In the summer of 2016, my friend Cristi and I went on a road trip to visit Hudson Valley in New York. While visiting the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historical Park, I noticed someone one with this book…

With curiosity, I asked her about the book. This very kind woman introduced me to the National Parks Passport book and park cancellations. The book is a guide to the National Parks, listing  the over 400 sites within the National Park System. The book organizes the sites into regions and states making it easy to identify and plan what sites to visit. Also, the book provides an area for a cancellation stamp. Most National Park visitor centers have a cancellation stamp, showing the site and date you were there.

Well…after hearing about the Passport book, I was sold!! I am sucker for lists of must things to do/see/eat and creating a new adventure out of a list. And I really do love road trips and seeing historical places. So, finding out about this book was a win win for me and I wanted one!! I kept thinking how did I never know about the book before? I was also thinking of the many National Parks/sites I had been to before throughout my life, the parks I may never have the opportunity to go back to, and wishing I got a cancellation stamp proving I had been there! Who knows if I will make back to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico ever again??!!

I know I may not be able to see the over 400 sites, but I am going to see what I can do!! If I must visit the Virgin Islands to get a cancellation stamp…I will make that sacrifice!!! I made a good start with my goals in 2017 and it has been a blast so far. Not only am I learning about American history, meeting fantastic people, seeing some cool places, it also feels so great to get a cancellation stamp with each visit!! The sites I have visited so far are: Adams NHP, Cape Cod NS, John Fitzgerald Kennedy NHS, Acadia NP, Lowell NHP, Salem Maritime NHS, New Bedford Whaling NHP, African Burial Ground NM, and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP.

I plan to blog about each site from here on out. But I thought I would include one of my favorite sights from the last year, Acadia NP as well as the sites that started it all in Hudson Valley. FYI-Acadia National Park is a must see!! And I definitely will go back to get my cancellations stamps in Hudson Valley in the place that started this grand adventure!!!

Inside of FDR’s home.

View from FDR’s home.

Gardens and burial site of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Original Papers from FDR’s Day of Infamy Speech given to Congress after attack on Pearl Harbor. Inside FDR’s Presidential Library.

Inside Eleanor Roosevelt’s home.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s home.

View of Hudson River.

Along Hudson River.

Garden’s at Vanderbilt Manson NHS (Manson was closed).

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor Maine

Downtown Bar Harbor.

Along a walk from Hull’s Cove Visitor’s Center.

Lunch at Jordon’s Pond.

Walk around Jordon’s Pond.

Otter’s Point.

Otter’s Point.

Cadillac Mountain soon after sunrise. It’s cold up there at 5:30 am!!

Cadillac Mountain.