Cheap Camping

Camping is one of the most affordable vacation options available, unless you are roughing it at a National Park. Some of this country’s most spectacular natural treasures charge an arm and a leg for lodging, which makes affording a summer getaway quite challenging, especially for families traveling on a tight budget. Fortunately, there are ways you can experience the wonders of nature at some of the country’s most awe-inspiring parks without going broke. The key is timing. Waiting until late summer/early fall when kids are heading back to school and group travel takes a dive, provides you with the opportunity … Continue reading →

National Park Tour—-Adventures in Nature Part 2

If your summer vacations to major malls, amusement parks and water worlds have left you searching for better ways to spend quality time with your family why not consider getting away to the great outdoors? The United States’ national park system is one of the finest in the world. Not only do our country’s natural wonders provide an alternative to long lines and stomach-turning thrill rides they also offer an affordable way to escape from the chaos of everyday life and reconnect with the people that mean the most to you. So, turn off your cellphones, unplug your iPods, say … Continue reading →

National Park Tour—-Adventure in Nature

If your family is anything like mine then you are probably battling a serious case of cabin fever. We live in the Upper Midwest where spring has not yet sprung. Tomorrow the forecast calls for snow, wind, and freezing temperatures. I don’t know if Mother Nature got the memo—but the calendar says we are just a few weeks from summer! When the temperatures do begin to rise we plan to head outdoors (and stay there until fall). Our summer travel plans include hitting some of our favorite national parks, though with near record gas prices we will likely choose ones … Continue reading →

National Park Travel Package

Have you ever dreamed of visiting some of the United States’ most legendary sites, such as Mount Rushmore, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park… all in one summer? It might sound like a massive undertaking for a single family but one travel company is making it simple by offering a national park travel deal. For $995 per person BudgetTravel.com is giving adventurous families the chance to tour some of the country’s most historic sites. The journey begins in Rapid City, where you’ll spend two nights at the downtown Radisson. Your travel itinerary includes trips (via air-conditioned motor coach) to Mount … Continue reading →

Family Forays to National Treasures

While some families are spending this weekend preparing for their spring getaways others are staying close to home and finalizing their plans for summer adventures. Whether you are doing one or the other the following family friendly vacation destinations are ones you might consider visiting if you are looking for an alternative (or addition) to theme parks and thrill rides. Starting April 14th the new museum and visitor center at Gettysburg National Military Park will open its doors to the public. The facility is part of a $125 million project that helps preserve the park’s artifacts and archives. If you … Continue reading →

National Park Service Mansion Tour

Very few of us will ever be lucky enough to live in a mansion, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to dream. I love touring other people’s homes and getting inspiration for my own. And apparently I am not alone. Did you know the National Park Service offers tours of some of the country’s most historically and architecturally significant mansions? Hampton Mansion in Townson, Maryland is one of the Park Service’s largest dwellings, though it doesn’t attract anywhere near the number of visitors that sites half its size do annually. Hampton mansion sits on 63 acres just outside the Baltimore Beltway, … Continue reading →

Another Reason To Visit Waco, Texas

Waco, Texas is already home to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum and other noteworthy attractions such as a world-class zoo, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame & Museum and the Dr Pepper Museum, but city leaders are hoping the area’s newest addition will draw in even bigger crowds. Waco tourism officials want massive crowds to experience a new park that features mammoth artifacts—literally. The Waco Mammoth Site is home to the skeletal remains of the gigantic creatures that walked the region 70,000 years ago. The attraction is currently on track to become part of the National Park … Continue reading →

National Parks in the Northeast

I’ve written several blogs about the incredible beauty found at the many national parks that line the West Coast of the United States. However, as I look back it appears I may have neglected the equally breathtaking parks located on the eastern portion of the country. One of the most popular national parks in the northeast spans nearly 50,000 acres along the central coast of Maine. Acadia National Park covers a huge expanses of ground from the coastline to the mountains. Visitors can travel from the rocky coastline, which gives way to cobblestone beaches before ascending to the rugged mountains … Continue reading →

Do You Live Near A National Park?

I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is two islands south of Oahu, which most people know as the home to Honolulu, famed Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor. The Big Island is not nearly as populated as Oahu, but it is still home to one of the most visited national parks in the country—Volcanoes National Park. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is about a 40-minute drive from my childhood home. It was nice having a resource like this in close proximity, but to be honest we didn’t visit that often. We’d go maybe a few times a year. … Continue reading →

Summer Travel: Expect To Pay More At Some National Parks

I’ve spent many blogs touting the wonders of various national parks in hopes that readers would be inspired to pack up their families and see for themselves what incredible resources these areas offer. If the recounting of my adventures wasn’t enough to persuade you to make the trip sooner rather than later, perhaps this bit of news might: the government is about to raise entrance fees at several national parks over the next three summers. The National Park Service is planning to phase in higher rates for annual park passes and fees per vehicle or person at about 130 of … Continue reading →