The Department of the Interior has released the 2018 dates when entry to 118 fee-based National Parks Service units will be FREE!
Camping with a Dog: The Best Tips for Fun and Safety
Shared public lands, or what you might commonly refer to as national parks, forests, and conservation areas, provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature with your pooch. If you’re bringing your pet along, however, there are several things to prepare for, including safe bedding and having a plan in place for injuries -- not to mention finding a park that is four-paw friendly. Find out more in Aurora's guest post by clicking here!
NPS Moving to Require Reservations to Enter Arches National Park
The National Parks Service is considering requiring all private vehicles to have a permit to enter Arches National Park based on time of day during the peak months of March to October.
Visiting the NPS in the ATL
Vacation Value Time: VVT
Our Guide to Washington, D.C., Part I
There’s so much to see in Washington, D.C.! We’re going to do a quick two-sentence and two-part guide to each of the National Park Service units in the Washington D.C. jurisdiction area, which does also includes a few sites in Virginia and Maryland. Here in part one, we’ll be exploring NPS units that you can visit without a car, either by walking, using public transportation or a quick hop using a cab or car share service. Click here to read the full guide!
A Coastal Gem: Channel Islands National Park
Read our guide to secluded Channel Islands National Park. Five islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara (the island, not the town), comprise the national park
Parks and Points Fall 2017 Essay Contest is Open
Our annual fall essay contest invites nonfiction submissions of up to 1,500 words in the form of autobiographical essay, reportage, profile, memoir, or narrative nonfiction. We seek essays that express a moment of significance — personal transformation, awakening, adventure, exploration, reward, accomplishment, revelation — that is inspired by or set within a park space or public land.
Why Badlands is My National Park
Robby DeGraff shares his personal story about the adventure he and his father had on a road trip out west. A stop at Badlands National Park profoundly changed their lives. Click here to read Robby's poignant essay.
Important Changes to Hotel Cancellation Policies
Three major hotel chains have changed their cancellation policies over the summer. The changes were rolled out rather suddenly and with very little to no notice. We've certainly had plans change at the last minute or flights cancelled, and it's good to know one's options in these situations. The changes only affect new reservations, though they are worth remembering when booking hotels either with cash or points in the future.
IHG -Changed from 6:00 p.m. day of cancellation (local time to hotel) to current language that shows 24 hours cancellation; currently it's very vague from IHG as to when the 24 hour mark is measured. Some regions like China will still continue to have same-day cancellations.
Hilton- Changed from 24 hours to 48 - 72 hours. Check your exact time at booking, the Hilton website will display the cutoff time for free cancellation. Most properties are going to 48 hours, a few will have the (more draconian) 72 hour policy.
Marriott- Changed from one day to two days. You used to be able to cancel up until midnight (hotel local time) the day before your arrival. Now, you'll need to do so at least two days by midnight in advance.
H/T to Travelweekly
Discover Lapham Peak State Park
"I consider myself a champion of curiosity, and the life of Increase Lapham resonates powerfully for me," writes Janet Frost. "I don’t believe that it was an accident that a man driven by curiosity and the yearning for scientific knowledge landed in the territory of Wisconsin." Frost takes P&P readers through Lapham Peak Park, an enchanted wilderness with a prominent peak that rises 1,200 feet above sea level—click here to read more about Lapham's life and this majestic Wisconsin state park!
