Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer State Park feels like a national park with its top wildlife viewing, recreation opportunities and facilities. On my first visit, I completely underestimated the appeal of Custer. Then drove away wanting…
Oregon offers a varied landscape. Explore the volcanoes and the glacier-clad mountains of the Cascades. Or see the lakes and caves nestled in-between. The Columbia River offers watersports and scenery along with a study in the last ice age. And…
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…
Kids love things that go BOOM! And so do adults. So plan a visit to a National Park that features a volcano. Your school-age kids will surprise you with how much they know about volcanic forces. And everyone is fascinated…
Located in the Guadalupe Mountains of southern New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns features a limestone show cave. And it’s the fifth largest chamber in North America. The main room, the Big Room, is 4,000 feet long (1200 m) and 255 feet…
Texas is large and it takes a full day to drive across it. Though most visitors and residents don’t know it offers 16 National Park Service units to explore. Of course, Big Bend comes to mind but how about the…
Dreaming of a road trip but don’t have weeks of vacation for lots of driving. Then here’s the road trip for you. With five different national parks within a few hours drive, see the majestic beauty of the west. And…
An Alaskan cruise offers the easiest way to see Alaska’s panhandle and the Inside Passage. Simply sit back and let the scenery and animals of Alaska float by. With a rugged landscape, adventure awaits. So let the National Park Service…
Oregon Road Trip Itinerary Pack it up and explore the Pacific Northwest with nine picture perfect Oregon road trip stops. First start in Portland with a host of family friendly stops. Then head east for waterfalls before exploring the Cascade…
With Oregon Caves National Monument circled on my map my SUV climbs a winding mountain road through a dense fir forest to a clearing. Just south of Oregon’s Grants Pass in the Rouge River Siskiyou National Forest, we find a…
Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the world. Created in 1872, it’s an American icon worthy of a park pilgrimage. So irreplaceable, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the world. Since it’s in…
Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park offers a week of wow for families. And it’s one of top destinations in the U.S. and worthy of a park pilgrimage. Start at Old Faithful to see the Geyser and the Inn then hike to…