When naturalist John Muir wrote these words over a century ago, who knew that he would be so instrumental to "America's Best Idea", our national parks?  His and President Teddy Roosevelt's vision to preserve our natural landscape was far ahead of its time, and we're all the richer for it.  If you need a refresher course in what it means to love your country, if you need your kids to feel a true sense of patriotism, look no further than the National Park Service.  Because you cannot leave these places without a renewed love for America and the rugged individualism for which it stands.

Spoiler alert: this isn't Disney.  Disney is awesome in its own right, but if you go to the national parks expecting to have entertainment thrown at you from every direction, you will be disappointed.  "Finding your fun" in a national park is a much simpler, more organic experience, and you (and your kids) will be so glad you made the effort!  Turn off the iPads for the week (yes, the WEEK), and turn on your senses to take in all the sights (buffalo herd!), sounds (hail storm!), smells (Ponderosa pine!), and tastes (fresh-caught rainbow trout!) that await you on your national park vacation.

You'll never forget seeing Old Faithful erupt for the first time.  Or hiking the Narrows in river water up to your waist in Zion.  Or stopping to let a herd of mountain goats pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier.  Or, even years later, STILL not being quite able to comprehend just how HUGE Mt. Rainier is from your window at Paradise Inn.  We speak from a lifetime of experience.  Even if you're not the "outdoorsy" type, our national parks offer brushes with nature for every interest and ability level, from technical climbing El Capitan to taking in the scenery in Acadia from the comfort of the passenger seat.  

Want to do a driving trip, but not sure where to start?  We can put together the perfect itinerary, hitting the highlights and directing you to the must-do adventures.  To get the most authentic experience, we HIGHLY recommend staying in the historic national park lodges if at all possible, however, if availability is limited, we are also fully capable of finding other hand-picked lodging that is equally representative of that location.  Our national parks belong to all Americans, and it is our sincere hope that once you visit, you will feel as passionate about them as we are!