Tag: national parks
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Spending a Half Day at Volcanoes National Park-Hawaii
Hawaii is vast. With six islands to explore and boundless activities, it’s impossible to see it all in one trip. For ambitious National Park stampers, getting a stamp at Hawaii’s Largest National Park is an important goal. But what do you do if you want to see the park but are short on time? Spend…
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Staying at The Volcano House Hotel-Volcanoes National Park-Hawaii
Rolling out of bed is a luxury. It’s the best part about staying at the Volcano House hotel in Volcanoes National Park. After donning a t-shirt and hiking pants, I meander down the staircase. It’s early morning, and although the lobby is packed with day visitors from 9 am to 5 pm, at this hour,…
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Fire Island National Seashore-Fire Island Lighthouse-New York
It’s a race against time to the Fire Island Lighthouse. Since we couldn’t get our National Park Passport Stamp at the Fire Island National Seashore’s Sailors Haven Visitors Center, we are hoping to complete our quest at Fire Island Lighthouse. Sailor’s Haven, Cherry Grove, and other areas of Fire Island National Seashore, are only accessible…
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Visiting The John Muir National Historic Site-California
There is a 7-Eleven directly across the street. This is the first thing I notice, as our rental car pulls into the parking lot, at the John Muir National Historic Site. The street also includes a fast food restaurant, a tire store, and several places to grab a cup of coffee. Progress. I’m always grateful…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…