I have a goal to visit all the national parks and had been craving some desert time after a long winter so started researching a trip to either Death Valley National Park or Joshua Tree National Park. I couldn’t decide which I should go to. After hours of research, I decided why pick just one? It seemed doable to see both so that’s what I did! Read on for our 5 day trip to see these beautiful parks…

Here are the highlights for how to visit Death Valley National Park in one day!

This a very high-level itinerary to give you a glimpse as to what our 5 day trip to Vegas, Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park entailed. Check out the links in the post for more details.

When you see a camel on the side of the road in Texas, you have to stop and check it out, haha! We were driving home from Galveston and that’s exactly what happened. Of course we pulled over and it was even better than I thought it would be!

Looking for a wildlife winter wonderland escape? Jackson Hole has beautiful landscapes, access to national parks, endless wildlife and is the cutest little cowboy town. Need I say more? Here’s all you need to know to plan your winter vacation in Jackson, WY!

Swimming with the manatees is a bucket list adventure for sure! But there’s only one place you can do it and only one time of year you’ll likely see them so read on to learn how to plan your trip to swim with the manatees…

Mesa Verde National Park is a hidden gem in the Southwest corner of Colorado. Whether you’re taking a day trip from Durango or making a trip of it to see the other nearby historic points of interest, Mesa Verde is a must-see stop. We traveled through with our dogs and were astonished by the Ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings and the beautiful landscapes!

If you’re looking for a spot in the Midwest to go with your girls, or for a couple’s weekend – The Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, MO, near Kansas City, can’t be beat! The spa is magnificent! The downtown is really cute with shopping and food and there are breweries and wineries nearby. It’s the perfect weekend getaway!

Looking for something fun to do this? Take the perfect long weekend trip to Estes Park! Estes Park is my favorite place to visit on vacation. It sits on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park and is full of natural beauty and wildlife. Every time I leave, I feel inspired, relaxed and renewed!

One of my favorite road trips is to the Blackhills & Badlands of South Dakota. There are unlimited things to do and so much history and natural beauty.

Each year, 80% of the planet’s sandhill cranes migrate through Central Nebraska. Make a day trip out of it to see these beautiful birds!

What is there to do in Central Kansas? Kansas has lots of quirky, fun tourist stops - and one of the best I found was Rock City near Minneapolis, KS. In the middle of all that flat farmland, there’s an area of huge rocks that are really out of place. The large rock formations feel like you’ve landed on another planet. You can climb all over them. Also nearby is the largest ball of twine and the Geographic Center of the contiguous US - it’s a fun way to spend a day!

Wish there was a better way to entertain the kiddos in the car than watching a video? Try this Eye Spy game to get them started - they’ll probably come up with a few additions and new versions on their own.