Book Review - National Geographic’s Guide to National Parks

We were born to be outdoors. We are linked to nature by evolution and spirit. And in America we have taken steps to secure vast tracts of land to honor our heritage and our future. We call these our National Parks.  Yet many of us do not fully take advantage of the incredible stunning beauty of our collective parks - these temples of vistas and waterfalls, shrines of trees and forests, these cathedrals of granite and sandstone. Admittedly I have been to few of the places listed in National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States-8^th Edition, so as I thumbed through the pages of this book, through the cool facts and figures, through the captivating images, the book did exactly as it was intended - it inspired me, made me crave to travel and place my feet on ancient soil, wrap my hands around verdant plants and breathe in the scents only magnificent natural surrounds can do. Yeah, you probably know and maybe have visited the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Yosemite. But do you know anything about IsleRoyale in Michigan, or Dry Tortugas in Florida? The book details 59 National Parks including the Channel Islands in my backyard of Santa Barbara.

I have written four Moon travel books so I know firsthand the tremendous amount of work that goes into a book like this. I love the precise detail for each of the parks, practical information you may not always know. Aside from that I’m a fan of quirky – and this book provides odds and ends too, like the fact that Capital Reef in Utah is, “so remote the nearest traffic light is 78 miles away.” Or try this on - in California’s Sequoia National Park, there are spots, “farther from a road than any other place in the lower 48 states.” This is not a book for a select few. This is a book for everyone, a book you need to own even if you never plan on taking a plane anywhere - the photos alone will transport you. But this is also a book about celebration and about how our respect and admiration of our planet can be literally manifested in our ability to protect natural beauty so that we may always stand in awe of the world around us.

National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the United States/8^th Edition

$28 - 494 Pages

How to Travel Responsibly and Ethically

For those of us who love to travel there is perhaps no greater way to understand ourselves and our world than through the conduit of travel. But with travel comes responsibility: how can we be good travelers; responsible consumers while respecting the environment we are in, the people we are surrounded by and the culture we are immersed in? Travel is a privilege, not an entitlement, therefore when I write about travel, and appear as a guest on radio shows I always encourage a thoughtful approach. So I’ve created just a few ideas to help us travel more ethically and responsibly and be better citizens of Planet Earth:

Minimize Your Environmental Impact

~Ask your hotel if they have a recycling program (they should – recycling rates in the U.S. are an abysmal 30%! They are much better in Canada and Europe). The morning newspapers, water bottles, and soda cans should be recycled. If the hotel doesn’t have a recycle program, suggest they might consider one.

~Recycle yourself: I routinely drink bottled water when I travel because I’m not always certain of the water sources of where I’m visiting. But I also recycle those bottles – either at the hotel, or if they don’t have a recycling program, I bring the bottles back with me in my suitcase. Hassle? Nope. They weigh next to nothing and barely take up space.

~Limit your water usage: many areas around the globe are water-stressed even in Cambria, home of the Hearst Castle, water is at a premium because there’s not that much of it. You may be on vacation, but that doesn’t mean you need a long shower.

It's easy to recycle!

Respect All Wildlife

This starts with not feeding wild animals. Sure they’re cute, curious and you can get close to them, but our own crappy diet habits should not be given to animals who are not used to the ingredients (chemical or otherwise) which we consume. Feeding animals damages their health, alters their natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Since Man is at the top of the food chain, we actually bear a greater responsibility to every other creature, to respect them and treat them well.

The Channel Island Fox is adorable, but he doesn't need your food

Hike, Bike,Walk

Stay on all designated trails when you hike, bike and walk. If you camp, camp on durable surfaces, and dispose of your garbage properly (especially true in parks and most especially true if you visit the Channel Islands here on the California Central Coast). So bring a bag with you and pack out exactly what you’ve packed in. I’m guessing you wouldn’t want someone to toss trash on your yard, right? Therefore treat everyplace you visit like it was your own home. It’s easy to think “I’m on vacation, so I’ll do as I please.” Well yeah, I get that idea, but it doesn’t mean our vacation is an entitlement.

Support the Local Economy

I was in Paris to run the Paris Marathon (raising money for cancer research) and part of the group I was with wanted to go to the Hard Rock Café. Mind you, I’m in Paris, home of the best food anywhere and though the Hard Rock employs local Parisians, I can go to a Hard Rock anywhere. Visit the local places where you can explore and have unique experiences. By supporting local businesses they will help the region you visit to thrive. Don’t get me wrong, large corporations have their place too, but dining at chain restaurants is far less valuable to a local economy. 

Support locals, like this farmer in Matzatlan

Many places you visit rely on tourism – even here in Santa Barbara – and I’ve seen businesses shut down because visitors shop at chain stores over local businesses. Half the fun of traveling anywhere is trying new things. I always seek out the local coffee houses, local bakeries, breweries, wineries, restaurants, distilleries and shops and stores. And in truth, some of the best finds are local and only local. While in Switzerland a while back I had a local beer with fresh venison and a potato dish called rosti; all indigenous to the specific are I was in. 

This meal, like so many, was only available where I was traveling

Ultimately treat every place you visit like it was your own backyard. My wife and I pick up trash around Santa Barbara where we live, and we do so everywhere we go, be that Spain, Paris or China. Trash is trash and if you can pick up litter on the way to visit a really cool site, you’ve done a fine thing. So have fun, travel well, learn, explore and by doing so you will continually evolve into a better person, a truly global soul who ends up being more compassionate, interesting and frankly, more cool to the people you meet

Be a good traveler, be responsible and ethical