:

• Free Breakfast
• Free Parking
• Free Internet
• Free Airport Transfers
• Free Shuttle to Your Government Facility
• Generous cancellation policy

Being a Full-Service Agency, our program allows our agent to contact any property and negotiate the best rates on your behalf.  You never have to worry about limited space or budgets, as our agents will always work to find the best location at the best rate for you.

Government Travel Ground Transportation

• Easy Booking with any rental company through our online tool or with an agent.
• Memberships and Preferences are saved so you always get your reward points and do not need to remember any numbers.
• Assistance with Receipts and Refunds so you can get on with your day, while we take care of this for you.
• Negotiate corporate rates to gain company discounts and set up preferred vendors.

Uber and Lyft for Business Use

National Travel has organized an Uber or Lyft for Business arrangement that allows us:

• The ability to schedule rides for travelers in real-time or in advance.
• No need for your travelers to have the Uber or Lyft app.
• We track rides through an online dashboard from start to finish.
• Ability to charge your card after the ride is taken and add this to your invoice.

See why we’re different

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About National Travel and Tourism Office

The National Travel and Tourism Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth through:

• Management of the travel and tourism research and statistical program for assessing the economic contribution of the travel and tourism industry and providing the sole source for data on international travel to and from the United States;
• Organization and administration of travel and tourism export expansion activities; and
• Development and implementation of travel and tourism policy, strategy and advocacy initiatives through collaboration with domestic and international public and private sector stakeholders.

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Learn More About Travel and Tourism Research

Read more about the travel and tourism advisory board, check out the tourism policy council, discover information about the travel and tourism industries, explore industry & analysis careers.

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National Travel Bureau

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CELEBRATING NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK

May 19 - may 25, 2024.

(Note: While NTTW has historically been celebrated during the first full week of May, this year’s NTTW dates were shifted due to a conflict with U.S. Travel’s IPW.)

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) is a widely celebrated annual tradition for both the U.S. travel community and here locally in Virginia Beach. It’s a time when travel, tourism, and hospitality professionals come together to celebrate the importance our industry holds for our economy, businesses, and even personal well-being. 

For more than 40 years, NTTW has been dedicated to highlighting the power of travel by recognizing the millions of people nationwide who help keep the hospitality industry going strong, on the frontlines, and behind the scenes.

This is a special time for us to unite in celebrating our industry and honoring the hard work and commitment of our Virginia Beach hospitality and tourism workforce - our hospitality heroes.  

Do you know someone who is the best of the best in the Virginia Beach tourism industry? Nominate a hospitality hero below! In Virginia Beach, we’re celebrating NTTW 2024 early with our annual luncheon and awards ceremony on Thursday May 2, 2024,  at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Honors in 14 categories will be announced – check back soon for registration details!  

During National Travel and Tourism Week, the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau holds its annual National Travel and Tourism Week Awards Ceremony program. The program was created to recognize those within our hospitality community who excel in their work in making Virginia Beach a first-class travel destination. Awards in almost a dozen industry-related categories were presented to local “hospitality heroes” at a luncheon held on May 11, 2023 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

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The collective strength of more than 1,000 member organizations growing the $1.3 trillion U.S. travel industry.

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To increase travel to and within the United States.

We pursue this mission by establishing travel as essential and responsible, advancing seamless and secure travel, shaping solutions to operational challenges and building a strong business. By engaging with U.S. Travel, our members shape a thriving and sustainable travel experience.

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All U.S. Travel committees are comprised of U.S. Travel members and at least one U.S. Travel staff liaison, providing you with the opportunity to directly connect with the U.S. Travel leadership and better ensure that common concerns are addressed to the Executive Board.

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Travel and Tourism

Travel and tourism satellite account for 2018-2022.

The travel and tourism industry—as measured by the real output of goods and services sold directly to visitors—increased 21.0 percent in 2022 after increasing 53.6 percent in 2021, according to the most recent statistics from BEA’s Travel and Tourism Satellite Account.

Data & Articles

• U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2018–2022 By Hunter Arcand and Paul Kern - Survey of Current Business April 2024
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015–2019" By Sarah Osborne - Survey of Current Business December 2020
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015-2017" By Sarah Osborne and Seth Markowitz - Survey of Current Business June 2018
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Measures how much tourists spend and the prices they pay for lodging, airfare, souvenirs, and other travel-related items. These statistics also provide a snapshot of employment in the travel and tourism industries.

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Home » Travel Guides » United States » Idaho (ID) » 15 Best Things to Do in Moscow (Idaho)

15 Best Things to Do in Moscow (Idaho)

In a landscape of fertile rolling hills on the Idaho-Washington boundary, Moscow is the county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, founded in the early 1890s.

The city has a cozy downtown with historic brick buildings from the turn of the 20th century and lots of community events, like a weekly farmers’ market spring through fall, and a bustling artwalk in June.

As you would expect, the University of Idaho plays an important role in the city’s cultural, social and sporting life, and many of the attractions in this list are connected to this institution in some way.

The surrounding Palouse landscape of rambling hills decked with wheat fields, can be explored on two paved rail trails, heading out east and west of the city.

1. University of Idaho Arboretum & Botanical Garden

The loveliest feature of the university campus’ verdant grounds is the UI Arboretum & Botanical Garden.

You’ll find it in 63 acres, just south of the President’s Residence and the university’s golf course, with undulating Palouse hills in the background.

Open to the public with free admission, the arboretum was laid out on a former hayfield in the early-1980s, although its origins go back way before, to the early 20th century.

In fact you can check out the site of the first arboretum, planted in the 1910s with majestic specimen trees, including a giant sequoia, on the north side of the President’s Residence.

As for the “new” arboretum, this counts more than 17,000 plants from over 2,400 taxa, mostly organized into geographical regions, including Europe, Asia and Eastern and Western North America.

On the south end are exquisite display gardens for xerophytes, ornamental willows, irises and heather, as well as a butterfly garden, magical in summer.

2. Latah Trail

Twelve miles long, this paved trail will take you east from Moscow all the way to the neighboring city of Troy.

The Latah Trail was completed in 2008 and is on the course of a dismantled BNSF railroad line that junctioned at Arrow, some 30 miles to the southeast.

The path is ten feet wide, allowing plenty of space for walkers and cyclists in summer, and snowshoers and cross-country skiers after snowfall in winter.

As this is a rail trail there are no difficult slopes but you’ll be guaranteed breathtaking panoramas of the Palouse, with tilled slopes interspersed with sweeps of coniferous forest.

In Moscow the Latah Trail merges seamlessly with the Paradise Path, in turn connecting with the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, which we’ll talk about below.

3. Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center

The Appaloosa, identified by its colorful spotted coat, is a horse breed synonymous with the Palouse region, so it’s fitting that there should be a museum for it, right on the Idaho-Washington state line.

The museum shines a light on a variety of topics, like the history of spotted horses in art and literature, Appaloosas’ various coat patterns, and the importance of Appaloosas to the native Nez Perce people.

Display cases are loaded with interesting objects, from saddles to black and white photography and Native American artifacts. There’s also a hands-on area to keep children engaged, as well as a theater and an extensive library.

4. Moscow Farmers’ Market

Taking place on Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm, May through October, Moscow Farmers’ Market is now well into its fifth decade.

Right on Main Street, this is a celebration of the Moscow area’s farmers, artisans and musicians, giving them an opportunity to connect with the city’s residents and visitors.

For shoppers interested in food provenance the market is a chance to find out where your produce comes from and pick up tips about storage and preparation.

There’s a wide range of vendors for vegetables, fruit, plants, flowers, local grass-fed meat, pastries, honey, jams, cosmetics, home decorations, hand-forged knives and much more.

The market has live music most weeks, as well as freshly prepared food, from tacos to samosas.

5. Bill Chipman Palouse Trail

Following the right of way of the old Union Pacific Railroad, the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail runs west from Moscow, crossing the state line and taking you to Pullman, Washington.

Pullman is the home of the flagship campus for Washington State University, the second-largest institution of higher education in the state.

Seven miles long, the trail, paved all the way, carries you through bucolic Palouse scenery, parallel to State Route 270.

There’s a shallow gradient, and you’ll come across rest areas and interpretive signs along the route. And while the landscapes are gorgeous, the trail also has an important practical use as a commuter route for cyclists between the two university campuses.

6. Prichard Art Gallery

This outreach facility for the University of Idaho is located in downtown Moscow, and moved to its current location on Main Street in 1986.

The Prichard Art Gallery has a lively schedule of exhibitions, events and educational programming, receiving upwards of 17,000 visitors a year.

You can check out the creativity of members of the Idaho College of Art and Architecture, as well as temporary exhibits for local, regional, national and international artists in a whole spectrum of media.

The exhibits rotate at short intervals, so there’s always something fresh to see, while the gift shop sells unique pieces by artists and craftspeople from the area.

7. McConnell Mansion

On leafy Adams Street, a couple of blocks east of Main Street, stands the palatial W. J. McConnell House.

In a Stick/Eastlake style, this elegant residence was built in 1886 for William J. McConnell (1839-1925), who served as Governor of Idaho from 1893 to 1897, after previously representing the young state as one of its first United States Senators.

The mansion is the headquarters of the Latah County Historical Society, and you can take a look around a series of themed period rooms, featuring authentic furnishings and appliances.

The society also puts on fascinating exhibits and learning events, often in partnership with the University of Idaho and always well worth attending.

8. Colter’s Creek Winery

The rolling country south of Moscow has everything you need to make great wine, and in 2016 the Lewis-Clark Valley gained official AVA (American Viticultural Area) designation.

Colter’s Creek has a storefront and tasting room in Moscow, growing its grapes on the sunny slopes where the Potlatch flows into the Clearwater River.

Planted between the 1980s and 2010s these vineyards produce a wide variety of grapes, running the gamut from Riesling to Cabernet Sauvignon, for local handcrafted wines that have earned widespread acclaim.

The stylish Moscow tasting room is in Main Street’s Hattabaugh building, constructed in 1890, and has a choice of estate wines on tap. Wine tasting classes take place regularly, to help you tell a Sangiovese from a Tempranillo.

9. Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre

On the National Register of Historic Places, this fine old Spanish Revival cinema has a history going back to 1926, and was founded as a vaudeville stage and silent movie house.

The current tiled facade, in a pared-down Art Deco style, has been in place since 1949, and up to the late-1980s this was downtown Moscow’s main movie theater.

Since 2000, the venue has belonged to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, which carried out thorough renovations in the 2010s. Come for classic, independent and foreign films, as well as a variety of community stage performances and other events.

10. Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center

Summers in Moscow wouldn’t be the same without this public outdoor pool, splash pad and water park, open June through September.

If you want to get your laps in, the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center has a 25-yard, six-lane pool.

Meanwhile parents can bring children to the extensive play area, which features a toddler-friendly slide, tumble buckets, interactive equipment, slides for bigger kids and a small lazy river.

The center also has picnic tables, barbecues, lounge chairs and free Wi-Fi, as well as a full-service concession area, though you’re free to bring your own food.

11. Idaho Vandals

The 16,000-seater multipurpose arena, Kibbie Dome is home field for several of the University of Idaho’s sports teams, all called the Idaho Vandals.

So depending on the time of year you can catch pulsating football, basketball (men and women), soccer (women), tennis and indoor track and field at this venue.

The Kibbie Dome was completed in 1971 as an open-air stadium, and was given its barrel-vaulted roof in 1975.

The football team competes in the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), returning in 2016 after 20 years bouncing around the Big West, Sun Belt and Western Athletic Conferences.

The Vandals’ golden age came between 1985 and 1995 when it reached the I-AA playoffs in ten out of 11 seasons.

If you’re wondering about the name, “Vandals”, it goes back more than a century, when UI’s feared basketball team played defense with such ferocity that they were dubbed the Vandals by the famous coach Hec Edmundson (1886-1964).

12. Ghormley Park

Bordered on the south side by Paradise Creek, Ghormley Park is the favorite destination for family fun and outdoor recreation in summer.

The park covers just over ten acres, a large section of which is in the shade of tall, mature trees.

This is where you’ll find the picnic shelter, fitted with BBQ grills, as well as a children’s playground.

Elsewhere there are amenities for baseball/softball, basketball and horseshoes. You can use the Paradise Trail, which traces the creek and connects a number of green spaces in Moscow, to get onto the Latah Trail on the east side of the city and the Bill Chipman Trail in the west.

13. Palouse Ice Rink

You can hit the ice at this popular local rink on the southeast side of town. Resembling an aircraft hangar, the Palouse Ice Rink has a temporary look about it, and when we wrote this article was making strides raising money for a permanent complex.

There are regular public skate sessions early in the day, after school and in the evening, and skate rental is reasonably priced.

Also on the schedule are casual stick-n-puck sessions, pick-up hockey, drop-in late-night curling, league curling, Palouse Adult League Hockey and much more. Check the calendar for learn-to-skate sessions.

14. Moscow Artwalk

Beginning back in 2004, the Moscow Artwalk is a landmark on the Palouse calendar. On one Friday evening in June, more than 60 businesses and 100 artists around downtown participate in a vibrant cultural and artistic event.

Moscow Artwalk brings exhibitions of a wide variety, as well as live demonstrations by artists, workshops, live music, dance performances and food vendors, on Main Street and its intersecting streets.

You can take in this cultural feast on a self-guided trail, and there’s a passport system, with six stamps making you eligible for a prize draw. And if you miss something, many of the participating businesses also have Saturday hours.

15. Fondo on the Palouse

The foundation responsible for the Latah Trail organizes this cycling event, normally staged on the last Saturday in June.

Fondo on the Palouse takes you out into the beautiful rolling Palouse landscape on a variety of group bike rides, all setting off from Moscow.

The Family Fondo is a 15-mile route from Moscow to Troy. If you want something longer but want to stay away from road traffic, there’s a 50-mile ride along the Latah and Bill Chipman Palouse Trails.

And finally the grand Moscow Fondo is a 100-mile tour of the region, passing through Troy, Deary, Princeton and Potlatch, crossing the state line to Pullman and Colfax, WA, before returning to Moscow.

15 Best Things to Do in Moscow (Idaho):

• University of Idaho Arboretum & Botanical Garden
• Latah Trail
• Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center
• Moscow Farmers' Market
• Bill Chipman Palouse Trail
• Prichard Art Gallery
• McConnell Mansion
• Colter's Creek Winery
• Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
• Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center
• Idaho Vandals
• Ghormley Park
• Palouse Ice Rink
• Moscow Artwalk
• Fondo on the Palouse

• Destinations

Moscow Travel Guide

Boasting a history that spans eight centuries, Russia's capital has evolved into an expansive megapolis which resembles a city-state. Its Cold War history and massive size might give it an intimidating image, but at its core Moscow is every bit the European city offering wealth of history and culture coupled with modernity and edginess. Travel here for strikingly impressive landmarks, high art, world class ballet, lavish celebrations, along with dynamic pockets of nightlife and trendy restaurants. — Nano Betts

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Marion County Visitors Bureau acknowledges National Tourism Day

B RIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - On May 7th every year we acknowledge National Tourism Day as nation. The day is observed during national travel and tourism week; which was first celebrated in May of 1983 when President Reagan signed a proclamation urging citizens to travel throughout the U.S. Now 41 years later, tourism is still a major factor in many communities throughout the nation; especially, here in the wild and wonderful. Local communities like Marion County not only rely on tourism for a financial boost, but also just letting people outside the state know they are here. Making city officials like, Leisha Elliott’s, job even more interesting.

" I think tourism has really taken off throughout the state and in particular in Marion County. I think people, when they think of the economy, they’re thinking of big corporations coming in and big manufactures; but we bring in money every day by people coming into the area. So, whether they’re staying in our local hotels or they’re eating in the restaurants. Stopping to get gas, buying admission into Prickett’s Fort State Park; it brings a lot of money and a lot of jobs in Marion county both directly and indirectly. We know that in 2023 over 7 billion dollars was spent in West Virginia. People coming into travel.”

While we don’t have beaches and may not have Disneyland; there’s still plenty of cool things to see throughout the mountain state.

” People want to be places where it’s not the same old same old; they want to try some new experiences. So, in Marion County we have two state parks that are frequently visited. We have Valley Falls State Park and Prickett’s Fort State Park. There’s lot’s of activities and events that happen in both of those locations throughout the year. We have people that come here maybe because of business or because of a conference and they want to know how the locals live. So, when they find out about or Pepperoni Roll’s, they’re anxious to try those. Pool season will be coming up pretty soon so, people will be coming to the wave pool, and 12th street pool. Mannington will be getting a new pool, so there are a lot of different reasons why people come to an area; and we just want to give them a great experience. And even if they can’t stay here long because of business, they’ll want to come back and spend more time here.”

Tourism is certainly associated with visiting a place you haven’t ventured to. However, you don’t have to necessarily be a visitor to play a role in positively effecting the local community.

" Locals can help in several different ways. For one, they can visit some of these places. They can visit the pools; they can visit our local restaurants; and the state parks; but two, they can become ambassador’s. They can share the information when there’s an activity happening or an event happening or an event happening. If they share it, then there friends and friend of friends are going to see that and social media has become such an integral part in helping spread the word. The other thing is to be familiar with the activities that are happening here. So, if somebody stops you at one of the local restaurants or at the local ice cream place, and says what’s there to do around here? You can come up with some activities, instead of saying nothing.”

International travelers to the US will be able to skip proof of COVID vaccine, WH says

The Biden administration will lift the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for inbound international air travelers on Friday.

"As we continue to monitor the evolving state of COVID-19 and the emergence of virus variants, we have the tools to detect and respond to the potential emergence of a variant of high consequence," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation Tuesday. "Considering the progress that we have made, and based on the latest guidance from our public health experts, I have determined that we no longer need the international air travel restrictions that I imposed in October 2021."

Biden announced the change last week , along with the end of vaccine requirements for federal employees and contractors, foreign nationals at the land border and others. The requirement for air travelers will lift at midnight Thursday as the coronavirus public health emergency ends. Biden previously  signed a bill ending the COVID national emergency  in April.

So, what does that mean for travelers? Here's what we know.

Summer travel is expensive: Here's why flight prices heat up when the weather does

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Why are travel refunds taking so long? Here are some tips to get your money back

Is there still a vaccine requirement for international travelers coming to the US?

Not as of later this week.

Currently, all "non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrants traveling to the United States by air" must show proof of vaccination with limited exceptions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  website .

Industry group the U.S. Travel Association, which had called on the Biden administration to  end the vaccine requirement  for inbound international visitors and argued the rule was an impediment to tourism, applauded the change when it was announced last week.

“Today’s action to lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward," Geoff Freeman, the organization's President and CEO, said in a statement last week. He also called on the federal government to "ensure U.S. airports and other ports of entry are appropriately staffed with Customs and Border Protection officers to meet the growing demand for entry."

The U.S.  lifted a requirement  that air travelers coming from China show proof of a negative COVID test in March. The policy took effect in January amid a surge of cases in China.

The U.S.  dropped its COVID testing rule  for international flyers in June.

Do travelers need a vaccine to cross the Mexico or Canada borders to the US?

The Department of Homeland Security also said in a news release that it will no longer require non-U.S. travelers coming into the country by land or at ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated or show proof of their vaccination status.

Do US travelers need to be vaccinated against COVID to travel internationally?

That depends. Many destinations have dropped their vaccination and testing requirements for travel, though some still have rules in place. The Philippines, for example, still requires travelers to be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test in order to visit, according to the  U.S. Embassy in the Philippines .

AI, self-service are taking over travel: Will everything become a DIY experience?

The CDC also recommends travelers be up to date on their COVID vaccinations before leaving the country. The agency defines up to date as having one updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine for people age 6 and up, which "protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5," according to its  website .

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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What to Know Before Booking a National Park Trip This Summer

Additional routes in popular parks now require reservations, the annual pass gets a big change, Juneteenth is now a new free entrance day and more changes for 2024.

By Lauren Matison

In 2023, the seashores, lakeshores, battlefields, historic sites, monuments and more that make up the National Park Service had 325.5 million visits , an increase of 4 percent from the year before.

The National Park Service director, Charles F. Sams III, praised the surge of interest in “learning our shared American story throughout the hidden gems of the National Parks System.”

Expecting an even greater turnout in 2024, the Park Service and Recreation.gov , the booking platform for federal land reservations, have implemented new measures to streamline the park experience, manage overcrowding and safeguard the environment.

More parks are requiring reservations

To better avoid congested trails, packed parking lots and overflowing trash cans, additional parks are joining Rocky Mountain , Arches and Glacier National Parks this year in requiring day-use permits, timed entries and other reservations for travelers who wish to visit, particularly during peak hours, holidays and the parks’ high seasons. Yosemite National Park is reinstating a timed-entry system it instituted in 2020, but paused in 2022.

Many park enthusiasts expressed mixed feelings about the reservation policies, with some lamenting a lack of first-come, first-served campsites while others find comfort in knowing they have a confirmed booking. As nearly 75 percent of visitors each year descend on national parks from May to October (and often on weekends), park officials stand by the system.

“In some parks, the level of demand is exceeding the capacity for which infrastructure was designed or is outpacing the National Park Service’s ability to sustainably support visitation,” said Kathy Kupper, a public affairs specialist for the service. “This trend is resulting in the need to explore new strategies to protect natural and cultural resources and provide opportunities for safe and meaningful visitor experiences.”

It can be confusing.

New to implementing timed-entry reservations for vehicles is Mount Rainier National Park , in Washington, for its popular Paradise and Sunrise Corridors during certain times in the summer season. Reservations cost $2, are valid for one day and must be purchased along with the park ticket, but do not apply for visitors with wilderness permits or camping or lodge reservations. Similar vehicle reservations are now required for certain periods for viewing the sunrise at Haleakalā National Park in Maui, Hawaii , and driving the Cadillac Summit Road in Maine’s Acadia National Park .

Visitors wishing to hike Old Rag Mountain in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park must obtain a day-use ticket between March 1 and Nov. 30, and in Zion National Park, in Utah, hikers wishing to visit Angels Landing , the dramatic 1,488-foot-tall rock formation, also need to purchase a permit. Fees range from $1 to $6, in addition to the parks’ entrance fees.

As each destination is managed differently, check the park’s webpage for the type of reservation required. Although most bookings can be made through Recreation.gov, some sites, such as Muir Woods National Monument, use a different system.

New features on Recreation.gov

In 2023, Recreation.gov reported that more than 4 million camping reservations and 2 million timed-entry reservations were booked online, and 1.5 million permits were issued. Some 2.9 million new users signed up for the site. With its expanding user base, the booking platform has added 58 reservable national park locations — including 17 campgrounds — such as Central Avenue Walk-in Sites at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Bluff Hike In Camping in South Carolina’s Congaree National Park.

Recreation.gov has also improved an alerts feature, piloted in July 2023, that can notify users through email or mobile push notifications when a sold-out campsite becomes available. After Recreation.gov notifies you of availability, you must book the campsite yourself online — and quickly, as you’ll be shown how many other people (possibly hundreds) have received the same alert.

While its customer support center and mobile app are still only available in English, Recreation.gov recently introduced a Spanish language translation option. The Park Service partners with Latino Conservation Week , which hosts nationwide hikes and events on environmental education and in-park stewardship, and will celebrate its 10th year in September.

A limit to the annual America the Beautiful pass

The 2024 America the Beautiful pass no longer allows two owners. The annual interagency pass, which costs $80 and covers the entrance fees for more than 2,000 federal recreation sites (of which roughly 100 do not charge for admission year-round), is now marked by a single signature line on the back of the card. The pass owner must show I.D. and be present with any accompanying travelers wishing to access the park with the pass. (Annual passes issued in 2023 will still be valid until their expiration date.) The pass covers all passengers in a vehicle — up to four adults, and children under 16 are admitted free — or up to four cyclists riding together. Active military or veterans and people with permanent disabilities are eligible for a free lifetime pass; 4th grade students may receive a free annual pass; and senior citizens may purchase a $20 annual pass or pay $80 for a lifetime pass.

At the parks, more accessible features, E.V. chargers and new lodging

To better protect against global warming, the Park Service is putting more than $65 million from the Inflation Reduction Act and Great American Outdoors Act into climate mitigation and ecosystem restoration.

Using $15.9 million budgeted for zero-emission vehicle deployment, charging capacity and infrastructure, the Park Service is prioritizing a reduction in carbon emissions, said Mr. Sams, by installing new electric-vehicle charging stations and running electric buses.

An interactive online locator tool created in 2023 shows E.V. charging stations throughout 27 national parks and the type of chargers available. In addition to the tool, every national park page displays alerts on road closures, parking lot capacities, construction work and other incidents.

Mr. Sams also said the Park Service is investing $1.3 billion from the Great American Outdoors Act to improve accessibility features, ranging from a new A.D.A.-compliant visitor center at Morristown National Historic Park in New Jersey to new beach wheelchairs at Sleeping Bear Dunes , Channel Islands and Virgin Islands National Parks . Each destination’s website has an accessibility tab to help visitors plan their trip, and Recreation.gov now has a search filter on its homepage to make it easier to locate accessible accommodations.

New lodging options now available across the country include the Flamingo Lodge , which opened inside Everglades National Park last fall with 24 guest rooms built from repurposed shipping containers. In March, along the southeastern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cataloochee Ranch reopened with 11 renovated cabins and a new restaurant. This spring, the Clubhouse Hotel & Suites will welcome its first guests in Rapid City, S.D., the closest major town to Badlands National Park , and opening in May in Idaho is the Yellowstone Peaks Hotel , a 30-minute-drive from Yellowstone National Park. This fall, California-bound travelers planning a visit to General Sherman, the largest known tree on Earth, might book at AutoCamp Sequoia , just outside Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park .

Also in California: Those who don’t score a highly coveted (and contentious) spot at the newly reopened High Sierra Camps in Yosemite could book Wildhaven Yosemite in Mariposa, which offers more affordable rates, hiking trails and views of the Sierra Nevadas. Reservations for its first season are available beginning May 1.

Celebrating milestones and a new free entrance day

On the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, visitors can pay tribute to African American heritage at over 100 parks , including the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument , and the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail . This year also marks 100 years since Indigenous people were recognized as United States citizens. Although many parks have Indigenous programming , Mr. Sams, who is the first Native American to serve as N.P.S. director , suggested visiting Hopewell Cultural Historical Park in Ohio and Whitman Mission Historic National Historic Site in Washington, where he recently brought his daughter.

“In order to celebrate the diversity that makes our country great, we must share the complete story of America, which includes both the successes and challenges encountered on the way to form a more perfect union,” Mr. Sams said.

Juneteenth National Independence Day is the National Park Service’s newest free entrance day . Visitors can also take advantage of free admission on April 20, the first day of National Park Week; Aug. 4, the four-year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act ; Sept. 28 on National Public Lands Day ; and Nov. 11 for Veterans Day .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

An earlier version of this article misstated the location of the Flamingo Lodge. It is inside Everglades National Park, not outside the park.

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