Cruises depart from Lewiston, Idaho to Portland, Oregon on Sept. 24, Oct. 08 and Nov. 19 for 2011.  Eastbound sailings depart from Portland to Lewiston,  Oct. 22 and Nov. 05, 2011 and all of these sailing dates showcase the lovely Indian Summers of the Pacific Northwest. 

 Extend your vacation for 2 nights and try Sturgeon fishing on the Snake River with a hotel stay on our North Idaho diamond, Lake Coeur d’Alene.  For information on sightseeing  and unique experiences as well as the Sturgeon fishing mini-vacation, ask for Rhonda Sand at TMI Tours & Cruises.  We are your vacation specialist for the Pacific Northwest.

This winter is looking like a great one for Idaho ski vacations.  November laid down a lot of snow in the mountains, allowing many ski areas to open early this year.  Cross country skiing is a great way to experience the beauty of Idaho’s mountains in winter and Idaho has plenty of great cross country ski trails.

Here is a unique cross country adventure idea for the Sun Valley area that is reasonably priced and perfect for families or couples.    Located in the Boulder Mountains is a day lodge operating as a home-base for cross-country skiers and snowshoers in the winter months.  They are open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 9am-5pm but during the full moon cycle, they offer a special Full Moon Dinner.   This is a 4-course plated dinner at 630pm served for 3 nights each month and guests are encouraged to ski or snowshoe in the moonlight either before or after their meal.  Located on a ridge above the lodge are  three yurts available for rent and furnished with wood stoves, propane cook stoves and fuel, lanterns, cookware and dishes/silverware, coffe pot, paper products, firewood, and beds with foam mats.  Two of the yurts can sleep up to 8 people each and there is a special Honeymoon Yurt tucked away in the forest that sleeps up to 4.    Visitors need to bring their own bedding and toiletries and can either choose to bring food to cook or eat at the lodge.

Surrounded by some of the best cross country skiing in the nation, these immaculately groomed trails extend  right from your doorstep within the North Valley Trail System.  And if skiing isn’t your style, there is an extensive system of snowshoe trails with beautiful views and snowshoe rentals can be found right at the lodge.  

TMI Tours of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho can design an exclusive Full Moon Idaho Ski Vacation for your family or group this winter.  Contact Rhonda Sand or Linda Bruno for complete details and availability at 1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com.  We are your Idaho Winter Vacation specialists.

If you’ve wanted to bring the family to Yellowstone National Park  this summer, consider a wild, western twist on the classic family vacation.   Yellowstone National Park sits in the corner of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming…..pure cowboy country.  What kid wouldn’t leap at the chance to put on a cowboy hat and explore the wide open spaces of a real working ranch and the wonder that is Yellowstone National Park.

The fun begins the minute you arrive in Bozeman, Montana with a visit to the Lewis & Clark Caverns and an afternoon zip-line adventure through the Moose Tracks forest of Big Sky Resort.   Your accomodations  for the night will be an authentic log cabin tucked into the woods of a working Guest Ranch that began as a Montana homestead 110 years ago.   Enjoy the hearty ranch-style dinner followed by a horse-drawn hayride and s’mores around the campfire.

Your naturalist guide will explore the wonders of Yellowstone National Park with you for the next 3 days, visiting Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, Mount Washburn and wildlife viewing the famous Hayden Valley.  Dawn in Hayden Valley offers your best chance for interesting wildlife sightings of moose, bears, wolves and other elusive species.  You’ll spend two nights at the historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel offering 1920’s ambiance and stunning lake views, perfect for relaxing after a full day of sightseeing.

Next stop is Cody, Wyoming to take in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a white-water  float on the Shoshone River and a rockin-good time at the Cody Rodeo.  Since the 1800’s,  Cody has stood for everything that is wild about the west.  Fortunately, you’ll be sleeping in comfort at  The Cody, a luxury hotel within walking distance of all the historic sites in the frontier town of Cody.

There are four group departure dates for the summer of 2011 on this “Best of the West Family Vacation”-June 19, July 10, July 24 and August 07.

Contact  Rhonda Sand or Linda Bruno at TMI Tours in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for availability and prices on this unique family vacation idea to Yellowstone National Park.  It is guaranteed to be the wildest 6 days of your  summer vacation.

 1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com

It is still possible to experience a mode of travel from a by-gone era with all the luxury and leisure that train travel provides.  The Rocky Mountaineer is more than just a train ride–it has been called “The Worlds Leading Travel Experience by Train”.   New for 2011 will be a delightful pairing of rail travel through the rugged Canadian wilderness and wine tasting in the Okanagan Valley, internationally famous for it’s wines and wineries.

Banff Springs Hotel

With only two departure dates, June 16 and September 8, 2011 you’ll want to reserve your place on this special rail tour early.  This 7 night/8 day tour includes two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, 7 nights hotel accomodations, 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners (including several food/wine paired meals), private motorcoach travel in the Okanagan region with guided winery tours and tastings as well as adventure activities in Banff National Park.

TMI Tours of Coeur d’Alene wants to invite you to recapture the romance of rail travel aboard the Rocky Mountaineer as it follows the historic train routes constructed over 125 years ago through the rugged Rocky Mountains of Western Canada.  Contact Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand for availability, rates and help designing your vacation to the Pacific Northwest. 1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com.  photos courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer.

As I promised, below are some great snowmobile adventure ideas for Central to Southern Idaho and West Yellowstone, Montana. 

Mc Call, Idaho

Bear Creek Lodge just outside Mc Call is a perfect base for a snowmobile weekend.  Not only are the accomodations inviting, offering cabins and lodge rooms with riding right from your door, but one of the areas largest parking lots is right across the street if you choose to bring your own sleds.   A popular ride is a full day trip to the crystal clear hot pools of Burgdorf Hotsprings and the ghost town of Warren.  Burgdorf is not your typical hot springs..it is rustic and accessible only by snowmobile in the winter.  Enjoy the 6×6 ft. 113 degree spring box pool or the 50×85 ft. main pool, usually around 100 degrees.   Caretakers onsite will rent towels and suits if you need and there is fuel and food available as well as cabins for rent.  Continuing on, you can visit the historic gold mining  town of Warren.   Enjoy dinner and drinks and cozying up to the big wood stove at The Winter’s Inn before heading back to Bear Creek Lodge for the night.   Sounds like an extremely enjoyable day with perfect powder and gorgeous mountain scenery.

Cascade, Idaho

The Ashley Inn offers guests first class accomodations with a fireplace in every room, bountiful breakfast each morning and a heated indoor pool and whirlpool.  What a fantastic place to base your snowmobile adventure to Wellington Snow Park, just 18 miles south of Cascade.  The snowpark offers 400 miles of trails, including 250 that are groomed including  The Winter Wonderland Trail offering scenic views at over 7,900 feet.  Cozy up to the huge fireplace usually roaring in the parks warming hut  at  the end of your ride or enjoy a delicious meal at the Cougar Mountain Lodge located just across the steet.  Snowmobilers have access to the towns of Cascade, Mc Call, Ola, Stanley, Warm Lake and Garden Valley from this trail system.

Island Park, Idaho

Famous for the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River and it’s world class fly fishing, Island Park in the winter is magical.  Just west of Yellowstone National Park are the world famous loop snowmobile trails of the Island Park area. Over 400+ miles of groomed trails on private and public land through the Targhee National Forest. Forested trails connect with the West Yellowstone trail system to provide access to mountains more than 8,000-feet high. Renowned Two Top Mountain is here with select hillclimbing and powder bowls. Popular stops include Big Springs, which is the headwaters of the Henrys Fork of the Snake River and Mesa Falls, on the southern end of Island Park.  Places like the Angler’s Lodge offer “Bed & Sled” packages during the winter months to entice snowmobile enthusiasts to stay and play awhile.  After a day exploring Idaho’s perfect  powder, relax with dinner at Island Parks finest restaurant followed by a soak in the  community hot tub or your own private jacuzzi.

West Yellowstone, MT

The 21st annual Snowmobile Expo is being held in West Yellowstone, Montana  the 11-13th of March, 2011.  EXPO is recognized worldwide as the “Largest Snowmobile Event in the West.”  Arctic Cat, Polaris, Skidoo and Yamaha will unveil their new 2012 snowmobile lines for the first time to the public at the same location. This year combines annual favorite racing events with competitions including ATV racing, freestyle aerials, and a Toughman Enduro Race.

Contact Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand at TMI Tours for rates, packages and information on attending this wild event at West Yellowstone or on any of our great snowmobile destinations in the Pacific Northwest.   TMI Tours of Coeur d’Alene at 1-800-975-777 or info@tmitours.com