So, Let’s consider: National Park Passports
Several years ago, the National Park System(NPS) started a really nice hobby item for those that like to travel and visit parks. It’s referred to as the “passport”. (You can find more info at https://shop.americasnationalparks.org/store/department/30/Passport-Program/).
A set of additional stamps honoring specific parks is issued every year, and every year I order the year’s new passport stamp set for my National Park “passports”. Now before you go getting confused on me, these passports aren’t the kind that are issue by the state department that you need to travel between countries, or to New Jersey. They’re actually more like a scrap book of stamps that are issued for parks in the NPS system. A new stamp set is issued each year. And, yes, some parks have yet to get their stamp, but you can still get the passport “stamped” when you visit them. When you visit a park and their visitor’s center, you can get the “cancelation” stamp for you passport stamp. And if there’s not one yet issued, you can still collect the cancelations. It’s a really nice scrapbook log of your trips and visits. And it makes for a nice consolidation of memories to look back on later.
I started this with my kid back when she was young as a fun side item when our family traveled as a way for her to have a book of memories of our trips. And each year when I order my new set I still get her a copy as well.
I just got my new set of stamps for next year and this morning I updated my passports with them. I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve had to expand to 2 volumes with several sets of additional inserts.
Our family has changed in recent years, but even still, as I add the new stamps and flip through the pages of trips gone by, the memories come back like the noon day sun.
If you’re looking for a fun memory building hobby for your kid(s) and family, I really recommend that you check out this little known fun part of traveling the national park system. It’s affordable and something that grows as they do.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.
Like what you’re reading? Then, subscribe to the feed. It’s free and no spam.
