In honor of National Park Week, yesterday we began posting our National Parks Top 10 list. Today we share the other top-five national parks according to WhereGalsWander.

We received a lot of advice about getting to Yosemite early, parking in one of the main lots and then taking the Shuttle, which takes you to just about every popular place, or you can hike from those popular places to where you want to be. This was our plan until my 14-year-old daughter sprained her ankle literally two days before our trip and ended up on crutches.  Our plans for hiking now had to be adjusted to Plan B: driving and parking as close to the sights as possible.

Alas, during my time in Phoenix last week, I heard the horses down by the Salt River, but as I hiked down the rocky incline,  I could hear the hooves as they scattered.  I spent an hour at the bend in the river, watching the early morning light change and dissipate my cold breath in the air.

The Channel Islands have always been this alluring beacon to me to come explore....

Traveling to Los Angeles for the first time and need some travel tips? How to prepare for LA parking, airports, weather, and traffic.