Getting Away From The Crowds In Portugal's Parks

While parks may not be Portugal’s primary tourism draw, this Iberian state’s protected lands have both natural and historical features in spades. From boulder-strewn slopes to ruins of hill top castles, Portugal’s parks have some fascinating spots to explore. Here’s the catch; the most well documented sites in these parks, especially those detailed in guidebooks, are most often over run with tour buses. Fortunately, for those who wish to get away from the crowds, there are lesser-known spots to explore.

TravelAdina Marguerite PeaseFebruary 18, 2015Portugal, National Parks Comments

Photo Essay: Visiting The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

It's an interesting turn of events when you select a random campsite based on reserve-ability at the last minute, think you'll just have a quiet weekend in the forest, and find yourself at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

TravelAdina Marguerite PeaseAugust 19, 2014Washington, National Parks, Photo Essay Comments

Photo Essay: A Visit To the Kenai Peninsula

In the past four years I've flown the route from Seattle to Anchorage at least eight times but until this past month, I had never made it down to the Kenai Peninsula. While I've driven the Seward Highway down the Turnagain Arm on every visit from March to July - I've never driven past the turn to the Portage Glacier and Lake. On my latest trip, I planned ahead to make it happen.

TravelAdina Marguerite PeaseAugust 5, 2014Alaska, Glaciers, Photo Essay, National Parks Comments

Photo Essay: Gettysburg National Military Park

Just a quarter of my family lived in the United States at the time of the Civil War, so I don't have a whole lot of ties to that particular era of American history. That being said, the Gettysburg National Military Park is a pretty fascinating place to visit. It's certainly a very somber spot given the thousands of casualties which occurred during the battle, but the 1,328 monuments built to honor those also make it a beautiful place to wander through.

TravelAdina Marguerite PeaseMay 13, 2014Pennsylvania, National Parks, Scenic DriveComment

Visiting Abel Tasman National Park

I've never felt more at peace then the days I spent in Abel Tasman National Park on the north tip of the South Island of New Zealand. When you consider I spent a full day and half tucked into my hotel room after getting glutened - that says quite a lot.

The Friday Five: Jen's Five Best Tips for Enjoying National Parks

Jennifer is a writer and travel enthusiast based in the Sacramento area of Northern California. She has recently given in to the insatiable urge to wander and shares her photos and experiences over on her blog, People + Places + Things. Jennifer has also authored several travel guide apps and creates content for online and print publications.

Stay somewhere comfortable

Deciding where and how you’ll catch some zzzzz’s while you’re visiting a national park is very important and one of the first things we tackle when planning a trip. Do you want to camp and sleep under the stars? What about a nice hotel inside the park? Or perhaps a small rustic cabin in the woods nearby?

Whatever offers you and yours the most comfort and an opportunity for some down time is often the best choice. You’ll be happy to have a place to rest and recover after long days full of hiking, exploring and sightseeing.

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