Originally Posted by
SkiAdcock
I think socrates probably has it right, in addition to the geography issue on some of the larger parks. If one is going to go to a lot of nat'l parks & not camp or stay at lodges, joining Best Western or Holiday Inn programs might be a good idea.
Actually, I woold suggest joining
both Best Western
and Priority Club (Holiday Inn/Express/etc) programs, as well as Choice, if you're going to be visiting a lot of national parks. If you're going to pay "cash" and just want to earn
something, you can of course wait to join until you see who you need to stay with. But be aware, Best Western in particular is slow to earn points with, so if you might need points for a stay (some National Park adjacent BWs can have high "cash" rates in "peak" season, yet perhaps modest point redemption rates), that you might need to plan ahead.
(Tip: Some of these programs support transfer of points from Diners Club Club Rewards and/or AMEX Membership Rewards. That can sometimes be a good source for "emergency" points in a "budget" hotel program.)