If you love exploring the outdoors, you’ll want to check out National Park Week.  From 4/21-4/29, you can get entry into all 397 National Parks for free all week long!  This will give you a chance to visit historical sites, be part of tours on different topics, or hike to a beautiful view.  

My favorite National Park that I've visited to date is Haleakala National Park in Maui.  We drove close to the top, hiked down for a few miles and then back up and continued to the very top of the summit.  Every time I look at these photos, I'm just amazed by the natural beauty of this place!    

Of course, I'm sure most people can't jet off to Hawaii this week (myself included, although I'd love to go back sometime!).  But you can be sure to find some great national parks close to your own hometown.  For those of you who are local, here are a few Massachusetts National Parks that may be of interest:

• Minute Man National Park, where you can visit historial sites like Concord and Lexington and bike or hike along the Battle Road Trail.
  
• Boston Harbor Islands, where you can take a ferry over to visit these natural treasures close to the city.  And if you don't end up visiting this week, consider doing the June 2nd 5K on Spectacle Island - $35 includes the ferry ticket, 5K registration, t-shirt, and lunch!
  
• John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, which is in both MA and RI, contains various opportunities for sightseeing, hiking, boating, bicycling, fishing and other activities

You can search the National Park website to see events going on at each park this week, as well as search for parks near your location.

And April 28th is Junior Ranger Day, so if you have a youngster that you want to take to the park, consider visiting that day.  Children can earn their own “Junior Ranger Badge.”

Check out the video below for more details, and I hope you get a chance to enjoy this opportunity this week!