National - GoWanderGuide

How to Get U.S. National Park Reservations if They’re Sold Out

The U.S. national park system responded to the coronavirus pandemic by becoming more like everything else in our lives: cumbersome and overcomplicated. Such is life in 2024. At least 9 of the coolest, most-visited reserves across the country (we list them here) now require would-be visitors to make advance reservations to access all or part…

January 10, 202574Views

Travel News

Chuckwalla: Some of U.S.’s Oldest Land Becomes Newest National Monument in California

In 1906, the United States Congress passed the Antiquities Act to help prevent the looting and destruction of tribal lands by greedy and careless people. That law is being invoked by an American president for nearly the 300th time for the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. The…

January 8, 2025113Views

Travel News

The Best National Parks to Visit in the Fall

Only a few centuries ago, over half the North American continent was carpeted in the same type of mixed grass prairie you'll encounter at Badlands National Park. The park retains the largest intact prairie of any in the National Park Service system, providing an enduring home to the animals that keep this type of ecosystem healthy:…

January 6, 2025115Views

Travel News

All About USA’s Newest National Park: Texas’ Blackwell School National Historic Site

A former school that was built in west Texas for Mexican and Mexican American students during the era of "separate but equal" education has become the newest addition to the U.S. National Park System. Located in the desert town–turned–unlikely arts hub of Marfa (about 50 miles east of the Mexico border), the Blackwell School National…

January 5, 202578Views

Travel News

Cheap Flights on National Cheap Flight Day: Airfare’s Money-Saving Season Is Here

You might not have celebrated National Best Friends Day on June 8, National Piña Colada Day on July 10, or National Nude Day on July 14 (do you hate fun?), but there's at least one more quasi-holiday this summer you won't want to miss. Friday, Aug. 23, is National Cheap Flight Day. This sacred event,…

January 3, 202564Views

Travel News

The Best National Parks to Visit for Fall Colors This Year? Surprising New Data Shapes This List

For hikers and road trippers eager to see vibrant fall colors, many U.S. national parks have impressive displays this time of year. Makes sense—where there are trees, after all, there are usually leaves. Of course, some trees have more potential for color than others, and some parks have more miles of trails to get you…

January 1, 2025115Views

Travel News

National Park Free Days in 2025: When All U.S. National Parks Waive Entry Fees

Around 100 of the more than 430 sites in the U.S. National Park System charge entrance fees—and those include many of the most-visited parks. But on a few select dates each year, the National Park Service waives those charges (up to $35 per car at the most popular sites), and you can visit all federally…

December 30, 2024121Views

Travel News

America Names Newest National Park Units, Including One for This Trailblazing Woman

The U.S. National Park System got its 433rd addition this week, when President Joe Biden established the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine. Though not exactly a household name today, Perkins (1880–1965) was a pioneering figure in women's history and the labor rights movement. In 1933, she became the first woman to serve in…

December 29, 202486Views

Travel News

What a Federal Government Shutdown Means for Air Travel, National Parks, and Passports

When the U.S. Congress can't agree on a budget before federal funding expires, the government goes into shutdown mode, ceasing all operations deemed nonessential and furloughing hundreds of thousands of federal workers. As you might have noticed, several key aspects of travel in the United States are overseen by the federal government, including airport security,…

December 21, 2024111Views

Travel News

National Geographic names ‘Pictures of the Year’ — Take a look inside

National Geographic released its annual "Pictures of the Year" issue this week, showcasing 20 photographs — out of some 2.3 million in contention — that depict striking scenes of nature, wildlife and human connection to the world. Here are CNBC's picks of the best of the best. A leap of faith A young emperor penguin…

November 22, 2024129Views