The Denali Road Lottery – Denali National Park

Denali National Park is hard to explain in words. It is huge, gorgeous, natural, thrilling, amazing…. I hear the words “once in a lifetime” connected to Denali pretty often. But after being there, I really hope that isn’t true. It is a place I want to visit over and over. I think that’s how a …

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Fort Worth Zoo – The Best Zoo in Texas

While we are lucky to live in Fort Worth for many reasons, a big one would have to be because of the Fort Worth Zoo. Routinely named in the top five zoos in America, the Fort Worth Zoo is a local attraction we head back to time and time again. Even Gary said he was “impressed,” …

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The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Most of you are familiar with my Cold War fascination, so a trip to Albuquerque would not have been complete without a trip to the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque. The museum is located outside of the Albuquerque Museum District near Old Town. For a brief stint after the 2001 terror …

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Staying in the Rim Cabins of Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

When I called the reservations line to ask about cabin availability at Palo Duro Canyon, the lady on the other end of the line chuckled a bit.  She told me that they are often booked months in advance, and finding something last minute wasn’t guaranteed.  We were lucky and got a last-minute cancelation. The problem …

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Independence Mine State Historical Site and Hatcher’s Pass, Alaska

In the Mat-Su valley of Alaska near Palmer and Wasilla is a beautiful mountain pass named after miner Robert Hatcher. Hatcher’s Pass is a great skiing destination for locals during the winter, but in the summer people come for the hiking and the history. For like I said, Hatcher’s Pass was named after a miner …

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Fort Worth’s Miniature Train in Trinity Park – The Forest Park Railroad

Truly a Fort Worth tradition since it was opened in 1959, generations of families have ridden the rails along the Trinity River and through Forest and Trinity Parks on the Forest Park Miniature Railroad. I love when we head down to ride the train. One of my favorite places in Fort Worth is Trinity Park. …

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Spring in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

While on our way to the Trinity Site in New Mexico, I poured over our route.  Texas… well. Texas is big. And while I’ve been to a lot of it, I had never traveled to the West Texas area near El Paso. It is sometimes called “Big Bend Country” after our flashiest national park. But Big …

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Five Reasons Why You Should Be Taking Your Children to Historical Sites

1. Historical Travel Can Help History Come Alive I think it is valuable to show children where battles were fought. Gettysburg’s field of battle was only 4 acres in size. Over 7,800 soldiers died. Those are just numbers. But standing on the field and realizing how small that was, how gruesome the sight would be… …

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