{"id":31154,"date":"2022-07-28T09:52:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T16:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?p=30000027583"},"modified":"2022-07-28T09:52:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T16:52:11","slug":"5-reasons-why-you-should-visit-national-parks-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/5-reasons-why-you-should-visit-national-parks-this-summer","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons why you should visit national parks this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spending more time outdoors for an afternoon outing or a weeklong vacation is an excellent way to enjoy the sunshine. For a memorable experience, plan to visit a national park this year. With more than 400 areas to choose from, you\u2019re sure to find plenty of intriguing options. Use\u00a0this interactive map<\/a>\u00a0to find the parks close to home (or on the other side of the country!). Here are five great reasons to explore a national park this summer to encourage your adventure.<\/p>\n

Nature Improves Mental Health<\/h3>\n

Visiting national parks is a fun way to spend time outside. Sometimes, a change in surroundings is all we need to reinvigorate our love for nature. Simply being out in the sunshine and breathing fresh air can do wonders for your mental health.\u00a0Research shows<\/a>\u00a0that prioritizing regular access to nature is beneficial to overall senior wellness. If you\u2019re feeling less than enthusiastic about another visit to your neighborhood park, plan a visit to a national park to get a healthy dose of the outdoors. Other benefits to being outside include increased vitamin D and immune system improvement, extra energy, and improved focus. As one\u00a0senior care organization explains<\/a>, \u201cBeing outdoors gives the brain a break from everyday multitasking and allows it to form new memories and heal itself from over-extension. This contributes to higher attention levels and improved mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Channel Islands National Park, Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regular Exercise is Key to Healthy Aging<\/h3>\n

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u00a0notes that<\/a>\u00a0\u201cAs an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many health problems that seem to come with age.\u201d While exercise can happen indoors or out, walking through a national park is an excellent way to add diversity to your workout routine. The varied landscape will engage your muscles; the sites will make the time go by quickly; and the fresh air will make it easier to maintain consistent breathing. The National Park Service has highlighted the connection between exercise and its parks in recent years with its \u201cHealthy Parks Healthy People<\/a>\u201d initiative, so head out to participate!<\/p>\n

Find a New Way to Connect with History<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0National Park Foundation<\/a>\u00a0works to \u201csafeguard the historic sites and collections that hold our shared history\u201d so that Americans for generations to come can actively engage in what makes the landscape of our country so unique. When you visit a national park, you\u2019re not only exploring the natural world and all its beauty, you\u2019re also connecting with history in a new way. Whether in a remote area or a more urban monument, these parks serve as a starting point for investigating our nation\u2019s past. Take time to research the park you\u2019re visiting ahead of time so that you can look out for markers and details during your trip. You may stumble upon a new area of interest!<\/p>\n

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Death Valley National Park, Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seniors Get a Lifetime Pass<\/h3>\n

Entrance fees to national parks can add up, especially if you plan to visit several over the course of a summer. Seniors over 62 are eligible for a\u00a0lifetime America the Beautiful pass<\/a>\u00a0for just $80. The pass is valid at more than 2,000 sites nationwide managed by various federal agencies and provides free admission for either one vehicle or up to four adults. If you aren\u2019t sure whether you\u2019ll use the pass enough to justify the $80, you can buy an annual pass for just $20. Eventually, you can trade four $20 passes for that lifetime sticker if you get hooked on the exploration! The earlier you purchase the pass, the more you can take advantage, so buy one now as an incentive to make your travel plans.<\/p>\n

Form National Friendships<\/h3>\n

National parks are a vacation destination for travelers from all regions and demographic groups. Visiting a park in your area might help you meet others from across the country! Be open to chatting with people you pass on the trails or meet in the campground. You have a natural conversation opener by asking their opinion on the park, future travel plans, etc. Even after you part ways, it\u2019s easy to keep in touch these days\u2014get a physical mailing address for adult pen pal correspondence or use an email for quick connecting.\u00a0Research shows<\/a>\u00a0that seniors who maintain various relationships and social connections have better mental and physical health, so take advantage of this unique way to meet new people!<\/p>\n

These are just some of the benefits of exploring a national park this summer, so start planning that trip!<\/p>\n

The Active Aging Series<\/a> is brought to you by our partner, Cambrian Homecare<\/a>. Cambrian Homecare has been assisting individuals to stay independent in their homes for 25 years. Flexible experience you can trust, when the best place is still at home. Click here<\/a> to see all of Cambrian’s informative articles. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Explore your national parks this summer. Start planning that trip! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":201,"featured_media":72093,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[31883],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[3245],"class_list":["post-31154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hi-lo","tag-sponsored-by-cambrian-homecare","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/201"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31154"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=31154"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=31154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}