Visiting 17 national parks in a single year might sound impossible while working full-time jobs, but we made it happen in 2025—and you can too! With careful planning, strategic use of paid time off (PTO), and grouping parks near each other, we turned weekends and holidays into epic adventures. Here’s a breakdown of our year and tips to help you maximize your travel time.

Shenandoah National Park is one of our favorite East Coast destinations to experience in the fall, when the rolling ridges of Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains burst into shades of red, orange, and gold.

Everything you need to know about planning a trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.

Florida is home to three incredible national parks, each offering unique ecosystems, wildlife, and unforgettable adventures. Whether you're exploring wetlands, snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, or visiting a historic fort, these parks provide diverse experiences for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Here's our guide to visiting Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas National Parks.

Visiting 16 national parks in a single year might sound impossible while working full-time jobs, but we made it happen in 2024—and you can too! With careful planning, strategic use of paid time off (PTO), and grouping parks near each other, we turned weekends and holidays into epic adventures. Here’s a breakdown of our year and tips to help you maximize your travel time.

The blog post highlights 5 must-do activities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: driving the scenic Cades Cove Loop, hiking to Clingman’s Dome, exploring various park overlooks, trekking the Alum Cave Bluffs Trail, and watching the sunset from peaceful spots like Webb Overlook. The park’s stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife are best experienced in the fall, despite the crowds.

Palm Springs, California is the perfect place for a weekend getaway and in this article we outline how to make the most of your time in Palm Springs & nearby Joshua Tree National Park. We also have amazing restaurant and pool/spa recommendations. Palm Springs has it all for those who want to hike/explore AND for those who want to relax/unwind.

Death Valley National Park is easily one of the most unique US National Parks. It has salt flats, mountains, sand dunes, incredible starry night skies, and interesting geological features throughout the park. We recommend visiting the park outside the summer months as the temperatures can be unbearable during this time of year.

With its beautiful, rugged, rocky, and glaciated coastal landscapes, it is no wonder Acadia National Park is so popular. Here are 6 of our favorite things and tips about the park.

Despite the normal hassles of international travel, we absolutely LOVED our trip to Great Exuma. Keep in mind, this itinerary is meant for those with adventurous hearts who do not want the standard all-inclusive beach resort vacation. If you are looking for the most pristine beaches with beautiful clear water everywhere and minimal crowds, then Great Exuma is the place to go. The beaches of the Exuma cays will forever be in our dreams.

The Azores, or Açores, is an archipelago of nine Portuguese volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Terceira is particularly worth visiting because you can visit a Unesco heritage site (Angra do Heroísmo), view a patchwork blanket of green farm fields inside the largest crater of the Azores (Serra do Cume), and walk inside a volcano (Algar do Carvão). Terceira is the third largest island of the archipelago and is thought to be the third island to be discovered.

In our personal opinion, Shenandoah National Park is at its most beautiful during the Fall season. Most years, peak colors happen in mid to late October. We do recommend visiting Shenandoah National Park on a weekday, if possible, because weekends can get very busy with limited parking along Skyline Drive. Read more to find out what hike we recommend as well as other tips.