Hot Springs is One National Park Where You Should Pack an Appetite
National parks are popular destinations for hiking, paddling, wildlife-spotting, and museums, but foodie meccas they are not—usually. Unless of course you visit Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, a tiny park unlike anything else in the National Park Service, and one that’s sure to change your idea of dining and drinking at national parks.
Finding Solace and Solitude in the Midwest National Parks
Whether you’re seeking solace and solitude, space for healing and reflection, or just a little “leg room” after months of social distancing, the parks are ready to welcome us back with open arms. Thankfully, the Midwest national parks offer all of us an opportunity to find some comfort and quiet space to continue the conversations we’re only just beginning.
Family Trips to National Parks: More Than Just a Vacation
While visiting the parks with children is a lot different than an all adult trip, the experiences, memories, and chance to take in national parks through a child’s eyes are immeasurable. It can be intimidating to plan a family trip to a national park, but I look forward to sharing many lessons learned.
How to Find the Magic and Heart of Midwest National Parks
The Midwest Region spans 11 different states and 57 of the more than 400 different units in the NPS. Of those 57 units, nine have the official national park designation. Among these, you’ll find one of our newest, one of our oldest, and one of the least visited national parks in the National Park Service.
First Things First: What Are National Parks?
At its core, a national park is a place that’s been set aside for conservation and preservation. These are often places of iconic natural beauty, like Yosemite and Grand Canyon, but national parks can also be in urban areas, historic battlefields, and beyond. You might be surprised by the breadth of parks, and the fact that there might be one in your own backyard.
Meet Christine Cikowski, a Chicago Chef With a Passion for Parks
My favorite thing about our national parks is the widespread community they foster, and all the different ways they impart a sense of awe and inspiration in all of us. And speaking of being inspired, a great example of this is Christine Cikowski, a chef in Chicago who has been a personal source of inspiration for me for years. I’ve long been a fan of her cooking, and I love that she loves national parks as much as we do.
A Primer on the Northeast Region’s National Parks
From famed towns like Salem, Massachusetts, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to the world-renowned monuments of New York City and equally famed shores of Acadia National Park, the Northeast Region boasts some of the country’s most essential sights in the National Park Service, and as a New Hampshire native, they’ll always hold a special place in my heart, no matter where I happen to be roving.