The kids and I were invited to an event with the National Park Service at the end of this summer.  A pop-up park was created in downtown Seattle’s Westlake Park in order for visitors to specifically experience the sounds of some of our national parks.

Headphones were provided, and instead of the noisy sounds of the bustling city, we were soothed by birds chirping, wind rustling the leaves, and water from streams and rivers rolling along.

It is really amazing the impact just hearing nature sounds has on our bodies.  Add in the rest of our senses with an actual visit to a national park, it’s no wonder we crave outdoor adventures so much!

Rangers were on hand at the event to guide us and answer questions about our park system here in Western Washington.  In addition to the sounds of our national parks, the posted mileage indicators stuck out to me.  Handouts as well as make-shift directional posts illustrated how many miles away each Western Washington National Park unit was from our location.

Of course, our well known favorites like Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park are no surprise, but the display really helped me to realize: There is more to the National Park Service than our large popular outdoor landmarks.  In fact, one of the units on the list, the closest one of just 1 mile from where we were standing, was one we’d never been to!

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is located in downtown Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood.  Even though we are in the area at least once a month (maybe more) and I’ve lived here for 13 years, our family has never stopped in to this FREE national park unit.  So instead of heading straight home after the event, we decided to hop back on the bus, and visit.  After all, it was just a mile away!

We were welcomed right away, and the kids were invited to complete a junior ranger activity booklet.  I always enjoy working with the kids on junior ranger badges.  I love how the activities guide our visit, encouraging us to learn and discover things we may have missed.  There are two floors to explore, and three different (20 to 25 minute) movies that play regularly.

The visit provided fascinating insights into Seattle’s history as we learned about the tremendous growth that happened following the gold rush.  I’m now adding it to my list of places to bring out of town guests!

Moral of the story? Of course the popular and well-known parks are popular and well-known for a reason.  BUT, also remember to look beyond the flashy mountains and canyons, and dive into history, culture, and heritage.

To find out the US National Park units located closest to you or a destination you are visiting, head to the NPS main page and simply click your state!

What was the last US National Park unit you visit? Which one are you headed to next?

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email.