Where to Travel Fall & Winter 2020 with Ben Collier

This week I sit down with Ben Collier who is the General Manager at Incredible Adventures and is a wizard when it comes to organizing itineraries in the United States.  He’s an expert when it comes to US National Parks, camping, and hiking, and has worked in adventure travel for nearly a decade, including five years on the ground as a guide.

Ben and I get the chance to talk about USA road trips and where people should travel in fall and winter 2020 while keeping them safe from COVID-19.

In this episode we discuss: 

How did Ben get started as a traveler and trip leader in the United States? 

His experience in Alaska and Hawaii

A great itinerary for Portland, Oregon 
Crater Lake National Park 
Cascade Mountains

Where to travel this fall?

• Fall foliage ideas  

Where to travel in the United States during the winter?

• Matt’s pick: South Florida, Miami or Fort Lauderdale to the Everglades National Park and Florida Keys
• Skiing and how social distancing will work
• Joshua Tree, Death Valley
• Yellowstone, Yosemite
• Zion/Bryce Canyon
• Lake Tahoe 
  - Matt’s article referenced: Millennials are Fleeing Cities, Escaping 9-5, & Avoiding Taxes
• Reno...Cool neighborhoods like Mid-town Reno
• Truckee, California 

• Hikes near Las Vegas, Nevada

Where to get a COVID19 test to show states like Rhode Island, Maine, and Hawaii? 
- At home test kits 

What are the best US National Parks? 

Where should people travel in the winter in the United States?

What should first people know about their first time camping? 

Hiking safety tips.
- Hike in groups
- Bring sufficient water
-Tell someone where you are going
- Always bring salty foods and extra electrolytes
- Dress in layers; avoid cotton

Bear safety tips 
- Bear spray
- Bear bell

Leave no trace camping and hiking principles 
- Free Leave No Trace Certification

What to bring on a road trip? 
- Safety, should you get a tune up? Should you have a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher? Should you replace your tires?
- Pack extra food, water
- Blanket 
- AAA Membership 

Is California safe to travel to right now? Are the California wildfires contained?

Exploring your backyard

Rapid fire questions: 

• Favorite US National Park?
  - Yosemite

• Favorite state to visit in the United States?
  - Alaska 

• Favorite small town in America? 
• Best hike in America? 
  - Angels Landing, Zion National Park 

• One piece of camping gear he couldn’t live without.
  - Good sleeping bag; Marmot 

• One piece of hiking gear he couldn’t live without. 
  - Leki lightweight hiking poles

Resources: 

• Incredible Adventures, San Francisco’s greenest tour company, powered by petroleum free biofuel.
• @Incadventures on Instagram
• Get in touch with Ben: ben (at) incredibleadventures (dot) com

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, or Spotify.

You can find all the links and past show notes on millennialtravelpodcast.com

Direct support for The Millennial Travel Podcast comes from The Millennial Travel Guidebook: Escape More, Spend Less, & Make Travel a Priority in Your Life

... and from our new USA hiking and camping trips at Under30Experiences!