National Parks: More than the Grand Canyon

Spring break and summer vacation are right around the corner. Have you started planning your vacation? Still not sure where you want to go? Here is an idea that has worked well for our family – purchase or reference Passport to Your National Parks book.

What is the Passport to Your National Parks book? It is reference guide and passport book (who doesn’t love getting things stamped) of all the National Parks in America. Before you say, “I’ve already been to Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains” there is SO MUCH MORE. I thought I didn’t need the book because I was familiar with all the popular National Parks but I soon put in my place. Before I purchased the book I thought that it only contained places like Yellowstone, Carlsbad Caverns, etc. I was COMPLETELY wrong.

What is considered a National Park? Once again, I assumed the title “National Park” were only places like Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains, etc. Actually, the book maps places like historic sites, battlefield sites and parks, historical reserves, monuments, recreation areas, scenic trails / rivers, and more!

Why do I like the Passport to Your National Parks book? Our family likes to travel often. So often, that we are rarely home when the kids have more than 3 consecutive days off of school in the row. With that being said, we are always looking for difference places to explore. The Passport to Your National Parks book is chalked full of places and destinations that I didn’t even know or consider “National Parks”.

How can it help with your next vacation plans? The book is divided into nine geographic regions and is also color coded. It contains park information, maps, and of course a place for you to collect your stamp cancellations (not all locations have cancellation stations). Once you decide on a region that you want to visit, read through the book and locate all the parks in that area. For example, did you know that New York has 23 National Park locations or Arizona has 20, or Alaska has 16? Plus, if you have a Fourth Grader in your family, they can get the whole family into the National Parks for free!

If you aren’t familiar with Passport to Your National Parks, I encourage you to purchase at least one for your family. It’s a fun way for you and your family to create new memories but also to cherish when you look back at your stamp cancellations. You can get them online via Amazon or when you visit your nearest National Park location.

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