Celebrating National Parks Week

This week is National Parks Week so I am celebrating this week by trying to hit a couple of different National Park sites.  We don't live super close to any "official" National Parks, but there is an awesome National Parks Foundation website that you can go to, to find National Parks, monuments, battlesites, riverways, lakeshores etc., that are close to you.  I happened to find several different sites that are close to me, at least within a few hours drive. Yay!  Last weekend the family and I went to Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site and then this weekend I am going to another site to finish the week off right.  I had hoped to have a more detailed post to put up for everybody but it did not happen this week.  I did still want to give a shout out to the Junior Ranger program though, because I happen to LOVE it and want you to check it out too!

You can pick up your Junior Ranger program at the Visitor's Center of the site or park that you are visiting.  The information should be age related to make it easier for the kids.  This one happened to have different books for the different ages but I think that some of them just give the littler kids less things to do within the booklets.  The booklets are meant to get your kids more involved in learning about the site they are visiting. 

I so enjoy them myself that I get my own booklet to fill out, even if my son isn't with me.  Sssssh I don't want that getting out haha.  Actually I talked to the ranger at this site and he said that he wished the National Parks system would put something together for the adults.  Apparently I am not the only "adult" to ask for them :).  I'm glad for that.  Seriously if you are any kind of national park buff, even as an adult you should fill these out.  You actually have to pay attention to what the park is about then and its a great learning tool for the kids and fun too!

I also have the National Parks book that I fill out.  I get both the sticker(see photo above) and the stamp(see photo above) for my book.  These are the little blue books that list all of the National Park sites.  You can buy them at any National Park site Visitor's Center.  You can get a stamp with the National Park site and the date you were there from the Visitor's Center as well.  You then stamp your book, that is free! For a couple of bucks you can buy the sticker which gives you more info about the park.  There is a place in the book for both. 

I am trying to hit all the National Parks, see my Bucket List, so I like to keep track this way.  Unfortunately I didn't always have my parks book so I may not have all my stamps, but I am certainly going to try to get as many as I can.  I hope that you have enjoyed your National Parks week as much as I have so far.  Two more days to go, so if you haven't, do your research and get out there! 

How do you National Parks week??  Please let me know how you celebrate it.  I am always looking for new travel ideas and/or ways to celebrate our National Parks, The Best Idea :)!  I am going to leave you with a series of National Parks pictures I have taken.  Unfortunately I am not at home so I do not have access to all my National Parks pictures, but here's some that I could get my hands on.  Enjoy!

Sequoia National Park - California

 

Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Michigan

Bayfield Wisconsin which is just a short ferry ride to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Everglades National Park - Florida

 

This post is part of Photo Friday at R We There Yet Mom, Delicious Baby, and Budget Travelers Sandbox.  Go to any of those sites for awesome travel pictures.

 

I would love for you to check out my photography website for more great travel pictures and "like" my photography Facebook page.  Thanks!

This week is National Parks Week so I am celebrating this week by trying to hit a couple of different National Park sites.  We don't live super close to any "official" National Parks, but there is an awesome National Parks Foundation website that you can go to, to find National Parks, monuments, battlesites, riverways, lakeshores etc., that are close to you.  I happened to find several different sites that are close to me, at least within a few hours drive. Yay!  Last weekend the family and I went to Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site and then this weekend I am going to another site to finish the week off right.  I had hoped to have a more detailed post to put up for everybody but it did not happen this week.  I did still want to give a shout out to the Junior Ranger program though, because I happen to LOVE it and want you to check it out too!

You can pick up your Junior Ranger program at the Visitor's Center of the site or park that you are visiting.  The information should be age related to make it easier for the kids.  This one happened to have different books for the different ages but I think that some of them just give the littler kids less things to do within the booklets.  The booklets are meant to get your kids more involved in learning about the site they are visiting. 

I so enjoy them myself that I get my own booklet to fill out, even if my son isn't with me.  Sssssh I don't want that getting out haha.  Actually I talked to the ranger at this site and he said that he wished the National Parks system would put something together for the adults.  Apparently I am not the only "adult" to ask for them :).  I'm glad for that.  Seriously if you are any kind of national park buff, even as an adult you should fill these out.  You actually have to pay attention to what the park is about then and its a great learning tool for the kids and fun too!

I also have the National Parks book that I fill out.  I get both the sticker(see photo above) and the stamp(see photo above) for my book.  These are the little blue books that list all of the National Park sites.  You can buy them at any National Park site Visitor's Center.  You can get a stamp with the National Park site and the date you were there from the Visitor's Center as well.  You then stamp your book, that is free! For a couple of bucks you can buy the sticker which gives you more info about the park.  There is a place in the book for both. 

I am trying to hit all the National Parks, see my Bucket List, so I like to keep track this way.  Unfortunately I didn't always have my parks book so I may not have all my stamps, but I am certainly going to try to get as many as I can.  I hope that you have enjoyed your National Parks week as much as I have so far.  Two more days to go, so if you haven't, do your research and get out there! 

How do you National Parks week??  Please let me know how you celebrate it.  I am always looking for new travel ideas and/or ways to celebrate our National Parks, The Best Idea :)!  I am going to leave you with a series of National Parks pictures I have taken.  Unfortunately I am not at home so I do not have access to all my National Parks pictures, but here's some that I could get my hands on.  Enjoy!

Sequoia National Park - California

 

Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Michigan

Bayfield Wisconsin which is just a short ferry ride to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Everglades National Park - Florida

 

This post is part of Photo Friday at R We There Yet Mom, Delicious Baby, and Budget Travelers Sandbox.  Go to any of those sites for awesome travel pictures.

 

I would love for you to check out my photography website for more great travel pictures and "like" my photography Facebook page.  Thanks!

This week is National Parks Week so I am celebrating this week by trying to hit a couple of different National Park sites.  We don't live super close to any "official" National Parks, but there is an awesome National Parks Foundation website that you can go to, to find National Parks, monuments, battlesites, riverways, lakeshores etc., that are close to you.  I happened to find several different sites that are close to me, at least within a few hours drive. Yay!  Last weekend the family and I went to Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site and then this weekend I am going to another site to finish the week off right.  I had hoped to have a more detailed post to put up for everybody but it did not happen this week.  I did still want to give a shout out to the Junior Ranger program though, because I happen to LOVE it and want you to check it out too!

You can pick up your Junior Ranger program at the Visitor's Center of the site or park that you are visiting.  The information should be age related to make it easier for the kids.  This one happened to have different books for the different ages but I think that some of them just give the littler kids less things to do within the booklets.  The booklets are meant to get your kids more involved in learning about the site they are visiting. 

I so enjoy them myself that I get my own booklet to fill out, even if my son isn't with me.  Sssssh I don't want that getting out haha.  Actually I talked to the ranger at this site and he said that he wished the National Parks system would put something together for the adults.  Apparently I am not the only "adult" to ask for them :).  I'm glad for that.  Seriously if you are any kind of national park buff, even as an adult you should fill these out.  You actually have to pay attention to what the park is about then and its a great learning tool for the kids and fun too!

I also have the National Parks book that I fill out.  I get both the sticker(see photo above) and the stamp(see photo above) for my book.  These are the little blue books that list all of the National Park sites.  You can buy them at any National Park site Visitor's Center.  You can get a stamp with the National Park site and the date you were there from the Visitor's Center as well.  You then stamp your book, that is free! For a couple of bucks you can buy the sticker which gives you more info about the park.  There is a place in the book for both. 

I am trying to hit all the National Parks, see my Bucket List, so I like to keep track this way.  Unfortunately I didn't always have my parks book so I may not have all my stamps, but I am certainly going to try to get as many as I can.  I hope that you have enjoyed your National Parks week as much as I have so far.  Two more days to go, so if you haven't, do your research and get out there! 

How do you National Parks week??  Please let me know how you celebrate it.  I am always looking for new travel ideas and/or ways to celebrate our National Parks, The Best Idea :)!  I am going to leave you with a series of National Parks pictures I have taken.  Unfortunately I am not at home so I do not have access to all my National Parks pictures, but here's some that I could get my hands on.  Enjoy!

Sequoia National Park - California

 

Grand Canyon National Park - Arizona

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Michigan

Bayfield Wisconsin which is just a short ferry ride to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Everglades National Park - Florida

 

This post is part of Photo Friday at R We There Yet Mom, Delicious Baby, and Budget Travelers Sandbox.  Go to any of those sites for awesome travel pictures.

 

I would love for you to check out my photography website for more great travel pictures and "like" my photography Facebook page.  Thanks!