Colonial NHP

Witness America’s Beginnings, from an English colony in 1607 to an independent nation in 1781:

 On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that would eventually seek independence from Great Britain. On October 19, 1781, American and French troops defeated the British at Yorktown in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. 

Aug 14, 2019
Made a return visit with the Grand kids in tow. They worked on their Junior Ranger program, and we got to take in allot of the park we had not seen before. We are so proud of Katie and Matty, they earned 6 Junior Ranger badges this summer with us. We hope they will want to continual seeing the parks with us.

Aug 17, 2011
Another park in our back yard, makes it easy to spend a day learning about the history of this great country.

Click here for photos of our visit on Aug 14 2019

NPS webpage

Our 42nd NPS Unit

                                                           

Fort Monroe NM

Freedom's Fortress:

Fort Monroe National Monument has a diverse history spanning the American story from American Indian presence, Captain John Smith's journeys, first arrival of enslaved Africans in English North America, a safe haven for freedom seekers during the American Civil War, and a bastion of defense for the Chesapeake Bay through the 21st Century. Visit and witness the on-going preservation work in action.

  

Aug 10, 2019

We had the opportunity to revisit with Grand kids. They really enjoyed exploring the Fort and working on there 5th Junior Ranger badge. We enjoy seeing the fun they are having, learning about our Country. 

Jan 6, 2012

A new park and in our backyard. Great Museum and Fort. Taking in the Casement Museum Added to new  pages of history we did not know about in the Hampton Roads area.

Click here for photos of our visit on Aug 10 2019

NPS webpage

Our 67th NPS Unit

Valley Forge NHP

Determined to Persevere:

Valley Forge is the encampment site of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-1778. The park features 3,500 acres of monuments, meadows, and woodlands commemorating the sacrifices and perseverance of the Revolutionary War generation and honoring the power of people to pull together and overcome adversity during extraordinary times. 

Aug 7, 2019

This was a revisit; we were last here 1 July 1995 so much has changed including how we explore parks now. This visit started out at the Temporary Visitors Center. We had the grandkids in tow, so they picked up their Junior Ranger books, and we took in the movie. We headed out on the park loop road and made all the stops so the grand kids could find the answers they need for their books. After taking in all the sites we went back and the grand kids finished up their books and received their 4th badge, well done kids. We plan on a return visit to take in the new Visitors Center when it reopens.

Click here for photos of our visit on Aug 7 2019

NPS Website

Our 16th NPS Unit

Hopewell Furnace NHS

How American Industrialization Began:

Hopewell Furnace showcases an early American landscape of industrial operations from 1771-1883, Hopewell and other "iron plantations" laid the foundation for the transformation of the United States into an industrial giant for the time. The park's 848 acres and historic structures illustrate the business, technology and lifestyle of our growing nation. 

Aug 6, 2019

Another park that's off the beaten path but well worth it to make the trip. Started at the Visitor Center with a movie and the grandkids picking up the Junior Ranger books. We headed out to explore and got to take in an actual charcoal making demonstration. They only build the pile for making the charcoal once a year, so we had good timing on this visit. After learning all about the charcoal making process, we explored the rest of the park while the grand kids worked on their books. Really enjoyed the barn and all the farm animal's that greeted us. Once done exploring we headed back to the Visitors Center were the grand kids finished the books and got their 3rd Junior Ranger badge. It's great to see them get excited and want to learn about the parks.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 140th NPS Unit

Roger Williams NMEM

Liberty of Conscience: 

Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, founded Providence in 1636. This colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship as their conscience dictated without interference from the state.

Aug 3, 2019
A return visit with the Grand kids. They completed their 2nd Junior Ranger Program, and we all enjoyed taking in this small park.

April 6, 2013

A small park dedicated to a man that had the conviction to follow his beliefs. He laid down one of the cornerstones of our Bill of Rights, Religious Freedom.  

Click here for photos of our visit on Aug 3 2019

NPS Website

Our 85th NPS Unit

Steamtown NHS

Steam locomotives excited the senses and Steamtown works to keep their stories alive!

you'd feel heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; you'd hear the whistle, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turned steel wheels. Remember the sound of "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack? Today, you can learn the history of steam railroad transportation, and the people who built, repaired and rode, as we work to preserve a special era in America's industrial history! 

July 27, 2019
This was a great park to take in. We had our entire family from New Jersey with us for this park. If you are a train nut like me this is the place to go. I could spend days here exploring - okay maybe weeks. Grand kids got there first Junior Ranger books, and we learned that it takes longer to explore when you have them working on their books, that is a good thing for us as we really get to slow down and take more in. We took a couple of small train excursions in the train yard and explored all we could. The grand kids finished their books and got there First badge. We hope this starts there NPS exploring bug, we will see after this trip. We are putting this one on the return list just because I love trains.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 139th NPS Unit

Indiana Dunes NP

Sand and Solitude: 

Indiana Dunes National Park hugs 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan and has much to offer. Whether you enjoy scouting for rare species of birds or flying kites on the sandy beach, the national park's 15,000 acres will continually enchant you.  Hikers will enjoy 50 miles of trails over rugged dunes, mysterious wetlands, sunny prairies, meandering rivers and peaceful forests.

 

May 5, 2012

This was a Solo trip for me as the wife and dogs had already headed home. Walked the dunes and enjoyed an afternoon at the beach.

July 22, 2019

Got to take in this new National Park, the last time I was here it was only a National Lakeshore. We started at the Visitor Center and saw the movie then took in the displays that we thought was far less than expected of a National Park. We decide our best approach was to start in the South end of the park, so we headed to West Beach. We took in West Beach with a hike down to the Lakeshore. We headed North and made stops along the way to see the Century of progress Homes, these houses were built for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair to demonstrate modern architectural design, experimental materials, and new technologies. It was then on to Mount Baldy Beach and the star of the park, Mount Baldy. While you cannot climb it anymore, we did walk around it to the beach. This is a great Park to take in and we still have a few areas to see so we will be back. 

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 72nd NPS Unit and 20th National Park

                                    

Herbert Hoover NHS

To Look Forward with Unbounded Hope:

Orphaned at age nine, Herbert Hoover left West Branch never to live here again. In later years, he returned to his humble birthplace to celebrate his long career of public service. A memorial landscape remains to tell his story: how community, hard work, honesty, and usefulness to others opened a world of opportunity— and the presidency of the United States— to a child of simple beginnings. 

July 21, 2010

A stop here on the way home from a cross-country trip. I did not know much about Herbert Hoover, so this was a very educational stop. Like so many Presidents he did more after office then in. Much to see and take in here.

July 20, 2019
This was a revisit for me and the first time for my wife. Took in the Visitor Center and a movie on Herbert Hoover's life here in West Branch. We then took a walk to take in the buildings and homes that are preserved here. After seeing what there is to see we headed to the Presidential Library. This is where you truly learn about his life and Presidency. After a few hours at the Presidential Library, we drove up to the grave site and took that in.

Click here for photos of our visit on July 20 2019

NPS Webpage

Our 55th NPS Unit

Jewel Cave NM

Discover One of the Last Frontiers in the World:

Immerse yourself within the third longest cave in the world. With over 208 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant color. Its maze of passages lure explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service. 

May 16, 2019

We took in the Visitors center and movie then it was time to decide on what tour to take. After being on the road for over a week we decided to just do the Discovery tour. This is an easy tour with only a few stairs and an easy in and out with the elevators.  The Scenic tour was not an option today as it has over 723 stairs and we were not up for that. The tour was nice but basic for us. The guild was knowable and pointed out many formations and even a drill hole from the surface, there from the times they were exploring new sections of the cave. This is a large cave, and they just went over 200 miles explored with many more to go. We plan on a return visit, and we will do the Scenic tour.

click here for photos of our visit

NPS Webpage

Our 138th NPS Unit

Salem Maritime NHS

"To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East"

When the United States was young, sailors, merchants, and privateers ventured all over the world from Salem, Massachusetts to bring new and exotic goods home to America. In this nine acre park, explore the historic buildings, wharves, and replica tallship that tell the stories of the residents of Salem who helped build the foundation for one of the most powerful national economies in the world.

Oct 5 2018

Took in the site and sounds of Salem and this Park unit. So much to see and do with this unit. Got to take in the Custom House, The Narbonne House that was built in 1675 for butcher Thomas Ives. It is a remarkable example of a middle-class family home of the 17th and 18th centuries and one of the things that make this building so special is its history of nearly 300 years of continued occupation, 200 years of which are members of one family. We got to walk around the exterior of the Derby House built in 1762 and Hawkes House built in 1780. We also got to take in the House of Seven Gables, while it is not part of the Park Unit it was neat to see the history of it. There is so much in Salem to see that we will be back to continual to explore this city, just not in October.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 135th NPS Unit

Fort McHenry NM

O! say can you see,...

by the dawn's early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming! over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Sept 30 2018
Making the most out of our bad situation while waiting for our trailer to be repaired we decided to take in Fort McHenry NM. So much of the fiber of this Country is rooted in this Fort. We had a great Ranger lead tour that really went into what made this such an important part our Country's history. After the tour we were on our own to explore and take in the park. This site is a must visit to understand the roots of this Country.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 134th NPS Unit