National Park
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Tenorio Volcano National Park- Guatuso, Costa Rica
Located about an hour and a half from La Fortuna, Tenorio Volcano National Park offers an all around excellent rain forest experience. Featuring a relatively easy hike, it packs a huge scenery punch, including the unbelievably beautiful Rio Celeste waterfall.
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Acadia National Park- Bar Harbor, ME
Acadia National Park is moody and somewhat morose in the winter, but also devoid of the summertime masses. Still breathtakingly beautiful, the dramatic rocky coastline and misty mountain lakes offer a quiet respite for intrepid offseason travelers.
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Great Falls/C&O Canal NHP- Potomac, MD
Fourteen miles upstream from Washington, D.C., the Potomac River dramatically drops in elevation. Falling 76 feet in less than a mile, the result is a stunning series of steep tiered cascades. The falls are best viewed from Olmstead Island, accessible by the C&O Canal tow path, where even high above the river, the water’s power is palpable.
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Moraine Lake & Larch Valley- Banff NP, AB
Moraine Lake is impossibly beautiful. It is exactly what you would imagine when picturing an idyllic alpine lake; brilliantly blue-green from glacial rock flower, surrounded on all sides by towering snow capped mountains. It is so impressive, it has been featured twice on the Canadian twenty dollar bill. It is also one of the most photographed locations in all of Canada, which means you will be sharing the experience with a crowd of others. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to escape the crush. Much like Lake Louise, the parking lot at Moraine Lake fills up early; when it is filled, the road is closed. So, either show up before dawn, or…
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Lake Louise & Lake Agnes- Banff NP, AB
Lake Louise, with its grand hotel, towering snow capped mountains peaks, and impossibly emerald water is perhaps the most popular destination in the Canadian Rockies. Or maybe it just feels that way, due to the crazy crowds. Arriving early is key here, if you are not staying at the Chateau. Just after dawn the parking lots are full, and by mid-morning, the area trails are packed. That said, it is worth any inconvenience to visit this spectacular glacial lake. The sad, but fortunate truth is that many Lake Louise visitors just snap a quick picture before heading off to their next destination; this means it isn’t as crowded as it…