If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path this winter, why not check into a snowmobile adventure.  Snowmobile rentals have become popular in areas that offer great riding, making this an affordable and exciting alternative to other winter sports.  In most cases you can rent riding gear, g.p.s., helmet, goggles and your machine all for one low daily rate including your first tank of gas.  Popular riding locations will always have accurate trail maps and usually guides for hire to familiarize you with the local area and access to facilities for food and fuel.

North Idaho and Western Montana are a snowmobilers paradise with hundreds of miles of groomed trails and forest service roads providing easy access to spectacular powder.   The Cabinet, Selkirk and Rocky Mountains provide experienced riders with the thrill of  windswept ridges and snow-filled bowls above the tree line.  Novices will love the meanering trails following icy streams through the dense forests full of wildlife.   Accomodations range from full-service Resorts to cozy log cabins in the woods.

Favorite snowmobiling locations for North Idaho:

• Priest Lake/Nordman
• Sandpoint/Schweitzer
• Coeur d’Alene/Silver Valley

Favorite snowmobiling locations in Western Montana:

• Libby/Troy
• Kalispell/West Glacier
• Missoula/Lolo Hot Springs
• Seeley Lake

TMI Tours of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho specializes in unique adventure packages for snowmobile enthusiasts to the Pacific Northwest.  We have information on rentals, great accomodations, guides and packages for all of the above locations in North Idaho and Western Montana.  Call Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand at 1-800-975-7775 or email us at info@tmitours.com

Check back here for great tours and snowmobile packages for other  Idaho destinations in Central and Southwest Idaho like Stanley, Mc Call, Island Park and West Yellowstone…..coming soon.

TMI Tours is excited to announce new adventure packages to Glacier National Park for the summer of 2011.   Modeled after the Great Lodges of Glacier Tours, these adventure packages are for guests that want to spend more time hiking and exploring Glacier National Park.

Iceberg Lake

The first night will begin at Glacier Park Lodge with a welcome BBQ and narrative around the campfire with a Blackfeet Tribal member.  The following morning, guests will board the vintage Red Buses for a tour of Glacier’s East Side before a guided hike to spectacular Iceberg Lake and overnight at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.  The next morning, guests board the Red Buses and sightsee on the way  to the Many Glacier Hotel.  A guided hike to Grinnell Glacier will take you along the shores of several mountain lakes and a chance to stand on an actual glacier in the heart of the Park.  Day 4 is dedicated to the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road on the Red Buses,  a hike along the Highline Trail  and the next two nights at Lake Mc Donald Lodge & Cabins on  Glacier’s West Side.  Your last day in the Park will include a 2-hour Fly Fishing lesson and 1/2 day Whitewater trip as well as a farewell dinner.

These packages are offered from mid-July through the first week of September and are limited to 24 people per group.  Fully escorted and inclusive of hiking  guides, most meals, accomodations in the Park and transportation via convertible, vintage Red Buses, they are the best possible way to enjoy Glacier National Park.

Contact Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand at TMI Tours of Coeur dAlene and reserve your adventure vacation package today to experience the best of Glacier National Park 2011.  1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com

Cruising the beautiful lakes of California, Arizona and Nevada aboard your own personal houseboat is a unique vacation choice.  Modern houseboat rentals are luxurious, offering comforts only dreamed about a few year ago.  Todays houseboats offer private accomodations, fully equipt kitchens and living areas, and sun-decks with BBQ,  wet bar and water slide.  

Below are a few of our favorite locations for you to enjoy the fun and adventure of a houseboat vacation.  With a wide variety of modern houseboats to choose from at each location, your biggest decision will be  where to start first.

Lake Oroville is Northern California’s largest state reservoir. Lake Oroville is the cornerstone of Lake Oroville State Recreation Area and is conveniently located on the Feather River, about 75 miles north of Sacramento, in the chaparral oak-pine belt of northern mother lode country.  Lake Oroville Marina has endless opportunities to enjoy the uncrowded atmosphere. Soak up the sun while reading a book on your California houseboat rental and cool off by sliding down the waterslide into the lake. The calm waters are ideal for swimming, waterskiing or snorkeling. Cruise the waters or park along shore to enjoy some great lakeside hiking or camping.

Don Pedro Lake – a recreational gem in the Sierra Nevada foothills of the Stanislaus National Forest, near the communities of Moccasin and La Grange, and bordering the northwestern corner of Yosemite National Park. Here you’ll find nearly 160 miles of shoreline, excellent fishing and seemingly endless opportunity for water sports and fun.  Don Pedro Lake is actually the 5th largest man-made lake in California with over 2.3 million acre feet of water. Surrounded by rolling hills and oak trees, this beautiful reservoir is situated in a canyon carved out by the Tuolumne river. Several tributaries drain directly into Don Pedro Lake allowing the water levels to remain high and the comfortably warm summer water temperatures.

Trinity Lake is  one of Northern California’s favorite houseboating playgrounds. Here you’ve got miles of tree-lined shores to explore and countless secluded coves perfect for claiming as your own houseboat base camp. Trinity boasts unparalleled water sports opportunity – from world-class trout and bass fishing, to miles of smooth blue water perfect for boating, skiing and boarding. Accommodations range from lakeside cabin rentals, nearby RV parks and campgrounds, and nearly 147 miles of shoreline for camping and anchoring private and rental boats.

Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake Mohave is one of the best kept secrets in Nevada. We’re conveniently located on the Colorado river, just a short drive from Laughlin, NV and Bullhead City, AZ. We’re also part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service.  This pristine desert lake is approximately 67 miles long and is backed up by Davis Dam on the Colorado River. Lake Mohave is always full and the sparkling calm waters are legendary. Enjoy spectacular scenery, endless beach opportunities, sheer walls, and fascinating canyons along the way hosting names like Black Canyon, Pyramid Canyon, Painted Canyon and Eldorado Canyon.

Antelope Point is the  newest marina on beautiful Lake Powell, located just 12 miles from Page, Arizona.  Antelope Point  offers both convenience and brand-new upscale services catering to long-time Powell boaters and newcomers alike.  The marina  is anchored in the Lake’s main channel at mile marker 5, just a few minutes boat ride from the Glen  Canyon Dam and nearby Wahweap Marina. Antelope is the closest land-based marina to world-famous Rainbow Bridge National Monument – commemorating 100 years in 2009, and adjacent to popular Antelope and Navajo canyons. Like the other marinas on Lake Powell, Antelope Point is administered by the National Park Service. The Point however is located within the Federal Reservation of the Navajo Nation. You can see the native influence in the unique design and engineering of the marina facility – one of the largest of its type in the world.

Lake Mead offers 550 miles of pristine shoreline, soaring red rock cliffs, countless bays and beaches, and a convenient location within an hour of the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas.  Few places can beat the recreation opportunities that await you on Lake Mead.  Few places on earth match the raw, natural beauty of Lake Mead. Whether your idea of the perfect vacation is getting up at dawn to greet the sunrise with a cup of coffee or a waterski run on glass-like water. Or maybe it’s just relaxing on the top deck of a houseboat with friends and enjoying the glow of the sunset.

TMI Tours of Coeur d”Alene, Idaho  will customize a unique and exciting houseboat vacation for you from anywhere in the world.  For information and arrangements, contact Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand at 1-800-975-7775 or email us at info@tmitours.com and let us handle all the details.

If you have attempted to make reservations to stay within Glacier National Park this summer, you know that almost every lodge is sold out for the summer 2010.   Glacier National Park is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary and with a limited number of hotel rooms located within the Park, availability is  a scattered few dates here and there.   It is still possible to enjoy a vacation to Glacier this summer and experience the history and ambiance of the great lodges of Glacier National Park with all inclusive, escorted tours operating throughout the summer 2010. 

These 5 night/6 day tours include overnight stays at the Glacier Park Lodge, The Prince of Wales Hotel, the Many Glacier Hotel  and Lake Mc Donald Lodge.  This tour is fully escorted and all transportation within the park will be aboard the vintage Red Buses.  Highlights include boat cruises of Two Medicine Lake & Swiftcurrent Lake, a Blackfeet Cultural History Tour,  escorted sightseeing hikes, afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel, a musical evening with singer/songwriter David Walburn,  an authentic western cowboy cookout and well as two other dinners and breakfast each morning.

Space is very limited for June, August and September departure dates.  Call or email Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand at TMI Tours  for detailed itineraries and current availability.  Bring your family and explore Glacier National Park during the 100th anniversary this summer, staying at the historic, beautiful lodges within the park. Contact TMI Tours of Coeur dAlene, Idaho at 1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com.  We are your Glacier National Park specialists.

Getting outdooors in North Idaho is what vacationing and living here are all about.  Whether you are new to the area or enjoying a family vacation at one of our beautiful lakes, guided adventures let you enjoy the activity without any of the worry. 

Imagine the exhilaration of hiking high in the mountains, cresting the ridgetop and looking down on a sparkling mountain lake nestled into a alpine meadow.   The rugged Selkirk Mountains in the Idaho Panhandle offer a chance to hike in the native habitat of moose, elk, bear and eagles.   Hiking trails wind through old growth forest, over cascading streams, through huckleberry patches and along mountain tops where the views go on forever.  Local guides will enchant you with stories of early fur trappers and traders, mountain men and native americans that lived and walked these same trails. 

Mountain biking in the Selkirks is easy with the help of the Great Escape Quad lift, whisking  bicycles and their riders up the mountain with ease.   For a great family outing  join a 19 mile downhill bike run from the top of the mountain  to a private 6-acre ranch located on pristine Priest River.  Spend the day enjoying a leisurely ride through spectacular scenery complete with a support vechicle, lunch at the ranch, swimming and playing in the river and van transportation back to your point of departure. 

Of course with all this tumbling water around us, guided kayak adventures can be taylored for almost any level of enthusiast.   Specially designed trips for beginners and young teens are available on beautiful Priest River using stable, inflateable kayaks and include just the right amount of fast and slow water to keep it fun.

TMI Tours of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho has complete details on these and many other guided outdoor adventures available in North Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.  Contact Linda Bruno or Rhonda Sand for airfare, lodging and activities for your perfect vacation in the great state of Idaho. 1-800-975-7775 or info@tmitours.com