TRAVEL Q&A

Yellowstone bed check

Q We recently decided to go to Yellowstone for our summer vacation, and we were much too late to book a room at Old Faithful Lodge. In fact, no rooms at the park were available, and we are not campers. Should we consider a different national park?

A A number of wonderful national parks are less crowded than Yellowstone -- such as Voyageurs right here in Minnesota -- but Yellowstone is singularly spectacular. Don't give up on your dream just yet.

Al Nash, spokesman for Yellowstone National Park, said that there are about 2,000 rooms in the park. Last year, a record 3.6 million people visited, the vast majority between mid-June to mid-August. Clearly, not everyone has the opportunity to sleep inside park boundaries. But there are options.

"Any number of gateway communities offer a variety of lodging options, spanning geography and price range," Nash said.

West Yellowstone, Mont., puts up many park visitors; its chamber of commerce site has links to hotels, cabins and condos (www.destina tionyellowstone.com). Other options include two Wyoming spots: Jackson, which is also relatively close to Grand Teton National Park, and Cody, about an hour east of the park. Bozeman, Mont., is farther away -- about an hour and a half drive from the north entrance to Yellowstone -- but has plenty of hotel rooms and a major airport.

If you have your heart set on staying in the park -- and you're adventurous -- consider arriving at any of the park's nine lodges and hotels in the morning to inquire about openings that night. Tom Mesereau, spokesman for Xanterra Park & Resorts, the company that manages all Yellowstone lodging, said: "Inevitably, there are early departures or no-shows, and the front desk of any of the properties can look to see if there is an opening anywhere in the park." But don't bank your vacation on it, he warns. During the summer, competition for rooms is fierce.

Nash said that anyone traveling in May, early June, September and October has a better chance of finding a room in Yellowstone. For summer visitors, a word of advice from Nash: "You need to be thinking about making your trip plans while you are enjoying your Christmas holiday."

KERRI WESTENBERG

Fares to Europe take a dip If you purchased your summer tickets to Europe earlier this year, you should check fares to see if they have gone down. Some fares have dropped as much as $700 from what the airlines were charging in winter and early spring. Anytime a fare dips after you've made a ticket purchase, you might be able to recoup some of the difference. Most airlines impose a change fee on nonrefundable tickets, and the fare difference will have to exceed that amount, which can be up to $150 on domestic routes and up to $250 on international routes. If the price difference is more than the change fee, you can get a credit on that airline in the form of a voucher.

MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

Poll: Summer travel down New reports find that travel is running cold and colder. In a recent survey of more than 1,000 adults, Chase Card Services found that only 41 percent of Americans are likely to take a vacation this summer, down from 44 percent in 2010. Of those, 58 percent plan to stay close to home, and 51 percent will stay with friends or relatives. Nearly 57 percent expect to set a budget, with 24 percent trimming the purse.

WASHINGTON POST

Camp recipes, on iPhone Camp Recipes!, an iPhone app ($1.99), offers more than 700 easy-to-prepare recipes for all types of campers, from motor-home travelers to backpackers. The search-by-prep-time option puts it above other camping recipe apps in the iTunes store. Tasty recipes included Cowboy Stew and Ice Cream in a Bag that took 30 minutes or less to make. An Android version is in development.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

The beat of Summerfest Billed as the world's largest music festival, Summerfest opens Wednesday on Milwaukee's lakefront and runs through next Sunday, is closed for July 4th and then continues July 5-10. This year's lineup includes Jason Mraz, Peter Gabriel and the New Blood Orchestra, Kanye West and Toby Keith. Visitors can also check out recreational sports, a carnival, food vendors and fireworks (1-800-273-3378; www.summerfest.com).

COLLEEN A. COLES