{"id":41749,"date":"2016-01-19T16:47:50","date_gmt":"2016-01-19T22:47:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=41749"},"modified":"2020-06-22T18:01:11","modified_gmt":"2020-06-22T23:01:11","slug":"national-parks-centennial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/","title":{"rendered":"100 National Parks experiences you must try"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note:<\/i><\/b> All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictions\u2014please check federal, state and local advisories before scheduling trips.<\/i><\/p>\n

Seems everybody is rushing off to our National Parks this summer. Maybe it’s their inherent natural beauty or maybe being cooped up inside for so long \u00a0just has us all longing for wide open landscapes. Either way, there’s plenty to keep you busy in the parks, beyond the usual hiking, camping and picture taking. We\u2019ve put together a list of the 100 most memorable National Parks experiences, some of which we’re sure you had no idea existed (we didn’t either!). Plus, don\u2019t forget to mark your calendars for free entrance days at National Parks<\/a> for 2020, including August 25.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> \u00a020 things to pack for your next. road trip<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n
\"Cadillac

Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park, Maine<\/p><\/div>\n

1. That moment you watch the very first rays of sun<\/strong> kiss the United States on a bright fall morning from Cadillac Mountain<\/a>. Acadia National Park, Maine <\/em><\/p>\n

2. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the oldest Polynesian cultures<\/strong> by living with a Samoan family in their unique Homestay<\/a> program. American Samoa National Park, American Samoa<\/em><\/p>\n

3. That moment you realize you can watch a live bluegrass band 333 feet underground<\/strong> at Cumberland Caverns<\/a>. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Tennessee<\/em><\/p>\n

4. The only moment you don’t mind your heavy-footed neighbors waking you up — when you camp with the great American Bison<\/strong>! Badlands National Park<\/a>, South Dakota<\/em><\/p>\n

5. The moment you finish your first triathlon<\/a><\/strong> and rejoice you weren’t eaten by any alligators along the way! Everglades National Park, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

6. Get your first real-life glimpse of Delicate Arch<\/strong>. Arches National Park, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

7. Take a dip in the natural hot springs<\/strong> water flowing through a 100-year-old bathhouse<\/a>. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas<\/em><\/p>\n

8. That time you gave it your best “Dory” to communicate with humpback whales<\/a><\/strong>. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

9. The first shivering moment you step foot in an ice cave<\/a><\/strong> — and it’s in Wisconsin!\u00a0Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin<\/em><\/p>\n

10. The moment you experience the totality of complete darkness as a park ranger switches off the lights while you tour the world\u2019s longest cave<\/strong>. Mammoth Cave National Park<\/a>, Kentucky<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

11. When you take your first full moon hike<\/a><\/strong> — no flashlights allowed! Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

12.\u00a0The otherworldly experience you get when you scuba dive a giant kelp forest<\/strong>. Channel Islands National Park, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

13. The moment you find new appreciation for your four-story walkup as you scramble up a 32-foot ladder and crawl through a 12-foot long tunnel to explore the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde<\/a><\/strong>. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

14. The moment you find yourself surrounded by a field of colorful wildflowers<\/strong>. Mount Rainier National Park<\/a>, Washington<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

15. The moment you try to find the right word to describe the particular shade of blue you see when you gaze at America’s deepest lake<\/strong>. Crater Lake National Park<\/a>, Oregon<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

16.\u00a0That dazzling moment you find a Giant Green Anemone<\/strong> in a rocky tide pool. Olympic National Park, Washington<\/em><\/p>\n

17. The first time you get to yell “Mush!” at some adorable sled dogs<\/strong>. Denali National Park<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

18. The moment you get out of the gym to experience the thrill of real-life rock climbing<\/strong>. Joshua Tree National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Grand

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona<\/p><\/div>\n

19. The stomach-dropping moment you encounter your first class 5 rapid<\/strong> between the towering walls of the Grand Canyon<\/a>. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

20. The first time you watch horses in the wild<\/strong> and suddenly remember why you used to beg your parents for one as a kid. Theodore Roosevelt National Park<\/a>, North Dakota<\/em><\/p>\n

21. The moment you see your first moose<\/strong>! Rocky Mountain National Park<\/a>, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

22. The first time you glimpse the glow of lava flowing at night<\/strong>. Hawai’I Volcanoes National Park<\/a>, Hawaii<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Great

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado<\/p><\/div>\n

23. The moment you shout KOWABUNGA as you jump on your board and surf down a great sand dune<\/strong>. Great Sand Dunes National Park<\/a>, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

24. That time you go\u00a0kayaking in a sea of icebergs<\/strong> and get close enough to a glacier to see the striking bands of piercing blue and black. Kenai Fjords National Park<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

25. Shiver your timbers the moment you snorkel through a shipwreck<\/strong>! Biscayne National Park<\/a>, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

26. Or if pirates aren’t your thing, scuba dive the giant freighter shipwrecks of Lake Superior<\/strong>. Isle Royale National Park<\/a>, Michigan<\/em><\/p>\n

27. The moment you hook a 50-pound King Salmon<\/strong> and reel it in right under the nose of a nearby brown bear on your first fly-fishing adventure. Katmai National Park<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carlsbad

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n

28. When you first hear the quiet vibration that grows into a flurry of wings as you witness millions of bats swarming out from Carlsbad Caverns<\/strong>. (Picture it: about 5,000 bats per minute!) Carlsbad Caverns National Park<\/a>, New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n

29. Blink and you’ll miss the moment you zipline through the Great Smoky Mountains<\/strong>. Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a>, Tennessee and North Carolina<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

30. The moment you take the final steps up a steep hike and stop to catch your breath at inspiration point<\/strong>. Channel Islands National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Great

Great Teton, Wyoming<\/p><\/div>\n

31. …and then do it again<\/strong>…\u00a0Grand Teton National Park<\/a>, Wyoming<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Inspiration

Inspiration Point at Bryce Canyon National Park<\/p><\/div>\n

32. And again<\/strong>… Bryce Canyon National Park<\/a>, Utah
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Inspiration

Inspiration Point at Yosemite National Park<\/p><\/div>\n

33. \u2026and again<\/strong>! Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

34. The moment you roll down the windows, take a deep breath, and lean back to enjoy a leisurely 105 miles of Skyline Drive <\/strong>during your best road trip ever. Shenandoah National Park<\/a>, Virginia<\/em><\/p>\n

35. The moment you get your feet wet in theEverglades (literally!) the first time you try slogging<\/a>. Everglades National Park, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

36. The moment you discover your new favorite song: the symphony of nature<\/a>. Olympic National Park, Washington<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Glacier

Glacier National Park, Montana<\/p><\/div>\n

37. All the moments you’ll immortalize forever as you perfect your photography technique with nature’s greatest backdrops<\/strong>. Glacier National Park<\/a>, Montana<\/em><\/p>\n

38. The proud moment you earn your first Junior Ranger badge<\/strong>. All parks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

39. The moment you crush powder and yield to the local bison as you explore Yellowstone by snowmobile<\/strong>. Yellowstone National Park<\/a>, Wyoming<\/em><\/p>\n

40. The moment when you climb 1,1740 feet to reach McAfee Knob<\/a> and take in stunning Blue Ridge Mountain views<\/strong>. Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Virginia<\/em><\/p>\n

41. The moment you make your mother proud and resist the urge to eat the “watermelon snow<\/a>.”<\/strong> Glacier National Park, Montana<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Dry

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida<\/p><\/div>\n

42. The moment you touch down by seaplane outside a 19th century fort<\/strong> 70 miles west of Key West. Dry Tortugas National Park<\/a>, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

43. The moment of discovery as you track down your first EarthCache site<\/strong> on the way to earning Acadia’s official EarthCache certificate. Acadia National Park<\/a>, Maine<\/em><\/p>\n

44. The wild feeling that creeps into your bones as you hike a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail around the rim of Crater Lake<\/strong>. Crater Lake National Park<\/a>, Oregon<\/em><\/p>\n

45. The moment you encounter your first not-so-wooly mammoth<\/strong>. Waco Mammoth National Monument<\/a>, Texas<\/em><\/p>\n

46. The ahhhhhhh-inspiring moment you do your first sun salutation in a Yoga on the Edge course<\/strong>. Grand Canyon National Park<\/a>, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

\"New

New River Gorge, National River, West Virginia<\/p><\/div>\n

47. The moment you complete the Centennial 100 mile hike challenge<\/strong>. New River Gorge National River<\/a>, West Virginia<\/em><\/p>\n

48. When you\u00a0discover small pools full of tadpoles and fairy shrimp in the middle of the Utah desert<\/strong>.\u00a0Arches National Park<\/a>, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

49. For those who don’t do oceans, the moment you finally explore a reef — or at least 200-million-year-old fossils of one<\/strong>. Guadalupe Mountains National Park<\/a>, Texas<\/em><\/p>\n

50. Witness evolution in action in the “Galapagos of North America” as you stumble across 145 species of plants and animals unique to the Channel Islands<\/strong>. Channel Islands National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

51. The victorious moment you lug a free\u00a025-pound bag of pine nuts home<\/strong> and enjoy them on every salad you eat for the next year. Great Basin National Park<\/a>, Nevada<\/em><\/p>\n

52. The quiet moment you hear the low hums of the singing sand dunes<\/strong>. Death Valley National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

53. That breathtaking moment you stare in awe at the original “purple mountains majesty.”<\/strong> Rocky Mountain National Park<\/a>, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

54. That thrilling moment you feel like a stunt driver as you traverse Canyonlands National Park in a jeep<\/strong>. Canyonlands National Park<\/a>, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

55. The chills that wash over you as you fully appreciate how the Painted Desert got its name<\/strong>. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

56. The moment you rub your eyes and suddenly realize the desert oasis in front of you is real<\/strong>. Joshua Tree National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

57.\u00a0The quiet serenity you enjoy as you\u00a0paraglide over the Jackson Hole valley<\/strong>\u00a0with the dramatic Teton Range framing your view.\u00a0Grand Teton National Park<\/a>, Wyoming<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

58. The surreal feeling you get as you wander through the stark gray Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes<\/a>, the site of the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Katmai National Park, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Badlands

Badlands National Park, South Dakota | Flickr CC: tsaiproject<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

59. When you get your first fantastically clear glimpse of the Milky Way<\/strong>. Badlands National Park<\/a>, South Dakota<\/em><\/p>\n

60. The first time you kayak through a lagoon full of upside down jellyfish<\/strong>. Biscayne National Park<\/a>, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

61. The feeling of wonder and vague understanding as you inspect ancient Native American petroglyphs<\/strong>. Petroglyph National Monument<\/a>, New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n

62. The moment you suddenly feel optimistic about climate change when you hike to a glacier\u2026in Nevada<\/strong>. Great Basin National Park<\/a>, Nevada<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Sequoia

Sequoia National Park, California<\/p><\/div>\n

63. The moment you realize you gather a crowd to hug a tree because it’s the most massive (by volume) tree in the world<\/strong>. Sequoia National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

64. When you can’t help but become a birder as you find yourself delightfully discovering some of the 450 species of bird that migrate through Big Bend National Park<\/strong>. Big Bend National Park<\/a>, Texas<\/em><\/p>\n

65. The moment you stoop to try to pick up a brilliantly rainbow-colored log, only it doesn’t budge because it’s almost turned to solid quartz<\/strong>! Petrified Forest National Park<\/a>, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

66. Every single time you get to proudly show off the gorgeous painting of Half Dome on your living room wall with your signature on it<\/strong>, thanks to a park-sponsored art class. Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Hoh

Hoh Rain Forest at the Olympic National Park, Washington<\/p><\/div>\n

67. The enchanting moment you envelope yourself in curtains of lush green in one the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S<\/strong>. Olympic National Park<\/a>, Washington<\/em><\/p>\n

68. The moment you take “glamping” to a whole new level when you explore Voyagers National Park from the comfort of a houseboat<\/strong>. Voyageurs National Park<\/a>, Minnesota<\/em><\/p>\n

69. The out of this world feeling as you explore the volcanic lands astronauts used to train for missions<\/strong> to the moon. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve<\/a>, Idaho<\/em><\/p>\n

70. The moment you witness a swarm of bright monarch butterflies descending over the sand dunes<\/strong> on their migratory journey to Mexico. Fire Island National Seashore<\/a>, New York<\/em><\/p>\n

\"White

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico<\/p><\/div>\n

71. That time you went to slide downpristine untouched white powder in shorts and a T-shirt<\/strong>. White Sands National Monument<\/a>, New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n

72. The scaly moment you hold an alligator in your own two hands<\/strong>. Everglades National Park<\/a>, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n

73. Catch a quiet moment of tranquility as you glide over the water trails under one of the tallest temperate forest canopies in the world<\/strong>. Congaree National Park<\/a>, South Carolina<\/em><\/p>\n

74.\u00a0Wake up on top of the world with floor-to-ceiling 360 panoramic<\/a> views\u00a0when you rent a room\u00a0in a converted fire lookout tower<\/strong>. North Cascades National Park<\/a>, Washington<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The

The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona<\/p><\/div>\n

75. The moment you win the lottery\u2026and become one of the lucky 20 people per day authorized to hike out to The Wave<\/strong>. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument<\/a>, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

76. The moment you tell your gym climbing wall instructor about the time you decided to actually go ice-climbing inside a glacier<\/strong>! Wrangell-St. Elias National Park<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

77. Get intimate with incredible fall foliage colors as you explore the Great Smoky Mountains from the ground\u2026or from the air via tramway or zipline<\/strong>. Great Smoky Mountains National Park<\/a>, Tennessee and North Carolina<\/em><\/p>\n

78. Have the most peaceful morning of your life as you awaken in a grove of old growth redwoods<\/strong>. Redwood National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

79. The moment you experience your own “close encounter” after climbing to the top of Devil’s Tower<\/strong>. Devil’s Tower National Monument<\/a>, Wyoming<\/em><\/p>\n

80. Feel like you’re crawling through your mother’s paperweight geode as you explore life-sized crystals in California’s Crystal Ice Cave<\/strong>. Lava Beds National Monument<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

81. Get a bit of desert deja vu as you kayak through the colorful sandstone cliffs and caves of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore<\/strong>. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore<\/a>, Michigan<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

82. When you glimpse an ocean of fog rolling in over Shenandoah Valley<\/strong>, leaving your view dotted with golden mountain peak islands. Shenandoah National Park<\/a>, Virginia<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Zion

Zion National Park, Utah<\/p><\/div>\n

83. The moment you step in your first dinosaur track<\/strong>. Zion National Park<\/a>, Utah<\/em><\/p>\n

84. The moment you bond with your dog as he hikes his first National Park trail<\/strong>! Many parks<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

85. The epic moment you stand on top of the Lone Star State and add your name to the Guadalupe Peak<\/strong> register<\/strong>. Guadalupe Mountains National Park<\/a>, Texas<\/em><\/p>\n

86. The moment you discover the uniquely intricate designs nature carves in caves deep below the earth<\/a>, from popcorn and dogtooth, to frostwork and boxwork. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Horsetail<\/a>

Horsetail Falls Yosemite National Park<\/p><\/div>\n

87. The moment you pinch yourself to make sure you haven’t been hiking too long as you witness the incredible gold glow of Horsetail Falls<\/strong>. Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/em><\/p>\n

88. The moment when an inquisitive turtle swims up beside you as you explore St. John’s underwater snorkeling trail<\/strong>. Virgin Islands National Park<\/a>, US Virgin Islands<\/em><\/p>\n

89. Unlike any cave you’ve ever seen, you’ll never forget the slick black walls of lava tubes<\/strong> which serve as lava highways during eruptions. Hawai\u2019i Volcanoes National Park<\/a>, Hawaii<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

90. That moment you get your wake-up call to rush out and see the Northern Lights<\/strong>. Denali NationalPark<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Cliff

Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado<\/p><\/div>\n

91. The new appreciation you’ll feel for electricity after you go on a twilight tour through Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings<\/strong>. Mesa Verde National Park<\/a>, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

92.\u00a0The incredible sense of accomplishment you get as you summit Mount Washington<\/strong>, the highest point on your Appalachian Trail journey. Appalachian National Scenic Trail<\/a>, New Hampshire<\/em><\/p>\n

93. The moment you crane your neck to see the springtime blooms at the top of a 40-foot Saguaro Cacti<\/strong>. Saguaro National Park<\/a>, Arizona<\/em><\/p>\n

94. The lucky moment you get to witness the 200-foot eruption of Yellowstone’s less predictable Grand Geyser<\/strong>. Yellowstone National Park<\/a>, Wyoming<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Multnomah

Multnomah Falls at Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon<\/p><\/div>\n

95. The moment your Pinterest travel board doesn’t do justice when you catch your first glimpse of Multnomah Falls<\/strong>. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area<\/a>, Oregon<\/em><\/p>\n

96. The moment you pinch yourself to confirm you haven’t been transported to the Island of Dr. Moreau when you discover fossils of a beardog or those of a miniature rhino<\/strong>. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument<\/a>, Nebraska<\/em><\/p>\n

97. The sense of vertigo as you look out from chasm viewpoint and the earth drops 2,000 feet below you<\/strong>. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park<\/a>, Colorado<\/em><\/p>\n

98. All the fantastic selfies you’ll take with the vibrant stacked faces on Alaska’s Totem Poles. Sitka National Historic Park<\/a>, Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Big

Big Bend National Park South Rim Trail | Flickr CC: Adam Baker<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

99. When you stand at what feels like the edge of the world and stare out across Texas into Mexico<\/strong>, unsure of where one stops and the next begins. Big Bend National Park<\/a>, Texas<\/em><\/p>\n

100. The rewarding experience you get when you volunteer for your National Parks<\/strong> and giving back to this beautiful land. Available in all parks!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

How many of these experiences have you tried? Any\u00a0favorites from the list? Any to add? Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n

\"Orbitz,<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Polynesian homestay, swimming a kelp forest, bluegrass cave concerts? That’s only the beginning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":168,"featured_media":41918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4,5,2641,33],"tags":[2660,287],"class_list":["post-41749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-california","category-family-travel","category-national-parks","category-top-10-lists","tag-adventure","tag-family"],"acf":{"api_active":false,"api_title":"","api_excerpt":"","api_featured_image":false,"api_lob":"Hotels"},"posts_api_cpm_point":[{"name":"","description":"","email":"","thumbnail":"","address":"Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA","latitude":"44.3525816","longitude":"-68.22510360000001","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"}],"yoast_head":"\n100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Polynesian homestay, swimming a kelp forest, bluegrass cave concerts? That's only the beginning.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Orbitz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Orbitz\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"705\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"470\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emily Howard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@orbitz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@orbitz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emily Howard\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Emily Howard\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114\"},\"headline\":\"100 National Parks experiences you must try\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\"},\"wordCount\":2774,\"commentCount\":6,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Adventure\",\"family\"],\"articleSection\":[\"California\",\"Family time\",\"National Parks\",\"Top 10 Lists\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\",\"name\":\"100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":667,\"caption\":\"54. That thrilling moment you feel like a stunt driver as you traverse Canyonlands National Park in a jeep. Canyonlands National Park, Utah\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"100 National Parks experiences you must try\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Orbitz\",\"description\":\"Travel Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114\",\"name\":\"Emily Howard\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Emily-Grothe_headshot-150x150.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Emily-Grothe_headshot-150x150.jpeg\",\"caption\":\"Emily Howard\"},\"description\":\"Emily is a California-bred, Chicago-based travel, writing, and cooking enthusiast. When she\u2019s not sampling the local street food on the road, she\u2019s trying to re-invent it back at home. She also helps out around Orbitz as a Strategic Account Manager.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/author\/egrothe\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz","og_description":"A Polynesian homestay, swimming a kelp forest, bluegrass cave concerts? That's only the beginning.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/","og_site_name":"Orbitz","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Orbitz\/","article_published_time":"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","width":705,"height":470,"type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Emily Howard","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@orbitz","twitter_site":"@orbitz","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Emily Howard","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/"},"author":{"name":"Emily Howard","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114"},"headline":"100 National Parks experiences you must try","datePublished":"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/"},"wordCount":2774,"commentCount":6,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","keywords":["Adventure","family"],"articleSection":["California","Family time","National Parks","Top 10 Lists"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/","url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/","name":"100 National Parks experiences you must try | Orbitz","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","datePublished":"2016-01-19T22:47:50+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-22T23:01:11+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","width":1000,"height":667,"caption":"54. That thrilling moment you feel like a stunt driver as you traverse Canyonlands National Park in a jeep. Canyonlands National Park, Utah"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/national-parks-centennial\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"100 National Parks experiences you must try"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/","name":"Orbitz","description":"Travel Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/972268fe8cff7d36a48a3da7c095c114","name":"Emily Howard","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Emily-Grothe_headshot-150x150.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Emily-Grothe_headshot-150x150.jpeg","caption":"Emily Howard"},"description":"Emily is a California-bred, Chicago-based travel, writing, and cooking enthusiast. When she\u2019s not sampling the local street food on the road, she\u2019s trying to re-invent it back at home. She also helps out around Orbitz as a Strategic Account Manager.","url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/author\/egrothe\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/49-canyonlands-national-park-utah.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}