Inspired Travel: Celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial

Sometimes even DIY travelers need a creative nudge. In our Inspired Travel articles, the Paste Travel team highlights some of the most innovative tours offered by some of the best operators in the industry. Get ready to call in the rest of your vacation days, pull out your map, and pack your duffel. The world awaits.

National parks are turning 100 this year, and just about everyone is invited to the party.

In addition to the U.S. National Park Service offering 16 days of free admission to many of its parks this year, global travel company Intrepid Travel is providing its customers with an unforgettable way to celebrate the anniversary — by exploring the parks like they never could have before.

This fall, the company will be leading four one-time-only expeditions through some of the country’s most breathtaking national parks. Each tour takes place in a different part of the country, and features the type of immersive activities that are guaranteed to get travelers up close and personal with America’s natural wonders.

“The U.S. is full of iconic landmarks that sadly, most travelers never take the time to visit,” said Leigh Barnes, Regional Director for Intrepid Travel in North America. “We are privileged to have some of the most iconic travel destinations in the world right here in the United States and we hope to encourage more people to visit them in 2016.”

Travelers can choose between kayaking in Yellowstone National Park, biking through Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, sailing through Florida’s Lower Keys or hiking through deserts and Sequoia forests on the way to climb California’s famous Mt. Whitney.

The trips last about a week on average, and range in price from $1,810 to $3,475 — a relatively small price to spend on a 100th birthday present. For more information about the centennial anniversary tours, check out Intrepid’s website.

Dillon Thompson is a travel intern with Paste and a student at the University of Georgia.