We love the idea of preserving wild places for people to go recreate, recharge, and witness the wonder of nature. We’re huge supporters of the National Park Service and we think America’s national parks preserve some of the most stunning scenery in the world. The NPS also manages national monuments, historic sites, battlefields, and more, adding up to 417 sites currently. All of these places look amazing; we initially thought the national parks were the best of the best of these sites, but we’ve come to realize that each site’s status has more to do with politics than anything else. Still, limiting our trip to the 59 national parks is manageable and is showing us an incredible cross-section of the American landscape. There’s also an awesome side benefit: the national parks attract people from all over the States and the world, from all demographics, and traveling in these places has given us a chance to meet and talk to so many fascinating people. It is one of our favorite parts of the trip for sure!