I was so surprised by how much I liked this place. I did not know much about Ulysses S. Grant before I went. General, president, and that was about the extent of it. The first thing: it is extremely dog friendly I want to call that out early, because it is rare and it shaped my whole visit. [...]
I came to George Washington Carver National Monument knowing his name. That was about it. I could have told you “peanuts.” I could not have told you one true thing about the man. I got there really early, before anything had opened. Which turned out to be the right accident, because it meant I did the walk first. [...]
I stopped at Tuskegee Institute because I was in the area. That is the entire reason. I had zero idea what to expect. My mind was blown. I had pictured a building with some exhibits in it. What it actually is: a working university campus, and the national historic site is spread across it. Tuskegee is the only [...]
I went to Tuskegee in April 2026, and the reason I went had started more than a year before that. I had been paying attention to arguments about what belongs in the history we teach, and which parts of it quietly get trimmed. It sparked rage. And it took me a year to pull together a trip to go [...]
I have been to the Gateway Arch twice, and I have never been up it. The first time, I just did not feel the desire to. The second time I had Tootsie with me and could not have gone up anyway. I am sure there is great storytelling up there. I am sure the views are extraordinary. People clearly [...]
I freaking loved Petroglyph. Start at the visitor center, and I mean it Petroglyph is a in Albuquerque - a monument co-managed by the National Park Service and the City of Albuquerque. The visitor center is separate from all the places you actually go to see the petroglyphs. There are no petroglyphs at the visitor center at all. That [...]
Petrified Forest is a perfect stop along Route 66! The shape of the day Petrified Forest is predominantly a driving tour. Twenty-eight miles of road through the park, with stops all the way along where you get out and look at what is there. Be realistic about those 28 miles...it takes quite a while, especially when you want to [...]
I stopped at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home having only recently heard it existed, and knowing nothing at all about Medgar or Myrlie Evers. It is completely unassuming. It sits in among neighbourhood houses, exactly as it did in 1963. When I arrived I drove a loop around the block, just to be sure I had it [...]
I have never been inside the Washington Monument. I lived in Washington for years. I went to college there. I have driven past it, biked past it and walked around it more times than I could count. And I have never once been to the top. That is the classic hometown problem. You do not do the tourist [...]
My experience I remember when they were talking about putting this memorial on the Mall. I think it was the first addition in a very long time, and it was quite a political debate about whether it would disrupt what was already there. And now when I walk around it and see hundreds and hundreds of people soaking [...]
My experience The Korean War Veterans Memorial is one I always forget about. And it is really one of the more beautiful spots on the Mall. On a recent visit I walked up and said to my friend, “Remind me what the Korean War was about?” Which led the two of us down a beautiful rabbit hole about [...]
My experience The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is probably one of the most visited spots on the National Mall. I always find it moving, especially at night. And the further you go into the story of what it means, the more touching it becomes. The names on the wall are in the order of their death. So as you [...]
My experience The Capitol is my favorite place in Washington, DC. When I was in college I would go at night and sit on the Capitol steps, when the rest of the Mall was basically empty. Usually after I had been studying, or when I needed a break. This was before they had the barricades. Sitting [...]
My experience The Lincoln Memorial sits opposite the Capitol. It is like Lincoln is watching over the business of America. I think it is one of the more iconic spots in Washington, DC, and certainly the busiest. Have patience for the lines and the activity — and know that this is also a common place for [...]
My experience The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is a solemn and a celebratory place at the same time. First there is the structure. You walk through the stone to enter, and then you see his likeness carved out of it, looking out over the Tidal Basin. Just thinking about it sends chills. Once you have [...]
My experience One of my favorite things to do in Washington, DC is walk around the monuments at night. They are so peaceful. The crowds are usually gone, and you can stand there and reflect on the meaning of each statue and the story of this amazing country. It was on one of those nights that I first [...]
My experience Frances Perkins was a pitstop. I was driving the coast of Maine, and this one was on my list because a historian I had met put it there. She was well versed in Frances Perkins and the impact she had on this country, and she told me to go. The stop is unassuming. A small sign [...]
My experience I got to Theodore Roosevelt near the end of my 2021 road trip, and by then I had enough confidence to have no plan at all. Just show up. It worked — a campsite wasn't hard to come by. I hadn't expected the drive in to look like that. I knew badlands as a South Dakota [...]
My experience I was strategic about Yosemite. I wanted shoulder season — late enough that the park was open, early enough to miss the crowds. What I was less strategic about was where I would sleep. My spontaneous side doesn’t mesh well with the big parks, and this one is a beast. Everything inside was long gone, so [...]
Black Hill Regional Park is a hidden gem, just outside of the DC metro area. With hiking & biking trails, water activities, and an inviting beach, this park has a little something for anyone looking to escape the city.
Black Sandy State Park, located in Helena, MT, is a boaters paradise. With campsites right on the dock, you are always steps away from your boat and great recreation
Black Sandy State Park, located in Helena, MT, is a boaters paradise. With campsites right on the dock, you are always steps away from your boat and great recreation
George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a great spot to explore while visiting the Northern Neck of Virginia. As you walk through the grounds, you are transported to another time and can imagine what life may have been like for George growing up.
Fort Mountain State Park near Chatsworth GA — Blue Ridge mountain scenery, hiking, lakeside camping, and the cottages worth every penny. Everything you need to plan your Atlanta escape.
Tucker Park in Maidens, VA — 30 minutes from Richmond on the James River. Walking trail, dog park, boat launch, and a river island that's worth every minute of the drive.
Pompeys Pillar is a place I keep going back to. When I am in Montana it is one of the stops I end up making, and the reason is simple: it is an easy adventure with a lot of history in it. It sits just off I-94, about twenty-five miles east of Billings — a break in the [...]
I thought I knew a lot about the story of Harriet Tubman, but what I was taught was the tip of the iceberg. I'm so grateful for this park, and a place to go to learn more about her story, struggles, and major impact that she made on this country. The headquarters location is home to a Visitor Center [...]
Val-Kill cottage in Hyde Park, New York—Eleanor Roosevelt's personal refuge and the place she called her own. What to expect and stop at FDR Home next door.
I've dusted off journals to share more details about parks and attractions that I visited during my year-long sabbatical. In September 2020, I traveled from New York City north to Hyde Park, New York. It was challenging to be in New York City during Covid. When I caved and bought a car, it provided me with the freedom to [...]
Everything you need to know about Holliday Lake State Park in Appomattox, Virginia — trails, beach, camping, and why you should combine it with a visit to Appomattox Court House.
I did not choose Death Valley. Death Valley was where I ended up. I had been in Zion and a rogue cold front was coming through. The advice I got was simple: go west. So I went west, and I arrived, and I was surrounded by gray rocks. There were no sites left in the regular campground, so [...]
I visited Craters of the Moon in June of 2021. At this point, I had been on the road for 5 months. The process of reserving a campsite, getting to locations, setting up, exploring, and taking camp down, had become routine. Or so I thought. This was yet another different experience. And with it came the stress and exhilaration [...]
Shenandoah National Park along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia — seasonal guide, best hikes for every level, what to pack, and why you should get off Skyline Drive and onto the trails.
My experience I stopped at Organ Pipe Cactus after a weather detour sent me from Zion down toward southern California. This was early in my trip. I was so new to the routine and still trying to work out what worked for me. Gosh, I still had the tiny tent that required me to squirm around on my [...]
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas — Bathhouse Row, the healing springs you can drink from, hiking trails, and why this is the most unusual park in the country. Everything you need to plan your visit.
Little Rock Central High School NHS — the only national park with a functioning school. The bus bench, the window exhibit, and why visiting while school is in session changes everything.
I walked out to the South Rim, saw the Grand Canyon for the first time in my life, and thought: yeah, that's what it looks like in the pictures. My own reaction surprised me. I had expected to be levelled by it. I have thought about it a lot since, and I do not think the problem was [...]
Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield VA — 42 miles of trails, camping, a waterfall, and 30 minutes from Richmond. The ultimate guide to the Mid-Atlantic's most underrated state park.
Yellowstone is my home park when I am out west. I have family close enough that I can pop in for a few hours whenever I want, and that is exactly what I do. In 2021 I used Big Sky, Montana as a base — about an hour from the West Entrance — and I went in over [...]
I have been to Mount Rushmore about half a dozen times. It is genuinely incredible to stand in front of. It is also very busy, and there is a lot going on — you arrive, you come through the gate, there are shops, and then there is a long walkway lined with flags leading you toward the mountain. [...]
Bryce Canyon was never going to be the visit. It was a stop. I was on my way to a much bigger trip — the Grand Canyon and Zion — and Bryce got a few hours in the middle of it, in early March. I knew going in that not much would be open. It was still the [...]
I took the detour off I-90 with my fingers crossed that it would even be open. This was January 2021. You could not assume anything was open, and I had no idea what I was going to be up against on access. I lucked out. I was driving west for the first time, on my way to Montana, [...]
