Hey, I’m Kristin!
I’m Kristin, I’m 36 years old and I live in Western Maryland. I teach elementary and high school band and orchestra.
On the side I coach Outdoor Track & Field where I focus on the pit jumps.
In addition to chasing National Park stamps and doing all the things outdoors, I am a huge Broadway nerd. Traveling and theatre are two of the most unrelated hobbies, but I have the most fun when I mix the two.
How I came to love National Parks
In 2018 I took a very spontaneous weekend trip to the Outer Banks. On that trip I stumbled upon the Wright Brothers National Memorial. I went to grab a Christmas tree ornament from the gift shop, saw the National Park Passport at the checkout counter, and the rest is history. Since then I’ve visited 93 smaller park units and 19 major National Parks, for a total of 112/428 park units.
What are my favorite National Parks?
Of course the major parks are amazing. All of them should be on your must-see list. But I have had some amazing experiences at the smaller parks and battlefields. Some of my favorites include Gettysburg NMP, the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, Wupatki NM, and Pu’uhonua O Honaunau NHP in Hawaii.
Currently, my favorite major park is a tie between Zion and Dry Tortugas, however, the Smokies and Volcanoes NP are so very close behind. Then there is Shenandoah NP, which I love on another level, it’s my go-to park, my home away from home.
It is my lifetime goal to visit all 428 National Parks. Most of these trips are and will be solo, but not all! All are done on a budget, and all include additional adventures. I will experience every park the best way I know how.
I am working on reviews for every park I’ve been to, but for a complete list of all the National Parks, check out the NPS page.
Last updated: March 4, 2024