Traveling in the USA is Pretty Darn Great.

We made a pitstop in Sedona. Hi, God!

We made a pitstop in Sedona. Hi, God!It's 6 am and I can't sleep because I'm too excited! I spent all of yesterday traveling-- a three hour flight, a four hour drive (with a two hour hike in the middle to break it up) and now...

I am finally at the Grand Canyon!

I've always wanted to see this big hole in the ground, and I've been so close a few times-- as near as Four Corners, which was nothing to write home about. But somehow, the only time I've seen this bad body is with my face pressed against an airplane window (which is one of my favorite ways to sightsee).So here I sit, at the Kachina Lodge, perched along the south rim, waiting for the sun to rise.

We shelled out the extra 10 bucks for a canyon view room.

I think it'll be worth it.In January, the husband and I spent two-and-a-half weeks in Australia and New Zealand. And yeah, it was a trip of a lifetime. But both Josh and I got to thinking that though these places are beautiful, who's to say they're any more beautiful or awesome than what's in our own backyard? And by backyard, I mean the United States. We spent basically our entire life savings & four full travel days on visiting the land down under, and yet and I can't say the trip made me happier than if we'd stayed closer to home.So we decided that maybe it's time we start exploring more here in America. Josh and I have traveled a ton, but neither of us has seen much of the National Parks. I've always wanted to visit Yosemite and Joshua Tree and Acadia... but I simply never it a priority.

It is now.

This weekend, I'm heading to a dear friend's memorial service in Tucson. I decided to tack on two days at the Grand Canyon. Josh has already been here a few times, so I enlisted my father in the journey. He's 65 and has never seen it either!Traveling with a parent is pretty funny. My dad insists on asking for directions every five minutes and tips literally every person who ever does anything for us, like cashiers at parking ramps. But of course, what I'm really feeling is fortunate that I still have both of my parents and get to still have adventures with them. More on that later!Today, we're doing some hiking, taking a Jeep and Helicopter ride. It's a jam-packed day, but I couldn't be more excited. This never would've happened if I hadn't made it a priority.

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I gotta run, but in the meantime, what's your favorite US travel destination/state park? Looking to add a few more to my list!

Not the first time I've written about traveling with parents-- except last time, it was my husband's. And here's one of my favorite US destinations (I got to wear a muumuu!).