Not too far from home is an internationally renowned museum. The kind that gets into the Guinness Book of World Records (seriously!) Yet we rarely visit the Strong National Museum of Play. Why? It’s not for lack of interesting exhibits…
Fort Stanwix: The Hands-on Fort
For some reason, few people know about Fort Stanwix. I live within a few hours, yet I’d never heard of it until one day when I was looking for national public lands areas near my home. Then it went on…
How to Visit the Deception Pass Bridge for Free
Ever since I saw my first picture of the Deception Pass Bridge in northwestern Washington, I wanted to see it in person. There was something so uniquely interesting about the graceful spans, and knowing some of my group members pretty…
Cape May Zoo: Free – and a Good One, Too!
The Cape May Zoo is definitely something special. Ok, sure, it has some of the same animals you’d find in almost any other zoo. But what other zoo – besides the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. – has over 500…
5 Best Hikes in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park always has fond memories for me. From swimming in a palm tree oases to exploring a desert slot canyon, there is a variety of hiking opportunities and natural attractions to see. In this post, I’ll talk…
Sea Stacks, Sea Arches, & Wilderness on Ruby Beach
Olympic National Park really is a study in contrasts: from snowcapped mountains to rain forests to ocean beaches. This makes it a really fun place to visit because there are so many varied activities in the park. My personal favorite…
The Window and The Door Trails: Experience Badlands
If you don’t have much time in Badlands National Park, but you want to experience the Badlands proper, the Door and Notch Trails are for you. These trails are extremely short (together, they’re 1 mile (1.6 km) RT), and they…
Free Soak in a Hot Spring: Hot Springs State Park, WY
Ever dreamed of swimming in a thermal hot spring? Feel that it’s just too expensive to go to one of the commercial thermal swimming areas? The answer to your dilemma can be found in central Wyoming at Hot Springs State…
The 5 Best Geysers in Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin
If you don’t visit anywhere else in Yellowstone National Park, go to the Upper Geyser Basin. The Basin has the highest concentration of geothermal features in the world, not to mention the famous Old Faithful Geyser, which faithfully erupts in…
Historic Flume Trail: Beartooth Highway Side Trip
Do you love history? Fishing? Waterfalls? Picnic areas with mountain views? The Clarks Fork River Valley along the Beartooth Highway offers each of these…from the same parking lot! Also the trailhead for the Flume Trail, the area has a small…