Welcome to Packwood Vacations

As summer rounds the corner into Labor Day, travelers rush to squeeze the last drops of sunshine out of the season. This year, skip the usual barbecue-and-beach getaway for an outdoor excursion that truly does justice to those glorious, warm days of late summer and early fall. Need a little inspiration? IgoUgo members recommend their favorite ways (and favorite places) to get outside and stretch those sunlight hours-without a beach in sight.

Soak up the late-summer sun in America’s national parks.

Beat the heat-and get the country’s most spectacular landscapes all to yourself-by visiting national parks after the crowds have gone home. IgoUgo members love Utah’s Zion National Park for its “luminescent red canyons” and plentiful campgrounds; Rocky Mountain National Park for its variety of hiking trails and dramatic ranges (hint: late summer and fall bring the area’s best weather); and Montana’s Glacier National Park for its untamed beauty and vast, sparkling lakes. Looking for an easier weekend trip? Don’t neglect your nearby state parks, either; South Dakota’s Custer State Park, with its scenic drives and “begging burros,” won over one traveler who planned a half-day excursion and left wishing for more.