The last few years have made it rough to be American. Our nation is divided by politics, race, economics, and more. I’ll admit, with divisions cutting deep across politics, race, and more, it's been easy to fall into the trap of focusing solely on our nation's flaws.

Current state of affairs aside, it’s very easy to forget how much this country has to offer.

I rediscovered my love for the United States by exploring its outdoors...and what I found was breathtaking. I was enthralled at how vastly diverse the U.S. is: its lands, people, and cultures. Roadtripping across the States gave me the opportunity to meet people and societies very different from me; and more often than not we actually found common ground. We’re not as divided as the media makes us out to be.

Traveling to the outdoors made me a patriot again, and an advocate in the fight against climate change. There's an undeniable majesty and serenity that comes with surrendering oneself to nature—whether it's the rugged peaks of mountains, the sprawling plains, the serene valleys, or the meandering rivers and dense forests. Our country is undeniably beautiful, and it's our collective responsibility to protect it for future generations.

If we don’t do something soon, there won’t be much left.

But time is of the essence. If we don't take action now, we risk losing the very landscapes that define our nation's identity. That's why I implore you, regardless of age, physical ability, or socioeconomic status, to explore the wonders of the National Park System. From towering redwoods to cascading waterfalls, from ancient canyons to pristine coastlines, there's something for everyone to discover and cherish.

Plan your next adventure below:

All photos taken with iPhone. I tend to blitz through parks, sometimes hiking and driving through them in a day or two; please take your time. I’ve organized the following parks by the trips I planned—you obviously can set your own itineraries.

Table of Contents:

My buddies and I drove 25 hours straight from Chicago to the Continental Divide. Don’t do that; just fly into Denver. Make sure you get a 4-wheeler to scale these mountains, and if you’re planning on hiking in the colder months, bring hiking poles and spikes, otherwise, you’ll slip everywhere. Wildlife abounds; moose, bighorn sheep, beaver, deer, black bear, eagles, marmots, and mountain lions. It’s incredibly busy, but people are super friendly.

• On the way to the Rockies, stop and eat your packed lunch at Estes Park with the elk

• Hike Bear Lake & Emerald Lake Trails (or any trail with a lake, for that matter).

  • Bierstadt Lake

  • Chasm Lake

  • Alberta Falls

• Horseback riding

• Driving through the mountain range itself is quite fun. I fell in love with the Rockies.

• If you’re in Colorado, and you’re up for a serious hiking challenge, attempt a 14er. These are mountains with a peak of at least 14,000 feet and are quite difficult. Colorado has the most out of any state (53). We tried a dual 14er, Gray & Torrey’s Peak, in the summer with sneakers in the middle of the day. Do NOT do that. Get proper hiking shoes, water, and snacks, start early in the morning, and work your way up to a challenging hike. If you don’t want to, rest assured. The mountains look absolutely stunning from the ground 🙂

• Fishing

• Obviously, all the winter sports are available here. Not my cup of tea, but I’ll watch you ski from indoors.

Head over to Boulder (a college town) and hike the Flatirons. If you have time, drive south about 1.5 hours to Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods, an easy and pretty stroll. Once you’re here, just another 2.5 hours south are the Great Sand Dunes, the tallest sand dunes in North America. You can sandboard and climb up endless dunes. The south is warm and arid.

If you’re stationed in Denver, a drive out west to the gorgeous town of Aspen to see Maroon Bells is worth it. Make sure you get reservations ahead of time because this place is always full.

If you love the heat, this is the perfect state for you. Phoenix has steep hikes such as Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak. Head over to Scottsdale for some great eats such as Geisha Sushi & SumoMaya.

Of course, you can go to the South Rim of the overcrowded Grand Canyon, which is about 3.5 hours from Phoenix. Drive through the entire park, see Havasu Falls, whitewater raft, and hike the Kaibab Trail. Always check nps.gov for road conditions, alerts, and accurate weather (which is different from generic weather channels).

Make sure to stop at Sedona on the way there (or back) for fun hikes like Cathedral Rock, outdoor activities like hot air balloons, mountain biking, and ATVs, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross, a church inside a rock.

Past the Grand Canyon, further north, is Page. Swing by Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Keep in mind while Phoenix is warm, the desert and mountains in the north are extreme climates, and get quite chilly (even snowy), in the wintertime.

Utah just might be my favorite. It has 5 national parks in the south, all with unique personalities. Fly into Salt Lake City and make the trek south towards Moab—which certainly has its charm. Summer is busy and extremely hot, so pack your water! Late fall and winter you will definitely catch snow. I highly recommend getting the National Park Pass, given that it’s $80 and you can access all parks for a year (typically each park entrance fee is around $30).

Arches is easy to drive through. Things to do here include:

• Mountain biking

• Fiery Furnace

• Balanced Rock, Window Loop, Garden of Eden, Park Avenue Trails

• Sand Dune (which has great climbing spots). If you love scaling boulders, this is the spot for you.

• Devils Garden Trail (hard and long, but so much fun. At the end of the park, and a true adventure). Do this first and work backward.

The sister park is Canyonlands. It’s literally canyons within canyons for hundreds of miles around you. In my opinion, I like it better than the Grand Canyon. Scenic overlooks include Mesa Arch, Grand View Point, and Green River.

Capitol Reef is the most remote park in Utah and is on the way back to Salt Lake City from Moab.

1.5 hours west of SLC are the Bonneville Salt Flats. The city has good eats such as Takashi Sushi, Bombay House, Red Iguana, and Freshies Lobster Co. I was #vanlife for this trip and parked in what appeared to be an unassuming park, which in the morning turned out to be the SLC Farmer’s Market—don’t make that mistake.

The stars out west, especially in Utah, are phenomenal. Last time I camped for 10 days in the summer and loved it.

I’m sure you’ll find plenty to do in Sin City without my recommendations. I drove east into Utah and stayed at St. George for this trip. Take a drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which sees less than 10% of the visitors to the Grand Canyon, and is serene, peaceful, and much colder with regular snow and closures in colder months.

Zion is the park that lives up to the hype. It’s the third busiest park in America, roads close off frequently, and you need to use the shuttle, so come early. You really can’t go wrong anywhere in this park; it really is that gorgeous:

• Narrows (wear waterproof shoes if you want)

• Angels Landing. A strenuous climb, but totally worth it. If you can’t do it all definitely try Scout’s Overlook—just make sure to check if the trail is closed.

• Canyon Overlook, Emerald Pools, Riverside Walk, Kolob Canyons

Bryce Canyon is where I saw the most beautiful sunset. It’s home to wide amphitheaters containing hoodoos which are odd-shaped pillars of rock, often capped with snow. Spots include Sunset & Sunrise Point, Navajo Loop, & Fairyland Loop.

If you’re flying out of Vegas, make sure to drive two hours west to Death Valley. This is the largest park in the lower 48 and contains the lowest point in America (Badwater Basin), the hottest place on earth, sand dunes where Star Wars was filmed, and colored mountains like Zabriskie Point. Don’t forget to fill your gas.

It’s incredible witnessing different geological eras in rock formations and realizing that millions of years ago, this was all underwater. Fall is a fantastic time to visit since temperatures will cool off from the summer heat, and crowds will be smaller.

Perhaps the best representation of the otherworldly feel of this area is Joshua Tree, complete with the trees, boulders, and wide desert backgrounds. About 4.5hrs from Vegas, it’s a worthy stop on the way to San Diego, which itself has numerous hiking and outdoor activities such as Torrey Pines State Park.

New Mexico is the fifth-largest state in America and has a few hidden gems. I’d fly into El Paso, Texas, and then make the trek through the Guadalupe Mountains towards the Carlsbad Caverns. Make sure you get tickets to enter the caves beforehand, and if you arrive at sunset, a park ranger will guide you to the cave entrance to see thousands of bats fly out. Use AllTrails.com to find great hiking routes.

Yellowstone was the first national park. Unfortunately, it’s terribly busy; lines are like Disneyland here. Its the largest dormant supervolcano on the continent, and as such has a tremendous amount of geothermal features, including over half of the world’s geysers. The Old Faithful geyser is overrated and crowded.

You’ll see bison everywhere and large mammals, including wolves, bears, antelope, and moose. Fun smelly spots include the Grand Prismatic Springs, Yellowstone River, Grand Canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs, Trout Lake Trail, and Upper Geyser Basin. This is a great spot to gently introduce national park newbies to the outdoors: fishing, hunting, rafting, boat tours, all within a short distance of comfortable stays and food.

If you want something more peaceful, head south to the sister park, the Grand Tetons.

Great trails include:

• Cascade Canyon

• Taggart Lake

• Jenny Lake

• Bradley Lake

• Hidden Falls

Rest and recover in Jackson, a popular ski town.

Seattle is within driving distance of stunning scenery: oceans, beaches, rainforests, lakes, glaciers, and snow-capped mountains. Without a doubt, Olympic National Park is the most diversified national park in the United States. Lowland forests, dramatic mountain ranges, exquisite alpine lakes, sparkling rivers, temperate rain forests, and more than 50 miles of untamed shoreline can all be found in this park.

Must-dos here include:

• Hoh Rainforest

• Hurricane Ridge

• Ruby Beach

• Lake Crescent

• Rialto Beach

• Sol Duc Valley

The North Cascades, often called the American Alps, is one of the least visited parks in the country. Home to the most glaciers in the lower 48 and the richest flora diversity out of any national park. Be careful because of avalanches.

And lastly, but no less spectacular, make sure you see Mt. Rainier.

The seafood in Seattle is the best in the country and in the few months of sunshine in the summer, it’s fantastic to paddleboard and kayak.

Alaska truly is the last frontier. Incredibly vast and remote, it will take multiple trips to fully explore. This land is pure wilderness. Fly into Anchorage (which has great food like Moose’s Tooth Pizza, Simon & Seafort’s, & Snow City Cafe), bike down the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, and hike the steep Flat Top Mountain.

From Anchorage, you can take the train to Denali (where you’ll see moose and bears),. The tallest peak in America, Mt. Denali is so massive, it has its own climate, so don’t count on catching it unless you get on a helicopter tour. Only the beginning of the park is driveable, so hop on a shuttle bus to see the park.

You can take a bus down south to the Kenai Fjords. This park is mostly protected waters, so take a cruise ship from the town of Seward to see breathtaking ocean views, including sea lions, whales, bald eagles, and puffins.

Wrangell St. Elias is the largest national park in America and the largest protected wilderness in the world. At over 13 million acres, it’s larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Switzerland combined. It’s the wildest and most remote park you can drive to—since most of the remote parks require a combination of chartered flights, trekking, and crossing water. Stock up on supplies since the closest gas and food are about 60 miles away. Given its size and lack of cell reception, it’s a wonderful place to unplug.

Alaska is up there with Utah as one of my favorites—I will definitely be back to explore and enjoy some of the best fishing, hunting, camping, backpacking, and birdwatching in the world.

Juneau is a small sleepy town of around 30,000 surrounded by mountains which makes it impossible to access via road. With a rich history tracing back to indigenous tribes thousands of years ago, it houses the state capitol and has ferries, cruises, and planes that go to spots like Glacier Bay National Park & Mendenhall Glacier.

Glacier Bay includes several species such as Dall sheep, sea lions, brown bears, and wolves, all of whom have evolved to the abundant salmon and aquatic environment. It, alongside Wrangell, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to over 1000 glaciers, many of which are unfortunately calving now & the highest coastal mountains in the world.

Even closer to Juneau is Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest, which is famous for its blueish hues. The sad thing about these areas is the effects of global warming. Glaciers are literally melting in front of your eyes—catch them before they disappear forever.

Alaska serves as a reminder of what America once was—wild, untouched, and truly free.

The Crown Jewel of America. That’s what they call Glacier National Park, which expands into Waterton in Canada, the world’s first international peace park. It encompasses 1 million acres, 1000 species, and over 100 lakes. You can stay at Kalispell, Montana, and view all kinds of wildlife such as moose, sheep, and bears, as well as look at the stars. Once you cross the Canadian border, it’s only about 4 hours to get to Banff, the centerpiece of the Canadian Rocky Mountain range.

Banff. It is every bit as breathtaking as everyone claims. It truly is the poster park for Canada. The walkable town is incredibly picturesque, with about 8,000 residents, but seeing over a million visitors annually, in all seasons, being a cornerstone of Canadian tourism. There are four major parks within driving distance of Banff town (which is 1.5hrs from the major airport in Calgary): Kootenay, Yoho, Banff, and Jasper, in addition to numerous provincial parks and the nearby town of Canmore.

You seriously can’t go wrong here. In every direction there are snow-capped mountains and gorgeous lakes that glisten turqouise from glacial water. Banff itself has incredible food such as Zyka (Indian), Balkan (Greek), Sky Bistro (take the gondola up), Farm & Fire (breakfast), Fairmont Château (afternoon tea), Lake Agnes Tea House (hike up from Lake Louise), and Tekkara. The people are very cordial and welcoming, outdoor activities are neatly organized, and within hours you can escape into the wilderness.

Do yourself a favor and book this trip ASAP.

Welcome to my home, 48 counties of unparalleled beauty and diversity stretching from the Bay Area to ancient Redwood forests and the Pacific Coast Highway. Northern California, encompassing the Sacramento, Central, and San Joaquin Valleys, is a treasure trove of natural wonders and cultural richness. I’ve traveled across the globe and nothing beats the cultural, gastronomic, innovative & geographic diversity of the Bay Area and surrounding lands. As one of the world’s leading agricultural centers, happy California cows roam in farmlands, near beautiful wine country such as Napa & Sonoma, with the backdrop of glistening mountain ranges. Within hours you are at all the following places—and I highly recommend them all.

California has the most national parks out of any state, and 5 are located in NorCal. It includes numerous NPS sites, such as Muir Woods & Alcatraz Island.

History comes alive in Northern California, with Spanish missions dotting the landscape and quaint towns like Sausalito and Carmel-by-the-Sea preserving their unique charm. Explore iconic landmarks like Golden Gate and Big Sur, each offering a glimpse into the region's past, all the way to Native American heritage.

A vibrant tapestry of ethnic cultures and cuisines that make this region truly special. Wander through bustling farmers' markets, where California's bounty is on full display, and savor the flavors of world-class wine country. And if you’re in a pinch, In-N-Out is always around. I can’t describe it well enough—you simply have to experience it for yourself.

Below are several other spots I visited during my roadtrip: