Four Reasons to Visit Nevada’s Greatest Gem (No, Not Vegas)

Summit of Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, June 25, 2024.

When one of my close friends decided to get married in beautiful Breckenridge, I immediately knew I’d extend my trip. Flying to that part of the U.S. isn’t as easy as driving to the mountains in the Northeast, so I wanted to take full advantage of my time out west. After last summer’s excursion to Isle Royale National Park off the coast of Michigan and Virgin Islands National Park a few months prior, the more remote a park is, the more I seem to enjoy it.

I mapped out the closest new-to-me park from Denver and there was only one national park that was remotely in driving distance. To be fair, driving distance is relative, but to me, a ten-hour drive, partly along America’s loneliest highway, sounded like the perfect plan.

And that’s how I landed on visiting my 44th national park: Great Basin National Park in Baker, Nevada. What I did not plan for is loving northern Nevada as much as I did. Here are four big reasons this small town made its way to the top of my favorites list:

1. Great Basin National Park

Stella Lake from the Stella Lake trail heading to Wheeler Peak.

Wow, does this park genuinely have it all! From the world’s oldest living organisms to the state’s (technically) highest peak and only glacier, Great Basin National Park should be on everyone’s list of places to explore.

Hike Wheeler Peak

Y’all know I love a good hike, and after hiking a couple 14ers in Colorado, I was ready to take on Nevada’s second highest peak. Nevada’s highest peak, Boundary Peak, is only about 70 feet higher and partially in another state, but one minute at Wheeler Peak’s summit will make you feel like you’re on top of the world.

At 13, 063 feet, this peak towers over Great Basin National Park. A little over 8 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing, this trail was very easy to follow. I brought microspikes and trekking poles, but did not need to use them.

Explore the Oldest Bristlecone Pines in the World

Bristlecone Pine Glacier Trail

Great Basin bristlecones are over 5,000 years old. There’s a short trail from the Wheeler Peak campground that takes you through an informational path of the bristlecone pines. Definitely worth a detour if you’re already at the campground.

Dip Your Toes in an Alpine Lake

There are a handful of alpine lakes in Great Basin National Park. The most popular ones are found along the Alpine Lakes Loop leaving from the Wheeler Peak campground. I took the Stella Lake trail up Wheeler Peak, so I had the joy of staring at Stella Lake for awhile as I made my way to the summit. Once atop Wheeler Peak, I had a birds-eye-view of three alpine lakes. Three! I felt great getting off the mountain, so I added in the Alpine Lakes Loop and my feet were glad I did. Stella Lake is the largest of the three, but my favorite was Teresa Lake. Turquoise blue waters, a view of Wheeler Peak, I couldn’t ask for a better ending to the day’s hike. I woke up early the next morning for another dip and had the lake all to myself for a couple hours.

Gaze at Nevada’s Only Glacier (while it’s still there!)

If you’re on the Bristlecone Pines Trail, you can continue hiking for a little under a mile to see Nevada’s last remaining glacier. I know this park is remote, but I am truly shocked it’s one of the least visited. There is so much history packed into this park that everyone can find something to take away from a trip here.

Tips: Great Basin National Park is at a higher altitude than most visitors live at. Remember to hydrate, pack ibuprofen, and take it easy as you adjust. If you’re sensitive to the sun, higher altitudes bring you closer to the sun, so pack the sunscreen!

Best time of year to visit: There’s something to see in every season, but if you’re outdoorsy, winter conditions close the main (and only) road, Wheeler Peak Scenic Road, into Great Basin National Park. I visited in mid-June when snow had mostly melted. It’s not uncommon for snow to be present until the end of June depending on how heavy winter was that year.

Cost: Great Basin National Park is currently free of charge to explore.

Where to stay: The park offers campgrounds, but I highly recommend Stargazer Inn.

2. Stargazer Inn and Bristlecone General Store

Baker is a small town with a big heart, largely thanks to the owners of the Stargazer Inn. As I’m getting older, I find I gravitate toward a small town feel (if that was not evident by my desire to find the most remote parks and explore them). I have visited plenty of America’s biggest cities, and nothing attracts me more than a small town where locals are welcoming, the food is delicious, and the views are endless.

This trip I chose not to camp to minimize my packing list, so I was looking into stays around each of my destinations. I came across Stargazer Inn, a quaint inn right in the heart of Baker, Nevada mere minutes from Great Basin National Park. I gave Liz a call and sure enough she had a room for me to stay. What she also had, was a connection to Western Mass since she and her husband actually lived here for several years. This little pocket of Nevada is over 2,500 miles from me and yet it still felt like home— thanks to Liz.

Liz and James are the owners of Stargazer Inn and they also host monthly events that cultivate a community in Baker with meet-ups for book clubs, full moon hikes, and more!

I love camping, but my room at the Stargazer Inn put my mind at ease as a solo female traveler, kept my packing list minimal thanks to so many amenities (laundry room, small kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and coffee!), and saved on travel time to the park. The Stargazer Inn has 10 rooms to stay in, and also offers RV and van hook-up sites.

Address: 115 S. Baker Ave. Baker, NV 89311

Contact: Email Liz at stay@stargazernevada.com or give her a call at 775-234-7323.

Tips: The Stargazer Inn also features a general store, the Bristlecone General Store for any supplies you might run low or run out of. Or maybe if you underestimate the Sierras sunshine like I did, there’s plenty of aloe vera to purchase there.

3. Female-Owned Food Businesses

With most of my trips incorporating long hikes, part of my trip always includes finding food gems. And in a town with only one street and a population that’s smaller than my 7th grade first period class, I was hesitant about where I’d find a post-hike meal. I stocked up on food prior to arriving, but was surprised by the two finds I came across:

Sugar, Salt, and Malt Restaurant (70 Baker Ave. Baker, NV 89311)

After my hike up Wheeler Peak, I was ready to eat. I walked into Sugar, Salt, and Malt and when I saw the white sauce pizza on the menu, I was sold.

This pizza included chicken Italian sausage, roasted garlic, ricotta cheese atop artichoke heart and spinach cream sauce with a balsamic reduction. In what feels like the middle of nowhere Nevada, this was quite the sight. It gets better. One of the owners is a trained pastry chef and creates homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches. Naturally I had to try it. There’s the classic chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream, and then there’s the chocolate cookie with strawberry ice cream. This spot was so nice I had to visit twice!

Sandra’s Mexican Food Truck (45 Pioche St. Baker, NV 89311)

My last day in Baker, I contemplated a third visit to Sugar, Salt, and Malt, but they are closed on Wednesdays. In such a small town, there are not a plethora of options, but the ones that are there are delicious. I made my way to try Sandra’s Mexican Food, and yet again, my heart and stomach were full. Sandra cooks delicious burritos, tacos, tacos – you name it. She operates out of a food truck and has churros. Need I say more?

Sandra’s portions are very hearty, I wish I spent more time in Baker to eat there again.

Tips: Check hours prior to planning a visit. For example, Sugar, Salt, and Malt are closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, be mindful that with Baker being a very remote town, ingredients and shipments are not as easily accessible, or affordable. Prices at both establishments above are very reasonably priced given the quality of the food and the distance supplies need to travel.

4. The Charming Creativity of Baker, Nevada

Driving through Baker (the whole two-minute drive on its only street) immediately reminded me of my drive through Marfa, Texas. Marfa, before its widespread fame as a minimalist art stop, felt like a middle-of-nowhere art museum. From a tiny Target store to a Prada store (with merchandise inside), Marfa’s exhibits were a stop on my road trip out to Big Bend National Park back in 2016.

While it feels like the middle of nowhere northern Nevada, Baker embraces that. Baker is “where all roads lead” and I loved seeing that on a colorful sign. Another quirky spot is across from Sandra’s Mexican Food. A rundown wooden shack that genuinely looks like it has been around since pioneering days would not catch the attention of most people, but with the Sierra Nevada mountain range as a backdrop, I gave it another glance. There’s a small white plaque on the structure that made me laugh:

Museum of the Future

Coming Soon

Marfa’s increasing tourism has made its way onto many people’s West Texas bucket lists, but Baker feels like how Marfa felt years ago — charming and quirky and undiscovered.

Have you heard of Great Basin National Park? Would you add northern Nevada to your bucket list?

Three Hikes in One Day in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park

The always stunning Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park.

In January, I noticed I had a three-day weekend without any work obligations. Naturally, to me, that means an adventure needs to be planned. I set my eyes on Shenandoah, a place I spent a day in years ago and always hoped to revisit.

Shenandoah, and Virginia in general, often feels overlooked. A hidden gem of a place, like the New River Gorge in West Virginia.

I rarely have the opportunity to visit a national park in the off-season, and of course took total advantage. From Massachusetts, Shenandoah is a 7.5 hour drive, or about eight with a gas and bathroom break stop. I took the more scenic route through the middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania to take advantage of the lack of traffic on a Friday afternoon start of the long weekend.

Since I was planning so last minute, I didn’t set any plans for my time there. My best kept secret for lodging is booking a cabin stay at a KOA. It felt meant to be when there was one vacant cabin left at the Harrisonburg/Shenandoah KOA. Of course I had to book it. With my rewards points, my three-night stay was very affordable.

These cabins are my favorite because they’re rustic chic. It’s a definite upgrade from a tent (or sleeping in my car if we’re honest), but it’s not lavish by any means.

After my long drive, I slept in. I prepared some coffee and breakfast on the porch of my cabin, and promptly ate it inside because it turns out, Virginia gets cold. Like New England cold.

I packed several layers thinking I would not need them, but ultimately used a lot of my cold weather gear when I went hiking. Always read what park rangers in Shenandoah National Park post about the most up-to-date information on alerts and conditions in the park. Skyline Drive can be entirely (or partially) shut down due to icy conditions.

Shenandoah National Park Wildlife

The only memory I really have from my first trip to Shenandoah is a rocky summit hike I did with dad, but this was quickly overshadowed by my first bear sighting. We caught sight of a bear cub about twenty yards from us and hastened our pace back to the parking lot. Lo and behold, momma bear was on the road.

It was truly a spectacle. That I enjoyed from inside our car because I did not need to be any closer to the bear than I already had been.

It was time to make new memories in Shenandoah, so I embarked on a few hikes. Here are three hikes you can take on in one day’s visit to Shenandoah National Park:

1. Bearfence Mountain

I took full advantage of the off-season and arrived to the park before sunrise to start my day with the sun atop a summit. The best spot to catch sunrise is Bearfence Mountain. Here’s a secret: you don’t have to make it past the icy ledges to the actual summit for breathtaking, 365-degree views.

The first light on a winter morning without a car or other hiker in sight for a couple hours in the park.

I was the only one in the parking lot, at milepost (MP) 56.4 when I arrived at 7 A.M. As soon as I turned off the ignition and crossed the road to the trailhead, I remembered this was the hike I did with my dad seven years ago. The one where I saw the momma bear on the road. A fitting mountain name for this hike. As much as I love seeing wildlife, I was hoping I wouldn’t come across a bear this time around.

The trail was icy, and as always, I’m racing against the sun. I made it up about .3 miles and around 275 feet of elevation when the wind really kicked in at one of the false summits. I was alone and cold, but couldn’t wait for the sun to rise.

The summit was a bit further out, along a little more of a rocky, iced ridgeline. I decided it was best to camp where I was and enjoy the start of the day from where I was. This hike is also one of the few hikes in all of Shenandoah National Park where you catch a glimpse of Skyline Drive from a bird’s-eye-view. I love a good road photo surrounded by nature.

But what I truly loved, was feeling like I was the only person for miles on this mountain watching the sun rise. Sunrises really are the best.

When I could no longer feel my fingers, despite my gloves and hand warmers, I headed down the same way I went up. Confident as always, I ate it on one of the last steps before I made it to the road. Just Shenandoah reminding me to humble myself.

The route from Strava

Here’s the route I took. At the end of the trail, I looked at the trail map and realized there is a way to avoid the icy, rocky ridgeline that I stopped short of by hiking on the Appalachian Trail instead. Next time (and if I wake up early enough)!

2. Hawksbill Mountain

When you finish soaking up the first light to hit the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, it’s time to head to a Shenandoah favorite, rightly so.

Shenandoah really has it figured out with all of its rocky ledges.

Right off Shenandoah National Park’s main park road, Skyline Drive, is the trail for Hawksbill at MP 45.6.

The route for Hawksbill Mountain

This hike was so nice I had to do it twice. One of my favorite aspects about it is that the summit reaches over 4,000 feet. I didn’t know any hikes further south from Massachusetts hit 4,000 feet, considering Massachusetts’ highest peak, Mt. Greylock, comes in at 3,490 feet.

In about one mile and only 500 feet of climbing, I was met with a windy, icy summit reminiscent of New Hampshire’s wintry peaks.

3. Stony Man Mountain

Stony Man was a quick jaunt, but worthwhile to see the Appalachian Mountains from a different perspective.

As the day begins to near the late afternoon, it’s time to make moves to catch sunset. You have two incredible options for sunset: one is to hike up Stony Man Mountain for jaw-dropping views of the Appalachian Mountains. Another, if you’re tired (or short on time), is to pull over at one of the overlooks and take a hidden trail to a secluded ledge. More on both options below.

A great trail leading right off of Skyline Drive is Stony Man Mountain. The parking lot is at MP 41.7. I had little to no service in the park, so I relied on the park map provided to me by the park rangers upon entering the park, as well as downloaded trail maps from AllTrails. There is also a Little Stony Man, so be sure to go for the big guy. This hike traverses the Appalachian Trail, which I loved, because it again reminded me of home back in New England.

The Strava route for Stony Man Mountain

A speedy three-quarters of a mile to the summit with roughly 300 feet of climbing brought me to this scenic spot. The other major perk of the off-season? Parking lots, trails, and summits entirely to myself. I loved every minute of it!

I would hike up Stony Man for sunset because it is short, has ample parking, and of course, the views.

Bonus Sunset Spot: The Point Overlook (MP 55.5)

If you’re short on time, or exhausted from a day full of hiking, check out MP (milepost) 55.5. Pull over and park at The Point Overlook right off Skyline Drive. You’ll find a stone wall with an empty space in it. Walk through that empty spot down the trail, roughly 300 feet.

You’ll be greeted with a rocky ledge all to yourself. I parked at The Point Overlook with two other cars, but neither party ventured on this hidden path. It’s definitely worthwhile, especially if you are short on time to run up a mountain.

Which hike is making it to your list? Would you take on all three in one day?

If you enjoyed learning about this national park, then you’ll love exploring these:

3 Hours in Kentucky’s Best-Kept Secret: Mammoth Cave NP

Two Must-Do Experiences in Florida (No, Not Disney)

The Best Time of Year to Visit White Sands National Park, New Mexico

3 Colorado National Parks To Visit (That Aren’t Rocky Mountain!)

7 Lessons I Learned Road-Tripping Across the U.S.

Visit America's Newest National Park: The New River Gorge, WV

Winter is The Best Time of Year to Visit White Sands National Park

About five years ago, I hiked around Guadalupe Mountains National Park—making a pitstop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park since it was in the vicinity. I honestly agreed to the detour because of its national park designation. After walking through caverns before, I wasn’t sure how Carlsbad would be any different. I was clearly wrong after the cave tour led by a ranger who even sang in the dark depths of a cave tunnel to portray the incredible acoustics found down in the depths of those caverns.

Also in southern New Mexico, nearby Carlsbad Caverns, is White Sands National Park. At the time it was a designated national monument. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of sand, I didn’t make any effort with the friends I was traveling with to justify another detour before we headed back to Austin, Texas.

Naturally when White Sands received the designation of national park in 2019, I was peeved I didn’t explore it when I had the chance. When would I make a trip down to southern New Mexico again for this park?

Fast forward to last summer when I was on the search for a winter marathon. The only cold marathon I could find in January? The inaugural Las Cruces marathon. Las Cruces, New Mexico happens to be about a forty-minute drive from White Sands National Park.

I didn’t need any convincing. I was sold.

After a little planning and a few months of training, I ran my best marathon yet, and enjoyed a visit to my 41st national park in great company.

I flew into El Paso’s international airport as it’s only an hour from Las Cruces, New Mexico. If I had more time, I would have flown to another airport in New Mexico and roadtripped around the state. Given that I only had a weekend, I opted for the swiftest option.

Here are my tips for your visit to one of America’s newest national parks, White Sands National Park:

1.     Winter is hands down the best time of year to visit.

It’s the off-season. Lines were non-existent and temperatures were mild. I despise extremely warm temperatures, so visiting this park right after New Year’s made me enjoy it so much more than I would have in the summer when I’m usually traveling.

2.     Check sunset times before planning the next day’s visit.

Living in New England, the sun sets rather early in the winters. I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my weather app and noticed how “late” sunset was at White Sands for my visit.

Knowing what time the sun sets helped me adjust the day’s schedule to arrive to the park earlier than I was originally planning to in order to capture all of sunset.

3.     Give yourself extra travel time to arrive.

Whether it’s the immigration stop, obtaining a National Parks Pass, or adding a new magnet to your collection at the Visitor Center – you may want to come well in advance of sunset to savor the sun before it falls behind the ridgeline.

The first evening I visited, I naively thought I could just park right away and catch sunset minutes before. Little did I realize I would need time to find parking, walk across the sand a bit, and find a good spot. By the time I did that, the sun had already set past the mountain range in the distance.

I lucked out when I turned around and saw a full moon ascending above the other mountain range as a pastel palette colored the sky.

4.     Park at Sunset Stroll and wander.

There truly is no wrong away to go about exploring the sand dunes at White Sands. There are a few longer hikes out onto the sand, but it can easily be a park you visit for a few hours. If I return, I’d love to backcountry camp overnight on the sand to see the sunrise.

On both of my visits, I parked near the Sunset Stroll sign, which has ample parking. This is also the designated spot for a ranger-led walk. It’s a few miles into the park.

The park itself has less than ten miles of road.

I walked over a sand wall that honestly looks like snow on a New England street after the plows went through, and traversed until the only light that guided me came from the moon.

5.    If you have time for a longer trek, try out the Alkali Flats trail.

Alkali Flats is White Sands’ longest hike. It’s a five-mile loop, and despite its “flat” name, walking up sand dunes is not your daily sidewalk dog walk. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this loop.

6.     Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass.

Visiting more off-the-beaten-path parks like White Sands isn’t the most affordable. A way to save (if you plan on visiting a handful of parks a year) is to purchase an annual parks pass.

Every year, I purchase the America the Beautiful pass. For $80, I can access any U.S. National Park for a year from the purchase month for free. Obviously it is not technically free, but a week’s visit to White Sands is $25. This entrance fee is valid for seven consecutive days from the day of purchase. Purchasing the annual pass also encourages me to fulfill my yearly goal of visiting two new national parks. I already paid for the pass, so it only makes sense to use at least $80 worth, right?

A handful of parks are free to enter, while others are $30. Check out this list for days that many fee-required national parks are free for a day.

Tip for New England hikers

The America the Beautiful pass also grants you free parking at national forests. For busy parking lots that charge for parking in the White Mountains National Forest, this means free parking!

If you enjoyed learning about this national park, then you’ll love exploring these parks:

Visit America's Newest National Park: The New River Gorge, WV

3 Colorado National Parks To Visit (That Aren’t Rocky Mountain!)

Experience the Best of Hawaii’s Haleakalā National Park

Two Must-Do Experiences in Florida (No, Not Disney)

3 Hours in Kentucky’s Best-Kept Secret: Mammoth Cave NP

Everything You Need to See In Acadia National Park, Maine

3 Hours in Kentucky’s Best-Kept Secret: Mammoth Cave National Park

When I embarked on my goal to visit all fifty states, I really had to dig deep to fathom what people saw in Kentucky. It’s inconveniently located in the U.S. It’s not close to the attractions of the western U.S., and it’s too far from Ohio and New York—what I consider to be the gatekeepers of the east for road trip lovers. Once I hit Ohio, I feel like I’m truly on a road trip.

Once I realized the state of Kentucky’s best-kept secrets lay under its surface, I knew I had to visit. Kentucky is home to the world’s longest cave system. That’s right. Little ol’ Kentucky holds the world record in cave system length. Next time you attend a trivia night, you can bet you’ll remember the name of this one.

Mammoth Cave feels suitable for the home of this world record holder. Exploring caves was never at the top of my to-do list until an unexpected trip to Carlsbad Caverns. A group of friends and I aimed to hike Guadalupe Peak down in Texas a few summers ago, and in the planning stages, we realized how close Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico was to where we would be. Naturally we had to visit two parks in one trip. Who wouldn’t?

Slightly kicking myself for not squeezing in White Sands while I was down there, but I will gladly take another excuse to visit New Mexico again because the caverns in Carlsbad blew me away. Here I thought I was just crossing another park off my list, but the caves were stunning. The tour I went on took me through multiple football field length rooms of open space underground. It was breathtaking.

When we were road tripping down to Florida and back to Massachusetts, Kentucky didn’t look too far off on the map. What’s an extra few hours when you’re already driving over thirty hours total, right?

Kentucky is one of three states I had never visited. I truly only knew it was home to the Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Derby. Turns out, it has a bit more to offer than that. There are countless caves to explore and outdoor things to do. We only spent a half day in the state before venturing off to one of my favorite places in the U.S. (the alluring West Virginia), but that was plenty of time to discover Kentucky’s best kept secret: Mammoth Cave National Park.

Given the poor lighting inside a cave, there is little opportunity for photos. Had to get the classic national park sign shot at the entrance of the park! This also marked park #40 out of 63 for me!

Mammoth Cave National Park became a national park in 1941 and a World Heritage Site in 1981, and it’s no surprise why. Here’s the best way to explore this gem:

Take a tour with a park ranger. The park itself has more than 400 miles of mapped out passageways underground, but only about ten miles of those are available to explore through a tour. Visitors are in luck though because there are countless tours available and they are offered year round! Explore tour options here and book a guided cave tour here. You will need to make an account with www.recreation.gov to book.

Tip: There was some service in the parking lot of the visitor center, but absolutely none inside the center. All tours begin and end at the center, so I highly encourage you screenshot your ticket confirmation to ensure a smooth tour entry.

Another tip: For those of you like me who always invest in a National Park Pass (the interagency one), unfortunately it’s not accepted here.

We signed up 3 weeks in advance for the 12:15pm Historic Tour. It’s a two-hour tour that I felt would be the best bang for our buck (and we also only had a few hours to spend in the park before departing to our next destination). As of April 2022, this tour was $20 per person.

Lucky us, we ended up on tour with an entire sixth-grade class. Nothing more relaxing for two teachers on spring break than being part of a tour of students… Thankfully the park ranger could see our enthusiasm about this, and informed the group that anyone not part of the school group would be at the front. This was ideal!

Our tour guide took us through the historic entrance and told us all about . There are still plenty of miles waiting to be discovered—eight new miles were discovered as recently as the fall of 2021!

The Historic Tour is about two miles long at a slow pace. There are plenty of stopping points, but also fun sections that aren’t for the claustrophobic adventurers out there.

The paved path thinned significantly moments after this sign and caved in vertically as well. An appropriate caution sign for what was to come.

What I found most fascinating was the story of tour guide turned explorer Stephen Bishop, who we have to thank for a great deal of the discoveries in Mammoth Cave.

This tour gave a great taste of the treat that is Mammoth Cave. Like I said before, I’m not a big cave girl, but won’t turn down an opportunity to explore one either after Carlsbad. Mammoth Cave in a few hours felt like just the right amount of time spent to not get bored or tired. There are plenty of other tours to learn more or explore further, as well as trails to walk or bike on above ground.

At the end of the tour, you exit up these stairs. Before returning to the visitor center, you are required to walk across bio-security mats to prevent a fungal disease (white-nose syndrome) from negatively impacting the caves’ bat population.

For me, three hours was just enough time to enjoy the beauty that is Mammoth Cave National Park.

Would you travel to Kentucky for this national park? 

If you enjoyed this post, check out others on national parks:

Everything You Need to See in Acadia National Park, Maine

Two Best Ways to Experience Haleakalā National Park

Two Must-Do Experiences in Florida (That Aren’t Disney)

Why Your Next Trip Should Be to West Virginia

How to Plan Your Trip to Yellowstone National Park

Two Must-Do Experiences in Florida (No, Not Disney)

I’m the first to admit I did not see Florida’s potential. After a family road trip to Disney as a kid, I crossed this state off my checklist and called it a day.

Little did I realize that the National Park Service designated three parts of southern Florida as national parks, which meant I needed to make another trip (or two) down to explore. As I researched, I realized what a beautiful area southern Florida is. And how underrated it is considering Miami and Orlando get all the attention.

Florida is home to Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, and Dry Tortugas National Park. These three parks are almost entirely on water. Biscayne National Park is comprised of 95% water, while the Everglades is actually the slowest moving river in the United States. Just one search of Dry Tortugas will show you Fort Jefferson – and the other six islands that make up this incredibly unique park.

Needless to say, I had my planning cut out for me. I drove down to Florida with the sole purpose of crossing two parks off my list, but it turns out, Florida has more to offer than theme park rides and Disney characters. I didn’t fit Dry Tortugas in this trip because despite being one of the most remote U.S. national parks, there is a convenient way to access the park. The mode of transportation is a ferry that costs $190 per adult and is sold out one to two months in advance. When I researched other options, I only came up with chartering my own seaplane. As cool as this would have been, my wallet was not prepared to take that kind of heat.

Dry Tortugas was out, for now. Here’s what I explored with my time in Florida on a budget:

Our sailboat guided by the wonderful Byron with the Biscayne National Park Institute.

1. Sail around Key Biscayne National Park (and kayak and snorkel too!)

What I did love about Dry Tortugas is that the ferry works with the National Park Service. Sure there is only one way to get there, but it’s safe and maintained. Key Biscayne is similar! You can either hop on your own boat (which I do not have) or take a tour with the Biscayne National Park Institute, an organization that gives back to the very waters they sail on. Can you figure out which route I decided to take?

I opted for the latter. I booked the Sail, Paddle, Snorkel, and Island Visit tour and can’t recommend it enough. The tour is $189 a person, but for an all-day excursion in a national park that’s almost entirely on water, I found it exceptionally valuable. The tour has a maximum of six people, and with our luck, we booked a day where we were two of five.

Our instructor was extremely experienced and let me try out steering the boat a bit, while he taught others how to let down the sails. As we sailed, he told us historic tidbits about these majestic waters. From fascinating tales of the inhabitants on the very thin stretch of land I could hardly make out if I squinted enough, to all the critters that live beneath the water.

Once we docked, the tour continued via kayaks. We paddled our way through parts of the water the boat couldn’t navigate to and were able to get a closer look at what lived in the water. As we neared very shallow waters, our guide told us to gaze on the spots on the water’s ground.

Fascinating Wildlife

Turns out those “spots” were jellyfish! He picked one up and let us touch the gooeyness. It reminded me of the middle school slime my students were obsessed with making a few years ago.

The Biscayne National Park Institute’s tour features kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and they supply all the necessary equipment.

When kayaking ended, we hopped (more so wobbled with flippers on) into the water for the snorkeling portion of the tour. I saw a multitude of fish that our guide had introduced to me in the stories along the morning’s ride, including gnarly-looking crustaceans if you peered into the crevices of stone and searched for daddy-long-leg-like claws. The return ride was soothingly smooth as our crew chatted about places we’ve been and places we’re hoping to venture to while laying out on the front of the boat.

Other Tours

The Biscayne National Park Institute also offers a handful of other tours, including one to a Key Biscayne lighthouse (another historic gem) that parks along the water and lets you head up the top of the lighthouse. As a lighthouse lover, this tour was next on my list if I had another day here.

2. Ride an Airboat through Everglades National Park

After Key Biscayne, I noticed geographically how easily it would be to explore the Everglades. Despite never having a desire to travel to Florida again, at the very least the state was cognizant of placing its attractions in close proximity to each other. With my homebase in Homestead, Florida, the Everglades were a short drive away.

The one thing I knew I had to experience in the Everglades was an airboat tour. Like its two sister parks in the state, majority of this park is on the water. It’s also the third largest national park in the lower forty-eight states.

Airboats aren’t your typical boats. They’re iconic for their large fan in the rear of the boat that propels them forward. Riders feel a rush as the captain steers, making sharp lefts and hard rights. Tall, thin grass briefly slides against your arm as the boat speeds past miles and miles of the stretched sawgrass.

Along the way, the guide points out gators both in the thick of the grass and in the boat’s clearcut path. I saw about ten alligators total during the thirty-minute tour.

Like the other parks, there are designated companies that gained the seal of approval from the National Park Service to operate within the park. As you drive around the area, you’ll inevitable pass by countless companies offering airboat tours, but only the national park designated ones take you through national park waters. The authorized airboat businesses inside Everglades National Park include: Coopertown Airboats, Everglades Safari Park, and Gator Park. You can find more on these three companies here. I went with Everglades Safari Park and wasn’t too impressed with the guide, so definitely check out the other options! I wish we learned more about the history of the park as we were on the boat navigating the waters.

A beautiful day for an airboat ride through the Everglades.

Which of these experiences are you adding to your bucket list, or have already crossed off?

3 Colorado National Parks to Visit That Aren’t Rocky Mountain

This is in Colorado. I know, I was shocked too.

When you think of Colorado, what comes to mind? Almost immediately glimpses of Denver appear or the snow-capped summits of the Rocky Mountains range wander through your head. Denver and the Rockies definitely deserve the hype, but they aren’t all that Colorado has to offer you!

Next time you plan a trip out West, or one to Colorado specifically, add these lesser-known destinations to your must-see list. My biggest piece of advice is to purchase the Annual Parks Pass ($80). If you do a Southern Colorado trek, each of these parks have entrance fees of $15-$30, so it may be more beneficial to pay the one-time $80 cost. I’m all about saving money where I can! I happened to also be trekking to Moab, Utah, so I knew I’d save since I was also entering three parks there that each have an entrance fee.

Last summer on a cross-country road trip, the ultimate destination was Idaho. How to get there, however, was up for discussion. After some great Kansas City barbeque, Colorado seemed like it was just minutes away, so I planned for that state next on the itinerary.

Colorado is home to four national parks— one of which is way more popular than the others. Rocky Mountain National Park is well-known for good reason! It’s easily accessible from Denver and it’s breathtaking. I visited the park a few years ago, so I opted out of revisiting this time around.

Instead, I traversed southern Colorado exploring the other national parks this gorgeous state has to offer. And what I discovered is that they are each true gems that not many people know about!

While you need a permit now to enter Rocky Mountain National Park due to its extreme popularity and congestion (4.4 million visitors in 2021!), the remaining three national parks have so few visitors it’ll feel like you have the park to yourself at some times.

Though I love a good tourist moment like when you first lay eyes on the Rockies, or when you witness the exact point when Ol’ Faithful erupts, I also take great pleasure in those quieter moments. The ones that not many are able to experience.

Here are the national parks that you should definitely visit in Colorado:

1. Great Sand Dunes National Park

We all know Colorado has the mountains, but sand dunes? And North America’s tallest ones at that?

In the southwest pocket of Colorado, in the town of Mosca, that’s exactly what you’ll find. A striking mountain range that serves as a backdrop to the sheer beauty of sand several hundred feet in the sky, seemingly out of nowhere.

There are three dunes that top all the others: High Dune, Star Dune, and Hidden Dune. For all three, park at Dune Parking just past the Visitor Center.

High Dune isn’t the tallest dune, but it is the quickest to get up. If you are only passing through the park, this is the perfect one to tackle. From the parking lot, head straight up the dunes. It’s a little under 700 feet and about three miles total.

Star Dune and Hidden Dune are the tallest – Hidden is slightly taller than Star. These two are longer treks (around 6-7 miles).

This park is one of the least visited (as are the other two on this list). In 2019, Great Sand Dunes had 527, 546 visitors. Obviously that number has risen with the increase of road trips and stateside travel, but it’s still nowhere near the looks of visitor numbers in popular parks.

Tips: Start early or go later in the afternoon. Sand can really heat up. If you’re into it, rent a sandboard from town to save yourself time once you hike up. There is a water station at the parking lot to rid yourself of sand. Though it might stick around for longer than you’d like!

Best time of year to visit: Fall or winter to see the contrast of the mountainscape behind the dunes. Summer brought welcomed warmth on a windy day at the dunes. You can’t go wrong!

Where to stay: The dunes can be a day trip, but if you want to take advantage of seeing the stars at night, I would camp within the park at the designated campground, Piñon Flats.

2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Black Canyon is one of the few places I’ve visited that left me in utter awe. This park truly is phenomenal. Located right by the charming, small town of Montrose, this park is a hidden gem. Considering it is one of the deepest canyons, it makes sense it isn’t visible to most people.

The drive in isn’t too captivating, but as soon as you stop at the first overlook, the jagged rock structures and sheer darkness along the canyon edges will surely give you a reason to not look away.

The Gunnison River in all its glory.

This park only had 432, 818 visitors in 2019. That blows my mind. There is truly something for every explorer at this park. World-renown fishing, incredible hikes, and stunning vistas.

I recommend driving down South Rim Road and stopping at each view along the way. Each trek is short and provides new angles of the canyon. I couldn’t get enough of its depth!

Tips:

Spend two days in this park. One day can be spent exploring all the overlooks and going on short hikes to see the true depths of this canyon. The next day can be spent with an obtained permit to go down into the canyon on the Gunnison route. This route is an incredible 2.7 mile hike with 1,700 ft elevation gain. The trail is minimally marked and a very limited number of hikers are allowed each day, fueling the intensity of this hike.

The first viewpoint from the entrance of the park opens up to this scaping view of the Black Canyon.

Best time of year to visit: Summer. This park is so infrequently visited that parking wasn’t an issue, neither was overcrowding at any lookout point. The roads are also closed in winter, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Where to stay: KOA in Montrose, CO. This KOA is very affordable and conveniently close to both the main street and the park. As with most KOAs, you can camp in a tent or stay in a cabin!

3. Mesa Verde National Park

These cave dwellings were built around the end of the 12th century. How wild is it that we can view (and walk among them) today?

I have had this park on my list from the beginning of my park journey. Famous for the cliff dwellings, this park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. One of the first in the United States!

Despite how incredible this park is, only a little over half a million people visited in 2019 (556,203).

I did a self-guided exploration of this park for half a day, soaking in the cliff dwellings from every angle I could and from every lookout point possible. I suggest driving along the Mesa Top Loop. This road will give you access to neat stops like the Sun Point View and views of the cliff dwellings. If you’re short on time, definitely take a ride along this loop road to absorb as much as you can.

I love imagining what it would’ve been like to discover places like this (and Machu Picchu) for the first time. Here is a cave dwelling from an overlook point.

Tips: For guided tours, book in advance! There’s nothing worse than arriving at a new park, hopeful to see something, only to find out it’s booked. You can book your guided tour here.

Best time of year to visit: Almost every season. Seriously! I visited in August and never struggled for a parking spot. It’s very unvisited, which makes it quite the hidden gem. However, if you really want to take a guided tour, you need to visit May-October as they are not offered in the winter and spring months.

Where to stay: Cortez/Mesa Verde KOA Journey in Cortez, CO.

Have you visited any of these Colorado national parks? Which one is on your list?

Loved this post? Then you’ll love these:

Visit America's Newest National Park: The New River Gorge, WV

Experience the Best of Hawaii’s Haleakalā National Park

The Best Day Hike in Glacier National Park, Montana

Everything You Need to See In Acadia National Park, Maine

How I Traveled Across the U.S. for Less Than $1,000

A few days into van life and still smiling!

When planning our summer road trip, we set our eyes on what we believe to be a hidden gem in this country: the Sawtooths mountain range. One glance at these peaks will leave you mesmerized. And so began our planning phase. The trip was originally going to start with a flight from Boston to Boise and back. Below is how we brainstormed from there, while remaining budget-conscious.

Our final trip took us from Western Massachusetts to Idaho and back home. Here are all the places we explored or stayed in:

Columbus, Ohio > St. Louis & Kansas City, MO > Southern Colorado > Southeastern Utah > Twin Falls, Boise, and Sawtooth Mountains, ID

How to Start Planning Your Trip

We initially wanted to fly out to Boise and try out the RV or van life via renting. Flights from Boston to Boise hovered around $500. We were going to bite the bullet: purchase the flights to Boise and rent a renovated van or small RV for around $140-$200 a day. As I started to get to the final page of payment for the van, the numbers added up. Big time.

Not only is there a charge each day of renting, there is an additional required insurance (understandable of course), as well as a hefty fee for driving more than 100 miles per day. Crunching those numbers led to a few thousands of dollars spent on housing, transportation, and flight for a two-week trip. One website we researched was Wander Vans, which for a two-person van for 14 days totaled to $2,200. Additional mileage over 125 (for this specific company) was 35 cents per mile. That total doesn’t include insurance, which was an extra requirement. These vans were sold out for the dates we wanted, but was one of the cheapest options we found. Others grew exponentially from there.

Not a bad spot to enjoy the sunset in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.

We loved the idea of having a car and housing in one, and of course insurance and cleaning fees are part of that when renting. We tried to justify the expenses by pointing out the van is both the mode of transportation and place to crash each night, but ultimately decided there had to be a cheaper way.

The van’s traveled to some neat places so far like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.

And thus, the road trip idea took a different turn. I used Priceline this time around to book a rental car. When selecting an option (I usually get an SUV to fit all of our camping necessities), I came across a cargo van option. I may be late to the game (or never really had to move things around), but cargo vans are an option? And cost less than an SUV? Not sure where I’ve been this entire time, but I’m glad I came across it.

Making our way through the Southeastern corner of Utah.

The total cost for a two-week rental was $612, but we added in an extra day for $60. The taxes and fees came out to $110, so the total cost for renting a cargo van in Western Massachusetts was $785. We split up travel costs, so my half came out to slightly under $400.

If you’ve read my previous post, 7 Lessons I’ve Learned Road-Tripping Across the U.S., you’ll know I never skimp out on rental car insurance. Of course it’s up to you, but it did add $500 to the total trip. Again, $250 on my end.

Where to Stay

Now that transportation was secured, we needed a place to stay everywhere we traveled. At first, as I mentioned, we looked at transportation that included a stay (i.e. an RV or van). When we threw that out the window and added in the cargo van, we considered Airbnbs. We love a good Airbnb, but for 14 nights, the cost would add up swiftly. So that was out.

With the cargo van, we knew we had two seats in the front and a large space for our needs in the back. The idea for a DIY renovated van was born. We borrowed two air mattresses and an air pump, so the sleeping aspect was covered.

Sure a renovated van with a built in bed, along with ventilation and a heating system would be ideal, but it’s very expensive. Almost anyone can rent a cargo van, throw a mattress in the back, and travel the U.S. with a little planning.

With our bed arrangement figured out, next up was deciphering places to sleep. My favorite option is Kampgrounds of America, or KOA. They are affordable (if you join their membership, you receive 10% off each time – it pays off if you utilize them!) and are all over the U.S. I’ve stayed in cabins and tent sites from the Adirondack mountains in New York to the suburbs of Ohio, to the Badlands in South Dakota. They are everywhere!

The tent sites range based on location. In Moab, Utah, for a tent site with electric plugs and water, it’s $50 a night. You do get a safe location to park, along with wi-fi, showers, and coin laundry at every KOA. For the peace of mind and convenience, it’s worth the price for me! Other not as popular locations, or tent sites without electric can be as low as $30 a night.

If you are budget-conscious as we are, we researched another option. Sure KOAs are great, but we wanted to see how affordable we could go. And that’s when we came across Pilot/Traveling J and Love’s.

Like I mentioned, van life isn’t always Instagram-worthy, but it sure is great being on the go and saving money. Here’s one of the Pilots we stayed at.

Showers on the Road

Most people know van lifers park in Walmart parking lots overnight for a free stay, but the real gem is a Pilot, Traveling J, or Love’s traveling center. As much as I can go without a shower when on the road or on a camping trip, two weeks might be pushing my limit.

These three companies are all essentially the same: a 24-hour gas station for truckers that provides free restrooms, showers for $13-$15, and overnight parking.

The showers are extremely clean and private. One of the best parts is that it isn’t timed, and they even provide towels (though we used our own). To save even more, you can share a shower if you’re traveling with someone. One person hops in, then on the way out, you can pop in. It’s an easy way to turn a $13 shower into $6.50!

Pro tip: Download the Pilot/Traveling J app for rewards.

Costs not included: Food and Gas

The only costs not included above were food and gas. Gas prices vary based on your trip and time of year. For example, our two-week road trip to Montana last summer included wildly lower gas prices than this trip. In several places along the way we paid $4/gallon. Food can be done in a budget-friendly manner and can look like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday for lunch.

We knew we’d be moving quickly between national parks in Colorado and Utah, so we didn’t always cook our own food. Food is where we splurged to try new coffee shops or the local eateries. A big money-saver is a quick Walmart trip for basics. We bring our own kitchenware, grill, and propane tank, which helps too!

The van life isn’t always glamorous, but with our budget-friendly tips, hopefully it can be accessible for everyone who wants to give it a go. Would you try it out? Do you have any questions on how to start traveling in a van?

7 Lessons I’ve Learned Road-Tripping Across the U.S.

I absolutely love travel. Maybe it’s because my parents prioritized it when I was a kid –whether it was a trip to Disney World or my dad taking us through the woods off the sidewalk path in local parks. Regardless, I love exploring new places.

I especially love being in a foreign place. A language I don’t understand, food I don’t know how to pinpoint the ingredients for, and people who look differently than I do. When it came to traveling, I often flew to new places that were walkable because I didn’t have a car myself. When I purchased my first car after graduating college, I packed up my belongings and set off on a drive from Dallas to Massachusetts with my dad.

My dad and I’s first stop on our road trip up to MA: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. This overlook hike is a must on your visit!

The drive itself takes a little over a day, but we split it up over a few days, staying in national parks along the way. Since then, I’ve ridden an Amtrak train from Denver back to Massachusetts, driven all around New England, and made my way around the U.S. on three longer road trips (to Missouri, Georgia, and Montana).

In all those hours spent in the car and the days spent on the road, I’ve learned a lot about preparing for a trip.

A trail view from Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota on the return home from our road trip last summer.

Here’s what I’ve learned from road-tripping across the U.S.

1. Things will go wrong with the perfect itinerary.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big planner. I use a color-coded Google sheet with multiple tabs varying from transportation, to housing addresses to packing lists, and sights to see. I love knowing I’ll see most of what a place has to offer by planning in advance.

However, there are things you can’t plan for. You can’t plan for forest fires to bring smoke to mountain ranges from the state over. You can’t plan for your pre-made food to go bad because the outside heat melted your ice sooner than expected. Since then I’ve learned to not pre-make several servings of mac and cheese to save time later since we ended up throwing it away.

Tip: Make a list of your non-negotiables, meaning the things you must do or places you absolutely must see. If you want to see the Mesa Arch in Canyonlands at sunrise and it’s an absolute dream of yours, then make that a priority. Maybe skip another attraction, or grab breakfast instead of cooking it if you’re short on time. Take out something in your “nice to do” bucket to ensure you fill up your “must do” bucket.

A year and a half ago, our flights to Kansas City were canceled due to the weather in Boston. We rented a car and turned the Conference Championship game into a road trip. A perfect example of how we couldn’t stick to the itinerary, yet it turned out to be an amazing weekend. We were even able to make it to Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis since we drove!

2. Always add two hours to your estimated time of arrival on your GPS.

You can’t plan for NY/NJ traffic to add two hours to your drive. Okay, maybe you can because it always feels like driving through this area adds so much time.

This is just one example of something that’s gone “wrong” on my trips in the past, or not according to plan. I’ve learned to add about two hours to the GPS. You don’t realize how much time you actually spend getting gas, buying an extra snack, and using the restroom even though you thought it’d be a quick minute to use the bathroom.

3. When planning, add in filler time. Or be okay with taking a detour.

Since we’re on the topic of time and planning, it’s important to add in time for the unexpected. On one of our trips, we were driving through South Dakota and saw sign after sign for a place called Wall Drug. The signs were such a hoot, we detoured and stopped by this tiny little western town. It ended up being one of the highlights of our drive through South Dakota! Had we not planned for additional time to get to the Badlands, we would’ve felt a need to stick to the road. Thus, missing this cool little spot.

When we made it to the Gateway Arch, our only plan was to view it from the exterior, take a few pictures, and continue our drive to Kansas City. We decided to take a detour, head inside, and book the last tour of the night. The tour took us up to the top of the Gateway Arch for this incredible view for sunset and back down in forty-five minutes. Totally worth it.

4. Double check your bookings a week before your trip. Or at the very least, the night before.

You may have planned to hit the road at 10 AM as soon as you pick up the rental car. That’s part of your itinerary, so it only makes sense. That is, until, you arrive at the rental company and they tell you you booked your car for the day before and since you didn’t pick it up, they rented it out to someone else.

Turns out, you aren’t leaving at 10 AM as you planned. This could have been easily avoided if I checked with the rental company a few days earlier to confirm the dates, or reviewed the booking email confirmation. This also goes for any boat tours or planned excursions you have, along with any campgrounds you reserved. Last summer I mixed up the dates more than once, which left us car camping under the stars in the Tetons (not mad about it), but it meant our KOA campsite in Yellowstone was given to someone else so we didn’t have a home base in Yellowstone.

Here’s the view from our campsite in Yellowstone, overlooking Yellowstone Lake. Not the worst way for plans to go when you mess up reservations.

5. If you’re using a rental car, get the insurance.

Everyone tells you this and you never listen. And when I mean you, I mean me. Almost everyone I have talked to about road trips says nine times out of ten, their rental car was fine. However, there’s always that one time. Ask anyone who travels on the road and they’ll tell you the trouble they had with their car or the animal encounter they had that no one wished for.

This goes back to earlier where I mentioned you probably won’t remember paying for things you forgot to bring. You won’t look back on your road trip thinking how much money you wasted on insurance. I add in the insurance when budgeting so that I don’t get overwhelmed when it comes to the total cost of a rental.

Tip: Book your rental in advance. If possible, pay upfront so your rental is reserved if you’re late and the cost is often cheaper. I use websites like Priceline to find the cheapest option. I also always double check for two things: 1) unlimited mileage (almost all rentals are, but vans/RVs often charge over 100 miles/day) and 2) restrictions.

More on restrictions - In Maui, most rental car companies don’t cover you if you drive a specific part of the Road to Hana. On a map, that part of the road looks like it saves you a great deal of time, but the conditions aren’t ideally suitable for driving.

On the Big Island, companies also don’t cover your drive to the summit of Mauna Kea. Always read the fine print or simply ask the representative which roads or attractions may be off limits to not lead to financial issues later.

 6. You will forget things. Just buy it along the way!

I used to get so stressed about forgetting something, as if there wasn’t a store along the way at some point to pick it up. In the grand scheme of your road trip, one purchase of q-tips won’t break your budget, and you surely won’t remember spending the money on it in the long run.

My very first road trip with my dad across Texas heading toward Big Bend National Park back in 2016. It’s safe to say I’ve been enjoying these drives for quite some time.

7. Embrace life on the road.

What initially was frustrating about mixing up dates and losing out on a campground in Yellowstone led to us finding out that each day Yellowstone offers first come first serve campsites. Had we had our original campground, we never would have landed a campsite directly across Yellowstone Lake, waking up to neighbors like elk casually walking past our tent.

Tip: Talk to locals or park rangers when visiting somewhere new. We pulled over to ask a ranger about campsites to snag the one I mentioned above.

These are just a handful of the lessons I’ve picked up driving across this beautiful country, and I’m sure there are plenty more for me to learn.

What lessons have you learned while traveling? Would you add any to this list?

The Best Way to See the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia

If you peer closely, you can see the catwalk directly under the road.

At the end of 2020, the New River Gorge in beautiful West Virginia was designated a national park, making it America’s 63rd national park. One of the highlights of the New River Gorge is the bridge.

Through the construction of this bridge, the commute between the mountains of West Virginia was cut down from forty minutes to one. The access this bridge provides to the locals is immense, and I love that a visit to this park includes driving across it each time.

This bridge, at the time of its creation, was the longest, steel single-span arch bridge in the world. Today, it’s the fourth. It is 3,030 feet long and 876 feet above the rapids below it. It’s taller than the Space Needle in Seattle and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. It comes just shy of the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building.

While you can access these other impressive monuments and buildings by elevator or a long walk up, there is something quite unique about the New River Gorge Bridge that you simply cannot do anywhere else.

The absolute best way to see the New River Gorge Bridge is by walking across it. No, not walking on the road where cars are driving past. Rather, walking directly beneath those cars. I highly recommend a bridge walk when you visit the New River Gorge National Park. You can book a bridge walk here.

The walk is guided and costs $72 with tax. It’s completely worth it. What I also love about this guided tour is that it’s accessible. Everyone can enjoy this experience!

The catwalk is quite wide with railing alongside the entirety of the walk.

Here are a few tips for how to best enjoy your experience walking across one of the coolest bridges you’ll ever explore:

1. Book your tour in the evening – choose the 5pm time slot! The lighting is best and you may catch a glimpse of the sunset, depending on what time of year you go. West Virginia can also get hot, so it’s a great idea to avoid the midday heat if possible.

As we headed off the bridge, we watched the sun set behind the West Virginia mountains.

2. Secure your phone. This sounds obvious, and the Bridge Walk store even sells phone cases to fasten your phone around your neck for $5, but take this seriously. About 5 minutes into our walk, after we were already strapped in, a woman behind me dropped her phone. Casually down 876 feet.

You can bet I held onto my Nikon and iPhone a little tighter the rest of the way.

3. Only take what you need. You will be locked in on a harness for a couple hours, so all you need to have on you is whatever device you’d like to take photos with and remember to wear closed toe shoes.

4. Sit down along the catwalk.

The entirety of the bridge walk is spent walking 3,000 feet across the bridge. How neat is it that you can sit and dangle your feet from this incredible bridge? When your guide allows (usually once you’ve hit the halfway point to be fully above the river), take a seat!

The bridge walk was such a neat experience that is unlike any other national park adventure!

Are you adding a bridge walk to your New River Gorge itinerary? Let me know if you do!

Everything You Need to See in Acadia National Park, Maine

Ah, Acadia National Park — where the mountains meet the ocean. Truly, the best of both worlds.

Five years ago, I told myself I’d never run another half marathon unless it was somewhere scenic. It’s not too much to ask for to need great views when you’re running for more than two hours, right? As a result, when I came across a race in Acadia National Park, I thought to myself, this is exactly the place I would run a long race in. And so, I signed up.

Acadia Half Marathon

I camped with a few friends on park grounds, spent the night gazing at the stars on rocks with the Atlantic breeze chilling my face. I rose the next day, ran for what felt like forever (turns out it’s a hilly course), and experienced Acadia for a brief moment.

Fast forward five years and it felt like time to revisit this spot. We stayed at a KOA (my go-to stay spot for adventures) minutes from Bar Harbor and the park. My first visit, despite running so many miles through the park, didn’t really result in me truly experiencing the park. This time around, we had an agenda full of Acadia adventures to enjoy.

New Englanders are at a slight disadvantage with the National Park system with Acadia being the only national park in the area, but a major advantage is that it’s within driving distance! For us in Western Mass, this drive is about five hours. Not rough at all considering the Adirondacks are a little over a four hour drive and I consider that a day trip sometimes.

If you find yourself looking for local adventure, or wanting to experience the beauty of coastal Maine, Acadia should move up to the top of your travel list.

Here’s everything you need to see and do in a weekend in Maine’s (and really, the Northeast’s) gem:

Hikes

Beech Mountain

A short, somewhat rocky hike up to a fire tower with stunning views of Echo Lake and nearby peaks. The total hike is a little over a mile. I suggest hiking clockwise for the best views on this loop (along the .4 mi of the trail). You can make it about halfway up the fire tower for a better birds-eye-view. On your way down on the loop, the views get even better. I highly recommend this hike in the afternoon on a sunny day. It’s dog-friendly as well!

Beehive Mountain

The Beehive trail has been at the top of list. I hike often, so anytime there is a little diversity in the type of terrain or trail, I jump at the opportunity to climb it. Beehive is particularly unique because of its steep incline involving rungs. I soaked it all in. One moment you’re walking along a rocky, dirt path staring up at the summit, and the next you’re climbing up rungs with your hands and gazing at the ocean and sandy beach below. Again, I’m a big fan of intriguing trails.

If you’re afraid of heights, I’d take this trail slow. It’s totally doable for all ages and completely worth it. Once you soak up the beach views, head up to the summit and immerse yourself in Norwegian-like greenery and islands. I felt like I was somewhere far away, a feeling I solemn get in New England, or the U.S. for that matter.

Precipice Trail

This trail sounds epic. More rungs, more incline, more steep drops - it’s my kind of adventure. You climb about 1,000 feet in under a mile. Unfortunately, both of my visits to Acadia have been in May and June, which is prime time for peregrine falcon nesting. This trail is often closed during late spring to summer for this reason. All the more reason for me to visit Acadia again one day in autumn!

Experiences:

View sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Arrive an hour early to get a scenic spot on the rocks. Parking here is also limited. Bring a rain jacket as the waves enjoy crashing the rocks, thereby soaking you by default. Watch as the colors in the sky unfold before your eyes in vibrant orange and red hues.

Drive the 27-mile Park Loop road.

Stop along the way for hidden gems and solitude in spots like the ones below.

Watch the U.S.’s first sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. You need reservations for the busy summer months due to limited parking, so you’ll need to book a vehicle reservation to snag one of these coveted spots. If you’ve worked up an appetite since you woke up before 4 AM for this experience, head into Bar Harbor for breakfast at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast. Always get a grilled blueberry muffin. Especially when in Maine.

Is Acadia on your list of places to explore? What are you most excited to see or do?