Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, South Dakota, North Dakota
Each issue of thetouroperator.com destination magazine will feature what’s new in a region that is featured. This issue, we feature the states that comprise the Mountain West region: CO, UT, ID, WY, MT,AB, SD
Back to the Magazine Cover Page
ALBERTA
Five restaurants comprise the itinerary for an innovative product offered by Urban Safaris in Calgary. The restaurants are along the route of a two-hour guided walking tour. Guides make sure that each patron gets appetizers from each restaurant’s menu, an insight into the history of the area, and a souvenir grab bag of goodies designed to “tempt” the visitor into returning to the restaurants. Contact: www.urbansafaritours.com , 403-283-3158.
Calgary Tower Offers “Walk in Space.”
Officially opened June 30th 1968, the landmark Calgary Tower has become the city of Calgary's most famous and identifiable physical landmark. One of the first towers of its kind, the facility offers the best view in Calgary and is a must-see on any tourist's itinerary. And just last summer, the tower enhanced the sky-high experience by offering visitors to its observation deck to virtually “step out into” space with a new, extended glass floor that is 36 feet long and more than four feet wide. One can look straight down - from a height of 525 feet. Special group packages available. Contact: www.calgarytower.com http://www.calgarytower.com,
403-508-5822.
GPS Tour Guide is a new tourism product that provides independent travelers with the new GyPSy Guide, which uses GPS to detect where they are while driving and provides them with interesting commentary about their surroundings, special points of interest and local knowledge. The mountain town of Banff, as well as points within Banff National Park, are just some of the areas that served by the tour guide. The device, similar in appearance to a PDA device, is mounted onto any windshield and tracks the vehicle’s location, direction and speed using GPS technology. When travelers pass through points which information has
been programmed for, audio files are automatically triggered to play information specific to that location including interesting facts and stories, as well as array of tips and advice on how to best enjoy that area. Taken out of the vehicle, GyPSy Guide transforms into a portable electronic guidebook offering comprehensive information on hotels, regional attractions, points of interest and dining tips. Contact: www.gpstourscanada.com , 403-760-8200.
The World Waterpark, one of the most popular attractions in the West Edmonton Mall, reopened this spring following the completion of some major upgrades to the park, including the resurfacing of the 12.3-million liter wave pool, the largest indoor wave pool in the world. In addition, change rooms were completely renovated and other enhancements were made, including new signage and wall murals. Contact: www.westedmontonmall.com , 780-444-5308.
COLORADO
A $2 million restoration is revitalizing the restaurant and lobby areas of ’Glenwood Springs historic Hotel Colorado , which dates back to the 1890s. A new rendition of a historic waterfall, private dining area and bar are planned for the Grand Lobby Café restaurant and the hotel’s main lobby will be renewed to its original grand scale with new carpets, hardwood floors, wall treatments, drapes, furniture and stately fireplaces. According to legend, the Teddy Bear was born here. To cheer Theodore Roosevelt after an unsuccessful day of hunting, Hotel Colorado maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material. Later, when he did bag a bear, his daughter Alyce admired it saying, "I will call it Teddy." The term caught on and became the name for the world's most popular toy, the Teddy Bear. Visitors are invited to the hotel’s Legends Trading Company to see the latest Teddy Bear collectibles. Contact: www.hotelcolorado.com , 800-544-3998.
New Developments in the Denver Arts Scene: ’Denvers Museum of Contemporary Art will get a new home this year - a 25,000-square-foot building designed by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye. Located in the Central Platte Valley district near the historic Union Station building, the museum will continue to explore and display worldly works of art and colorful masterpieces. Contact: www.mcartdenver.org , 303- 298-7554. Meanwhile, The Denver Art Museum , the largest art museum between Chicago and the West Coast, has 40,000 square feet of new galleries, special exhibition space, cultural art and _expression, architecture, textile and graphic masterpieces with the addition of its Hamilton Building. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the museum celebrates its grand opening October 7, 2006. Contact: http://www.denverartmuseum.org/, 720-865-5000.
IDAHO
The U.S. Forest Service in May 2006 officially opened the newly constructed Elk Creek Campground near Elk River, Idaho. The campground includes 14 RV sites for summer camping only, with electrical hookups, potable water and toilet facilities. In winter months, snowmobilers will appreciate the large parking area with electrical hookups and easy access to the trails. The Elk Creek Campground is the result of a joint effort by Idaho Parks and Recreation Department and the U.S. Forest Service. Local citizens have also provided a great deal of support over the several years this project has been in the making. Campers will enjoy easy access to several local trails, Elk Creek Falls and the Morris Creek Cedar Grove, a stand of old-growth cedars estimated to be 400-500 years old. Contact: www.reserveusa.com/nrrs/id/elk2 , 208-774-3000.
State’s Dude Ranches Pool Resources, Launch Website: The Idaho Guest and Dude Ranch Association (IGDRA) earlier t his year began introducing operators and potential visitors to eight properties, several of which have been welcoming visitors for generations. Some take as few as a dozen visitors, others can accommodate over 50 guests. They vary from rustic to posh, but regardless of size and elegance, they’re genuinely hospitable. Each ranch offers horseback riding (short rides, day rides and even overnight rides), but you can also enjoy cattle roundups, guided fly fishing trips, gold panning, even low-carb gourmet cooking as well as the chance to kick back and leave city pressures behind. Ranch rates vary with the season and include accommodations, means and activities. A guest can even arrange to rent an entire ranch for anywhere from a day to a week. Contact: http://www.idahodra.com/, 208-263-9066.
Since its opening late last year, the new and unique Garden of Infinite Compassion at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden in Ketchum has proved to be both popular and profoundly moving to visitors. Designed by renowned landscape architect Martin Mosko of Marpa Associates, the garden has at its center a 400 lb. Tibetan Prayer Wheel designed and built by monks in Dharmasala, India in honor of the 14th Dalai Lama. The Prayer Wheel is a gift to the Wood River Valley in honor of the Dalai Lama’s visit in September 2005 and was blessed by him during his visit. Filled with over one million written mantras, Buddhists believe that the Prayer Wheel can heal both physical and mental afflictions. Giant boulders keep watch over a reflecting pond and a quiet, meandering stream. The water of the stream turns the Prayer Wheel, sending out blessings and the hope for peace and compassion among all beings. The Garden also includes a 3 foot healing crystal that is millions of years old, a reflecting pond, a water feature and 16 huge boulders representing the 16 Arhats - protectors of the Dalai Lama. The addition of a contemplative garden has created a very special place for all to come, reflect and find peace. Admission is free. Contact: www.sbgarden.org , 208-726-9358.
MONTANA
The entire Going to the Sun Road and Highway 89 north of St. Mary, two vehicular lifelines for Glacier National Park, reopened in early August 2006 following a devastating forest fire that was mapped at 26,000 acres. While several structures were lost during the fire, all of Glacier National Park’s businesses and are open, including the St. Mary visitor center, campground, lodging, restaurants and shops, including The Resort at Glacier, Contact: www.glaciermt.com , 800-338-5072.
There is a new Hilton Garden Inn at the also-new Missoula Conference Center, just two miles from Missoula’s airport. The 146-room property, which features complimentary high-speed Internet access, a heated indoor pool, and other amenities, is shaping up as one of the state's premiere conference hotels. Onsite, there are several food service options, including the Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern, a 200-seat rustic lodge style restaurant that features creative American cooking. Operators should ask about Group Value Dates that are discounted rates that are 10 - 30 percent off the regular season group rates. Contact: 406-532-5300.
Two years ago, the Rarus Railway Company (the successor to the historic Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway) purchased some passenger cars and created the " Copper King Express". With the creation of the excursion train, passenger trains now once again operate over the former BA&P line, which goes from Butte to Anaconda. It had been 50 years since the last regular passenger train service operated on the line. The trains began running this spring and have proved to be a popular element in travel packages. The excursion train features a 52-mile round-trip through scenic Durant Canyon and near many historic points of interest. The Copper King Express operates from June to September on Friday and Saturday. Contact: www.copperkingexpress.com , 406-563-5458.
SOUTH DAKOTA
In July 2006, Mount Rushmore was named the most beautiful vacation spot in America, according to ABC's Good Morning America and AAA New York's Car and Travel magazine. Mount Rushmore National Memorial located 23 miles southwest of Rapid City, South Dakota, is awesome and impressive. The granite faces of four American presidents tower 5,500 feet above sea level and are scaled to men who would stand 465 feet tall (each head is as tall as a six-story building!) Sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s attention to detail makes the faces of presidents Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson appear almost lifelike - even more so after an expensive “face lift” in which all of sculptures were refurbished. Visit the Information Center and Lincoln Borglum Museum to watch the saga unfold. There is no admission fee to Mount Rushmore, however, there is a fee to park at the main parking lot. Contact: www.nps.gov/moru , 605-574-2523.
With the “Deadwood” television show on the HBO network giving it renewed attention, Deadwood, S.D. --the entire city of Deadwood is a national historic landmark-offers a number of tour packages deigned to feed the interest of those who want to come to the area because of the television show. There is gaming package, family package, historic Deadwood package and a national parks and monuments package, as well as others. Contact: www.deadwood.org .
Mount Rushmore is not the only attraction dedicated to U.S. presidents. Not far from Deadwood, there is Presidents Park -- a wooded retreat in the Black Hills where visitors can walk among the giant heads of the nation's presidents. Presidents Park, which is of recent vintage, is open year round. David Adickes, the sculptor who rendered the huge Sam Houston and Houston airport's George H. W. Bush statue, is responsible for Presidents Park, which has 43 heads arranged chronologically along a path winding up into a rocky knoll of tall pines. Adickes created the hollow heads, which weigh 16 to 24 tons, at his studio in Houston. The park is five miles southwest Deadwood/Lead and one mile south of Deer Mountain Road on US Route 85. Admission: Adults $8. Special Rates for groups. Contact:
www.presidentspark.com , Phone: 605-584-9925.
UTAH
Luxe Worldwide Hotels (www.luxehotels.com), a leading provider of marketing services within the hospitality industry, has added The Salt Lake Plaza Hotel (www.plaza-hotel.com) to its international network of acclaimed resorts. The Plaza Hotel is located at Historic Temple Square, Utah’s most visited tourist attraction hosting seven million visitors annually. Temple Square includes the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir, visitors centers, guided tours and more. The Plaza Hotel is also located next door to the World Renown Family History-Genealogical Library hosting 500,000 researchers annually. The Family History Library patrons can research there family roots at no charge. Contact: www.luxehotels.com, 866-5893-411.
Also in Salt Lake City, a new Homewood Suites by Hilton opened earlier this year in the growing Gateway development on the west side of downtown. The all-suite property is within easy walking distance of shopping and a cinema complex. Rooms feature DVD players, full kitchen, and a separate living room; there is also a seasonal outdoor pool and a complimentary hot breakfast buffet. Contact: www.homewoodsuitessaltlakecity.com , 801-360-6700.
The Treehouse Children's Museum, which now calls itself simply Treehouse Museum is making its long-awaited move to new, permanent quarters this August (2006) The new address is 347 22nd St., Ogden, a block north and west its old location. Just 14 years old, the museum, which was founded in 1992 by a group of parents, educators and business leaders who wanted to create a facility for families that would also be a resource for area schools, became so popular as a visitor attraction, that its exhibit space was expanded twice. Its new home will be the third venue for the facility, which created a unifying, storybook feel to the whole space when a giant treehouse was built at the center of the Museum. Contact: >www.treehousemuseum.org , 801-394-9663.
WYOMING
Bottom of Form
The Essence of the High Plains Featured in New Exhibit: The Nicolaysen Art Museum and Discovery Center in the heart of downtown Casper has a new exhibit that runs from Sept. 7 through the end of the year that features the work of Steve Fitch, an assistant professor at the Marion Center for Photographic Arts at the College of Santa Fe, New Mexico. For the body of work on display, Fitch traveled through the heart of the American High Plains, including a large section of central Wyoming. The exhibit leads the visitor into the melancholy beauty of what is left of the lives of so many settlers who no longer inhabit the high plains. Admission is free. Contact: www.thenic.org , 307-235-5247.
Sheridan Named #1 Western Town: Travel planners looking for the authentic western experience need go no further than Sheridan, Wyoming, which earlier this year was named the first-ever Number One western town in America by True West magazine. Sheridan was selected from the 500 entries judged on its history and heritage; efforts to preserve, maintain and promote that heritage; and success in attracting tourists. The judges noted that Sheridan has several historic districts and dozens of historic sites-and hosts numerous Western events each year. The town raised a million dollars for a new history museum that, appropriately, also opened this year. And renovation work continues on the historic Sheridan Inn, where Buffalo Bill Cody auditioned acts for his Wild West show in the 1890s. Contact: www.sheridanwyoming.org , 888-596-6787.
The recently opened Cheyenne Depot Museum, which is the restored historic Union Pacific depot, “The Most Beautiful Railroad Station from Omaha to Sacramento,” is a new “must-see” part of any travel package that includes Cheyenne. Not only is the depot, situated in the heart of the city’s downtown, significant to the region, its collections and exhibits reveal how important the railroad was to the U.S. West. Contact: www.cheyennedepotmuseum.org , 307-632-3905.
Back to the Magazine Cover Page
