ParkVisitor

6 Ways You Can Support National Parks

The trees may not need your help to grow, but maintaining roadways for visitors, preserving ecosystems and protecting historical sites come with a price. If you love the outdoors are are looking to give back, consider one or more of these ways to support America’s parks. Flickr/Anna Fox Buy a Pass: Funds go directly to improve park infrastructure, fund ranger salaries and make improvements to…

Countrywide Guide to Springtime Blooms

Springtime is here! If you’re ready to come out of hibernation and visit some parks, you’re in for a treat. Flowers are starting to bloom all across the country, from flowers in wild patches of land to blossoming flower trees. Here are some must see sights that are pure magic. New York City- Central Park “The Big Apple” is known for its fast paced city life, but right in the middle of it all you…

Everyday Natural Products for Park Visitors

The yearly camping trip can demand shopping for new gear like tents, cooking gear and the occasional splurging on seasonal outdoor wear. But what products are your go-to for the local beach getaway or weekend hike? It’s easy to forget that the less glamorous park visits also require some handy items to make the experience much more enjoyable. Opting for more natural products will also help be…

Cause At The Core: Dove Edition

At Park Visitor, its important to highlight brands that are working hard to make a positive impact on people and on our planet. Join us in celebrating successful companies that care about causes too and strive to truly make a difference. Cause At The Core: Dove Edition Company: Dove Campaign: Real Beauty Campaign Launch Date: September 2004 Campaign Accomplishments and Highlights:  2007: The Dove…

Everyday Natural Products for Park Visitors

The yearly camping trip can demand shopping for new gear like tents, cooking gear and the occasional splurging on seasonal outdoor wear. But what products are your go-to for the local beach getaway or weekend hike? It’s easy to forget that the less glamorous park visits also require some handy items to make the experience much more enjoyable. Opting for more natural products will also help be…

Trendy Natural Foods for the Outdoor Enthusiast

Before you head out for a hike, are you reaching for more natural foods snacks like trail mix and nut bars rather than salty chips or big brand chocolate? You’re not alone. Millennials and Generation Z are buying products that are better for our health, and our planet. Products that are more health conscious, sustainable and involved with a cause have more purchasing power. Why else would leafy…

5 Reasons to Workout in Public Parks

Biking Along McDonald Creek by NPS / Jacob W. Frank The new year has arrived! It’s time for making plans, fresh starts and new experiences. For those wanting to make a change for the better, resolutions tend to include steps toward healthier habits such as making more time for physical activity. Working out in the great outdoors can be a healthier option for you and easy on your budget. Who needs…

Must Visit Winter Camping Sites in America’s Backyard

1. Joshua Tree National Park California is known for its year-long sunny weather, but it usually does get its dose of snow for a few short weeks. Joshua Tree is the ideal location for those looking for the winter camping experience in milder climates. While it’s still cold at night, there’s plenty of sun in the daytime to warm the temperature up a bit for a few hours. Plus, seeing a stretch of…

7 Ways to Visit Parks Responsibly

Summer season is here! We hope that means you’ll be making more visits to your local, state and national parks. With higher visitation numbers comes more impact to park resources, so here are 7 simple ways you can visit parks responsibly to minimize your footprint. Photo by Greg Pederson, USGS,  at Glacier National Park 1. Let Animals Be It’s perfectly acceptable to take out your camera and snap…

California State Beaches: More than Sand and Water

These California state beaches offer more than sand and water. Read on to discover some events lined up for the coming weeks, special wildlife happenings and sights you won’t want to forget to capture with your camera. 1. Marina State Beach Want to do something more than soak up the sun and play in the water? Marina State Beach is a popular destination for hang-gliding. What’s better than…

Fun Things to Do at Parks with Kids

Photo by Pabak Sarkar Looking to get more out of your family trips to parks and fresh ideas? The traditional hiking, swimming and camping activities are always fun, but we think these will add a nice kick to your family days outdoors! Plus, ParkVisitor makes it easy for you to discover new places and things to do with its “activity” filter so you can search parks by what you’d like to do.  …

13 Lucky Wildlife Sightings in California Parks

Park Visitors may love nature and outdoor activities, but some of us are in it for the wildlife sightings! Check out some amazing wildlife sightings across public parks in California captured by the lucky photographers who were able to spot them in person! 1. Elk in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Photo Credit: www.usa-reiseblogger.de / Ka!zen This elk against a backdrop of pine trees in the…

8 National Parks You Must See this Summer

1. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska This Alaskan park has refreshingly breathtaking views, rugged rock formations and cool bodies of water all year round, but is an absolute must visit destination during the summertime. Because of the extra long daylight hours during the summer, you’ll get more out of your visit with longer days to explore its beauty. Also, the park offers shuttle and bus…

4 Hiking Trails in Southern California with Amazing Views

Sad about Runyon Canyon being closed for the Summer? Here are some outdoor spots in Southern California State Parks with refreshingly beautiful views! 1. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area – 4100 South La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90056 If you’re looking for a place to spend a good part of your day, this is it. From hiking trails to picnic areas and neatly landscaped sections, this place has…

America’s Most Visited National Parks

With warmer months up ahead, you can count on campsite reservations filling up, beach bonfires serving as centers of conversation, and bikes and surfboards filling in the landscape of America’s parks and beaches. It’s always outdoor season for some, but for everyone else, the time is right to plan the next trip to one of America’s great parks. With The National Park Service preparing to celebrate…

There are numerous running and hiking trails, biking trails and even outdoor “fitness trails” that surround the lake with multiple fitness stations with exercise equipment.  There are also horseback riding and atv trails – all within a couple miles of the city center.  The people in tandil are amongst the friendliest in the world and so is the exchange rate between the US Dollar and Argentinian Peso. You are definitely getting an incredible value for your money.

  My 12-year old son and I decided that this was going to be our “bonding” adventure trip, and we wanted to try someplace off-the-beaten path, with lots of activities, but not too “adventurous”: Neither of us wanted to go on rigorous mountain treks, or isolated camping.  So we began our trip in Los Angeles with a United Airlines flight (actually from Orange County, CA) to Houston, and then from Houston non-stop to Buenos Aires.  We chose United because of the convenience factor (there aren’t any non-stop flights on any carrier from the LA area to Buenos Aires), and United had both the shortest connecting flights and the most convenient schedule for us.  I must say, that while at times I’ve been known to be a bit of an “airline snob”, our experience with United Airlines was nothing short of great; from the phone reservation personnel, to the check-in personnel, to the flight attendants, everyone was highly professional and helpful (Note: I did not disclose to any of these folks that I was planning to write an article and blog).  Even the food on United was pretty decent, and my son loved the hot croissants that they served for breakfast.  I was impressed with the in-flight entertainment system, and specifically how you can connect your personal device (phone, ipad, etc.) to the system through USB port, which you can play video and music through, or even use just to keep your device charged (I had not seen a USB port part of any airlines in-flight system before).  The other thing that really made our long flight very comfortable were the seats; we had Economy Plus seats, which gave us WAY more legroom than any regular economy seat I’ve ever been in, and even as much as some business seats with other carriers I’ve sat in.  And the seats pitched back an additional few degrees too, which made sleeping more tolerable.  I would highly recommend United Airlines, and they have an extensive service area around the globe for almost any would-be adventure (or semi-adventure) traveler.

We arrived in Tandil on a Saturday afternoon (after a 3.5 hour rental car drive from the Buenos aires airport – by-the-way:  the car rental in Argentina isn’t the best so shop around and make sure you get all the costs, insurance requirements, taxes, and fees, in writing before you arrive.  We rented with Eurocar, and it was a bit dicey.) We would spend the first day in Tandil just exploring the city to get the lay of the land.  We learned the basic layout of the city and had lunch at a great cheese shop (picture and  link).  One thing we quickly learned about Argentina:  The Argentinians LOVE their beef.  They have Argentinian barbecues seemingly on every corner, and they’re called Parilla’s (pronounced Pa-ree-jahs)  (see this link to the restaurant we went to).  One thing to keep in mind:  don’t exchange your money at the official exchange rate!  When we were there the rate was 7.6 pesos to the dollar.  But, we ended up getting 11.6 pesos to the dollar by asking at banks and store owners where to get the best exchange rate.  We actually ended up exchanging at an “official” money exchange store front in Tandil city center, but not at the posted rate that the “public” gets.

  The second day we decided to run/hike the “mountain” in the park across the street from our rented house (we rented a great small 2 br house on AirBNB for only $52 per night – link – and the family that we rented from was fabulous!).  The location of our house could not have been better – in the city, but away from the city center – and yet right on one of the most beautiful parks where we had easy access to trails, and only ½ mile from the lake.

Our activity-filled week was filled with hiking, running, gym visits, biking, kayaking, swimming, and great dinners….more detail on that in the next blog!