5 things to try on your next trip

Part of the beauty of travel is to explore new things – to step out of the comfort zone you are so used to at home. Most people revolve their lives so much around a routine that something as simple as making a slight detour on your way home from work can throw you off. This also makes it challenging to not bring some of the routine with you when you travel. No need to try all 5 at once, but maybe start with one and work your way up!

1. Do NOT make a hotel reservation

This one can be daunting for so many people. It may give assurance that once you arrive you at least have a bed, but what if it isn't the bed you thought you reserved. Check out these funny “misleading” photos of different hotels that give illusions of paradise like pools, huge rooms, proximity of attractions, etc. (marketing tricks). Try having 5 places in mind and when you arrive you can check them out personally and make a decision… or pick one that wasn't even on your radar!

2. Try a local favorite or "hole in the wall" restaurant

I will guarantee that Joe’s Crab Shack in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco will taste just like the Joe’s Crab Shack in your home town. On the other hand, walking a block further to Cioppino’s would be a different experience. (try it!). I ate here the night before I swam from Alcatraz and just because it does not have a brand name behind means they serve sub-par dishes or poison. I like to think it helped me survive! Don’t be afraid to try a local specialty!

3. Make a trip without renting a car

It is terrifying being at the mercy of public transit to get you from point A to point B, but outside the States, it is a common form of transportation. Europe is an easy place to start as the public transportation system is excellent. I have never rented a car in all my trips there. If you would rather keep your travels domestic, it can still be done! Check out walk score to get an idea of some of the cities that are best. Even some cities outside of the top 25 are perfectly capable of accommodating you, like Denver, San Diego, and New Orleans to name a few that I can personally vouch for.

4. Talk to some locals

Even if you are typically the shy type, branch out and open up. Odds are you will never see this person again, but if you strike a bond, even better! Locals love talking about their city; they can update you on some current events surrounding the city like bonds up for election. They also know what there is to see, do, and eat. They can certainly help out with Tip Number 2, as I don’t think their favorite place to eat over and over again is McDonalds. Hell they could even help you with Tip Number 1 and give you a place to stay!

5. Do not penny pinch

Saving money is a great feeling, and more than likely the reason you saved money is to go on this trip… so why save $5, $10, $50 to miss an opportunity? I am not insisting on spending $2,000 on an excursion that may be awesome, but set you back financially. But if you come across bungee jumping off a bridge, I am willing to bet you will remember working up the nerve to make the jump rather than how your spent the $50. Take chances and don’t be afraid!

We'd love to hear your ideas! Leave a comment or email us at 10centtravels@gmail.com! Also, connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @10centtravels

Denali National Park

AMAZING. 6 million acres of amazing. Denali strives to preserve the wildness of the park with very limited trails and only one real road that cuts 90 miles into the park.  This park is home to numerous species of wildlife, stretching from large mammals like moose, small mammals like foxes, and even birds of prey like the American Bald Eagle. The best part of this slice of heaven is that is is only 235 miles north of Anchorage. There is an expensive train that runs up to Denali which takes 7.5 hours, a bus, or another option of renting a car which takes 4 hours. There are 2 airports in the park, but I know nothing about them.

Made it!

Denali offers experiences for all walks of people. Our flight was full of senior citizens, many doing guided tours, but also visiting Denali National Park. I was a bit shocked to hear they were going to Denali after seeing pictures of mountain ranges jutting out of the earth. Then I was surprised to find the elevation change from park's main visitor center to the airport 90 miles away equals to a total of 2,000 feet. This should blow your mind because the Eielson Visitor Center (66 miles in) you can see Mt. McKinley at 20,320 feet.

Our view while hiking!

Enough of this, we will cut to the chase… How to tackle Denali National Park:

Experienced Backpackers

Not too enthused about no trails

Backcountry hiking is the best way to explore Denali in its natural environment. This is very easy to do, but MUST BE DONE IN PERSON. How do you do that? Upon arriving, head to the Wilderness Access Center (WAC)/ Backcountry Information Center (BIC). At the BIC, you will check in with the park rangers. A disadvantage to reserving in person is not knowing which units (zones) will be available. Denali’s goal is to replicate solidarity and maintain the wilderness, and this is done by limiting the amount of campers allowed in each unit. This makes it near impossible to plan ahead of time. If you plan to camp in multiple zones… please note that the mileage you cover will be significantly less than normal trail hikes. Denali is TRAILLESS. A good place to start is to cut the number of miles you do in a day on a trail in half. Knowing the dates that you will be camping will help the park ranger and your group put together

No campsites!

a good itinerary. After the itinerary is put into place, there is a mandatory safety video (~30 mins). Then the rangers will put on a demonstration with the bear canisters which will be issued free of charge (make sure to return them or a fine of $80 will be charged per canister). Backcountry permits take at least one day to obtain. Our method helped eliminate this. Get to Denali towards  the end of the day, write down  the unit availabilities (they are posted on the door of the BIC), and watch the safety video at the BIC or WAC. Go to the BIC when it opens the next morning and get your permit.
Please know your experience level as this is NOT for the typical day hiker. 

*Note: Denali Camper Bus is FREE for the first 15 miles (Salvage River) BUT if your backcountry zone has you going past this, you will have to take the bus. Go to the WAC after getting your permit and pay the $35 for a bus ticket (it’s worth the drive out to Eielson Visitor Center anyways).

Campground Hikers

Riley Creek Campground

Love to hike, but would rather have basic amenities at your disposal? Denali has 6 campsites that accommodate backpackers to RV’s. The size of each campsite varies so please check it out before reserving. They are also spread across 85 miles of the park and each campsite is different, for example Wonder Lake is notorious for the abundance of mosquitoes but also has a lot of trails from the campground. Also do not think that because you are setting up camp at a particular site, you cannot explore the park. With a 14 day maximum stay in the park, there is plenty of time. Buy the bus ticket at the WAC, get to your camp ground, set up shop, and then you are free to hitch rides from the camper buses that allow you to be dropped off any unit (zone) you please.

Waiting to flag down a bus

After a day of hiking make your way back to the road, flag down a camper bus (they're green), and head back to the campground. Rinse and repeat!

Overview of campsites and location

Love the Wild, but Not Camping?

You don’t have to love hiking to enjoy Denali. There are other options to enjoy the great outdoors. After our journey we visited the sled dog center and watched a presentation put on by park rangers about the history and training of the sled dogs. It was fun to meet/pet the dogs and learn about their origins… plus see a little mushing/sledding demo! Stay after the buses leave and you can watch how the rangers put the pups away in their kennels (bonus show!). We also saw numerous people renting bikes and riding the 85 mile road. The bus allows 2 bikes to be loaded. Check this out to see more activities like a view from the sky or other guided tours. If you wish to take a guided tour of the park... our advice, take the $35 camper bus. It does the SAME route, stops at the SAME spots, uses the SAME buses (painted different) and uses the SAME drivers as the guided tours... Only difference is price. 

Ride outbound with Alan, our bus driver!

Hanging with my team