My family is on a quest. We are in pursuit of not one holy grail, but 63. We are visiting every national park in the United States. And we’re doing it before our oldest daughter leaves the house. This quest was inspired by a family I learned about through the National Park Travelers Club. They discovered national parks when their kids were 10 and 11 and successfully explored every park together as a family within six years. Their adventures are documented on their site, 59 before 18.
I have long possessed a passion for national parks. Some of my oldest memories are in Yosemite, where my family has visited regularly for generations. In college, I volunteered with A Christian Ministry in the National Parks for two summers where I got to live, work, and play in Yellowstone and Sequoia/Kings Canyon between semesters. That’s where my love for creation deepened and matured. While my husband enjoyed the outdoors, he didn’t have the same passion for them as I did. That is, until I took him to Yosemite not long after we were married. Since then, we visited 16 national parks together, before beginning the official family count.
And now we want to pass that love on to our kids. It’s said that your kids will inherit your values. While that may not always hold true, we are committed to inspiring our girls to be great stewards of the world we call home. We also know intentional time spent together is critical to a strong family bond, particularly if we are united with a common purpose and goal.
So we invite you along on this adventure with us. Share your ideas, must-dos, and tips for the parks you’ve visited. Marvel at the wonders we encounter on the way. And be inspired to seek out your own adventures.