Travel:
U.S. NATIONAL PARKS
By Helen C.
The penultimate stop is the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The Grand Canyon is the second most visited U.S. national park, and there is no surprise why. It is being carved by the Colorado River, and it is constantly growing ever so slightly. Currently the canyon covers 1,902 square miles, but that number will get bigger as time progresses. It is an incredible sight that tourists will never forget. Many different forms of tourism are offered, such as biking, rafting, hiking, riding a jeep or van, flying above the canyon, and even riding a mule. Viewing the canyon from above and below are completely different experiences, so why not try them both?
The road trip ends at Yosemite in California. This gorgeous area’s main attraction is its waterfalls that cascade down rocky cliffs, but it also has huge sequoia trees, sunlit valleys, and a variety of trails that are perfect for hiking. Tourists can spend all day hiking up and around Half Dome, get a small taste of adventure trekking through Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, or select one of the many other tours that are somewhere in between. There is a package to meet everyone’s need for exercise and thrills. People can take rock climbing lessons, bike rides, or mule and horseback rides to fill their day in the park. Visitors can also camp out in the park after a long day of excitement, or, if the family is still energetic, they can take part in some of the nighttime programs, such as a bike ride through the dimly lit moonlight, telling stories beside a crackling campfire, taking a walk through the snow-covered mountains, and many more. Yosemite is brimming with adventures just waiting to be explored, so no visitor will ever be bored.
Instead of planning a usual summer, make this one three unforgettable months. Forget spending yet another vacation at the Jersey Shore. Book a reservation at a lodge at one of the fabulous national parks the United States has to offer. All of the activities that each park offers make embracing nature nothing like the usual science class. By spending summer in the wilderness, students will gain an appreciation of all that Earth’s surface purely harbors, so push aside the video games and power down the cell phone. Replace them with a pair of hiking boots. Trust me, you will not miss technology for a second while being absorbed in nature.