Montana and Wyoming are full of great family destinations, especially Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier national parks. Many properties in these areas have family cabins that include kitchens, and most motels have family rooms or suites tailored to the needs of parents with their kids. To locate those accommodations, restaurants, and attractions that are particularly kid-friendly, refer to the "Kids" icon throughout this guide.
Familyhostel (tel. 800/733-9753; www.learn.unh.edu/familyhostel) takes the whole family, including kids ages 8 to 15, on moderately priced domestic and international learning vacations. Lectures, field trips, and sightseeing are guided by a team of academics.
Recommended family travel Internet sites include Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com), a comprehensive site that offers customized trip planning; Family Travel Network (www.familytravelnetwork.com), an award-winning site that offers travel features, deals, and tips; Traveling Internationally with Your Kids (www.travelwithyourkids.com), a comprehensive site offering sound advice for long-distance and international travel with children; and Family Travel Files (www.thefamilytravelfiles.com), which offers an online magazine and a directory of off-the-beaten-path tours and tour operators for families.
Family groups should always ask about discounts for attractions and accommodations. If you plan to stay a week at a ski resort or dude ranch, you may find a better value by renting a condominium or lodge than multiple rooms. Ski areas often offer packages that include accommodations and lift tickets; check with a ski resort's reservation service for current prices. Before booking any type of room, event, or activity, be sure to inquire whether there are discounts for children or age restrictions.
A National Parks Pass costs $50 and provides free admission into any national park requiring an entry fee. Not only will the pass admit you and any passengers in your vehicle at all parks where a per-vehicle fee is charged, but it also will admit you and your spouse, parents, and children at parks where a per-visitor fee is charged. Valid for 1 full year from first use in a national park, the pass can be purchased at park entrance stations and visitor centers, or by phone (tel. 888/GO-PARKS) or online (www.nationalparks.org).
Montana Kids (www.montanakids.com) is a website from Travel Montana that's both for kids, with games and such, and their parents, with information about places to go and things to do with families. As for books, Frommer's Family Vacations in the National Parks (Wiley Publishing, Inc.) is an excellent resource; and How to Take Great Trips with Your Kids (The Harvard Common Press) is full of good general advice that can apply to travel anywhere.
