As an avid traveler, I definitely miss checking destinations off of my bucket list. Since I can't head to a park or board a plane to my destination, I've been doing some extensive travel via the internet! Some of my favorite places to "visit" have been our National Parks. There are quite a few resources from live web cams & 360° images to podcasts & virtual events that'll almost make it feel like you're there. My research has even expanded my own personal bucket list! Here are a few of my favorite parks to virtually visit (and hope to physically visit soon too).

Death Valley

The lowest spot in North America is absolutely fascinating. I recommend starting with an intro video if you don't know much about the park:

The Channel Islands

This is park I've virtually visited the most. There are a ton of resources on the National Parks page (including a bunch that would be great for kids)! The first thing I check in on are their webcams. They have quite a few positioned throughout the island. I love to look at their ocean webcam the most since I'm not scuba certified. 

I've definitely lost track of time poking around their virtual tours thanks to Google Earth. While a little tricky to get the hang of at first, it's fun to imagine what it would (will!) be like to be hiking around the islands and exploring the beaches & trails. I swear you can almost smell the ocean.

The Channel Islands have an incredibly rich history. From the ingenuity of the Chumash to spooky shipwrecks, the stories on the National Parks website are absolutely fascinating. 

Zion National Park

I left California for this one! Zion's National Park Service page has a wide selection of resources to poke around in. I highly recommend taking the Angel's Landing ehike. If you have a slight (but only slight) fear of heights (like me), this is a great way to see what you would (will!) be hiking up. I know it's only digital, but man that view looks worth the trouble! 

If you're not too tired from that hike, you can also enjoy these guided video hikes of the park (the Canyon Overlook trail was my favorite!):