Category: National Park

Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park-Florida

Sleepy bodies shuffle into the Dry Tortugas National Park ferry terminal. The Yankee Freedom Boat Tour agency repeats the comment over the loudspeaker. “The waters can be rough. We highly recommend taking medicine for seasickness prior to departure. We sell Dramamine pills for $1.00 if you need them.” I brought my own Dramamine. Getting horribly…
Visiting Pearl Harbor National Memorial-Hawaii

Pearl Harbor National Memorial, is the most visited tourist attraction, in Hawaii. There are numerous National Park designations, including Historic Sites, Historic Parks, and National Monuments. Visiting a National Memorial, has a distinct feel. Two and half weeks in Hawaii, on three different islands, takes a lot of logistical planning. We need to figure out…
Visiting Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park-Hawaii

The group of women slip past the sign for Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. The ladies walk the sand path with purpose. Tote bags hang from their shoulders. Blankets are secured under their arms. One woman carries a box piled with interesting cargo. The dense vegetation on either side of the path, opens to reveal a…
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park-New Jersey

He did do a million things. As Park Ranger Emma discusses Alexander Hamilton’s vision for Paterson Great Falls, I wonder what million things he left undone. It’s noon as the car pulls into the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, parking lot. The New Jersey, city, locals, occupy various benches and walls, munching their lunch-break…
Visiting Valley Forge National Historical Park-Pennsylvania

I breathe in the scent of the freshly printed page. Ink, just off of the copier, used to have a smell. Our teacher’s footsteps tap on the cheap linoleum, as she walks up and down the aisles of desks. Eagar hands grab for the coveted blank permission slips. Our class is taking a field-trip, to…
Visiting Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site-Hawaii

The story unfolds before us, as we watch the movie at Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. A High Priest declares he received a prophecy. Kamehameha I will become King of The Island of Hawaii (aka The Big Island). All Kamehameha has to do is build a temple to the god of war, and offer a…
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

National Recreation Areas can be tricky to plan. They encompass numerous acres, and the Visitor’sCenter can be far from the area’s activities. This is our experience visiting the Mississippi NationalRiver and Recreation Area, in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, includes 72 miles of river, perfect for paddling. Our visit starts…
St. Anthony Falls-Minnesota

A temporary tent, acts as the Visitors’ Center, outside of St. Anthony Falls, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The falls are part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. There is an Upper Falls location, and a Lower Falls Location. The tent at the Upper Falls, houses the St. Anthony Falls stamp. After getting our ink,…
Hiking to the M*A*S*H TV Set-Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

We’re exhausted. The pre-dawn flight from the East to West Coast, is catching up with us, but we are determined to go hiking, to the M*A*S*H TV Set. Not always jetsetters, once upon a time, we are newly married, fresh out of college kids, intent, above all else, to pay off debt. This means, for…