(National) Parks & Recreation

Everything you need to know to plan a National Park adventure this year.

View in browser A Trip Around the Planet January 13, 2024 SPONSORED BY This week: Parks, parks and more parks! The beauty of national parks Every year for the last 12 years, my family has taken a national parks trip.  What started as a curiosity for two new parents – outdoor spaces so vast, vivid and arresting that they could silence the most squirmy of toddlers – became an annual challenge that calcified into a family tradition. You could say national parks are part of our DNA. Now that the kids are older and have logged years of mountains, oceans, craters, forests, deserts, night skies and fresh air across multiple parks, we have passionate debates about our annual national parks trip. Will it be Alaska, Hawaii or a road trip from the Badlands to Glacier? (And will we ever make our way to Dry Tortugas?!) Read on for our latest pieces about traveling to US national parks, or explore our guidebook. – Nitya Chambers, Executive Editor  Best national parks for spring break Park news you can use Let’s hear it for free national park days US national parks are popular for a reason (they rule), and there are only six days in 2024 these protected lands are free for all to enter. Mark these dates in your calendar when planning your adventures.  These are the free days The 6 best US parks for persons with disabilities We’ve compiled a list of the most accessible destinations – including one state park – so everyone from hikers with hearing loss to environmentalists with autism can experience the joys of nature. Here are the top parks Don't be this guy Actor Pierce Brosnan is in hot water over his recent visit to an off-limits Yellowstone thermal area. Here’s what he did, why it was wrong – and some details on how to enjoy the park’s hydrothermal wonders safely. How to hot spring Alaska's parks by rail The hop-on, hop-off nature of the Alaska Railroad allows you to mix and match your ideal outdoor adventure without the worry of driving. Lonely Planet editor Sarah Stocking reports on her family's 10-day trip aboard the Denali Star. All aboard the Alaska Railroad Trending destination Thailand Season 3 of HBO’s hit show The White Lotus begins filming at the Four Seasons Resort Ko Samui next month, so get ahead of the crowd and plan your trip to Thailand today. Bangkok-based Lonely Planet contributor Chawadee Nualkhair reports on the country’s top places to visit.  The best places in Thailand Here’s a New Year’s resolution to consider for 2024: avoid getting nickel and dimed by those pesky foreign transaction fees when you travel. Apply for Apple Card* and along with no foreign transaction fees, you’ll get Daily Cash back on all your purchases. Terms apply. ADVERTISEMENT    *Content sponsored by Apple Card. We may receive compensation when you click through select Apple links. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by our partners. Love travel inspiration in your inbox? Share with a fellow travel lover by forwarding to a friend. Did someone share this email with you? Subscribe by clicking here. This email was sent to you by: Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 © 2024 Lonely Planet Unsubscribe|Privacy Policy