What started as wanting to see more of the country eventually turned into a family goal: visit all 63 U.S. National Parks. And because our daughter is growing up much faster than I’d like to admit, we decided we’d love to visit all 63 before she turns 18.

These are the places that have stuck with me and that I’d happily visit again and again. And because we still have so much of the country left to explore, I’m reserving the right to change this list. 

Some of my favorite places we’ve discovered while traveling haven’t necessarily been the places we set out to see. Our journey to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks has taken us through so many beautiful parts of the country, and somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a serious love for charming little towns.