Which National Park?

[dragoneggs]

All I can tell you is that when we went to the south rim of the grand canyon, there's a little village just outside the gate where, I assume, many of the seasonal workers live. This was about 12 years ago, or so. A Big Mac at the McDonald's was like $47.00.... :laughing: OK, that's exaggerating. But it was way higher than anywhere else.

I think that is about what I paid at a McD's in Oslo, Norway!

 

[BoylermanCT]

I stayed at the Grand Canyon village 20 years ago, and had breakfast at a local diner. A glass of OJ was like $10. I asked the waitress why it was so expensive, and she said it had to come a long way to get to the Grand Canyon. I asked her how diners in CT could sell OJ for $1 when CT is further from the orange groves in FL than Grand Canyon is from the orange groves in CA. She could not explain that one. People will price gouge because they can.

 

[dragoneggs]

I stayed at the Grand Canyon village 20 years ago, and had breakfast at a local diner. A glass of OJ was like $10. I asked the waitress why it was so expensive, and she said it had to come a long way to get to the Grand Canyon. I asked her how diners in CT could sell OJ for $1 when CT is further from the orange groves in FL than Grand Canyon is from the orange groves in CA. She could not explain that one. People will price gouge because they can.

Bring a cooler and load up with great picnic food/wine, etc. Traveling around we often sample cheese, meats, etc. If you have a cooler there's no concern and you have a snack along the way or in your hotel room after a long day of hiking and you don't feel like going to dinner.

 

[N80]

Bring a cooler and load up with great picnic food/wine, etc. Traveling around we often sample cheese, meats, etc. If you have a cooler there's no concern and you have a snack along the way or in your hotel room after a long day of hiking and you don't feel like going to dinner.

That's a good idea. Would have to buy a cooler since we'll be flying in. And would have to get picnic food locally. Probably not a problem. But would like to try out some high end south west cooking or any good local food too. I'm sure we can find some places. I'm as happy in a dive as a five star as long as the food is good.

But, this trip will not be about the food so we won't let that distract us from what we came for.

 

[dragoneggs]

That's a good idea. Would have to buy a cooler since we'll be flying in. And would have to get picnic food locally. Probably not a problem. But would like to try out some high end south west cooking or any good local food too. I'm sure we can find some places. I'm as happy in a dive as a five star as long as the food is good.

But, this trip will not be about the food so we won't let that distract us from what we came for.

We've done that several times. Buy a cooler and gather stuff along the route. Give it away or toss it when you are done. I have traded a box fan we bought for a trade show for a taxi ride, give the cooler to the rental car agency when you leave and tell them to keep it or offer it as a gift to another customer checking in... you will at least get a smile and laugh! What is nice is you have a place for cold drinks on hot days as well as your preserve your little food finds that you happen upon but don't want to eat right away. Worth the small investment.

 

[ericm979]

Beware keeping food in the car when visiting bear country. They'll break into your car to get the food, even in a cooler. Some bears in the Yosemite valley have learned to recognize the car models that are easiest for bears to break into and they target them. I like the good electric coolers- they're super efficient and you don't have to hassle with ice and keeping your food from getting wet. But they're not cheap, or bear-proof.


I went backpacking once in Hetch Hetchy, which is also in Yosemite national park. It's a valley that's comparable to Yosemite but they dammed it in the early 1900s, like they wanted to do to Yosemite valley. It's also where they dump the bad bears from the valley. I'd spent that season studying grizzly bears in Yellowstone and hung my food like I'd been doing all summer. That wasn't a match for a valley trained black bear- he didn't even wait for full darkness before taking my food. In the morning as I was packing up for my breakfast-less hike out, a guy who'd been camping a ways away came over asking if I'd seen his camera that was swiped by bears.