Travel Widstom

11/04/2024

10/31/2024

Yellowstone National Park is a very large and diverse park. The park has geysers, lakes, springs, canyons, rivers, open ranges, mudpots, lots of wildlife and so much more.

This past summer Tonya and I spent two action packed days in the park. We had a great time and in my new blog post I share the two day itinerary that we did while in the park.

It can help you see where you can fly into, places to stay, and things to do. Click the link to read the post. https://travelwidstom.com/yellowstone-itinerary-how-to-spend-2-great-days-in-yellowstone/

10/24/2024

I don't know anyone that doesn't like to save money on travel. My wife and I were able to save over $7,700 on the vacation that we took over the summer.

In my latest blog post, I share what we did to stay 14 nights in hotels and take 8 way one flights for less than $160. Saving money on hotels and flights allowed us to do things on the trip that we wouldn't have been able to do, otherwise.

I hope by reading the post you see that it isn't that hard and it's something that you can do. https://travelwidstom.com/how-to-save-over-7000-in-travel/

10/17/2024

This past summer Tonya and I went to Glacier National Park. While in the park, we did a number of different hikes. Tonya was coming off a knee replacement surgery just 8 weeks prior to us going. She really did great and we got to enjoy one another’s company and we got to see God’s beautiful creation.

In my latest blog post, you can read about the 10 hikes that we did. In the post, I share how long the hikes are, the elevation change, the difficulty of the hike, and what to expect when doing the hike.

You can read the post by clicking the link. https://travelwidstom.com/10-excellent-hikes-to-do-in-glacier-national-park/

10/11/2024

My favorite hotel points program is the World of Hyatt. They have come out with a limited time bonus on their personal card. You will get 5 free category 1-4 free night certificates after spending $4,000 on the card in the first 3 months.

This is a fantastic offer. A few of the category 4 hotels that you could book with the certificates include: the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, and Hyatt Regency Koh Samui.

You could also stay at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa. Tonya and I stayed there this past summer and loved the resort. A five night stay at the resort in June would cost you over $2,600. So, you can see that you can get great value for a $95 credit card.

If you have any questions, you can leave a comment or IM me.

10/09/2024

Today is the last day for the Amazon Prime Day Deals. Amazon has thousands of things on sale including items related to travel.

In my latest post, I share 20 items that can help you while you travel. You can find carry on bags, Airpods, luggage and more. The great thing is that you can save some money if you purchase them today.

Click the link to see the post. https://travelwidstom.com/20-excellent-amazon-prime-day-travel-deals/

10/08/2024

The SW Airlines Companion Pass is the best travel deal that you can get for domestic flights. The pass allows you to take a companion with you on flights only paying taxes and fees, which is $5.60 one way.

This is the time of year that many people start taking steps to earn the pass. I have a post that takes you through the steps you need to take to get the pass. You can click the link to read the post. https://travelwidstom.com/steps-to-earn-the-southwest.../

10/07/2024

If you are looking to fly somewhere for the holidays now is the time you should be looking to book your flight(s). According to Google, the lowest prices for flights this year range from 21-52 days out from departure. Based on search and booking data, Thanksgiving flights are cheapest 42 days out and Christmas flights are cheapest 58 days out.

I love to use Google Flights since you can set alerts for flights that you are looking to take. You can be alerted when prices drop so that you can book the cheapest flight possible.

10/04/2024

This is just one of the many different t-shirts that I have for sale in my Etsy shop. Feel free to check them out.

I also have numerous printables that you can purchase.

This Gender-Neutral Adult T-shirts item is sold by TravelWidstom. Ships from Charlotte, NC. Listed on Jul 13, 2024

10/04/2024

I have had a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card for around 10 years. It is a great starter travel credit card that has some strong travel protections and other perks.

Chase has come out with a new limited time offer offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. You will not only earn the usual 60,000 bonus points that you can use for travel but you will also get a $300 travel credit. If you use my link, I will earn some bonus points.

If you have any questions about the card just ask away or DM me.

Click to learn more.

10/03/2024

Sometimes the government does something that makes your life a little easier. This is the case as it comes to renewing your passport. You are now able to renew your passport online. In my latest blog post, I share what you need to do. It's still good information to know even if you aren't ready to renew your passport at this time.

You can click the link to read the post. https://travelwidstom.com/how-to-renew-your-passport-online/

10/01/2024

Southwest is having a flash sale going on until October 3rd. You can use the code “SAVEWOW” to see if a flight is 40% off.

You can also check to see if a flight you already have booked is on sale. You can rebook the flight at the lower price and you will get a credit. If you have booked a flight with points, the difference in points will be put back into your account.

09/26/2024

It is hard to believe that Christmas is less than 3 months away. If you are looking for a great place to go during the Christmas season then Leavenworth, WA is a must visit. Leavenworth is known as the "Village of Lights." The town is located in the Cascade Mountains and has a population of just under 2,300 people.

I was in Leavenworth for a day just before Christmas last year. In my latest blog post, I share tips on what you can do while in the village, places you can stay, and where to eat while you enjoy all that Leavenworth has to offer.

https://travelwidstom.com/leavenworth-washington-christmas-tips-for-a-great-time/

09/17/2024

Tonya and I visited Glacier National Park for the first time this summer. We were in the park for 3 full days. We really had a blast doing a number of different activities while in the park. It was great seeing God's beautiful creation up close and personal.

In my latest blog post, I share our 3 day itinerary. If you are thinking about visting the park at some point, this itinerary can give you ideas and pointers on getting the most out of your visit to the park.

You can click the link to read the post. https://travelwidstom.com/an-amazing-3-day-itinerary-for-glacier-national-park/

08/14/2024

Day 17

Tonya and I flew out of Denver Monday morning and we were back at our house by late afternoon. I love to travel but it was great being home. We were greeted by our 3 cats, Milo, Tippy and Luna.

It was a fantastic trip. We went to 3 national parks, two national monuments, and two state parks. The national park pass really came in handy. We also did things like going on a Red Bus Tour in Glacier NP and we went to Red Rocks to see a concert among other things.

The 14 nights that we stayed in hotels were covered by credit card points. Plus, we have the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. The pass allows the person flying with you to fly for only $5.60 one way. The 4 one way flights for the both of us cost us less than $45 since we had SW points that I used for my flights. It is the best deal in the travel community.

Having credit card points allowed us to do some activities that we wouldn’t have been able to do if we were paying for our hotels and flights.

If you want to learn more about credit card points, you can checkout numerous articles I have written on my blog. You can also IM me if you have any questions.

08/12/2024

Day 16

Today was our final full day on our trip. It was a day to visit people instead of places. We left Alamosa and drove to Colorado Springs to see my cousin Judy and her husband Dave.

We then went to Denver to have lunch and to see Tonya’s aunt Shirley, cousin Debbie and Daleani.

We have spent the rest of the day chilling out in the hotel. It has been a great trip but we are ready to catch our flights home tomorrow.

08/11/2024

Day 15

Today Tonya and I drove from Alamosa and went through Wolf Creek Pass. There was an overlook that had beautiful views of the valley below.

We also stopped at Treasure Falls as we went through the pass. The falls are just over a 100 feet tall.

Next, we drove to Chimney Rock National Monument which was really interesting. It is a Pueblo settlement dating back a 1,000 years. Also, at Chimney Rock there are two large sandstone spires that are related to the movement of the moon.

In the evening, Tom aka Head and Tennie took us to Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge The refuge is mostly wetlands with all kinds of wildlife. We saw an owl, many kinds of other birds, and numerous deer.

08/10/2024

Day 14

Today Tonya and I were able to check off another national park. We went to Great Sand Dunes National Park. We did a little hiking and then made our way out to the dunes themselves.It was very impressive to see the dunes up close and personal.

Next, we went to Zapata Falls. We have seen a lot of falls on this trip but this one was a little different than the rest. The trail leading up to the falls is a half mile with rocks all over the trail. The path leads to a stream. You then have to wade through the stream over rocks and very cold water to get to the cave where the waterfall is located. It is worth the effort to see the falls. Tonya was able to hike up to the stream but not into see the falls. She was my biggest cheerleader and praying that I didn’t biff it in the stream.

Finally, after dinner Tom and Tennie took Tonya and I to see the Old Spanish Trail. The trail was a trade route that connected the SW to Los Angeles. There are still groove marks in the rocks from covered wagons. It was pretty cool stuff.

08/09/2024

Day 13

The day started off with our daughter Madison calling us and telling us that the one of our cats brought a bird into the basement of our house. I’m not talking about a dead bird either. After some screaming and yelling, she got the bird out of the basement. It was definitely a sight to see and hear.

After that bit of news, Tonya and I went to the Visitor Center of Focus on the Family. That ministry made a big impact on our family years ago. The visitor center was very well done with the bottom floor being totally geared towards kids.

Yesterday we drove through Garden of the Gods but today we did some hiking through the park. It is such a gorgeous place that God has created.

We finished off the day by driving down to Alamosa, CO to stay with Tom Masterson, who was my roommate in college my senior year, and his wife Tennie for a couple of days.

08/09/2024

Day 12

We took an early morning flight from Albuquerque to Denver. Next, we had some time to kill so we drove through Garden of the Gods. We then went to Manitou Springs to ride the cog railroad up to the top of Pikes Peak. The last time I did that was when I was 17. It was a nice time and we met a nice couple from Kansas City.

The main event of the day was going to Red Rocks to watch the K-Love tour that was going on there. We saw Katy Nichole, Patrick Mayberry, We Are Messengers, Blanca, Big Daddy Weave, and Crowder.

Going to Red Rocks and seeing a concert was a bucket list thing for me. So, I can check that one off the list. I definitely want to go back and see a concert there again at some point.

08/08/2024

Day 11

We took a major rest day. We took some time and walked around the resort and then spent some time by the pool.

In the evening, we went to an Albuquerque Isotopes game. They are the AAA team of the Colorado Rockies. They have a very nice stadium. The evening weather was just perfect.

08/06/2024

Day 10

Today we took Highway 14 Scenic Byway from Albuquerque up to Santa Fe. It was a pretty drive but not as beautiful as some other scenic drives that we have taken. We stopped at Cerrillios Hills State Park while on the route.

While in Santa Fe, we went to the Railyard area. It has numerous stores with many having an industrial look to them.

We also went to the Cross of the Martyrs, the Capitol Building, and the oldest house and church in America.

We finished off the day by eating at the Dog House restaurant. It should look familiar to Breaking Bad fans.

08/05/2024

Day 9

Tonya and I started the day off with a balloon ride. It was the first for both of us and it was a fantastic time. The guy manning our balloon was Troy Bradley. He has held 64 world records pertaining to ballooning. We felt like we were in pretty good hands.

Next, we went to the Balloon Museum. Tonya and I were blown away, no pun intended, with how good the museum was. It was a definite pleasant surprise.

We then went to the Petroglyph National Monument to checkout some of the petroglyphs.

Finally, we took the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top of Sandia Mountain. Tonya enjoyed it since the temperature difference between the bottom of the mountain and the top of the mountain was 20 degrees.

08/04/2024

Day 8

We took an early morning flight and I do mean 5:00 am early to fly to Albuquerque.

One of the main reasons I picked Albuquerque was because of the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort where we would be staying. We are more Hyatt Place or Hampton Inn kind of people. It is by far the nicest place we have ever stayed at. Thank goodness for credit card points.

Once we ate at a local diner which is my favorite, we did a number of things. First, we went on a Trolley ride. It was well worth the money. One of the things that we learned on the ride is that the Albuquerque Isotopes didn’t get their name because of Albuquerque’s role in the atomic bomb or nuclear energy. They got their name from a Simpson’s episode. Who knew?

We also walked around the Old Town area which has lots of shops and local vendors.

08/03/2024

Day 7

This was our second and last day in Yellowstone. We were able to see numerous areas with geysers, the Upper Falls, cross the Continental Divide, and see Old Faithful. Our favorite thing was seeing the Grand Prismatic from the overlook.