My family is on a quest to visit all 63 US national parks.
09.01.2024 - 19:58 / insider.com / National Park
When hearing the term national park, many think of places like Yosemite, Great Smoky Mountains, Acadia, and Grand Canyon.
They're iconic for a reason, with sweeping vistas and easily recognizable landscapes.
Of the 63 US national parks, I've traveled solo to 59 so far. Through my travels, I've found plenty of hidden gems.
Here are my seven favorite national parks that you may not have heard of.
My family is on a quest to visit all 63 US national parks.
Beating out even famously scenic states like Alaska and Utah, California boasts more national parks than any other state. The Golden State's 10 national parks show off the diverse range of landscapes you can find on the West Coast, from the towering redwoods of NorCal, the arid deserts of SoCal, the iconic flora of Joshua Tree and the surreal geologic results of past volcanic eruptions and glacier paths.
There is no shortage of nature-driven euphoria in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Hidden beneath an overhang on steep cliff walls above the Pinturas River Canyon are more than 800 stencilled handprints and painted images of animals. Nobody fully understands why Patagonia’s nomadic hunter-gatherers crafted the graffiti, but we do know they were created around 9,300 years ago using mineral pigments mixed with blood and fat, and that they provide a glimpse of early life in the glacier-carved province of Santa Cruz.
When people plan trips to national parks and protected areas across the United States, they hope to see the wolves of Yellowstone or the alligators of the Everglades. But talk to any bug scientist, and they’ll tell you that the best things come in small packages.
National parks are beloved attractions in the US.
I started my solo-travel journey in 2013 with a one-way ticket to Bangkok and a freshly created remote job.
The midwest and northeast of the US have been hit by Arctic storms bringing subfreezing temperatures.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival. It’s a big milestone for the festival, which takes place January 18-28 in Park City, Utah. The years following COVID have been muted, with parts of the festival taking place virtually. This, of course, impacted party attendance and the overall festival vibe, which traditionally does a full takeover of Park City’s historic Main Street corridor. The sense is that 2024 will restore Sundance to its full capacity, which also means Hollywood will truly bring the party to Park City this year.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — if you live in the Washington, D.C. area that is. That’s because from Janury 15–21, 2024, it’s Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week, a bi-annual event held throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia each winter and summer. Whether you’re lucky enough to live in the DMV or are just passing through, it’s a great way to try out new restaurants and revisit old favorites for a fraction of the cost.
When you think of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, you probably think of its giant amusement park-like cruise ships with 10-story-tall slides, go-kart tracks, and many families.
The leading lobbying group for the U.S. travel industry this week claimed inefficient policies like long tourist visa wait times and friction points like lagging security screening technology are causing the United States to lose its competitive edge when it comes to attracting international visitors — not high prices on airfare and hotel rates.