In trying to cut down on cost a bit for our GNP trip end of June---I was going to follow suggestions

In trying to cut down on cost a bit for our GNP trip end of June---I was going to follow suggestions of some of the posts here and buy nonstop airline tickets going into calgary and out of kalispell. Luckily, i tried to see if i could a rent a car from calgary and drop off in kalispell likewise. All 3 that i looked at online did not have any available cars. I then called Hertz and one of the others, and they too, did not allow it. I've read several of you have done this. Can anybody tell me what rental quality inn and suites company allows this? I'm not sure whether the kalispell airport just wasn't one of the drop off locations, or they were already out of cars for those dates.
Renting a car in one city and dropping it off in another, not speaking quality inn and suites of a different country as is the case here is not the way to cut down costs. You may have to figure out a round-trip to keep the cost down.
You need to fly in and out of Kalispell or in and out of Calgary, not both. I prefer Kalispel, but I am flying out of Calgary myself in late July. I had AA flyer points and the flights in/out of Kalispell are pretty quality inn and suites high.
I think you are taking a pretty quality inn and suites big risk of the Going to the Sun Road not being open in June. I would say about a 50/50 chance. It appears that the current year is running about average on Flattop Mountain and according to one website the snowpack is already at 100% on the west side. A large amount of snow in March or April or a warm spring would change things.
thank you all for your suggestions----that makes sense-never have gone in and out of multiple cities before---but the airfares are so high out of chicago! we will fly in and out of kalispell ---that's settled! -i love this site and all of the helpful posts---i know we are taking somewhat of a chance in late June---but its that or nothing-----we've put this trip off for such a long time---for one reason or another---we're planning on staying quality inn and suites 3 nights in Many Glacier, then 4 nights outside east side of park. can't wait---i've heard its one of the most scenic parks---
To see the east side on June 1 last year, we got off the train in Cut Bank and spent the night there before driving up 17 miles from St. Mary to the locked gate. They expected Logan Pass to be open 6/15.
Actually ,tomfuller, I read your post earlier about Meadow Lake---and we are staying there for the 2nd part of our trip---it looks very nice, now i must decide whether to stay 3 days in Many Glacier and 4 days at Meadow Lake----or 2 Days at Many and 5 at Meadow lake. Husband looks forward to some golf and I figured we would explore East side of park from there. Any suggestions since you've been there? Is whitefish worthy of an afternoon? Did you take more than one boat ride in the park? I've just confirmed my airline res. to/from kalispell. Now is the fun part--planning everything else.
I never took a boat trip in Glacier. I was there in November 2005 from Whitefish and Columbia Falls (Meadow Lake). On June 1 2012 we saw the east side including Two Medicine and got as far west as the Isaac Walton Inn on US 2. We went back to Browning and took a short tour of the Museum of the Plains Indian on the way back to Cut Bank to turn in the car and get back on the westbound Empire quality inn and suites Builder.
It's more like a shuttle on Swiftcurrent and Josephine lakes and you walk about a hundred quality inn and suites yards between them. It's intended to knock a couple quality inn and suites of miles off the Grinnell Glacier hike. If you're taking the ranger-led hike that's what they do. It's an 8:30AM ride.
BTW, I love the National Parks, but just like a person should do at home, if the money isn't there, then you have to cut something somewhere. I love my house, etc. But sometimes you can't have everything you want. I think a 2-8% cut is fine in many places. Be responsible instead of just keep borrowing and getting yourself in deeper.
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