Be honest — when you hear Passport to Your National Parks you think of a retired couple traveling the country by RV. I thought the same thing when my husband (the baker) suggested it. I was, well..um…, wrong (don’t tell him). Collecting stamps from national parks is a quest for our young daughters that inspires a sense of outdoor adventure and curiosity for history.  On this quest, we stood in the heart of New York’s financial district where a founding father took the presidential oath of office for the first time in our history, danced under the cherry blossoms in our nation’s capital, soaked up breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountain views, explored a 17th-century Spanish fort, participated in a living history museum at the first English settlement, learned a fascinating story of a woman freed from slavery who became a land owner and so much more…..and we are just getting started.  Our 8 year old shares her thoughts below.  —Betsy (the recovering politician)

The Passport book is a handy guide and a fun way to track your visits to national parks. When you are older, you can look back and remember all the amazing places you visited. When you visit a park, you get a stamp in your passport book.  It has the date and location. Some national parks have hiking and beautiful views. Some national parks are historical sites and museums. We have visited Federal Hall in New York where George Washington became the first president of the United States of America.  We have also been to the Statue of Liberty, Humpback Rocks, the Lincoln Memorial, Ford’s Theater, Yorktown, Jamestown, Kingsley Plantation, the Castillo de San Marcos Fort and many MANY more to get our books stamped!  This will be a fun activity as you grow and learn. I advise you to try it. Beware of letting your little sister or brother hold the ink stamp. In another blog, I will tell you more about many of the national parks I have visited with my family.  – Lucinda (the artist)

Passport to Your National Parks booklets can be purchased at many NPS  locations as well as at eparks.com.

Now…go explore!! (follow us on Instagram @modernmobilefamly for more from our adventures)