Recent Stories
Endangered parks fight to survive
Once more than 3.5 million acres of East Texas, Big Thicket National Preserve currently stretches across only 97,000 acres of land and is in danger of an even greater reduction in size due to commercial, industrial and residential developments. Big Thicket however, is just one of many of our nationalRead More…
Volunteers make major contributions
Home to many intriguing shipwrecks, the Pacific waters abutting coastal California’s Channel Islands National Park are a haven for archaeologists. Despite the specialized nature of their work, these archaeologists do not examine the sunken vessels as park service staff members. They do the skilled, high-risk work as volunteers. “We haveRead More…
It’s simple: Water essential for parks
Fresh water is one of the most vital nutrients necessary to sustain life. This does not just apply to human life but just about every living object needs fresh water to survive. For example, the Grand Canyon is formed by the flow of the Colorado River and this same riverRead More…
Parks minimize effects of natural disasters
The serenity of a natural park is unquestionable. But this serenity at any point can be attacked. Imagine this peaceful place turned into a place where nerves are frayed. Imagine the blue skies covered in a thick blanket of smoke and the trees showered in ash. In Georgia that wasRead More…
Puerto Rican culture highlighted at café
SAN JUAN, P.R.— Latin music blares as the rich culture of San Juan fills the air. Eager Salsa dancers and tourists mingle in the alleyway before entering the main room of the historical Nuyorican Café, referred to by tourists as “the diamond in the rough.” This Thursday to Saturday nightRead More…
St. Paul’s offers view of 18th century city life
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y.— Throughout history, St. Paul’s Church has served as a hospital, courthouse, and a scene of military developments. Today, it is a national landmark that allows visitors to experience life as far back as 1665, the year English Puritans established the town of Eastchester and founded the parish.Read More…
Alcatraz was unique home for staff families
SAN FRANCISCO — The sun is shining, birds are chirping, flowers are in bloom and there is not a cloud in the sky. The blue pristine waters are calm and the wind from the bay creates a chilly brisk temperature. The sounds of children playing echo off the mountains inRead More…
San Francisco bike tours get up close
SAN FRANCISCO — It seems red, is incredibly large, and appears to have a personality of its own. One can’t help but be intimidated and impressed at the same time. Made out of steel and concrete, its red-like towers, which are, in fact, an orange vermilion, have symbolized the BayRead More…
Fort Point hides under Golden Gate Bridge
SAN FRANCISCO— Nestled underneath the Golden Gate bridge, sheltered from the traffic and the tourists’ flash bulbs, stands the coliseum-shaped skeleton of an abandoned military outpost. “There’s definitively an eerie quality,” said Janice Parra, a first-time visitor to Fort Point National Historic Site, part of the Golden Gate National RecreationRead More…
Fort Funston spells f-u-n for enthusiasts
SAN FRANCISCO— Jake Brier furrows his brow and inhales audibly, working up the strength and the nerve to make his move. Finally, he’s ready. He tightens his grip, runs full speed towards the cliff and takes off, soon joining the other flying specks in the horizon. A hang glider isRead More…
Golden Gate parks offer unique scenery
SAN FRANCISCO — Driving through the fog of the Golden Gate Bridge on a sunny afternoon is a most unique way to arrive to the Presidio, the former Army post for 218 years for the Spain, Mexico and United States. While cruising down a different road inside the 1,491-acre GoldenRead More…
Point Bonita offers top bridge, bay views
SAN FRANCISCO — When I asked Liz Lewis, 29, a resident of Sacramento, and John Roberts, 56, who is from San Francisco, what brought them to Point Bonita lighthouse, they simultaneously gazed into each other’s eyes, looked at me, smiled, and said, “romance.” “The lighthouse is a place that makesRead More…