The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego is an incredible place to hike, offering a unique combination of cacti, pine trees, wildflowers, and ocean views. However, there are six trails here, so it can be hard to know where to start or which Torrey Pines trail to hike. I’ve hiked all six Torrey …
Death Valley was the last national park in California I visited before I’d seen them all. Why did I save this one for last? I was dragging my feet a little to get to it, just because it’s so far out in the desert, and I wasn’t sure if it would be worth the time …
I visited Lake Manly in 2024. It’s a rare, temporary lake in the driest place in North America. Does that not blow your mind? If you’re wanting to see this incredible phenomenon, follow news alerts from the national park about current conditions. Lake Manly can appear as quickly as it disappears. Here’s everything you should …
Black sand beaches are rare. The Big Island of Hawaii has seven black sand beaches. But one stands above the rest as the largest, most accessible, and, dare I say, most beautiful. The Punalu’u Black Sand Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii is arguably the best black sand beach to visit in Hawaii. Here’s …
When I embarked on a day trip to Channel Islands National Park with 12 family members, I had to decide: In the end, I chose to visit Santa Cruz Island, mainly to see the Painted Cave. But we also saw island foxes and dolphins along the way. It was a long day but a good …
I visited Pinnacles National Park for a day and found its hike to Bear Gulch Cave and Reservoir to be one of my favorite hiking trails I’ve ever done. The park isn’t that big (and it’s actually the smallest national park in California), so I felt that just doing this one hike was enough to …
I’ll be honest that Joshua Tree National Park isn’t my favorite national park. I actually rank it last on my list of best national parks in California (after visiting them all). I feel that Joshua Tree gets way overhyped for what it is, but that’s just my personal opinion. It’s still a national park and …
Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are so close together — I mean, they share a border — so it makes perfect sense to see both of these parks during the same trip. Are both parks worth visiting? I’d say so! Grand Teton National Park stunned us with its beauty — it has …
Even with just 2 days in Yellowstone, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another world — one where water spurts from the earth and steam billows over the hills. The challenge is that Yellowstone National Park draws millions of visitors every year (so it’s very crowded), and it’s one of the largest national parks in …
Only have one day to see Grand Teton National Park? Are you short on time but still wanting a meaningful experience in the park? On my last trip, I had just one day, and, like you, I wasn’t sure if it’d be worth it. With so much to see (and not a lot of time), …
