by Trefoni Michael Rizzi and "Tedrick De Bear"
· Keep Costs Down Purchase the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass - Annual Pass at the first National Park you visit. It will get you into National Parks and Federal Lands across the country and can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.
· Family Car Games Put away the video games and DVDs and play family games like "collecting" license plates from different states and counting how many different animals you can see from the car. These games help build family memories, engage your children with the landscape and turn the drive into an on-the-road contest.
· Fill A Scrapbook Give each child a disposable film or small digital camera. It will help them connect with what they are seeing and at the same time, they are building a scrapbook to remember their adventure.
· Bring A Friend Bring along your child's favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal. Traveling with a long-time friend is a comfort on a trip to new places, they make great pillows for naps in the car and they (the teddy bear) love having their picture taken wherever they travel!
· Go To The Visitor Center There is usually a film or slide show along with exhibits to help you learn more about your visit. There are always great books and games for children and families at the bookstore and your purchase helps support the park you are visiting.
· You Don't Have To Do Everything You can have a great time in just a couple of hours. If you don't have time to do everything you want, you can always plan to visit the park another time!
