It’s the hottest, lowest and largest national park in the lower 48. Extreme might describe a summer visit where all living things keep to the shade. Though a winter visit can be sublime with mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine.…
Olympic National Park is a year-round destination with over 1,440 square miles of wilderness. As the convergence of several ecosystems, visitors can explore the mountaintop vistas, old-growth rainforests along with beach and lake activities. Best of all, Olympic National Park…
Located 70 miles from Rapid City, Badlands National Parks is another must for your South Dakota vacation. Boasting buttes, pinnacles and spires, the striated rock formations feature fossils along with wildlife. To make the most of your time in Badlands,…
A movie made me do it. Back in 1977, Steven Spielberg’s movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind introduced a generation of kids to Devils Tower, including me. Since then, I vowed to see the eery stone tower in person. About…
National Parks in Washington Most a few hours from Seattle, the national parks in Washington offer the best scenery in the Pacific Northwest. Though more than temperate rainforests and evergreen forests, learn about the volcanic Cascade Mountains along with the…
Best Places to Stay in National Parks with Kids Let the kids roam free. See wild animals in their native habitat. Find fields of wildflowers. Roast a marshmallow. Take a hike. And forget about the phone. That’s what a National…
I’ve been camping for years with three kids and I’m here to say. Make it easy for Mom. Here’s my top seven tips for how to plan a camping trip. I’ve see too many Moms trying to make scones at…
Redwoods, the kings of the forest, reign in the Kings Canyon National Park. With several big parks running up and down California’s Sierra Mountain range, Kings Canyon is a hidden treasure. With neighboring Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks both at…
Ask me my favorite place to stay and I will beam, Old Faithful Inn. Beating out ultra-luxury nights at the world’s best resorts. In a venerable, nearly indestructible building, the spirit of the West can be found breathing within the…
Visiting Mount St. Helens with kids is a must for your Washington road trip. It was once a recreational playground for Washington. Then one quiet Sunday morning in 1980 the snowcapped mountain vaporized. Followed by a mudslide that decimated…
Along the Canadian border and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, discover San Juan Island. With a temperate summer climate, shoreline whale watching and family-friendly activities, like hiking and glamping, San Juan Island offers an ideal destination for a…
I love camping with my three kids, I just hate pitching a tent. My kids scurry like woodland mice when the tent comes out. I wanted to share the best place to camp with kids in Washington. At Lakedale Resort…